Christmas The Supporting Cast // Part 2: Simeon: Will you see Jesus this Christmas?
December 5, 2021
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas - the decorations, presents, carols and more. Sometimes the trappings of Christmas can become the focus for us. This year, let’s prioritize the CHRIST of CHRISTmas. When Jesus first came into the world, there was a man named Simeon who saw Him. Even though there were thousands of people at the Temple that day, Simeon saw Jesus, the Savior of the world, and worshipped Him. May this Christmas we behold the One who gave His life for us and may we worship Him. May this Christmas be about Jesus.
Waiting in Hope
Think of a time when you held a baby in your arms. Maybe it was a newborn son or daughter, niece or nephew, grandson or granddaughter. We all know, or can imagine, the beauty of that moment, the fragility of it, the special feeling of holding a sweet new life in your very hands.
Now… imagine if it was the Savior – the long-awaited Son, the Prince of Peace, the Fulfillment of the promise – whom you were holding. A baby boy, yes, but a baby boy sent from the Lord to be the Messiah – our Emmanuel, God with us.
This was exactly what Simeon experienced in Luke 2. A righteous and devout man, Simeon spent his life waiting for the Savior. He trusted that God would do as He promised – and that he, himself, would get the opportunity to see the Messiah. Oh, the faith of this man. May we, too, have this same devotion and hope as we wait on the Lord. Let’s consider Simeon’s story and the part that he played in the Christmas story.
What the Bible Says in Luke 2
Simeon may not be a person that comes to mind when discussing the Christmas story – but he’s someone who played a special role in Jesus’ coming. We hear of Simeon in Luke 2, when he’s introduced as a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him (Luke 2:25). So, here we read of Simeon as a Christ-follower who was devoted to his faith and hopeful as he waited for the Messiah.
In his waiting he finally met the Savior in the temple, and immediately, his response was to praise God. He praised God for His fulfillment of the Scriptures – and he said that now God may now dismiss your servant in peace (Luke 2:29). His life’s purpose and goal was to glorify God, so once he met the Savior, he knew that his purpose was fulfilled.
We can learn much from Simeon as we look at how he waited. He was careful, committed, consistent, and consumed. And, above all, he was ready and looking. Simeon didn’t wait aimlessly or purposelessly. He remained faithful, and he was ready for when the time came. Then, when the time had arrived and the promise was fulfilled, all he could do was praise God. The long season of waiting led to a moment of joy, promise, and marveling in all who God is.
Will you see Jesus this Christmas?
Patience is a virtue. We’ve all heard that, probably from parents, teachers, and others in authority, after we impatiently questioned them on how much longer we must wait for something. If we’re being honest, in those moments as a child, we were most likely only waiting for a few minutes or hours.
If we’re being really honest, most of us have probably deserved to hear that while we’re in our seasons of waiting as adults. Whether we’re waiting for a dream to be fulfilled, a desire to be given to us, or a season of suffering to end, we all have had seasons of waiting. And, in those moments, patience in the waiting sounds like the hardest thing to even try to have.
However, it’s in the waiting, the hoping, and the trusting that we can truly find what we’re looking for: Jesus. Regardless of the season in which you find yourself this Christmas, we can see Jesus. We can find what our hearts need and the only thing – or person – who can answer our deepest longings.
When we see Jesus, when we allow Him to meet us right where we are, we can praise Him in all seasons, and we can marvel at who He is and what He’s doing in and through us.