Old People Love Jesus (Luke 2:25-38)

Old People Love Jesus
Luke 2:25-38

INTRODUCTION
As we get older, it is no secret that our memories start to fade. We suddenly realize that we cannot recall vitally important information - like the GDP of Liberia, the Greek alphabet, or where we left our house shoes.

You start to go upstairs and, half-way up, you realize you have no idea why you were going up. Then you have to decide - do you go back downstairs and try to remember what you needed or do you continue upstairs and look for something that might need to be brought downstairs?

When you are unable to decide, you sit down at the top of the stairs, feeling sorry for yourself for growing old, only to realize shortly that you can’t remember if you were upstairs going down, or downstairs coming up!

Bill Maguffee had a coffee mug which said, “Growing old is not for sissies.”

But, be that as it may, the elderly have a lot to teach the young - In Psalm 71:18, the inspired poet prays, “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” (Psalm 71:18).

This afternoon, we will look at the meeting of two elderly disciples of God and a newborn baby…

SIMEON (2:25-35):
Let us observe his character (2:25):
Righteous
Devout
This is an aged and venerable Christian man. He had lived a long life of piety and virtue. But he has cherished a hope that before he dies, he would look upon the face of his nation’s Savior. That hope has brightened as he has approached death.

Let us observe his expectation (2:25):
Looking for the consolation of Israel
Cf. Isaiah 40:1; 49:13; 51:3; 52:9; 57:18; 66:10-11.

Let us observe his blessing (2:25-26):
The Holy Spirit was upon him
It had been revealed that he would see the Messiah

Let us observe his interaction with the Baby Jesus (2:27-35):
The Spirit led him (2:27):
This is the temple precincts. Mary could only go as far as the Court of Women.
He blesses the baby (2:28-32):
He takes the baby up into his arms and we imagine a light of gratitude in his eyes and an emotion of deepest happiness in his voice.
He can now “depart” in peace (2:29):
There is nothing further for him to wait for. There is nothing further for him to see or experience.
The multitude of men and women seek satisfaction in the things which are visible and temporal – pleasure, money, power, honor. But they do not find what they seek. All the rivers of material goods can flow into our immortal spirit but the sea will never become full. Earthly goods, like salt water, only make the soul more thirsty – thirsty for something else, something of substance, something lasting and good. It is not the wealthy, nor the mighty, nor the honored, but the man of faith who can say, “I am satisfied; let me depart in peace.”
This is “according to God’s Word” (2:29):
He has seen God’s “salvation” (a figure of speech/metonymy – effect put for the cause) (2:30):
Isaiah 52:10
How many of us have certain spiritual desires and spiritual wishes that we long to fulfill in our physical lifetimes for our Lord? Do we even have spiritual plans? Do we have spiritual expectations of ourselves? What spiritual hopes propel us in this life?
This salvation is for “all peoples” (2:31):
This was prophesied, Simeon understands, in the OT (2:32):
Isaiah 60:1-2
He marvels the young parents (2:33):

He blesses the parents (2:34-35):
The Child will have a negative impact on some
Perhaps Simeon has in mind the “stone” texts from Isaiah 8:14; 28:16 and Psalm 118:22.
It was a necessary consequence of his coming that the character of the men who came in contact with him would be severely tested.
Those who were supposed to be blind were the souls that saw God in Christ. Those who claimed to know everything had eyes that were closed to the light. Those who loved darkness rather than light turned away from the truth. Even today, those who desire to know the truth, seek after it and find it. But those who live for pleasure, for gain, for the honor that comes from men, for this temporal world – they pass him by, indifferent or even hostile to the Gospel.
Jesus is the One before whom no one can forever be indifferent.
The Child will have a negative impact on Mary.
Simeon, knowing the OT as he does, knows that the Messiah was to be a suffering Savior. And he tells Mary so. How did Mary feel when she saw her Son – of whom she no doubt had holy expectations since He had never sinned – how did she feel when she saw the hatred and envy and persecution arise and direct itself at her Son?
It was not only for Mary herself. Many people in many lands have had to suffer for their confession of Jesus Christ. It has brought to many people beatings and imprisonment and even death. In every age and in every land, Christ has exposed men and women to hostility, to reproach, to loss and disadvantage, to a struggling life and even to a wounded spirit. Jesus Himself asks us to consider this suffering-together-with Him as a blessing and an honor – Matthew 5:10-12.
Jesus and His teachings have proven to be a stumbling-block and rock of offense since the earliest days of His ministry and nothing has changed since then.
The Child will have a positive impact on some
Even though, through Christ, we may be humiliated and defeated and degraded, in Christ, we will also receive honor and esteem – hopefulness, strength, beauty, and the blessedness and joy of the heavenly world.
He will reveal the hearts of many

ANNA (2:36-38):
Let us observe her character (2:36):
She is a prophetess
Woman, as well as man, was to utter praise on this supreme occasion. In the Kingdom of Christ, there is neither male nor female but we are all one in Christ Jesus. Women, in Christ Jesus, are as welcome to render service to God as man and to bear fruitful testimony to the blessings that are found in Christ Jesus. She is also as certain to reap the rewards of faithful service. Women were faithful attendants of the Lord during His personal ministry and since that time, they have been the most regular worshippers and most devoted workers in the church of Christ. There is no more Court of Women in the NT church. Women may enter into the Holiest of Holies today, just as sure as men can today.
Tribe of Asher – from the northern tribes.
She, too, is elderly
She had been widowed at a young age (2:36-37) – Normally, Jewish girls became engaged at 13 and were given to their husbands in the official marriage ceremony at the age of 14.

Let us observe her devotion (2:37):
She stayed in the temple
She had lost human fellowship but had found her fulfillment in serving God. It is in communion with our Heavenly Father that our spirits find healing, we find companionship during our lonely hours – we also realize there are other children of God who need our sympathy and our comfort and motivate us to bless others with our love and in turn be blessed by giving.
She served night and day
She fasted
She prayed

Let us observe her blessing of the Child (2:38):
At the moment of Simeon’s blessing
She gave thanks to God
She became an “evangelist”
People were looking for “redemption” of Jerusalem
Cf. Isaiah 52:9
Clearly when God has revealed Himself to us in the Word of Truth, our initial response is one of gratitude and praise but secondarily, in spreading the Good News to others.
Jesus judges us according to our ability. Here we have an aged saint, perhaps frail and bent-over but speaking to all that looked for redemption and telling them that it had come!
They had been looking but they have now found!

WHAT DO WE LEARN:
Old age is a crown of glory, if it is gained by a righteousness life – Proverbs 16:31.
Elderly saints are now looking for the eternal consolation and eternal redemption – 2 Corinthians 5:1-5.
The Holy Spirit will, even today through His Word, guide elderly non-Christians to Jesus
Salvation is still available to all.
Jesus is still a stumbling-block to some elderly.
If all have left us – physically or spiritually – there is still service to do for the Lord and for fellow-saints.
Evangelizing can and still needs to be done by everyone.
- “There is no age limit on forgiveness.”

Take home message: These two aged saints blessed the baby Jesus and recognized in Him the “light of revelation.” We should also bless Jesus by embracing Him and sharing His gospel with others.