New York UBF – NY University Bible Fellowship (NYUBF)

2010 New Year Sunday Message

JESUS, THE HOPE OF ALL CREATION

Luke 2:21-38
Key Verse: 2:30-32

“For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

Happy New Year! Regardless of their culture and religion, all people wish each other the best blessing on New Year’s Day. “Happy New Year!” in Chinese is “Xin nian kuai Le!”, “Feliz ano nuevo” in Spanish, “Kul’am wa antum bikhair” in Arabic, “L’shannah Tovah” in Hebrew, and in Korean it is “Saehae bock mani ba deu sei yo!“ According to the Chinese calendar, the Year of 2010 is the Year of the Tiger. The Tiger is the third sign in the cycle of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animal signs. The Tiger is a sign of courage. Some people hang paintings of a tiger on the wall facing the entrance of their house because this fearless animal is supposed to ward off the three main disasters of a household: fire, thieves and ghosts. What kind of blessing do you want this year? What would you consider the greatest blessing in your life? What can be the blessing to all people of all nations?

In today’s passage, Joseph and Mary, Jesus’ parents, met two senior citizens, Simeon and Anna, who were led by the Holy Spirit and praised God during the dedication of the child Jesus at the temple court. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Lk 2:14) But this time the angel didn’t appear. Instead, the Holy Spirit came upon Simeon. Simeon said that he had seen God’s salvation for all people in the child. And the child was going to be a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to his people Israel. (32) It’s very clear that we, whether we are Jewish or non-Jewish, are truly blessed by the birth of this child. Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying “Oh, Sovereign Lord, I have seen your salvation for all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” What was said about him was remarkable. Let’s think about what his words mean to all of us today.

Look at verses 21-24. According to the Law of Moses, on the eighth day, Jesus was circumcised and named Jesus, according to the angel’s instruction before he had been conceived. Then after the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. (Lev 12:4-5) They brought to the Lord a pair of doves or two young pigeons, which were called “the offering of the poor.” (24; Lev 12:8)

Look at verses 25-27. Now, there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon who was more than just a good man. He lived a righteous life, totally devoted to God. He was eagerly expecting and longing for God’s help for the people of Israel. I believe that he was a man of prayer. And the Holy Spirit was upon him, which could mean that he was filled with and led by the Holy Spirit. (Lk 1:67) Apparently, Simeon was a very old man, whose death was very near. Yet, it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before had seen the Lord’s Christ. One day, moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. At the time of the presentation in the temple court, Joseph and Mary could have been waiting in line with many other parents. Outwardly, the child Jesus didn’t look special. He just looked like an ordinary child. Yet, the Holy Spirit led Simeon to identify the child Jesus who would be the Messiah of the world. The Holy Spirit gave spiritual insight to see the child who would be the Messiah of the world. This is an amazing revelation from God.

No one can know who Jesus really is unless he or she is inspired by God through the Holy Spirit. In other words, no one can realize the grace of God, the amazing grace of forgiveness of sins except by the work of the Holy Spirit in us. For example, when Simon Peter confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”, Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.” (Mt 16:16-17) Jesus also said in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him to me and I will raise him up at the last day.” Even if we might be able to obtain the knowledge of the world, the knowledge of God’s salvation is given only by God through the Holy Spirit.

What did the Holy Spirit teach Simeon about the child Jesus? Look at verses 29-32. He took him in his arms and praised God, saying “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Simeon was a faithful servant of God who had been faithfully watching and waiting for the coming of the Messiah through his life of prayer and dedication. Now, he was released from his duty. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Simeon told Mary and Joseph that their child Jesus was God’s salvation, which had been prepared not just for the people of Israel but also for the people of all nations of the world. It seems that Simeon was neither a priest, like Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, nor a Jewish rabbi. He was a layman, who was fully dedicated to the Lord. But his spiritual understanding far exceeded most Jewish religious leaders in Jesus’ time. Throughout history, including Jesus’ time, many people have claimed that they are inspired by God or the Holy Spirit. Yet, Jesus warned us that we should be careful and able to test their spirits. How do we test whether they are true or fake? How do we know that we are true or fake? It depends on the fruit of one’s life. A good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. (Mt 7:15-23) I don’t think Simeon even claimed that he was God’s inspired man. Luke said only that he was a righteous man, fully devoted to God.

