Revealing the One who Reveals (Part IV) – “Blessings Change Lives”

Sermon Title: Revealing Your Blessings

Good News Statement: Jesus gives us blessings to change our life

Preached: Sunday, February 2^nd, 2025 at Dogwood Prairie UMC & Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSVUE): Luke 2:22-35 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of Luke who introduces us to a man named Simeon who not only presents the new born Christ to the Lord, but reveals him to all people. May we find ways in 2025 to reveal who Jesus is in our life. Our scripture reading is Luke Chapter Two, Verses Twenty-Two thru Thirty-Five. May the hearing and understanding of this scripture add a blessing to your life.

 

Jesus Is Named

²¹ When the eighth day came, it was time to circumcise the child, and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), ²⁴ and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the law, ²⁸ Simeon^[c^] took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

²⁹ “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word,
³⁰ for my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
³² a light for revelation to the gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”

³³ And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed ³⁵ so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.”

 

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

Introduction:

            The announcement has been made, Mary has given birth to her firstborn son and has wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger. The  heavenly host of angels have sung, “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those whom he favors” (Luke 2:14). The shepherds have received “good news of great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10), they have traveled to Bethlehem to witness what took place, and they shared with Mary, before “glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:20), news that she treasured and pondered in her heart (Luke 2:19). Now the Magi have arrived and left gifts of gold, frankincense, myrrh, and have travelled home going a different way and avoiding King Herod. Christ has been born, in the city of David, to a people that need to be transformed.

To commemorate that special day, we lit the Christ Candle. That candle is more than just a symbol of hope, peace, joy, and love: it represents a source of light that no amount of darkness can prevail over nor cover. Through this Candle, Christ has entered our life: “And the Word became flesh and lived among us…” (John 1:14). With this candle we have been given a gift, a name above all names. With Christ now fully present in our life, we must not wait to reveal who Christ is to us. We must not wait to reveal who Christ is to our church. We must not wait to reveal what Christ is calling us to do. We must not wait to find ways to keep his light shining as we enter a New Year: a year filled with accomplishments, successes and failures, joy and pain, new beginnings and setbacks, and good news and doubt. We must not wait to pass along the “good news of great joy to all people” through what we do and what we say.

Today, we look forward to the future as individuals and as a church. Today, we find ways to reveal who Jesus is and what Jesus does for us and the church. Today, we think about how we will reveal Jesus Christ in 2025 by spending time with Simeon—actually several weeks—with a priest who waited his entire career for the day when he would bless the one who would in turn bless him. Luke is the only Gospel writer—writing about the year 85 CE, approximately 50 years after the death of Christ—to mention this moment in Jesus’ life. A moment that revealed the one who reveals us. We continue the story by simply asking ourselves, “What has been revealed to us?”

 

Body:

On December 25, 2007, Warner Brothers released a movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The title of the movie is The Bucket List. The gist of the movie is as follows: Two terminally ill men escape from a cancer ward and head off on a trip with a wish list—a bucket list—of to dos before they die.

More specifically, Billionaire Edward Cole and car mechanic Cater Chambers are complete strangers, until fate lands them in the same hospital room. The men find they have two things in common: a need to come to terms with who they are and what they have done with their desires, and a desire to complete a list of things they want to see and do before they die. Against their doctor’s advice, the men leave the hospital and set out on the adventure of a lifetime. If you have seen this movie, you know how it ends. If you haven’t seen this movie, then I highly encourage you to watch it some time. It’s a movie that has the power to put life into perspective.

During their adventure, the two men can be seen sitting on top of some sort of structure admiring the Great Pyramids. Jack Nicholson states, “You know, technically, we can cross off two items: see the Pyramids and witness something majestic. This is about as majestic as it gets.” Morgan Freeman, contemplating Nicholson’s understanding of majestic responds, “You know, the ancient Egyptians had a beautiful belief about death. When their souls got to the entrance of heaven, the Gods would ask them two questions, and their answers determined whether they were admitted or not.” Nicholson responds, showing exhaustion, “Okay, I’ll bite. What were they?” Freeman continues, “Have you found joy in your life? And has your life brought joy to others?” For the next few minutes Nicholson shares his answers to these questions.

