Sharing with you the Lord’s message when He gave me the opportunity to speak about the Hope that is in Jesus back in December 07 Simbang Umaga. I just realized that this message does not only apply to the Christmas Season, but to our daily walk with Him. God bless!

A Light to the World (Luke 2:21-32)

Yesterday morning, one of my regular clients called me up in my office. I, being in the world of customer service am responsible to listen to whatever concern that any of our buyers would want to talk to us about. Most of the time, this particular client will call up to discuss her concerns in about 5 minutes or even less, then she will just spend the rest of the time sharing stories about her family, her business, and her points of view about different circumstances. Our conversation yesterday was no different from the rest. Yesterday she chose to speak about the rapid drop in the value of the US dollars against Philippine Pesos. She was really concerned about the drastic change because her mom and brother both worked in the US to finance the property that they purchased from us. She began by saying: “Charms, ang laki laki na ng lugi namin, dati P55 is to $1, ngayon, P40+ is to $1 nalang. Its not because our economy is dramatically improving, but because the economy of the US is significantly declining.” Her statement made me ponder for a while. I wondered if the drop in the value of the US currency directly coincides with the various political turmoil, wars, crimes, intrigues, and other events that are just too significant for the world to miss out on; and if their situation is any different from ours and from the rest of the nations of the world. In our scripture text this morning, we read about a man named Simeon. He was described as a devout and righteous man who had a heart for his nation. Simeon lived in a time when Rome was considered a super power, like the US in our present times. He existed in a society ruled by Ceasar Augustus, a Roman Emperor who was a ruthless politician and soldier who exercised repressive and pagan authority over the people to restore order and prosperity. The state of things in Israel and in the world at that specific era speaks of its extreme need for a savior. Simeon recognized the misery and ruin of his nation but he hoped and waited upon the Lord until he has seen his Salvation, as it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. A day in his life came when the Spirit moved him to go to the temple courts. There he saw the child Jesus whom at that time was being presented to the Lord by Mary and Joseph in accordance to the Jewish Law and Custom. When this godly man recognized Jesus, he took Him into his arms and Praised God, saying “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, You now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” The hope in Simeon’s heart did not fizzle away until he himself saw with his very eyes and held in his own arms the child Jesus. God honored this HOPE and was faithful in fulfilling His promise.

HOPE. What does this word mean? To hope means to expect. To hope means to put your entire trust on something that is yet to come. To hope means to faithfully wait for a desired outcome.

Brothers and sisters, we are living in a time which is not different from Simeon’s generation. Corruption, injustice, wickedness, sicknesses and other manifestations of evil in our society and even in our own families and workplaces are happening right before our eyes. In the midst of all of these, can we see a flicker of hope? This morning the Lord wants to teach us about what it means to put our Hope in Him, and believe in the light of Jesus and the certainty of the promises that we are looking forward to manifest.

HOPING IN THE LORD MEANS:

1. Waiting for God’s perfect time- Luke 2:25 mentions that Simeon has been waiting for the Consolation of Israel, who is Jesus. It does not however, go into details of how long he has been waiting. All we are taught about is that he was at the prime years of his life and was just waiting for the Lord’s Christ before he may depart in peace. In the midst of a situation where you believe that you can do things your way and the Lord tells you to “wait and be patient”, what do you do? Or when you are strongly convinced that you are not yet ready to do certain things and obey the Lord, and he says “Go for I am with you”, how do you answer God? I was inspired by the testimony of Daphne, a good friend of mine here in this church. I see this as a classic example of what God’s perfect timing is all about. She had been waiting for the Lord to speak to her and allow her to receive Arnold, also a fellow young adult, into her life. She prayed and waited for God’s go signal. She prayed and waited, prayed and waited, prayed and waited, until God finally answers her prayers. The problem was, the time that God chose was a time that she least expected, hence she lacked “visual aids”, as she described it. It didn’t matter then how aesthetically presentable she was all she knew was that God spoke, she obeyed, and it was according to God’s perfect time. Trust that the Lord has designed a timetable that is far more wonderful that our own set of schedules. When we are too fast in our tracks that we tend to go ahead of God, remember that we are missing out on the scenery that He has prepared for us along the way. When time is always of essence, imagine how wonderful it is to trust in a God who knows when we are spiritually ready to receive the blessings that He prepares for us. A God who knows when we need the warmth of his love or a bit of shaking that will cause us to depend on Him more. The same God who has a higher and glorious purpose for us and who causes us to wait as He reveals that purpose little by little.

