Word of Salvation – Vol. 36 No. 46 – December 1992
Christmas Hope
Sermon by Rev. B. G. Aldridge on Luke 2:25-40
Reading: Luke 2:25-40
Singing: Book of Worship 270, 263, 254, 285, 265
Dear people of God,
There are people in our society who are called the ‘forgotten people’. These are people who, whenever we talk about something, are seldom mentioned, though they are vitally involved. In a football team the players and coach get all the accolades if the team wins. But what about all the other people: the club officials, the runners and others? They are seldom mentioned.
It can be the same in a church. The people who are always ‘up front’, always in the limelight, always seen, are the ones who are praised and noticed. But there are many others who do all sorts of things but who are seldom praised. They are the ‘forgotten people’.
When we read the Christmas story it is often the same. We stop at the shepherds returning home and seldom read on. Yet there are two people connected with the story of Jesus who are the ‘forgotten people’ but who have much to say to us about Jesus’ birth. These two are the ‘old ones’.
In them we see first: Hope burned low.
They are called Simeon and Anna. They lived in the temple. Their life was just about ended. Anna was a widow aged 84. Simeon an old man waiting to die. It had been revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen the ‘Consolation of Israel’, the Messiah. But for both of them years had passed and no Messiah had come.
They were like many people in Israel. They had seen various messiahs come and go. The Pharisees were more interested in trying to rescue national and family life by making the Law of Moses supreme. They could tell Herod where the Messiah would be born but when the wise men came from the east announcing the Messiah’s birth, Herod showed more interest than they did. The Sadducees had also given up. They felt that co-operation with the Romans and adaptation to Greek cultural influences was the way into the future. Israel must simply catch up with the rest of the modern world. But unlike them, the old ones remained faithful.
They were the real heirs to Abraham: faithful, devout, looking for God’s salvation. And a long wait it had been. Four hundred years had passed since God had last spoken to His people. They had been invaded and conquered by the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans. They were ruled by a half Jewish, half Idumean King; one of whom Caesar had said: ‘It is better to be Herod’s pig than his son’.
Hope burned low. Day after day, year after year, Simeon went to the temple. He saw sacrifices made and the prayers go up to God but there was no answer. Each morning he went to the temple and each evening returned home disappointed.
Hope burned low. How long it had been since Anna left the temple, no one knew. It seemed that she had always been there. She had come after her husband died. Day and night she fasted and prayed. Why, she was almost a part of the place; a little old widow who was part of the furniture. But day after day, night after night, she waited and fasted and prayed. Hope burned low.
And now we see: Hope rekindled.
One day as Simeon was waiting in the temple, he saw a couple with a baby. They were just like any other of thousands of couples he had seen. It was obviously their first baby for they were nervous. They carried a pair of doves. The priest took them, sacrificed them to the Lord according to the Law.
Suddenly, moved by the Spirit, Simeon went up and took the baby from its surprised mother. His heart filled with joy. His long wait was over. This was the Messiah. He opened his mouth and those now famous words known as the Nunc Dimittis came pouring out:
‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now
dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.’
Joseph and Mary were astounded. Could it be true what old Simeon had said? After blessing them Simeon delivered a much more solemn message:
‘This child is destined to cause the falling
and rising of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.
And a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
At that moment Anna came up. She saw the baby. Suddenly she knew who he was. He was the Messiah. She began to praise God and told everyone she saw about the salvation of God.
And hope was rekindled in their lives.
What a testimony to us these old people are. A testimony to the faithfulness of God. It was hundreds of years since the promise had been made to Abraham. It had been thousands of years since judgement had been delivered against the serpent. Many generations had come and gone. So much had changed in the world. But God was faithful to His promise. As Baalam of old had said:
God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfil? (Numbers 23:19).