Today, we re-encounter an individual who had many things on his bucket list, but there was one item on his bucket list that would bring the most joy to himself and to others who witnessed something majestic. Simeon, was told many years ago through a revelation given to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not “see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah” (Luke 2:26). Simeon had a bucket list and the last item on his bucket list was to bless the Lord’s Messiah, to bless Jesus Christ. The blessing of Jesus brought him the most joy because it changed his life.

Do you have a bucket list? Do you have a list of items you want to do before you die? Are there places you want to go? People want to visit? Experiences you want to have? Are there people you want to make sure are taken care of? Are there things you want to buy, try, and maybe explore? I’m sure we all have some sort of “bucket list” pertaining to certain things we want to do in our life. However, will those things bring you joy, bring others joy, and bless you in such a way that changes your life?

This leads me to my next set of questions? What sort of blessings have you experienced that have changed your life? Are there blessings that have been revealed to you that haven’t taken place yet? Are blessings you have ignored? Today, I invite you to think about your own bucket list, if you have you one; and if you don’t consider making one. For your bucket list make sure to have things that bring you pure joy, that brings joy to others, and contains blessings that can and will change your life. Simeon’s life was changed by receiving a blessing from God. His bucket list was complete when he experienced joy in the presence of Christ.

 

Movement One: What’s Happening in the Text…

Luke 2:27-32 is a continuation of what we read last week. Last week we were introduced to Simeon, who is described as righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel—the comfort administered to Israel by the Lord’s Messiah. Luke shares, “Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, 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” (Luke 2:25-26).

A revelation had been given to Simeon many years ago through the Holy Spirit, and now it is coming true. Simeon gets the chance to do what no other person will get to do in history: he blesses Jesus according to the Law. He blesses Jesus in the Temple; He blesses Jesus in the presence of Mary and Joseph; He blesses Jesus as people are walking by and witnessing; and He blesses Jesus in such a way that in turn he is actually the one being blessed.

Although the blessing of Jesus is significant, what is also significant is what Simeon now has to come to terms with: death is near. Simeon would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. During a moment that would bring many people to tears and contemplation and possibly fear, was a moment that Simeon had been waiting for his entire life; as a matter of fact he was probably basking in its glory. He was a good and faithful servant. There aren’t too many people who feel blessed or even glorified knowing their life is about to end.

Luke 2:27-32 continues Simeon’s response to this joyous occasion: “Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the law, 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, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’” Let’s break down this text…

We are told that Simeon was “guided by the Spirit” to enter the Temple. Remember, Simeon first received this revelation from the Holy Spirit. As a matter of fact the text tells us that the “Holy Spirit rested on him” (Luke 2:25). Throughout Simeon’s life, the Holy Spirit was with him: it guided him, it nurtured him, and it empowered him. There was never not a time when Simeon was without the presence of the Holy Spirit. Essentially, there was never not a time when God left Simeon alone. Even when Simeon may have strayed away, God was still present, still there, resting on him.

We see the same thing at the start of Jesus’ ministry. When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, we hear these words, “the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove” (Luke 3:21-22). Later on at the start of Jesus’ ministry, we read that Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 4:1) when being tempted by the devil, and that he was “filled with the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14) as he returned to Galilee, and when reading the scroll from Isaiah, Jesus quotes, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…” (Luke 4:18). Because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, both Simeon and Jesus were blessed to do things that no one else could do, and the Holy Spirit never left them. As a matter of fact, the Holy Spirit gifted them the authority and power to enter the Temple. Are you allowing the presence of the Holy Spirit to rest upon you today—giving you the power you need to face tomorrow? Giving you the power to be guided where God needs you to go?

