✝ Daily Encouragement (12/27/22) “The Man Who Held Jesus"
Published: Tue, 12/27/22
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
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Tuesday, December 27, 2022
"The Man Who Held Jesus"
Message summary:
Today we cannot take the infant Jesus in our arms. That privilege was only experienced by a few. He is now majestically seated at the right hand of God the Father, having fully accomplished the mission for which He was sent into the world; to save sinners. But we can raise our arms in praise to God acknowledging, as Simeon did, that Jesus is indeed the Lord's Christ. And today redeemed
sinners are proclaiming and living that reality all over the world. We are just two among them and we sure hope you are as well!
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"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ" (Luke 2:25,26). "For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness" (Galatians 5:5).
During the celebration of Christ's birth each year there is a major focus in the weeks leading up to Christmas but after the big day arrives
there is a significant diminishing of that focus.Have you noticed that? After Christmas we turn our focus to the New Year and the activities planned throughout the winter months.
But there are several significant events that took place after Christ's birth while he was a
baby.
"And at the end of eight days, when He was circumcised, He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the
womb. And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (Luke
2:21-24).
In all my years of preaching and writing ministry (since 1974) I can't find any record of ever dealing with this text. But it's an
indication of Christ having a normal infancy and of the obedience of His parents.
It was during this dedication that we are told the story of Simeon who was one of the faithful Jews who had been waiting in expectation for the
Messiah. Consider how many generations before the First Advent that righteous and devout people like Simeon had looked in expectancy for the promised Messiah. It's similar to those who await the Second Advent.
"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout". We consider righteous and devout believers in generations past during the church age who awaited the promise of Christ's Second Coming yet died before the event. That would include our Christian brothers and sisters and family members who have gone before us. Of course the Bible makes clear that they really haven't missed it and will actually precede those who are alive and remain at the coming of the Lord! (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.) "He (Simeon) was waiting for the consolation of Israel" The phrase "consolation of Israel" is a comprehensive term for the fulfillment of the Messianic hope. Although "consolation" is not a commonly used word, virtually all standard English translations maintain its stately use for this passage. "And the Holy Spirit was upon him". Although Simeon lived prior to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 at the birth of the church, we see in this passage how the Holy Spirit was upon him, speaking to him and leading him in the ways of the Lord. "It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ". Simeon had experienced a remarkable revelation through the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ. Christ means Anointed One and is the Greek word (Christos) for Messiah. How many years had he lived with this revelation? "Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts". The Spirit led Simeon to go into the temple courts and in doing so he met the parents of Jesus when they came in for His consecration. This happened at just the precise day, time and place His parents took Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. "When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God". It would seem that Simeon was unknown to Mary and Joseph but Luke does not preface the Child's dedication with any formal introduction. We simply read, "Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God". How did Mary and Joseph react when this man of great spiritual stature but likely a stranger to them, took their little baby into his arms? Today someone surely would have been present with a smart phone to get that photo up on Facebook and other social media! Simeon stood in the temple courts and held the tiny Child in his arms and praised God. What exuberant joy filled his heart. What sense of peace flooded his soul. For some 400 years prior to this there had been little prophetic revelation. It's as if the heavens were closed, as if God had been silent all those years. Yet Simeon held onto his faith. He continued to wait (trust) and now that the wait is finally fulfilled he held in his own arms the long expected Jesus. What was it like to hold the infant Jesus? He was surely held by many. Art usually shows Mary holding Him, but doubtlessly Joseph did as well. Grandmothers, aunts, and most women love to hold and cuddle babies. Interestingly, though, Simeon is the only person the Bible specifically tells us held the baby Jesus. Today we cannot take the infant Jesus in our arms. He is now majestically seated at the right hand of God the Father, having fully accomplished the mission for which He was sent into the world; to save sinners. But we can raise our arms in praise to God acknowledging, as Simeon did, that Jesus is indeed the Lord's Christ. And today redeemed sinners are proclaiming and living that reality all over the world. We are just two among so many and we sure hope you are as well!
Finally, like Simeon, we also wait. May God gives us this outlook:
"For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the
hope of righteousness" (Galatians 5:5).
Be encouraged today, (
Hebrews
3:13)
Stephen and Brooksyne
Weber
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