God's Promise Celebrated - Luke 2:22-38

(Simeon and Anna)

by David Woods

Throughout my life I have been in the proximity of several accidents, but have only seen a few of them actually happen. It seems like every time some spectacular car wreck happens that I am looking the wrong way.

By the time my eyes are focused on the scene, I can only imagine what must have happened. Admittedly, that I have missed witnessing several accidents as they occurred is not much of a disappointment.

Of course, with today's media obsession with news, maybe I have missed out on a chance or two to gain three seconds of fame witnessing of some accident.

On the other hand, only the most morbidly-minded people would want to see the gory details of every accident that occurs within their vicinity.

My point is to say that sometimes I feel like I have just "missed it." I have just missed the chance to witness something spectacular.

You've probably felt that sensation before, only on a more important stage of life. Maybe you were passed over for a promotion at work. You feel like it was "right there", but somehow it eluded your grasp.

Or maybe you have had similar thoughts concerning church. You meet someone new to the community who is a dedicated Christian. This person would be a great asset to any church. You invite him, but this person informs you just last Sunday he found a church that he likes.

Or maybe you hear about a nearby church that put on a program for kids. The response far exceeded their dreams. The doors are bursting off that church, so many people are attending there now. You think, "Why didn't my church have that idea?"

While we may be disappointed about unrealized or missed career or ministry opportunities, I think our greatest disappointments as Christians come from missed spiritual opportunities.

Have you ever looked at a fellow Christian who is telling of how God has blessed his or her life and thought, "That person isn't so special. He's just average. Yet God has greatly used that person. Why doesn't God use me?"

We do not intend to be jealous. We don't mean to covet the grace God has given that person. But we do desire to know God and be used of Him. Yet sometimes we feel like we just "missed it."

Have you ever wondered why Simeon and Anna were two of the very few people who recognized baby Jesus to be the Messiah?

Yes, Simeon and Anna were godly people, but they weren't that out of the ordinary. There were other very godly people living at that time. Why didn't they also recognize baby Jesus to be the Messiah.

I would like to suggest three reasons why Simeon and Anna recognized baby Jesus as the prophesied Messiah.

1. Simeon and Anna both had an intimate relationship with God.

Discussion: What indication does our scripture give us concerning Simeon and Anna's intimacy with God?
(Simeon - he was just and devout; Anna - fastings and prayer)

Read the second, third, and final paragraphs of "Doctrinal Discussion", pp. 14-15.

Discussion: Why do you think, of all the righteous people who were living at that time, that the Holy Spirit revealed this secret to Simeon and Anna?
(At some level, we must say, "We just don't know." However, I would suggest also that those who are intimate with God will know and understand greater spiritual truth than those with a less developed relationship with God. Furthermore, I would suggest that intimacy is more than a right relationship with God.)

Reflection: On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the greatest), how would you grade your level of intimacy with Christ?

Discussion: What are some ways we can develop a deeper relationship with Christ?
(Prayer, study of God's Word, complete submission, obedience to God's will/Word, church attendance, reading Christian writings, singing songs of worship, etc.)

Discussion: I think we can safely assume every Christian has struggled to pay attention a time or two in prayer, Bible reading, or the church service. Does merely maintaining this habit create an intimacy with Christ? Why or why not?

Discussion: What are some practical ways we can make spiritual habits a more meaningful discipline?

2. Simeon and Anna both practiced great patience.

Discussion: What are some reasons why it is hard to be patient when we are waiting on God to fulfill His promise?
(Suggested: we question if we really heard from God and, if we did so, if we understood Him correctly. We become busy with life and other pursuits. We become discouraged. We are unwilling to follow God's timetable, etc.)

Discussion: Why do you think God makes us wait?

Discussion: Is understanding why we need to wait important? Why or why not?

Discussion: What should we do when we are tempted to be impatient?

3. Simeon and Anna both felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

In our discussion of why Simeon and Anna were able to recognize the Christ child, we have discussed their intimate relationship with God and also their patience (especially Simeon's) for God to keep His Word.

I would also suggest it further takes the prompting of the Holy Spirit. While Simeon had been promised he would see the Messiah years before, I'm sure he had seen many Jewish women coming to the Temple to present their children before God.

This was a Jewish law that every responsible couple would adhere by. Of the baby boys brought to the Temple, how could Simeon know which boy was the Messiah? And how could he necessarily know that the Messiah would enter this world as a baby?

Simeon and Anna both recognized Jesus as the Messiah because of the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Discussion: What does Simeon and Anna's example teach us about how we can hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit?
(In addition to the two main points we have already discussed, I would suggest partly they heard the prompting of the Holy Spirit because they were in the right place at the right time.)

Discussion: Obviously, I doubt that God expects all Christians to be in their local churches all day every day. Regardless, what spiritual principle does Simeon and Anna's proximity to the Temple suggest to us?
(We should cultivate a habit of practicing God's presence all the time.)

Discussion: Does God reveal special things to all people?
(No.)

Discussion: What is the caution then we remember as we seek to know Christ and His will?
(We should remember that developing a deeper relationship with Christ is not about what we can get out of it but the response of our love for God's great love He has shown us. The boy wanting to see UFOs will probably see UFOs if he sits on a bale of hay out in the hot sun long enough. Our motivation for knowing Christ more should be 1) our love for Him and 2) our desire to be used of Him however He desires.)

Discussion: How might we become more responsive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit?
(We should quickly obey whenever the Holy Spirit tells us to do something. We should distrust "Self." We should immerse ourselves in God's Word, etc.)

Reflection: When you pray, do you tell God what He should be doing or ask Him what He is doing (and how you can cooperate with His will)?

Why were Simeon and Anna, of all the godly people in Jerusalem and at the Temple, the only two who recognized baby Jesus to be the Messiah?

In our discussion we have touched on the sovereignty of God. That Simeon and Anna might know this secret was in great degree because of God's will.

But I think it was also somewhat the result of how Simeon and Anna had lived. They both had developed an intimate relationship with God. They had practiced great patience. Therefore, they were able to hear and willing to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, I would suggest that Simeon and Anna's example teach us that:

Big Idea: You must know God to understand God's activity.

Read "God's Moment", p. 17.