Tis the Season for Simeon

This time of year we meet the usual suspects: Joseph, Mary, Gabriel, Herod, Zachariah, the Wise Men, etc. Great characters. Great stories. Popular sermon material. A friend of mine is preaching the text found in Luke 2 with one of the lesser considered characters of the Christmas Story—Simeon. This text in Luke 2 is a great example of what I've been asking for years—upon whom should the sermon focus?

Here's the text from Luke 2:

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹ which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel."

³³ The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Here's the key question? Should the sermon be man-centered [anthropocentric] or God-centered [theocentric]? Most would say immediately—God centered. I would submit that most sermons are man-centered. What are most sermons from this text about? Aren't they about the faithfulness of Simeon? Doesn't the sermon have something to do with how Simeon lived and how we should follow his example? Isn't that a man-centered sermon? The answer to that question is yes. The problem with that is obvious. Most people look at Simeon and would say, There's no way I can be like him. There's no real blessing in that, rather people may leave the church more frustrated than when they arrived.

What is this text really about? Isn't it about God? The most important thing about this text is not the traits of Simeon as wonderful as they are. It is the song that Simeon sings. What does it center upon? It is focused upon the faithfulness of God in providing salvation for all people, Gentiles as well as Jews.

Thus the sermon should be centered not upon Simeon but God. Simeon's faithfulness which is obvious will not change anybody's life. God's whose faithfulness in sending His salvation through Christ can change anybody's life at any time in any circumstance. This is also a missionary text in God sent His salvation or ALL people. God has always been faithful and He has always been willing to save ALL people. Now that can change a life.

Always ask this question from a text: What does it say about God/Christ? When you find the answer to that question in the text you'll find out what God intended people to know from it. What God intended people to know from a text is what the pastor needs to preach to the people on Sunday. That will change lives!