Eyes to See His Salvation

 This is a brief message that was recorded and uploaded to our church's YouTube channel due to the illness of Pastor Les and some other church leaders. It is based on the account in Luke 2 about Joseph and Mary taking Jesus to the temple where Simeon declares that he has seen God's salvation and is now ready to depart from this life in peace. Out of all the people who would have been in the temple that day, why is Simeon the only one who was able to see Jesus as God's salvation? To watch a video recording of this message, click here.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Good morning, and Happy New Year to all of our Wayside church family. We are coming to you this morning by means of this video because several of our people are still recovering from recent sickness. I want to personally thank all of you for your prayers while I was sick. I am almost back to full strength for which I am very thankful to the Lord.

Well, here it is – the very first Sunday in a brand-new year, 2021.

As I was thinking about what God wanted me to share with you today as a word of encouragement and inspiration, I kept thinking about this phrase that appears in Luke 2:30, “My eyes have seen Your salvation.”

Let’s begin by reading the context to get the whole picture.

Luke 2:22-35 (NKJV) ²²  Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³  (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD"), ²⁴  and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." ²⁵  And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. ²⁷  So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸  he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ²⁹  "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; ³⁰  For my eyes have seen Your salvation ³¹  Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, ³²  A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel." ³³  And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. ³⁴  Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against ³⁵  (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

Tyndale New Testament Commentaries – Two quite separate ceremonies are involved here, the presentation of the child and the purification of the mother. The attendance of the child was not necessary, but it was natural when they were all so close to Jerusalem. The presentation of the baby follows from the fact that every male that opens the womb (i.e. the first-born of a mother, not necessarily of the father) shall be called holy to the Lord (Luke’s quotation is not exact but gives the sense of several passages: Exod. 13:2, 12, 15; Num. 18:15). Though Luke does not mention it, doubtless the usual five shekels were paid to redeem the first-born (Num. 18:15f.)

The Levitical law provided that after the birth of a son a woman would be unclean for seven days and that for a further thirty-three days she should keep away from all holy things (for a daughter the times were doubled; Lev. 12:1-5). Then she should offer a lamb and a dove or pigeon. If she was too poor for a lamb a second dove or pigeon sufficed instead (Lev. 12:6-13).

There are several things spoken about Jesus by Simeon, but I was struck by the words in v. 30 – “My eyes have seen your salvation.”

These words were spoken by a man who saw the baby Jesus approximately 40 days after his birth. In all likelihood, there were throngs of people in the temple that day when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus with them to the temple. With the exception of Anna, who is mentioned just a few verses later, no one else notices the new baby or recognizes His importance.

I asked myself, “How is it that one man, out of all the people in the temple, can look at a new baby and know that he has just witnessed God’s salvation for his nation?” “How is that man able to be so keenly aware of spiritual realities that he is able to understand the significance of this child?”

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, I am struck by the great value in being able to see what God wants me to see this year; maybe even things that most other people will overlook and miss. There were so many people and so many other activities taking place in that temple courtyard that day, and yet this man knows he has just witnessed the Lord’s “salvation” – the “Consolation of Israel” – the Anointed One (Christ). What was his secret? Well, this is what the Bible says about Simeon.

He was just and devout (v. 25)

Tyndale New Testament Commentaries – Righteous shows that he behaved well towards people, while devout (eulabēs; used by Luke alone in the New Testament) signifies ‘careful about religious duties’ (in the classics it means ‘cautious’).

Luke 2:25 (AMP)  …this man was righteous and devout [cautiously and carefully observing the divine Law], and looking for the Consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

The Holy Spirit was upon him. (v. 25)

One writer indicates that this description implies more than the occasional empowering by the Holy Spirit for some immediate task or event, but an ongoing presence.

We see here how much the Holy Spirit is active in this story. The Holy Spirit revealed that he would see the Christ before his death. (v. 26) The Holy Spirit directs him to go to the temple on the same day that Mary and Joseph go. (v. 27) (It’s implied that the HS pointed out the baby to him too.)

These qualities that describe Simeon may seem to be simple and insignificant, but I believe they give us an important clue as to how he, out of all people in the crowd that day, could testify, “My eyes have seen Your salvation!”

I don’t know about you, but I desire to be the kind of person that can recognize God’s message and God’s work in my life and in my world. I want to continue living my life carefully and intentionally following God’s Word. I want to experience the tender presence of the Holy Spirit in greater measure so I too can be directed by Him to be in the right place at the right time; and so that I can also discern His message that I need when its needed.

Living daily in careful obedience to the Lord requires determination and commitment. Being filled with His Spirit requires constant submission to Him, recognizing that His presence is a divine gift; it cannot be worked up or imitated. He comes when He is truly welcome.

Let us pray.