Amen. You may be seated as we come now to the time of the proclamation of God's word. And the sermon text is recorded on page eight of your worship folder. I realized though, I did not include all that I wanted. So if you have a actual Bible or a Bible app on your phone and you want to get the whole sermon text, I will be starting in Luke chapter two, verse 22. though our focus will actually begin in verse 25 but we're continuing, this is the final Sunday of our Advent series where we have been looking at the songs, the Christmas songs of Luke's Gospel and of course we started with Mary's Magnificat and then moved on to Zacharias's Benedictus and last week we saw the Song of the Angels, the inexhaustible Gloria and this Sunday, we conclude with the song of Simeon, this man whom we know very little about. Nevertheless, his song is one of great hope. So we begin reading in Luke 2. Verse 22, 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 turtle doves or two young pigeons. Now 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. 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. And he came in 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, He took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples. A light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. 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 the rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is opposed. And a sword will pierce through your soul also so that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed. This is the word of the Lord. And so another Christmas season has come and passed, and soon we will be putting away all our decorations, which seems always to take longer than putting them up for some reason. We'll take down the tree, and this holiday season will just be another memory with many others. And then it's just winter. that cold season that seems to last longer than spring and summer and fall combined. Now, don't get me wrong, I actually do enjoy winter. I mean, most of you know I'm a native Michigander. I like the snow. But even for those of us that like winter, it does get to a point eventually, for me, it's usually around March, end of February, where you're just ready for it to end. And you're wanting that spring, that first warm breezes of spring, to begin to blow. Imagine, though, if it was only winter and never Christmas. And if you've read the Chronicles of Narnia, and you've read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, you know where where that comes from. Because there in Narnia, as Lucy stumbles upon that mystical land, she arrives in the dead of winter. Of course, it had been winter for many years. She meets Tumnus the Fawn, who explains to her that Narnia has been suffering under the tyranny of the White Witch. And he says to her, it is she that has got all Narnia under her thumb. It is she that makes it always winter. Always winter and never Christmas. Think of that. And Lucy responds with, how awful. And it is awful. Because winter seems to be that season that is just so dark and dead. There's no leaves on the trees. Few birds fly through the sky. All is silent and still. And unfortunately, though, many times in our lives, even as Christians, we go through those seasons of winter, whether they're spiritual, emotional or physical. We feel that cold deadness. that comes as the result of living in a fallen, sin-cursed world. And sometimes those winters seem to last forever with no end in sight. An endless winter with no Christmas, no season of joy, no celebration. There seems to be nothing to celebrate. And that is how the nation of Israel was when Christ was born. Life had seemed to be this endless winter. Israel had received so many great promises. And for centuries, prophets had proclaimed of a promised one, the Messiah, who would come and deliver Israel from its long winter of oppression at the hand of many a tyrannical ruler and rogue nation. who cared nothing for Israel's God or God's people. And so many a Hebrew grew and was raised hearing these promises, having them etched upon their hearts, faithfully taught to them by their fathers with the hope that they long to see the day when that Messiah would come, when the winter would end. However, The prophets at this point had been silent for centuries. The people of Israel remained scattered, broken, in exile under the oppressive Roman Empire. Their winter seemed endless, with no Christmas. How awful. And it is there that we meet this man, Simeon. waiting, as Luke tells us, for the consolation of Israel. That is to say, the coming of the promised Messiah who would bring to an end the long winter of exile. And that is why this narrative of Simeon's song in his story is so relevant to us today. His song, the last of these four Christmas songs recorded in the Gospel of Luke, is called the nuke dimittis, which simply means now you dismiss us. It's a song of one who has been waiting in the darkness, nearing the end of his life, and he finally sees with his own eyes what his heart already believed, the gracious salvation of the Lord. Simeon, advanced in years, had been waiting and hoping and enduring this long winter of Israel where it seemed like Christmas would never come. Here's this devout old man believing the promise that God had given long ago and now finally seeing with his own eyes and holding in his own arms the very fulfillment of that promise. And it filled him with joy and courage so that he could look at that long winter and he could say, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word. In other words, Lord, you have been faithful for I have seen your faithfulness. And so Simeon is here to remind you and I that our Christmas has come. Christ has been born. God was made flesh in the person of Christ and spring is on its way. The long exile is coming to an end. And so let us look through Simeon's eyes. Let us look at three truths that he saw in Christ when he held him