Christmas Message: Simeon

     In Luke 2:25-32 we read how Simeon met the baby Jesus in the temple when He was just eight days old.  Let us examine six ways we can be like Simeon.

1.  I MUST BE SAVED LIKE SIMEON.  Verse 25 says that "this man was righteous."  He was declared righteous.  This is another way of saying that he was saved.  And according to Romans 1:17 the righteousness of God is received by faith.  Simeon depended, not on his own righteousness, but on the righteousness of Christ.

2.  I MUST BE SURRENDERED LIKE SIMEON.  In verse 25 the text also says that Simeon was "devout."  He was devout because he was surrendered to God's will and fully submissive to his Lord.  Our human nature despises the thought of submission.  We want to be bosses; we want to run our lives.  But to be devout we must submit to God's Word, His Will and His Ways.

3.  I MUST BE SPIRITUAL LIKE SIMEON.  Verse 25 also states that "the Holy Spirit was upon him."  As God's child we seek to become spiritual, to grow in the faith and mature in our walk with the Lord.  Someone opined, "To be Scriptural is to be spiritual."  One way to become spiritual is to delight and be filled with the Scriptures.

4.  I MUST BE SENSITEIVE LIKE SIMEON.  In verse 26 we read, "It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit."  He was sensitive to hear the voice of God.  There must be times when we are alone with the Lord, seeking His face, and listening to His voice.  He speaks to us through the vehicle of the Holy Spirit.  If you desire to hear from God, you must be alone with Him, as Moses was at Mount Sanai.   God wants to speak to you; but we must be sensitive to His voice.

5.  I MUST BE SEEKING LIKE SIMEON.  In verse 26 we read that Simeon "would not see death before he has seen the Lord's Christ."  He was seeking and awaiting the Lord's coming.  Similarly, we must seek and await the Lord's second coming.  Christ's second advent is not dependent on us.  As God had appointed a time for Christ to come the first time (Galatians 4:4), so God has also appointed a time for Christ to come the second time.  And as Simeon eagerly sought Christ's appearance, so we must eagerly seek His reappearance.

6.  I MUST ATTEND SERVICE LIKE SIMEON.  In verse 27 we read that Simeon met the Lord in the temple.  Yes, he could worship, praise and bless the Lord at any place; yet he chose the temple to do so.  W tooe can worship, praise and bless the Lord at any place, but like, Simeon, let us do so in God's house.