God's Exiles
Notes
Transcript
I searched the New York times archive for the word help. The first four articles were each from a different section: movies, television, dance, and style. The first “hard news” article to use the word “hope” is from November 11th… and it refers to Hope Hicks, President Trump’s adviser. Going further back, there are some articles which quote his One of the few articles I could find which seemed to refer to hope in a relevant sense was titled: “Hope Against Hope.” It was an Op-Ed written by a Jewish man about peace in the Middle East, unfortunately written on June 11, 2001.
There is not much discussion of hope in our world, but it is clearly not for a lack of need. June Hunt, an expert on Christian counseling, describes hopelessness with a set or internal and external symptoms. Internally, we feel: deceived, disliked, dejected, deadened, downcast, deprived, disqualified, degraded, detached or doomed. Externally, we are drained, debilitated, disinterested, defeated, disgusted, disconnected, despondent, displaced and distraught. Quite a list.
But in a society of pessimists, it is hard to resist these temptations. Optimism seems to be naivety. Don’t you know that everything is going to be terrible, that the other party is going to destroy our country, and that joy is the clearest evidence of ignorance?
Google NGram - the decline of hope
So we don’t have hope, and we know we ought to. But what is it?
The confidence that, by integrating God’s redemptive acts in the past with trusting human responses in the present, the faithful will experience the fullness of God’s goodness both in the present and in the future.
Biblical faith rests on the trustworthiness of God to keep His promises. The biblical view of hope is thus significantly different from that found in ancient Greek philosophy. The Greeks recognized that human beings expressed hope by nature; however, this kind of hope reflects both good and bad experiences. The future was thus a projection of one’s own subjective possibilities (Bultmann, “ἐλπίς, elpis,” 2.517). Biblical hope avoids this subjectivity by being founded on something that provides a sufficient basis for confidence in its fulfillment: God and His redemptive acts as they culminate in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Hope is confidence that God is in control. It is intimately related to the other four hymns we have read in Luke. It is rooted in faith and trust. It gives us peace. Today, we will read of Simeon, a man who hoped against hope and saw the down payment of all God would do.
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart In peace, according to thy word:
For mine 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.
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
Big Idea: We can hope because God’s glory will be shown.
Big Idea: We can hope because God’s glory will be shown.
While we are waiting, we can hope.
While we are waiting, we can hope.
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
Explain:
“consolation of Israel” - Isaiah 40:1-2
Israel’s comfort is not a general military deliverance, an economic boon, or social reform. It is the arrival of her Messiah.
How long had he waited? Proverbs 13:12: hope delayed makes the heart sick!
God’s glory is not like a candle fizzling out
Illustrate: Colleen never drinks her coffee hot.
Apply: Salvation history: the Lord is not slack.
Church: delays, patience.
Work, family: Job, marriage, kids. God is working all things together for good and revealing His glory, but maybe not on your timeframe. Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel through a long life, and the only assurance God gave him was that he would see the Christ before he died. He did not see him conquer and reign. He saw Him as a baby and held Him in a way he never could have as a man. Maybe God’s timing in these things will not take you where you expect to go, but where He is bringing you.
But the delay can be long. Perhaps you come to the end of your life, and have still not seen the fulfillment you have been waiting for.
When we face death, we can hope.
When we face death, we can hope.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart In peace, according to thy word:
For mine 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.
Explain:
Still sensitive to the leading of the Spirit, ready to come to the temple at the right time. Holds the baby and worships: now I am ready to die.
He was ready to die because he had met Jesus. Lit. “dismiss.” Euphemism for “die” or his work is done.
The consolation of Israel = the Messiah = the light for the Gentiles. Israel would never be truly comforted until she took up her role as being a light to the whole world. She did not exist for herself and could not be who she was meant to be with a self-centered strategy. Israel would only be comforted when she comforted others. In the same way, we are a church and as individuals are not built for navel gazing, but for witness. Isaiah 42:6, 49:6, 60:1 The Greek word for salvation here is used only 4x in the NT, but the idea is constant.
“Prepared before the face of all people”: not a secret, but a public revelation. He had already prepared it by the choreography of presentation in the Temple under the Law and guiding Simeon by the Spirit.
Illustrate:
“And sing when the death dew lies cold on my brow//If ever I loved thee, my Jesus ‘tis now.”
Face death with hope. There may be pain and even fear, of a certain kind, but there is hope that death’s power is broken. If we have met Jesus, we are ready.
Apply:
Christian - witness, outlive your life
Non-Christian - Death, the ultimate hopelessness for most people. Meet Jesus to be ready to die.
Finally, we find ourselves in between. Not to the end of our lives, but to the middle of our waiting.
When our hearts are broken, we can hope.
When our hearts are broken, we can hope.
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
Explain:
“Mary did you know?” - she marvelled. In the midst of the blessing, something which must have seemed like a curse. Many would fall and rise. All fall, some now and some later. Those who fall now are raised again. Those who wait are devastated. “If we judged ourselves, we should not be judged.”
Her precious baby boy is comfort, light, and salvation, but it will not be without pain. Too often we seem to assume that it is all or nothing, when in reality, life is often more complex.
Something will happen which will be like a broadsword through Mary’s heart (perhaps Joseph would not live to see it), but which would reveal the hearts of many. Of course, we know precisely what this was: the cross. Those who, when faced with the cross, refuse to fall, will be crushed in judgment. Those who fall and plead for mercy are picked up again and are given everlasting life. They that mourn shall be comforted and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled. Mary’s heart would be broken, but she could still hope.
Illustrate:
Apply:
Death/Prodigal - Do you trust me? Do you trust that I am working all things together for good, although maybe not in your way or your time?
Your loved ones who knew the Lord are not lost. As surely as He came to be born, He will raise them up again.
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
We don’t see it all, but we see Jesus. We have “The confidence that, by integrating God’s redemptive acts in the past with trusting human responses in the present, the faithful will experience the fullness of God’s goodness both in the present and in the future.” He proved it, when He came. He proved it when He died. He proved it when He rose again. He is ready to prove it in your life this morning.