Watch & listen to every sermon on your favorite podcast software:
Information about this sermon:
Preacher: Pastor David Ball
Scripture: Luke 2
We are all longing for peace in our lives. We tend to think peace comes when all relational or financial conflicts are reconciled. But the truth is life is full of conflict. The peace that we are longing for is much deeper than that. The peace we are longing for is the peace that surpasses all understanding. The kind of peace that remains amid all the conflict in our lives and in the world. That is the peace that only Jesus can give. Come and listen to how you can find peace in Him.
Transcript
So this is the the kind of the time of year right where we take a big Collective uh deep breath and uh of relief that uh all the the craziness is over hopefully uh we’re starting now to get back into some some routine um you know because that makes a big difference and things get back to some normaly when finally hopefully we’ll have some peace right um you know that’s uh that’s really what today’s message I think is about for us uh it’s this abiding peace that surpasses all understanding that is offered to us in this newborn baby the Peace of the lord it’s what Simeon experienced now when we talk about peace we’re not talking about the cessation of all hostility uh as in Waring uh and we’re not talking about that inner peace you know that we we hear a lot about I think in culture you just need to find your inner peace man you just need to find that uh that inner Zen Whatever Whatever Gets you there um we’re not talking about either one of those things but the truth is all of those things are pointing to something deeper they’re they’re pointing to something deeper in the human heart that’s longing for some this this Thing Called Peace this this thing that that that just is uh that’s drawing us ever towards it wanting it longing for it never seem to be able to find it because we think that we’re going to find it when everything is finally calm in our lives right when nobody’s sick when we’re not sick when everybody’s doing just fine and is successful all the children are doing what they’re supposed to do and and grandkids and everything then I’m finally going to be able to to rest in peace but that’s not the way life works there’s never peace there’s never and yet because of the Gospel there’s the promise of Peace even in the midst of those things that’s the peace that’s beyond understanding Jesus said that he came to bring us a peace uh that’s not like the world gives is the peace that he gives the kind of Peace the world offers anyway is that they talk about cessation of hostility and it talks about that inner calm that you can find if you meditate and do those things Jesus saying that’s not the peace I have for you I have something quite different and I think we see that uh at work in this passage of Luke Chapter 2 specifically in uh in simeon’s life what a remarkable person uh Simeon and Anna as well by the way but we hear a little bit more uh the Luke tells us a little bit more about Simeon and what he what he had to say and the the uh the blessing that he had to offer over Jesus and so I want to take a few minutes just to talk about uh Simeon and the peace that he experienced in his encounter with this newborn Jesus but a little bit of setting for Luke Chapter 2 uh the first few verses are uh Mary and Joseph being good Jews and they’re following the law they do what they’re supposed to do and that is they take Jesus at the proper time uh to go up to the temple to make the journey in order to uh in order for uh the purif ific ation rights to happen for for the wife uh that was 40 days after birth there was to be a sacrifice a sacrifice of a lamb and a turtle dove or if uh if as the text tells us here what it’s revealing to us is if if the couple wasn’t wealthy when there was you know they were more workingclass family uh then you could offer two Turtle does and if you couldn’t do two Turtle does then you could do two pigeons uh and so we’re told that they went up and they they were making that sacrifice to the Lord for purification there was also according to the law it was the time to present the firstborn to the Lord uh which there was a note uh in the in the uh in the law that there was a ransom payment of five shekels That was supposed to be made for that uh for that child and then finally the dedication of the firstborn to the Lord’s service so they were doing what was right they were doing there they were good law-abiding folks and they went off and and they were doing this but as they went they met a man named Simeon and what are we told about Simeon uh we’re told a number of things there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon and this man was righteous and devout waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him so what we learn about this man Simeon is first of all he’s righteous and he’s devout meaning he’s very careful to adhere to God’s word and to follow God’s commands uh he’s upright in all his ways this is somebody that was known in the community he’s not a priest uh he wasn’t he was just a a regular Layman uh but one who’s been given a special gift by the Holy Spirit but he’s waiting for the consolation of Israel well what does that mean waiting for the consolation of of Israel he’s waiting for the comfort of Israel that is the hope of Deliverance that God had promised the Messiah he’s waiting for the Christ the one who God had promised through Isaiah that would come the suffering servant that he would send to deliver his people to save Jerusalem and to save Israel God God was expected to fulfill his promise and Simeon had gotten a message from the Holy Spirit which was quite remarkable uh especially at this time uh before the the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit comes upon everyone and there’s these special moments before and Simeon has given this special Revelation from the holy spirit that he will not die until he has seen this come to pass the Fulfillment of the Lord because we’re told that the Holy Spirit was upon him now let’s think about Simeon for just a moment how long must Simeon had to wait it’s a little bit of speculation because we’re not told exactly right uh but I think we can get it from the context we don’t really know we’re told about Anna and how old she was although even that’s a little bit a little bit uh can be debated from the text itself either she was 105 or she’s 86 or something like that we’re not sure but she was older uh and we get that feeling that Simeon is older as well here but we have to take it from the the context uh and the context is from the very first thing that he declares uh after he took Jesus up in his arms blessed God he said Lord now you letting your servant depart in peace you know it seems to be this has been a long wait it’s been a long and a tough weight one that’s been filled with ups and downs one that is where he’s seen great suffering one where he’s been incredibly frustrated I mean if we we take that that he is older which makes most sense uh that he’s an older gentleman than he’s lived through quite a bit there’s a good chance that he’s lived through through uh pompy’s uh conquering of Jerusalem uh the Roman uh the Roman uh ccil