“you now dismiss your servant in peace” (Luke 2:29)
Simeon’s Song
Luke 2: 21-35
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•
•
•
Mary’s Song (1:46-55)
Zechariah’s Song (1: 68-79)
The Song of Angels (2:14)
Simeon’s Song (2:29-32)
The 4 songs of Christmas recorded in Luke
• Mary: “…and my soul rejoices in God my Savior” (1:46).
• Zechariah: “Praise be to the Lord” (1:67).
• Angel of the Lord: “I bring you good news of great
joy” (2: 10).
• Simeon: “…you now dismiss your servant in peace”
(2:29).
Why is there so much singing in
Christianity?
Are Christians meant to be joyful?
• But whatever the reason, the
fact remains that there are
large numbers of Christians
who give the impression of
being unhappy. They are cast
down, their souls are
disquieted within them…In a
sense a depressed Christian
is a contradiction in terms…
Martin Lloyd Jones, pg 10-11,
Spiritual Depression
Being joyful does not mean the absence
of sorrow.
This Christmas, claim back your rights to
joy
• True joy has a foundation.
• True joy requires us to go through deep unhappiness.
• True joy has a divine purpose.
True joy has a foundation
• A joy that does not come from what you materially have,
what you can do or what people think of you.
Salieri: …are these originals?
Frau Mozart: Yes, sir. He doesn’t make copies.
(As Salieri marvels at the work of Mozart, he narrates the story)
Salieri: Astounding. It was actually….beyond belief…
He had simply written down music already finished…in his head!
Here again was the very voice of God. I was staring through the
cage of these meticulous ink strokes at an absolute beauty.
Salieri: From now on we are enemies. You and I. Because You choose
for your instrument a boastful infantile boy….Because You are
unjust…unfair….unkind!
Worldly joy
Simeon’s joy
• Focuses on instant joy.
• You discern what makes you
joyful.
• A joy that tries to cheat
death.
• A joy that is centered on
self.
• Joy that waits on the Lord.
• Joy discerned from God’s
word and the Holy Spirit.
• A joy that does not fear
death.
• A joy that is centered on
God.
The foundations of true joy
• “For my eyes have seen your salvation” (2:30).
• “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the
people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born
to you: (1: 10-11).
• “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has
come and redeemed his people (1:68).
True joy has it’s foundations in the
salvation Jesus brings.
• True joy has a foundation.
• True joy requires us to go through deep unhappiness.
• True joy has a divine purpose.
• This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in
Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against (v34a).
• ..so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed (v35a).
• And a sword will pierce your own soul too (v35b).
Falling and rising
• This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in
Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against (v34a).
• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven,
• Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted
(Matt 5:3-4).
• Unless you are unhappy over your sins, you will never be
truly happy in the Lord.
Falling and rising
• This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in
Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against (v34a).
• Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace on earth. I
did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to
turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a
daughter-in-law against her mother in law – a man’s enemies
will be members of his own household (Matt 10:34-36).
• A joy that comes from true peace making and not just peace
keeping.
Thoughts of many will be revealed
• This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men
loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come
into the light for fear his deeds will be exposed. John 3:19-20.
• To know true joy you must first know yourself.
Deep grief
• “And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
• A large number of people followed him, including
women who mourned and wailed for him. Luke 23: 27
• God promises us a joy that takes us through
suffering, not to avoid it.
Joy requires a journey from the head to
the heart.
• God loves you; you matter to him. That is a fact, stated as a
proposition. Why then, aren’t we the happiest people on
earth? It hasn’t reached our hearts.
John Eldredge ,page 24, Waking the Dead
• For God so loved the world that he gave his own and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal
life. John 3:16
Stages of faith to true joy
(adapted from Peter Scazzero- Emotionally Healthy Spirituality)
Life changing
awareness of
God.
• You accept
Jesus as Lord
and savior.
• You begin
your Christian
life.
Discipleship
• You start to
learn what it
means to follow
Jesus.
• You get
involved in
church life.
Actively
serving
• You are joyful in
your Christian
life
• You are
regularly
involved in
church life.
The Wall
I am hurt
I am angry
I am very sad
I am confused
I feel lost
I feel disappointed
Stages of faith to true joy
Inward
reflection
Outward
journey
Transformed
with true joy
• You need time
and space to
grief, scream,
shout, reflect,
etc.
• Your faith is in
crisis stage.
• You rediscover
God’s profound
love.
• You start to
heal spiritually.
• You realize God
will complete
the work he
began in you.
• You learn to
surrender more
of yourself to
God
Life
changing
awarenes
s of God.
Discipleship
Actively
serving
Inward
reflection
Outward
journey
Transformed
with
true
joy
• True joy has a foundation.
• True joy requires us to go through deep unhappiness.
• True joy has a divine purpose.
The glory of God is man fully alive.
- Irenaeus
The purpose of joy
• …the greatest need of the hour is a revived and
joyful Church …..and there can be little doubt but
that the exuberant joy of the early Christians was
one of the most potent factors in the spread of
Christianity.
(Martin Lloyd Jones, forward to “Spiritual Depression”)
The purpose of joy is to be truly alive to display the
glory of God.
The New Normal
Jordan Smith
This Christmas, claim back your rights to
joy
• True joy has a foundation.
• True joy requires us to go through deep unhappiness.
• True joy has a divine purpose.