2. Walking and Working with the Holy Spirit- In all this waiting and hoping, the Lord is sensitive to the fact that waiting is never easy and we can never do it alone. We see in verses 26 and 27 that Simeon, no matter how established his devotion to God was, the Lord knew that he needed a companion. Therefore, God’s Spirit was with Him until the very day that the promise that was revealed to Simeon was fulfilled. It was the Spirit of God who revealed the promise of Salvation, and it was the same Spirit who moved him to go to the temple courts where he had seen Jesus. The Lord is telling us that in the season of waiting, He is always by our side. When we start working and walking with the Holy Spirit we experience extraordinary peace, patience and faithfulness, all of which are weapons to defeat the tendency of boredom and anxiety of having to wait for something you desire the most. The question now is how do you walk and work with the Holy Spirit? There is no better way of developing close relationships than constant communication. I am reminded of one my closest friends from College. She and I would just look at each other and words would start flowing even without opening our mouths to speak, and yet we understood each other perfectly. Like our other close human relationships, getting really close to the Spirit of God necessitates the same trust and open communication. Pray to the Holy Spirit for comfort. Praise, sing, and dance in the Holy Spirit. Come to Him for counsel. Ask Him to teach you about the deep things of God. For there’s no else who can know about the things of God except the Spirit of God Himself. Enjoy basking in His Presence and companionship, you’ll be surprised that a day will come when He Himself will tap your heart and say, “Its time…”

3. Welcoming God’s will & way- I couldn’t help but wonder how Simeon’s face looked like when he discovered that the promised Salvation will come as a human child. How can Israel be saved by a little boy? This was the interesting twist. Yet verse 28 tells us that Simeon took him in his arms and praised God for the fulfillment of the promises to Israel. He did not question God as to why he sent a baby to his nation nor did He ask the Wisdom behind His ways. He just held the Savior in his arms which gave him peace. In the age where planners and other electronic devices are used to time and anticipate everything that we do, it gets frustrating when God induces His will which is different from our plans. When we wanted to take the left road and then God says you should take the right, our plans are thwarted and we sometimes feel disappointed. When we pray for an apple and God gives us an orange, do we immediately see His wisdom? On the onset, God’s will and ways seem to be restrictive especially when we begin to fear that he might tell us to go somewhere unfamiliar to us or do something difficult. Welcoming God’s will do not only bring hope. God’s will is made perfect in love and supported by an unexplainable power. In the midst of my pre-simbang umaga jitters, my friend Inah told me: “When God appoints, God anoints.” Truly when you let Jesus be the Lord of your life, nothing can stop it. Honestly speaking, never in my life did I imagine that I would one day stand at this pulpit and preach about Jesus. Pastor Bernie knew where I started in this church and its actually fascinating that I am here looking at one of the pews where I sit with my family Sunday after Sunday. Opportunities to serve God and to share Jesus to different people has not ceased since I became serious with the Lord. And I as share with you His message this morning, I feel that the Lord is not yet through with me. I’ve read an interesting article from the Internet with a line that says, “Jesus could ask nothing of you that he couldn’t do through you… Its exciting when God asks the impossible of you for when He does, a miracle is around the corner!” When we cannot see the hand of God moving, have faith and trust with all your heart that He has nothing in mind but our best interest.

“This child” said Simeon “is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel and for a sign which will be spoken against”. Verse 34 mirrors the words of Prophet Isaiah that says “He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, As a trap and snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Isaiah 8:14). Jesus has literally divided the nation into two. Some will take up his cross and follow Him, while others will oppose, insult, and outwardly reject the saving grace that Jesus Christ came here to offer. For Christians, we identify with the rejection that Jesus Himself went through two thousand years ago. Until now, not every heart is willing to let Jesus in. Some hearts are too preoccupied, some hearts are easily swayed, while some are hearts are simply hard that it no longer has any room for Jesus to stay in. The division that Jesus brings reveals the thoughts of many hearts. God always presents opportunities for you to choose. Will the coming of Jesus cause you to traverse downhill or will his birth uplift you that you may share in His glory? As we celebrate Christmas four days from now, may we be reminded of the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation thru his birth. And may we take comfort in knowing that Hope always springforth for those who give their trust to the coming Messiah. Amen.