Simeon Meets His Deliverer

In Jerusalem lived a righteous and devout man by the name of Simeon. His name meant God Receiver. He knew the prophesies of the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets and was expecting a Messiah, a deliverer. Simeon was waiting for the Consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit visited him and informed him he would not see death before he witnessed the coming of Christ, the Lord. It was about a week after the birth of Jesus and as custom, the child was being taken to the temple to fulfill the customs of the law. When Simeon saw the child, he took Jesus in his arms and as it is written in the second chapter of Luke stated “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel." And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed. How those words must have echoed in Mary’s memory as she saw her son hanging from a cross. As his side was pierce, she probably felt it pierce her very soul. She had raised her son, followed his ministry, then, witness her miraculous son beaten and hung on a cross, ridiculed, and his clothes gambled for. Through this, he had forgiven those who had crucified him, encouraged a thief on the cross next to him, sacrificed himself for the sins of the world and then took time to encourage his mother by asking John to watch over her in his absence. Not one detail missed. From the beginning of creation, God knew that man given the gift of free will would choose to sin and would need a savior. From the beginning, the Law and the Prophets proclaimed there would be a Messiah who would deliver them from sin. That he would be a perfect sacrifice for us and would come back from the dead to redeem us from our sin. We come together during communion to remember and give praise to God who provides us in our sinfulness a way into his Holy Presence. We take and eat the bread to remember his beaten body and the juice to remember his shed blood. Please pray with me.