pompy uh and he saw the The Siege of Jerusalem or especially of the temple which was bloody and and brutal uh he saw pomy enter the holy of holies which was the most uh most irreligious thing that could have possibly happened uh that he walked into the holy of holies he didn’t destroy anything at that time uh what he witnessed himself and he walked through was the end of Jewish Independence because after that Rome installed its own its own rulers eventually coming to Herod the client King so he’s lived it through a time of incredible tension politically and socially and he’s watched it all all the meanwhile knowing well God’s given me this word he’s going to save us but when when is it coming have you ever felt like that you know God you’ve given me these promises you know you’ve made lots of promises but it’s hard right now we’re we’re suffering right now this is a difficult time whether it’s you know we went through it this past year political you know especially election seasons are always that way right you know I don’t know if they’re always that way but they have been certainly lately at least you know especially they seem to get more and more tensions are high and and for Simeon eventually it’s all going to lead to Jerusalem the Jewish Roman War and the destruction of the temple itself so he’s been in the midst of quite a lot he’s been waiting through it all waiting for this fulfillment to come this longing in his heart for this political Peace and Freedom and restoration of of Israel to come and so he declares in 29 to to to this family and to Jesus Lord and to the Lord Lord now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word what he was saying is I’ve been in bondage to you Lord I’ve been your bonder servant I’ve been in bondage to you on this calling to be the Watchman that’s what Simeon was called to do he was called to be the Lord’s Watchman to wait for this moment to come and he’s done it and so now he says I can depart in peace now it’s hard to get exactly what he’s saying traditionally we kind of understand this is meaning I can go die now right what a blessing what an incredible blessing to be able to say you know what I can die in peace it’s good all is well what incredible Assurance he had but it’s a little bit more than just we can’t just jump to that conclusion he’s not just saying all right I’m ready to die um you know that word itself it means to release to be set free he’s saying I’ve been set free in a new way because I because the word of the Lord has been fulfilled God you did what you said you’re going to do I’m free I’m free that’s what peace looks like knowing freedom of God’s fulfilled word for you when you know it of what God has done for you there’s peace but peace not being in the cessation of all hostility not being uh that inner that inner Zen that we’re all looking for but that idea of being complete that’s what that’s what the Hebrew word of Shalom it means it means to be complete in every way to be satisfied to be made whole what Simeon Saul and experienced in Jesus was being made whole the way that his heart was Longing To Be and that’s where he found peace it’s the only place to find peace he said for my eyes have seen your salvation just seeing Jesus he saw that salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all people a light for Revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory to your People Israel this is the Salvation that God has prepared see this is a key to peace what we know about Simeon is Simeon was devout and righteous he did all the right things he was committed to it and that was good and it was to and it was something obviously the text tells us that because it was to be commended but even in that he didn’t have peace you know we don’t find Peace by just doing all the right things that doesn’t bring peace into our lives the only thing that brought pre peace into his life is when he saw what God had done and what God had prepared for him friends that’s the only place to find peace in our lives is when we rejoice and rest in what God has done once and for all for us in his son Jesus Christ so that the thoughts from many of so that that he had prepared God had prepared for him but then he goes on as he talks to Mary uh and he says this to her uh when and it’s it’s a hard word because everything’s been quite positive so far right uh everything is going to be uh hunky dory and his father and mother this is start in verse 33 and his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother behold this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is opposed that’s that’s a strange way of saying things isn’t it as a sign that is opposed meaning Jesus is going to bring peace but he’s not going to bring it the way that that you think he is he’s not going to make everyone happy he’s not going to just make everyone get along he’s going to be a dividing Rod or specifically he’s going to be like a two-edged sword because then in verse 35 uh and a sword will pierce through your own soul also he says to Mary meaning this is going to be hard this is going to be painful there’s going to be sorrow this this peace that Jesus is bringing this peace that at last Simeon can be at rest in and can find Freedom in is going to come with great pain and suffering for Jesus but also for Mary but also for us so that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed this is the hard part see peace with God in Jesus only comes first with having our own Souls pierced with his truth and Grace because when we come face to face with Jesus what we come face to face with is the truth about ourselves and who we really are we can’t come face to face with Jesus and think that we’re okay that’s the the that is the sign that’s opposed by the way what it’s opposed to is that it’s coming against the sinful nature that declares that I’m okay and that you’re okay and that we’re all okay and we can do whatever we want it’s saying no we’re not okay and some are not going to receive that and those who do not receive that are going to fall but to those who do receive it who receive the truth humbly also receive the gift of Grace in peace and the Forgiveness of our sins and we will rise in the resurrection and the glory of Christ forever that’s what the peace of God looks like friends I won’t keep beating a dead horse on this but peace is not something that’s achieved it’s not something that’s found at the the top of the mountain it’s not something that we we find when we finally have achieved all of our our worldly goals uh when we finally got that Nest Egg where it needs to be for us to uh think that we’re going to be uh you know that we’re going to be okay uh or to that that promotion that we know that if we just get that promotion then we’ll have the status and the stability and the security that we need peace doesn’t come and anything that we can achieve peace only comes when we receive the grace of God and his son Jesus Christ what did Simeon do Simeon ran up and lifted Jesus in his arms he said now I can rest in peace friends may we Embrace Christ Our Savior and King not by what we aeve achieved but by the free gift that he’s offering to us and know the Forgiveness of our sins and the peace that surpasses all understanding, amen
