Recognizing the Sign stuck there. This promise wasn’t for everyone. It was a Luke 2:22-40 onetime promise to one man. Simeon alone was given this promise of seeing the Christ before he died, and God Sometimes it’s difficult to see something when it’s right in fulfilled His promise. front of your face. The other day I wanted to wash the windshield on Sarah’s car, so I looked under the sink for the The thing to note here is that Simeon saw it: And it had been Windex. When I couldn’t find it, I asked Darla if she had revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see used it all. She had done the outside windows of the house a death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in few days before. She said she hadn’t, but may have left it the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in outside by the last window she cleaned. I went to look, but the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the didn’t see it. By the time I got back inside Darla had found it Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said . . … under the sink. It was there, I just didn’t see it. . Even more difficult to see is a sign of what God is doing Before we get into what Simeon said, did you catch that? right in front of you. There’s nothing wrong with the sign, The reason Simeon recognized this sign was because he but sometimes we just can’t see it. came in the Spirit. Now what does that mean? … The picture is of a man who was connected with the Holy Spirit. This time of year it’s kind of hard not to see God’s sign of He is described as righteous and devout, waiting for the Immanuel – God with us. The baby Jesus was seen by consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. shepherds. They glorified and praised God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them (Luke 2: 20). The That sounds a lot like you! You have the Holy Spirit. You shepherds saw the sign and responded in faith – glorifying were given the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in you, to be and praising God. your Comforter, to be your Counselor – the One who walks with you daily. Being able to see what God is doing and how He fulfills His promises isn’t an easy thing. But God’s Word teaches us that When you were baptized, God gave you His Holy Spirit. it doesn’t really depend on us. The seeing happens through Every time you hear the Word of Christ proclaimed, the and because of God’s Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is active, working in your heart, opening your eyes. At the Lord’s Table, it’s the Holy Spirit who assures Simeon, the man in our text, had been given the promise of you Christ’s body and blood give you forgiveness of sins seeing the Christ before he died. Now, I know it’s really and eternal life. You have the gift of the Holy Spirit because easy to get caught up right there and think, “Wow, God, why of Jesus’ promise and gift to you. don’t you give me that kind of promise?” Well, don’t get Simeon didn’t have the Holy Spirit because he was righteous would not. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the and devout. Simeon was righteous and devout because he power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the had the Holy Spirit. Simeon responded to the Holy Spirit’s Jew first and also to the Greek (Rom 1:16). That’s Simeon, presence through a life of listening, responding, and Paul and you. recognizing. He listened to God’s Word. He responded to But, the word of the cross is folly to those who are the Holy Spirit’s prompting by going and doing what the perishing, [while] to us who are being saved it is the power Spirit said. And he recognized what God was doing because of God. . . . For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek the Holy Spirit revealed it to him. wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to So here’s what he said: Lord, now you are letting your Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the of God (1 Cor 1:18, 22-24). Some will believe, and some presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, won’t—even when the same sign from God is right there in and for glory to your people Israel. front of them. The Spirit revealed His action and work in Jesus to Simeon, When some see this sign from God, Jesus Christ in the flesh, which opened his eyes and his heart. That’s an important Jesus Christ crucified, Jesus Christ resurrected from the distinction. It is God’s work and action that always comes dead, some will respond with disbelief and scoffing. The before our response. God has revealed this sign of Jesus to incarnation, the cross, and the resurrection are stumbling us, His Spirit has worked this faith in us, and we respond blocks to people. And it’s largely because it makes us take a with thanks and praise in a way very similar to Simeon. look at our own sin. But sometimes God’s action doesn’t create such a positive When we see such great things that God has done for us, we response. Simeon responds so that even Mary and Joseph come to realize that we can’t save ourselves. It’s God’s work marvel. He points out that Jesus is salvation to some but can and action that does this. It takes the control out of our also be a stumbling block. And Simeon blessed them and hands. It takes the power of salvation away from us. It said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for brings us to a point where we have to admit that we can’t do the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is it, we can’t save ourselves, and we stand in need of God. We opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul get to a point of dependence on Him, and it hurts a little. It’s also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed”. not easy to admit that we are wrong or that we need someone else, especially God. The apostle Paul saw this as well—that Jesus is the source of salvation, but some would respond like Simeon, while others But Simeon’s point was about this. You don’t have to do this on your own. It’s okay to be dependent on God. That’s how He designed it all along. Even in the Garden of Eden when everything was perfect, it was perfect because Adam and Eve rested in God and relied on Him to provide and take care of them. It’s once they turned toward themselves, thinking that they could find wisdom in their own thoughts that things got all messed up. But the Gospel, the message that Simeon proclaimed, pointed back to God’s salvation and work in Jesus. Not only did Adam and Eve’s salvation come in Jesus, but their daily care, their daily walk, their daily leading, counseling, consolation, and redemption came from Jesus through His Holy Spirit. It’s easy to get caught up in searching for signs and looking for God to give us explicit instructions in what to do next. It would be so much easier if God told us what job to take, who to date and marry, and how we’re going to get through the next month or week financially. In all these things God is giving us this assurance that He is here providing for us daily. We don’t need to look anywhere or to anyone else for this. Find your rest in Christ. Know that you do have the Holy Spirit so that you can recognize what God is doing right in front of you. See that the sign you need more than anything has already been given and fulfilled in Immanuel, God with us. Hear His calling and His prompting, and respond to His goodness by resting in and being dependent on Him. Amen.