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Show My purpose is to remind us in preaching this that whenever God and reveals Himself that encouragement We are sermon brings speaks to those who believer. not to sit idly by in despair and dej ection no matter how difficult the time or how long we wait. For God is a caring God who always provides His children with consolation. Have you ever place that something so been to the you hoped or dreamed for much that it took up almost all of your waking hours? Have you spent your time thinking and musing on the same thing, forever? Have you ever been to the place where you wanted something it seems 1 so bad that still no were matter what else you left unfulfilled and not got, you satisfied? Well, perhaps we can catch a glimpse of the old but seldom remembered Biblical character names "Simeon." For the text says that he hoped for Jesus Christ, the consolation of Israel. Simeon determined not to die until he Messiah with his than mere promise Simeon own saw eyes. It the was more human determination but the By the way, the name "hearing" and what a of God. means hearer Simeon was. Like Samuel and Elijah and Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Simeon did not require a lot of thunder and lightning or earthquakes but he heard the sill small voice of God and knew it when he heard it. He no doubt 2 could hear better than he could see, yet he kept listening and looking. The first thing that came to Simeon is that God reveals Himself to believers even in the darkest of hours. The Spirit revealed that Simeon would Holy see the Christ before he would die. Nowhere else in The Bible is the name Simeon mentioned. W e do not know where when he where or was born and we do not know when he died. All that Simeon holy Spirit waited. It came to the or we know is Temple by the 'a just and devout man" and was dark and people had been waiting for the coming savior so long that they felt it hopeless. Still, this one man never gave up. He kept trusting and expecting and aspiring for that "Balm in Gilead." He knew not only that God 3 could do it but that He would in His time send the Light own in the midst of darkness. What consolation that God never leaves Himself without without a remnant! a witness, Although sometimes bruised, sometimes scattered in the wilderness, discouraged and battered and fainting-the Church remains alive and well and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Go d will always have a ram thicket, a Lot in Sodom, a Noah for the flood, an Elij ah down by the brook, a in the Babylon, an Obadiah in Ahab's household, a Jeremiah in Zedekiah's court room, a John-the-Baptist in the Daniel in wilderness, a Simeon for the consolation. I tell you God reveals Himself even in the darkest hour. Furthermore, God delivers believers 4 from the fear of death. When Simeon took the Christ child into his arms, he said, "Lord, not lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word for mine eyes have seen your salvation." What greater relief? What greater faith? What greater conviction? Simeon saw the consolation of Israel and had nothing else to live for. The grave lost its terror and the world lost its charm at the same time. Simeon like Paul could honestly say, "to live is lost but to be with Christ is gain." He was willing and ready to depart in peace knowing that "to be absent from the body was to be present with the Lord." He could die quietly and win the victory. Furthermore, God causes those who see Him to walk in the light of His 5 glory. light to lighten the Gentiles, glory of thy people Israel." "A and the Those who know not the way of the Lord, worship the works of their own They pat themselves on the back and shout how great they are, "professing themselves to wise they became fools." They must know that it is not some private light for some personal comer, but the good news of Jesus Christ is sun hands. . rise in the souls and minds of men who walk without stumbling veil shall be tom and the forth to light the whole world and Gentiles. For Jesus to save. falling. The light shall burst and came of Jews to seek and PRAISE GOD FOR JESUS CHRIST, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. . 6 |