in his arms. Because I believe that when we see these, we are able to face whatever endless winter seems to blow upon us. And the first is this, is that Jesus is the fulfillment of what we could not fulfill. Notice there are some things that Luke tells us regarding this man, Simeon. And we don't know a lot about him, other than his name and a few other details, but they are important, very important. In fact, one of them, the first one, is that he was righteous, as we see in verse 25. That simply means he was devoted to God's law and he was committed to keeping it as best a person can. And he did it in such a way that his life appeared to those who observed him to be righteous. He crossed all his T's and dotted all his I's. He was a good Hebrew man. Even though the nation was in exile and suffering under the iron fist of Rome, Simeon remained committed to the law of God. No doubt he would sing with David in Psalm 19, the rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Secondly, Luke tells us that Simeon was devout. In other words, he was reverent. He had a fear, a holy awe of God. And that devotion is manifested in his worship of God in the temple. As Luke tells us, the spirit of God led him to the temple in verse 27. He was committed to the law of God in a reverent fear, and he did his best to obey it, and we see that through his worship of the Lord, but there was a problem, you see. I suspect that Simeon most likely kept the law better than you or I could ever hope to keep it. However, as good as he was at that task, he certainly was not perfect. None of us are. And that is why Luke tells us a third thing about Simeon, that he was waiting for the consolation of Israel. Well, what's that? Well, simply this, the consolation of Israel is the comfort, the comforting that would come through the Messiah. The prophet Isaiah spoke of this coming comfort in Isaiah 40, verses one through two, where he says, comfort, comfort my people, says your God, speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her that her warfare is ended, her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. And listen carefully to the Lord's words through Isaiah. because they actually reveal a very key point to Luke's story of Simeon. Isaiah prophesied that there would be this comfort, this consolation, and it would include three things. He said, ending her warfare, pardoning her iniquity, and blessing her double for all her sins. In other words, this comfort, this consolation would be forgiveness of all sin and the restoration of all that was lost as a result of judgment and exile. And here's why that is important. Because Simeon, as devout and as righteous as he was, he couldn't make that happen. he still could not fulfill all of God's lawful demands as recorded in his holy law. And that's because the demand of the law isn't keep some of them as best you can, Look righteous to those who see you. No, it's absolute perfection, a perfection of the heart. And that is why the scriptures tell us, for example, in James 2.10, that whoever keeps the law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. And so Simeon, though he was very righteous by human standards, he still understood, perhaps better than anyone else because of how well he kept the law, that he was still a sinner. He was still guilty of breaking God's law. And so he's longing. He's longing and waiting for that consolation. that comfort that Isaiah had prophesied, the forgiveness of sins, the pardoning of iniquity. And if this devout and righteous man could not perfectly fulfill the demands of God's law and was in need of this comforting forgiveness, how much more do you and I But that day in the temple, Simeon met the one who would fulfill the law and bring the promised consolation. And that great fulfiller was named Jesus. Just as Simeon could look upon him in faith, so too can you and I, for he has fulfilled the law perfectly for us. And look at the details of Luke's story again. He mentions at least four times here that Jesus, even as an infant, was fulfilling the law of God. Verse 22, when the time of their purification had come, according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. And verse 23, as it is written in the law of the Lord. Verse 24, to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord. Verse 27, when the parents brought the child to the temple to do for him according to the custom of the law. And verse 39, And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee. All these mentions here in Luke 2 are highlighting specific rights required of Israel within God's ceremonial law. And we're not going to look at all those in detail. We don't have the time for that. However, Luke's point in the story is to show us that Jesus was fulfilling the law in every part from the ceremonial to the moral. And he did that because we could not. And that's what the Apostle Paul speaks of in Galatians 4, when he says, when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law. to redeem those who were under the law, that would be us, so that we might receive the adoption of sons. Simeon understood that Jesus was fulfilling that which he could never fulfill. And it gave him hope to sing this song of peace, even in the face of death. But how did Jesus do that for us? How did he fulfill what we could not fill? Well, Simeon explains that as well. Jesus suffered all that we deserve to suffer. We'll come back to Simeon's song in a moment, but first let's consider his prophecy to Mary, Jesus' mother. We go to verse 34 and 35. 