And what a challenge these old people are to us. Old people are often discarded in our society. Stuck away in old people’s homes. Their opinions are not asked, their ideas are seen as old fashioned. But while the Zealots were seeking a military solution to Israel’s problems, while the Pharisees were seeking to impress God with their piety and self-righteousness Simeon and Anna were quietly, faithfully, devoutly looking to the Lord their God, knowing that from Him would come the answer to Israel’s problems. And so Simeon could say: Lord, I’m ready to go. How wonderful it is then we can be so trusting in the Lord, so contented with what God has done, that we can say: Lord, I’m ready to go.
I want to ask if you can say that today? On this day when we celebrate the birth of that same baby, can you say: Lord I am ready to go to be with you? Or are you still doubting God’s faithfulness to his promises? I am often surprised how many people in our congregations are unsure of their salvation. They are still fearful. They cannot say: Lord, I am ready to go! They doubt whether they have been faithful enough to enter the presence of the Lord.
Simeon had no doubts; not because he trusted in his own faithfulness, even though he was faithful. No, he had seen and experienced God’s salvation. He did not need to wait for the cross and resurrection. He could trust God to finish what He had begun and so he was ready to go. Do you have that same faith? Are you ready to go?
And in Simeon’s words we have: Hope revealed.
You see, Simeon’s words tell us why we should be ready to go at any time, if our trust is in the Baby of Bethlehem. His message goes beyond the message of Gabriel or Mary, or that of Zechariah or that of the angelic hosts. Simeon’s message goes further in two very important ways:
Firstly…
this is the first mention of the Baby of Bethlehem having come for all people and not only for the Israelites. He would be a ‘light for the Gentiles’ (vs.32) The Lord Jesus, though still a baby, is now revealed as the hope for all people, everywhere.
Secondly…
this is the first mention of the suffering that would be associated with the life of this child. Simeon warns Mary:
“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel’.
The angelic hosts had a message of joy but Simeon also introduces a note of warning and sorrow. ‘A sword will pierce your soul,’ he tells Mary. The angelic host spoke of peace but Simeon also speaks of division.
And this gives us a clue why people who are not Christians can never understand the real message of Christmas and why many Christians have only half a message.
Last year the Age newspaper in Melbourne did a survey on what people thought the main reason for Christmas was. The vast majority regarded it as a time for family reunion. Less than 25% saw it as primarily a religious celebration. Why?
The reason is that most people never get beyond the message of the angels to the message of Simeon. They never get:
– beyond the baby to the man
– beyond the cradle to the cross
– beyond Bethlehem to Calvary
– beyond a baby to cuddle and admire
to a bleeding dying man to be despised…!
The shops are full of pictures of a beautiful baby, a spotlessly clean stable, gentle animals and a calm, slim, lovely Mary. I don’t know what she was like. For all we know Mary could have been dark, with pimples and weigh 70 kilos. And if she was, what is wrong with that?
My point is that if we are to know and experience the real hope that is revealed in the baby of Bethlehem then we need to do as Simeon does, and go beyond the baby to the man.
And so my question to you this morning is this: Do you have a hope that goes beyond the glitter, of the Christmas tree?
Boys and girls, you probably received a lot of presents but do you know the greatest gift that anyone can receive? Do you know the gift of salvation from the one who died on the cross and rose from the dead?
Young people, you may have just left school, and are looking for a well-paying job or a good apprenticeship, but you don’t have much hope in the present economic climate. But do you have a hope that goes beyond a well-paying job; a hope that will keep you going through the toughest economic times, a hope that is based on the baby of Bethlehem… the man of Galilee… the risen Lord of All?
And you older folk, has your hope been rekindled? Perhaps you think there isn’t much to live for, that every day is the same as the last and tomorrow will be no different. The message of Simeon and Anna is that their hope can be yours.
The Light has shined in the darkness
and the darkness has not overcome it.
This is the true Light that gives light and hope
and life to all who will trust in Him.
The baby has become the man and that man died on the cross and rose from the dead and is now Lord of all the universe and He, and He alone gives us hope.
AMEN