Look at verse 33. When Simeon said that their child was a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to the people of Israel, Joseph and Mary were shocked by his words. Why? It’s because the Jews had expected a Messiah to deliver only Israel, and no one expected the Messiah to be for all people. But Simeon said that the child Jesus is the light not just for the people of Israel but also for the people of all nations. (32) When Jesus was born, the angel appeared to several shepherds and said, “Do not be afraid! I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today, in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.” (2:12) Then the host of the great angels appeared from heaven, praising God, and said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (2:14) If we summarized all these messages in one sentence, it would be “Jesus is God’s salvation for all people.”

What does it mean that Jesus is God’s salvation? Does it simply mean that we will not be punished for our sins? Does it mean that we will be rich and happy in the world? Does it mean that we will not have any more pains, problems and sufferings? Does it mean that we will not sin at all? Does it mean that Jesus will make us a better person? Does it mean that Jesus will make a better world? It’s much more complex than we can think. It seems that we, as evangelical Christians, tend to oversimplify the gospel in an effort to appeal to as many as people as possible. But the truth is that God’s salvation is deep. It is a mystery of God, God’s deepest wisdom and holds the secrets of eternal life for His children. Saint Paul explained God’s salvation plan in Romans systematically and logically. Yet, he confessed that God’s salvation is God’s mystery in Romans 11:33-36. I would like how the Message Bible narrates, “Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes.” (The Message) Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation, justification, sanctification and glorification. We are forgiven through the sacrificial death of Jesus, and are being sanctified through the Holy Spirit based on Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on the cross and will be glorified by his second coming.

Some people may ask, “If we are saved, why are we still suffering in this world?” Why is there so much pain in peoples’ lives? There is no simple answer to this question. But Romans 8:19-25 explains it well. According to these verses, our life in this world is the pains of childbirth. I like to read it in the New Living Translation. “For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God’s curse. All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of the future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us. Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently “

God’s salvation in Jesus is not a small blessing. What we, as God’s children and Christians, are anticipating is not small or petty. According to what the Scripture testifies, the glory of God’s salvation is beyond our imagination. Paul said that in Romans 8:18, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” So what glory are we anticipating? It’s the glory of the resurrection. Our earthly body is like a seed, which is planted in the soil. So with what kind of body will we come in the resurrection? When we plant a “dead” seed; soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. Likewise, the dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different. (1 Corinthians 15:37-39, the Message) God loves us so dearly that he gave us such a wonderful blessing of eternal life. That’s not all. The world we live in is not going to last forever. The first earth will pass away and a new heaven and a new earth will come down from heaven. It is the The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which will be our eternal dwelling place. Now, we know why Jesus is the hope of all people and the whole creation.

In verses 34-35, holding the child Jesus, Simeon prophesied further about Jesus. “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.” Paradoxically, not all Israel will be blessed but many in Israel will fall because of Jesus. How could he be the cause of the falling and rising of many? It’s because as some people reject Jesus, their real selves will be exposed. It reminds of us John 3:19, which reads, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”

Simeon also prophesied suffering for Mary, warning that a sword would pierce her soul. This is quite surprising. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, didn’t he say that she was the most blessed woman? (Lk 1:28) She even recognized herself as being blessed. (1:48) But in reality, she was to suffer poverty and pain. She had to see her most loved ones die, first her husband Joseph and then her son Jesus. When Jesus was crucified, Mary felt like she was being crucified. From a human point of view, Mary’s life was nothing but tragic. How can we say that she was the most blessed woman? If that’s the blessing, how many of us would really want to be blessed? Some people seem to suffer more than others. Some people seem to enjoy more than others. Some live long and some live short lives. We often compare ourselves with others. We envy those who seem to be better off than us. If there is no resurrection, life is not fair. Yet, what God has prepared for His loving children is far greater than any of us deserves and can imagine. When we realize God’s salvation plan through Jesus Christ, we know that we possess great heavenly wealth, which is real and eternal, not like things of the world which are temporal and not real. Even when you are poor, you are truly rich.

All of us are living in hope, but what is your hope this year? What is the hope of Israel? What is the hope that all people can have and rejoice and will never disappoint us? Fundamentally, there is only one true hope, and that is the hope of glorious resurrection and the new world in and through our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. We are called for this glorious hope. Some of us suffered a lot last year. But your sufferings in Christ are not in vain. You have the glorious hope in Jesus. Although we may suffer for a while in this world, we don’t need to be discouraged, for we have the sure hope of glorious resurrection. Let us work hard for the Lord and His people knowing that our labor in the Lord is not in vain. Let us share this glorious hope with those who don’t know it diligently, patiently, confidently and humbly. Most of all, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith and the hope of all creation.