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, and a sword will pierce through your own soul also, so that the thoughts from many hearts might be revealed. And at first glance, when you read those words, they kind of seem out of place, following the beauty of Simeon's little hymn. However, they're not, for they reveal to us why Simeon could say, let your servant now depart in peace. Simeon is talking here about Christ's suffering and what that suffering would accomplish. And speaking to Mary, he says a sword would pierce through her own soul. It's simply a poetic way to describe the fact that Jesus would become a man so that he might suffer that which we deserve to suffer as he dies upon the cross. Furthermore, he says that Jesus would be a sign that is opposed Speaking of the fact that Jesus' very coming would be opposed by his own people, rather than being accepted as the consolation of Israel, what happens? Well, Jesus is rejected by many. They do not receive him as the Messiah. And ultimately, though he was innocent and guiltless, he is tried as a criminal, tortured, and put to death on the cross. And listen to what Paul writes in Galatians 3. He says, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. by becoming a curse for us. For it is written, cursed is everyone that is hanged on a tree, so that in Christ Jesus, the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised spirit through faith. Jesus, Paul says, became our curse. He suffered what we rightly deserve to suffer. The curse of the law is death. Death is the result of humanity's sin and rebellion against the holy God of the universe. And way back in the garden, when Adam first disobeyed God, he was told that death would be the penalty of that rebellion. And on that day that he took that fruit and he ate it, he began to die. Now, death is like a shadow. It follows us all the days of our lives, but death goes beyond mere physical death. You see, we know that one day, These bodies will die, yet there are a couple other aspects of death that the scriptures speak of, and one is our spiritual death. That's why we read in Ephesians 2 that outside of Christ we are dead in our sins. There's no spiritual life in us apart from the life-giving grace of God. That means that we face a third reality of death, which is eternal death, eternal separation from God because he is holy and his law demands perfection. He cannot tolerate anything less than perfect obedience and holiness. And for that reason, sin cannot go unpunished. And so Jesus became that curse. He not only suffered the curse of the law that was meant for us, but he suffered the justice and the wrath of God that was pointed at us because of our rebellion. And that is what Paul meant when he says Jesus became our curse. And so there, as he hung on that cross, all the sins of those who would believe in him are placed upon his shoulders, and the justice and wrath of God towards that sin, all of it was directed towards him, and he took it all. He drank the cup of God's judgment dry for us. And that's suffering that's very difficult to even fathom. As he did that, as Paul says in Galatians 3, all who receive Christ might be partakers of the blessing of Abraham. What is Abraham's blessing? Well, it is that covenant promise that God made so long ago that he would be a God to his people. In other words, it is that consolation of Israel. that comfort for which Simeon was hoping and waiting for, and which he saw in the baby Jesus. Therefore, Simeon's song that he sings is our song when we cry forth in faith, let us now, Lord, depart in peace, for in Christ we see our salvation. Which brings us to the third truth that we see here in Simeon's story. See, not only did Jesus fulfill what you and I could not fulfill by suffering what we deserve to suffer, but he does that because Jesus is that consolation. He is the promise that we've been waiting for. In verse 26, we note, that the Holy Spirit had revealed that Simeon would not taste of death until he had seen the Lord's Christ, that long-awaited Messiah. Now imagine what it must have been like for Simeon. Here he is, old. We don't know how old he is, but apparently he's near death. And yet he's still clinging to the hope, the hope of this promise that he is going to see with his eyes the Lord's Christ, that he would see this Redeemer that would bring all his people out of the long exile of sin and suffering. He would see winter coming to an end and spring beginning to come into the earth. And so led by the spirit, he enters the temple, as he seems to often have done, being devout and righteous after all. But this day was different. For the longing that he had been looking for, that hope that he wanted to see fulfilled, would become a reality. And notice this, not only does he get to meet Christ and to look upon him, but Luke tells us he holds him in his arms. And then what does he do? He opens up and praises God as Luke records this beautiful hymn of praise. And within the words of this song, is revealed to us that Jesus is that promise that we too have been looking for. Notice he first says in his song that Jesus is the Christ. That he has seen the salvation of God that was promised eons ago. The promise that came at the very beginning of time when sin first entered into the world and God promised to Adam and Eve a child who would one day crush Satan's head and bring redemption, redeeming humanity back to God. And that same promise found its voice in the words spoken to Abraham, as God said, I will bless you and make your name great so that in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. That same promise was spoken to David in the promise of a king whose kingdom would never end. who would bring all his enemies under his feet to deliver his people from them. It was a promise spoken by prophets on mountaintops. It was a promise that was echoed within the walls of the temple through the worship that was carried out by the priests. It was a promise that was held in the minds of many a king of ancient times as they faced desperate times. of crisis. It was a promise that was also whispered in the halls and the walls of homes as fathers shared it with their children. It was a promise that was reiterated time and time again, typified through people and events and things expressed in songs and in psalms inscribed