Wait, See, and Depart Like Simeon

In 2007, Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson starred in a movie called “The Bucket List.” That “bucket list,” of course, is a list of things that a person wants to do before they “kick the bucket.” That story tapped into a powerful desire that we have to experience the fullness of life while we can.

One year prior to that film, sportswriter Bill Simmons released a book whose title says it all: “Now I Can Die in Peace.” It was about the Red Sox victory in the 2004 World Series, and how some Red Sox fans had waited so long for a World Series title that they felt they could now go in peace. Their dream had been fulfilled.

In today’s gospel lesson from Luke 2, we meet a man named Simeon. Simeon had a bucket list of his own, but it was very short. There was only one thing on it. And it was kind of a strange list, because Simeon had not written it. In verse 26 you heard that “it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” The Holy Spirit of God had communicated to Simeon that he would not kick the bucket until he had seen the Anointed One, the Christ, with his own eyes. In today’s gospel, we get to see that happen, and we get to view Simeon’s reaction, which is along the lines of “now I can die in peace.” But he actually says a lot more than that. So today, with the Holy Spirit’s help, let’s think about how we can wait like Simeon; see like Simeon; and depart like Simeon.

First, waiting like Simeon. Luke introduces us to him like this: “Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.” This is someone who clearly was right with God, but even so, this is someone who is being forced to wait. Luke tells us specifically that Simeon was waiting for was the consolation of Israel, and Israel definitely needed consolation. Their history as God’s people was not good. Their disobedience had meant punishment; it had meant being forcibly removed from their homeland; even now, having returned to Jerusalem, the Romans occupied their land and called the shots. They needed the comfort that prophets like Isaiah had said was coming. That comfort would come when the Messiah came. Simeon was waiting for it. That doesn’t mean it was easy.

Simeon can remind us that sometimes God’s answer to our prayers is: “You’re going to have to wait.” That’s usually not the answer that we want. One thing that technology has done for us is it has decreased the amount of time that we have to wait for anything. That can be awfully convenient, but it can also create expectations that are not very healthy. It’s developing an intolerance for waiting of any kind in us. Just observe what goes on at the grocery store checkout when somebody’s taking too long, or the dreaded “Your order’s not ready, you’ll have to pull forward” at the drive through. Now those are trivial examples, but they illustrate that we do hate to wait. You need to be wary of that, because at some point, you’re going to have to wait for something bigger than a mocha latte. And in faith, what we have to learn to accept is that when God makes us wait, there’s a good reason for it. There are times when waiting is the best thing we could possibly do, even if we’re forced to do it. It can be a time of growth. We may not be ready for what we think we want. There may be details that have to be worked out that are known only to God. Regardless of what it is you’re waiting for, you can wait confidently, because God always keeps His Word.

That’s what Simeon discovered. Remember, the Holy Spirit had let him know that he would not die before seeing the Lord’s Christ. So he knew his waiting would have an end point. One day, led by the Spirit, he went to the temple, and just like that, the wait was over. The baby Jesus was there with his parents, and filled with the Spirit, Simeon took Jesus in his arms and blessed God with these words: “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.”

We need to see like Simeon. What did he see? He said, “my eyes have seen your salvation…” In one bright moment of light, he saw what God was up to. Jesus was salvation. Jesus was the consolation he had been waiting for. This type of seeing does not happen just with the eyes, but with the mind and the heart. This type of seeing is caused by the Holy Spirit, and this seeing is focused on Jesus. Simeon holds this baby in his arms and proclaims for all to hear that this child, Jesus, is salvation for all people, Jew and Gentile. To have and to hold this Jesus is to have every promise of God fulfilled. To have Jesus is to have everything.

“Seeing like Simeon” means that you “see” that Jesus is salvation. He doesn’t give you a list of rules to follow to get salvation; he is salvation. He doesn’t give you advice for a better life; Jesus is life; life that never ends. The Bible teaches that you cannot produce salvation by what you do; no matter how nice you are to people; no matter how successful you are or how many people look up to you, you cannot redeem yourself. “Seeing like Simeon” means that you “see” there is only one key that unlocks heaven, and it is Jesus.  It means believing that Jesus paid for your sins at his cross. It means trusting that you will follow Jesus out of the grave, thanks to his Easter victory. It means that knowing, loving, and serving Jesus is the point of your life, and that he is your consolation. He is your reward. And as Simeon reminds us, Jesus is not just your consolation and reward, but the consolation and reward of the whole world. He is light and glory for all.

So we can wait like Simeon, we can see like Simeon, and we can depart like Simeon. Again, having this bucket list, Simeon waited to see the Christ, and when that moment arrived, the first thing he said was: “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word.” Now I can die in peace, Simeon says, because God kept his promise to me. I have seen salvation, and it is Jesus.”

Are you prepared to leave like Simeon? One of the great gifts of the gospel is that you don’t have to be terrified of death, because Jesus has reversed its effects. You don’t have to be afraid of being judged by God, because the judgment has already happened. Jesus was judged, sentenced, executed, and raised to new life. The only part that attaches to you is the new life. Jesus took all the consequences of our law-breaking and paid for our disobedience himself.

One of the most beautiful things you will ever hear a person say is that they are ready to go home into the arms of the Lord. Many people have said that to me, and you can see the peace in their eyes and the relief they feel in their bodies when they say that, because they are completely resting in what Jesus has done for them. Do you have that confidence? Simeon says you can. You can have it in Christ.

What Simeon said and did that day in the temple was so meaningful that is has passed into song. It’s a song that we still sing. We sing it, do you remember when? We sing it after coming into God’s House here; after we have been at His Table; after Jesus has given Himself to us in bread and wine; that’s when we sing: “Lord now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word, for my eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.” We are just like Simeon. That’s why we sing his song. With our hearts we have seen Jesus in this eating and drinking. He has come into us and forgiven us. You can depart this Table in peace and face anything because Jesus is yours. You can depart this life in peace because Jesus has covered you with his perfection. You can wait, see, and depart like Simeon, and you can even sing his song, a song of ultimate love, in Jesus Christ.