Title: The Lord’s Salvation
Text: Luke 2: 25-35
Date: December 25, 2011
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
This a busy time of the year. We get caught up in these things. Have you taken the time to stop and think what we are remembering this time of year? The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who is this Jesus? Who is this one who came forth an infant? Why did he come?
Simeon is described as waiting for the “consolation of Israel”, the “Lord’s Christ.” He is described as just towards man, devout towards God
May every believer here always desire to be just with one another. And devout to God, attend the the means of grace God has been pleased to use and to so generously give us. But let us never rest in our own acts, never worship our pititful worship, our building or days or any such thing.
Simeon did not see salvation in his own character or in any other one but when he saw the Lord Jesus he cried out, v30:
· (v30) “Mine eyes have seen THY SALVATION!”
· (v31) Which THOU hast prepared before the face of all people
· (v32) A light—Christ is God’s Light to lighten the Gentiles
· (v32) The glory—Christ is God’s glory, the glory of his people Israel
I. The Lord Jesus is the Salvation of God
Simeon saw what God makes his child see when he pours out his Spirit into our hearts--we see not merely a baby—but we see God’s Salvation.
· God’s chosen Salvation
· God’s predestinated Salvation
· God’s promised Salvation
· God’s salvation of which the prophets spoke,
· God’s salvation pictured in all the types and shadows of the old testament ceremony
· God’s Salvation who was born King of his people—“Where is he who is born King of the Jews.”
· God’s Salvation prepared—worked, finished, by God
· God’s salvation who glorified God
Luke 2: 11: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Have you stopped to think why the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world? The Lord Jesus Christ did not come into the world to have pity on man. He came into the world to redeem and save his people from their sins.
Matthew 1: 21: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
CHRIST Jesus, our Lord and Savior is Divine nature in mysterious union with human nature. The infant babe is the infinite God: God the Son in Holy Humanity, Holy Omnipotent God and Holy Man. No wonder the angels burst into song and sang "Glory to God in the highest."
The whole purpose of the triune God in sending His Son into the world was the redemption of chosen sinners by the sacrifice of His dear Son. He himself is the Firstborn—the first to ever truly open the womb at birth. He himself brought himself under the law being born under the law—being circumcised—at 8 days old. He himself is presenting himself—holy to the Lord—to serve the LORD God in fulfilling all righteousness, to declare the righteousness of God, to declare God just and the justifier of all who shall believe on him. He himself is the Redemption pictured in the offerings of redemption which were made that day in the temple
"Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ...(Who) loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,"
· Wisdom of God in salvation—for those called
· Righteousness of God in salvation—for called
· Sanctification of God in salvation—for called
· Redemption of God in salvation—for called
Jonah 2: 9: But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
II. HOW SINNERS ARE BROUGHT TO SEE THE LORD’S SALVATION.
Simeon already believed God by the Holy Spirit—he was a just and devout man, waiting on Christ to come. But in the manner Simeon was brought to see Christ that day, we have an example of how every elect child of God is brought to behold and believe on Christ Jesus our Salvation.
By the Work of the Holy Spirit
(v25)—the Holy Ghost was upon him
The Holy Spirit of God has always been the way by which sinners are born of God and brought to faith in Christ. We are born dead in trespasses and in sins—God’s child must be born again of the Holy Spirit (John 3)
By the Spirit of divine revelation (v26)—it was revealed unto him
The righteousness of God revealed is Christ Jesus our Righteousness. The promise that was made to Simeon is made concerning all God’s elect children in this earth--they shall not see death before they have been given faith to see the Lord’s Christ.
By the Spirit we must be drawn to the Lord Jesus (v27)
Just as the Holy Spirit drew Simeon to that temple and Joseph and Mary with Christ—so shall the Spirit draw each of his elect children and make us run headlong into Christ Jesus.
John 6: 44: No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
By the word—(v29)--according to thy word
This book is the word of the Lord. This book declares the Lord’s salvation—Jesus Christ! The gospel we preach today is the gospel we preach every time we are here, it is the gospel we study in this book, the gospel we sing about, the gospel we worship every day of our lives—Christ and him crucified—God’s salvation!
Through faith—(v25)—he was waiting on the consolation of Israel
He believed God, believed the word of the Lord. He was waiting, and he saw the Lord Jesus. Just as Simeon was waiting for Christ to come the first time, believers now wait to see him come again!
Can you say he is MY SALVATION! Moses sang, “He also hath become MY salvation.” Has Christ become your salvation? David said, “The Lord is MY light, and MY salvation!” Is Christ your Light? He said, “I am the Light.” Simeon said he is the “Light and Glory of his people Jew or Gentile”. Is Christ your Light? Isaiah said, “Behold, God is MY salvation.” Is Christ your salvation?, Your Light? Your life?
Oh, may the Spirit of God reveal Christ in your heart this day. May you take him up in the arms of faith as did Simeon!
III. THE EFFECTUAL RESULT OF SEEING CHRIST
The believer lays hold of Christ (v28—then took he him up in his arms…mine eyes have seen thy salvation. As soon as a truly regenerated soul sees the Lord Jesus, the regenerate recognizes him and takes him up!
When the believer lays hold of Christ by faith he gives all glory to God-(28)--he blessed God…
Sinners come into this world ‘glory hounds’—hunting down and seeking for ourselves the glory that belongs to God. But when we are made to see Christ Jesus we are made to see we have no righteousness, in my flesh dwells no good thing. There is one common denominator whom all God saints no matter where you find them—they all want Christ to receive all preeminence—he is the Light and Glory of God prepared and sent by God.
