Waiting Patiently
Scripture: Luke 2:22-40 (NRSV)
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when Mary and Joseph brought in the baby Jesus, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God saying “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation.”
At that moment the prophet Anna of the tribe of Asher came in as well, and seeing Simeon holding the child in his arms, began to praise God and to speak about the child as the redemption of Jerusalem to everyone around her. Anna was a widow of 84 years. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day.
Anna and Simeon were waiting for the Messiah, serving the visitors to the temple all the while. The hardest part of all waiting is that we don’t know when it is going to end. We struggle through only to find we are stronger and wiser in the process. God’s will takes time.
Even the beautiful butterfly waits and struggles to become strong enough to fly!
December 27, 2020 Service Bulletin
Sermon Art: “Simeon’s Song of Praise” Rembrandt (1631)
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Other Sermons In This Series
A Festival of Lessons and Carols
December 24, 2020
The Redemptive Story of Christmas
December 24, 2021
The Word Became Flesh
December 25, 2022