on pages as well as upon hearts, and over and over and over again, giving hope that the consolation is coming, the comfort of Israel is coming. And then came the silence. At least 400 years of it, there was not a word from the Lord through a prophet to remind the people of this promise. And it was during that time of silence, that 400 years of silence, that this man Simeon was born and raised and lived. The prophets had long been silent. All that remained was their words written down centuries before. But then God intervened again. He came down, not in the form of a prophet, but as the prophet, Jesus Christ, the Son. The promise had arrived. And Simeon looks upon him with his eyes, weakened by age, and says, my eyes have seen your salvation that you have promised in the presence of all peoples. But notice this, there's one last thing here that we see in Simeon's song. And that is this, is that final salvation was coming. Yes, he saw him. Yes, he understood who he was. He held him in his arms. He felt the presence of the Savior in the present moment. But there was a final salvation, a future salvation that was also on its way. Notice verse 32, he says that Jesus is a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory of your people Israel. And these words are meant to speak peace and hope and joy and love to us today. It is here that Simeon's words shed light on whatever winter you are facing in your life at this moment. You see, he's saying that not only has the promised salvation come to him, but it will also come to you. You and I are the Gentiles in Simeon's song. Jesus is our revelation. So that in him, there's now neither Jew nor Greek as Paul writes, but we are all one in Christ. We can have hope and peace and joy and love now in the presence because the promise was fulfilled in Christ. And it is continuing to be fulfilled and the final salvation, the final fulfillment is coming. And think about this. Simeon only gets to see the beginning of that promise's fulfillment. For a very brief moment, he looks upon Christ, he holds him in his arms, and he sings forth these words of light, of a revelation for all peoples. But what's he holding? Just a baby. A baby. The child yet had to grow and he would still have to suffer and he would still have to die on the cross and rise the third day to finish that great work of redemption, to completely fulfill that promise that was first given to Adam and to Eve and has echoed down through all history. He's only seeing the beginning of that fulfillment. And yet he still in bold faith says, I have seen your salvation. He didn't know exactly how Christ was going to suffer, but he knew that this was the one, this was the fulfiller, this was the one who had suffered for me. And I have seen that salvation. And if Simeon, who had yet to see and to know what we have today on our side of the cross, if he was able to say, I have peace, I can die, for my comfort, my consolation has come, my exile is over, how much more can we, we who have the full revelation of God's truth, say the same? You see, the present promises of God fulfilled assure us of future and final fulfillment of those promises. And so we know, as Peter preached, this truth in Acts 319. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent, therefore, and turn back that your sins may be blotted out, that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. and that he may send the Christ appointed to you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for the restoring of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago." You see, Peter was preaching about the fact that Christ had come, just as he had been promised, that he would suffer just as had been promised, and that was fulfilled. And now he says, repent, turn back, look to the Lord, leave your sins behind, come in faith. So that the time of refreshing, the final fulfillment, the final salvation would come when he would restore all things back to God. Because that's part of the promise as well. The present promise that you have Christ now brings a refreshing and it gives you hope that the final promises of God will be completed for you. And so Jesus fulfilled what we could not fulfill by suffering what we deserve to suffer for he is the promise that we have been hoping for. And because of that, now all our sins are washed away. All our sorrows will have their end. And there is real joy, real peace, real hope. That is the comfort. That is the consolation of which we can sing. The promise is fulfilled. Our Savior has come. Our Christmas has come. And we long for the day when it will be complete. I don't know what your seemingly endless winter may be. Perhaps it is a winter of loneliness, a winter of stress, of strife. Perhaps it's a winter of unbelief in your own heart. Maybe your winter is one of fear, of doubt, of discouragement. Perhaps you're facing trials of broken health and strained relationships. Perhaps your winter is simply the daily stresses that life brings. But whatever your winter may be, I do believe that Simeon's song is for you. Because what Simeon saw in Christ that gave him so much hope and comfort can also give you hope and comfort. You see, while it may seem like your life is always winter and never Christmas in Jesus all that you ever need has come and will come and so look as Simeon did, look with eyes of faith because winter has ended Christmas has come and spring, a spring of new life in Christ is on its way. Let us pray. Father in heaven We do thank you that you have given us these words of hope. These words of hope that are not grounded upon empty promises but fulfilled promises so that we know, we know without a doubt that the rest of your promises will be fulfilled. Father, I pray that you would help us to make Simeon's song our song, that we would look at this life and say, we have seen our salvation in Christ the Lord. Let us now depart in peace. We ask this in the name of Christ. Amen.