We glory in God and praise him for his grace toward us needy sinners—
· Grace which chose his Son
· Grace which sent his only begotten Son
· Grace who provided himself a Lamb
· Grace who made me born again to behold my Salvation accomplished by his Son.
The believer confesses Christ with the mouth v28-32—and he said Lord…
Before everyone in the temple, Simeon began declaring the praises of Christ his Salvation!
Romans 10: 10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
1 John 4: 15: Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
Isaiah 35: 6: Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Do you believe on the Lord Jesus in your heart? Have you confessed him before men? Singing songs about him this time of year is not confessing his name. This time of year, many will sing songs about my Lord as long as other voices are joining in but when the choirs cease so will their words of praise. Their peace lasts only as long as this season of the year. When all other voices cease to speak of him—tomorrow the believer will awake blessing God and singing of Christ his Salvation, the next day, the next day.
Through the Spirit, by God’s grace, the believer finds Christ to be Peace in our heart (v29)
He said, “Lord, now lettest thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word”--I can depart in peace. Can you say that? Do you have the peace that only Christ gives?
· Peace of knowing God is at peace with you
· Peace of knowing all your sin has been put away
· Peace of knowing Christ has reconciled you to God
· Peace of being made the righteousness of God
· Peace of full acceptance with God
· Peace in believing!
Can you say I am ready to depart?
Ecclesiastes 12: 1: Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
The peace of youth is fading—but having Christ is to have that one who is the pleasure of the Lord (atonement) and satisfaction in the heart made eternally young by grace. Soon your eyesight will grow dim (Ecc 12: 2.)—but Simeon had the Light which shall replace all other light in heavens glory. Soon you will be so feeble the voice of the bird will startle you—but Christ is our Shield and Defender our protection forevermore (Ec 12:4). There is Peace forevermore in Christ.
“I give unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand;”
We glory that God has prepared his salvation for his elect from the four corners of the earth (v31-32)
God Prepared Salvation in the Light and Glory of divine election—Christ is the chosen of God and his people are chosen by God out of the rest of mankind—from Jew and Gentile—a separated people accepted in Christ Jesus
Ephesians 1: 14: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Christ is our Glory and Light of adoption--Christ is the Firstborn among many brethren--we are joint heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him.
Election opened the door for sinners who otherwise have no hope. He is the salvation of all the elect of God—election is of all kind of people--all kinds of sinners: (v10)—to all people
· Lowly shepherds came
· Wise men from the east came
· Simeon is an old man; Mary and Joseph were young
· Lame, deaf, sick, withered
1 Timothy 1: 15: This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Are you sick in sin? Lame? Unable to save yourselves? Is all your hope that God chose you? Don’t try find fitness in your self? Christ came to save sinners, not the righteous.
The believer rejoices over those whom God uses to bring Christ to us v34—And Simeon blessed them…
The feet of them who bring glad tidings of good things are precious to the one who needs salvation. It is not that we are praising men, we are praising the Lord—their feet are precious because Christ’s feet are precious!
John 12: 3: Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Lastly, the believer has peace in suffering in this world (v33-35) The peace Christ is in our hearts is not as the world gives. Christ is the Sign and the Sword—for the falling of many, for the rising of many.
To those who shall be saved—Christ is the Sign
· Immanuel come forth through the virgin
· The infant in swaddling clothes
· The sign of the prophet Jonah—crucified, risen from the grave—the sea has stopped her raging
To others “a sign which shall be spoken against”
· Herod, self-righteous
Christ is the sword that pierces the soul and reveals the hearts of many. The gospel of Christ is sure to have some effect upon those who hear it. They either rejoice with Simeon, or become angry as did Herod. Christ is the Separator of those who will perish from those who shall be saved. The sword pierces, discerns and discovers, it reveals the worthless and manifests the precious.
And because many reject Christ it causes much suffering to the believer. Note the parenthesis spoken to Mary--v35--(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also)
How Mary must have loved Christ—you who know him by God’s grace and know something of love in your hearts, his love overflows in our hearts—but try to imagine, she carried him in her womb, she gave birth to the Lord Jesus—he was to her, both her Lord-Savior and her child. And know sooner is she declared blessed of God but she is told of the pain she will bear in her own heart because of Christ. What suffering! Mary’s heart was pierced through at the suffering of her Savior who was her own dear child. What suffering!
Be sure to get the lesson: The rejection of Christ is as personal to a believer as it is to a mother and her child. The rejection of our Savior is the suffering of our flesh and blood. We are members of one another! The suffering of a child of Christ touches our Savior like as a son to his mother. We are members of his body.
We see he is our Peace and full provision when we see how our Lord provided for his mother before he gave up the ghost on the cross,
John 19: 26: When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27: Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
He who has laid down his life and born away our sin, justified us! Made us the righteousness of God in him!
He promises to provide all for us—to protect us—to love us to the end. We can suffer for his names sake because Christ is our Consolation, our Salvation, our Peace and our Sword—the Lord’s salvation is our salvation. So like Simeon, we can live out the rest of our days and depart in peace, according to the word of the Lord.
Romans 8: 18: For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Some here have never seen the Lord’s salvation—you have heard his name preached time and again, you have heard he has come, has finished the work and is coming again, yet like many in Jerusalem you are troubled by him. You are yet trying to come to God some other way. I pray this is the day the Spirit of God makes you declare a Cease Fire!
May the Holy Spirit give you life in Christ, life to lay hold of Christ in saving faith, to confess him before men, to rejoice with those who rejoice and to suffer with him that we may also be glorified together.
Amen!