When Simeon entered the Temple, Mary and Joseph “brought the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the law” (Luke 2:27). I don’t think Simeon was holding a sign that had Mary and Joseph’s name on it like people sometimes do when picking people up from the airport. I believe Simeon knew who Mary and Joseph were before they knew who Simeon was. Remember, Simeon had a revelation and Mary and Joseph were simply doing what the law of the day required (Leviticus 12). Mary and Joseph gave what they had so that their son could be blessed in the Temple. Simeon “took Jesus in his arms” (Luke 2:28) and knew immediately that what is about to happen is going to be a blessing that will change his life. Our text even says, he “praised God…” (Luke 2:28). When was the last time you met Jesus where he was? When was the last time you approached Jesus with open arms, ready to surrender all to him, and convicted by the grace of God that you could be saved? When was the last time you considered the blessings in your life that have changed your life?

After taking Jesus in his arms, Simeon praised God by saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32). First, by identifying God as “Master,” Simeon is proving his allegiance, his obedience, his servitude to God even though his end is drawing near: remember he is righteous and devout. He isn’t refuting God’s plan, he isn’t rebuking God’s plan, he isn’t asking God for more time, and he isn’t trying to change God’s mind. Simeon is obedient to the will and plan that God has for him.

Second, Simeon says something that not too many of us are comfortable with saying: he says, “you are dismissing your servant in peace.” This idea of “dismiss”—order or allow to leave, send way—in regards to Simeon is not suggesting that Simeon’s work day is done and he can now go home. This idea of “dismiss” is much stronger, much more permanent because that is what has been stated according to his word. Because he has seen the Lord’s Messiah peace will fall upon him as death draws near. Simeon is okay with dying. He’s okay with knowing that his end is near. He’s okay with this being his last act of service in the Temple. He’s okay with being dismissed from this earth. How many of us here today are okay with dying tomorrow? Probably not too many of us because there are still many things left undone,  many things to witness, many places to go, many events to attend, a house to clean, many more smiles to cherish, laughters to hear, hugs to give, hands to shake, memories to be made. Not too many of us are okay with being dismissed in peace at this time in our life, even though we don’t know what tomorrow will bring.[1]

Third, Simeon was okay with dying. Why? Because his eyes “have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:30). Simeon saw what he had been promised. He not only saw a child, a baby, but he saw his salvation. Simeon saw his freedom. Simeon saw his opportunity to be released from the weight of the world. Simeon saw the one who could and would save his life. The Battle Hymn of the Republic begins “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” Simeon saw the coming glory, a blessing that would forever change his life. Seeing this salvation is what he had been waiting for his entire life. The salvation of Jesus, found on the cross, is what we long to see in our life because it’s his salvation that will set us free, to remove our chains, forgive our sins, and guides us to living a peaceful life. Simeon saw and found salvation in Jesus Christ. How are you allowing yourself, each and every day, to witness the salvation of Christ? How are you embracing the blessings of life that have and will save you?

Fourth, and lastly, Luke 2:31 states, “which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples…” Jesus is the Jewish Messiah to rescue captive Israel and redeem contrary Gentiles, to recover sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim release to the captives, and to see the needs of the poor. He would save all peoples from every nation, tribe, and tongue (Revelation 5:9-10).[2] This is probably why the Shepherds were told by the angel, “I will bring you good news of great joy for all the people” and why we read at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the a name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-20).

It’s in the Temple that Jesus is revealed to all people.  It’s in the Temple that Simeon understands that what he is seeing is for all people. Even the prophetess Anna gets to witness the blessing and salvation of Jesus Christ (Luke 2:36-38). It’s in the church that Jesus is revealed to all people. It’s in your heart that Jesus is revealed to you and to all people. It’s in the world by which Jesus should be revealed to all people. In the presence of all peoples, the “light of revelation” (Luke 2:32), began to shine brightly—to guide people toward being blessed.

What Simeon is praising God for is what we should take to heart today, and that is, we should be mindful of the blessings that have changed our life and we should not be worried about tomorrow. A blessing is God’s favor and protection. God blesses you because he favors you and wants to protect you from the temptations of the devil. We have a bucket list of things we want to do. But how many of us have a bucket of blessings that have changed our life, which could lead to us being dismissed in peace? Simeon’s life was changed that day in the Temple. His life was changed by the blessing that God gave him as he blessed Jesus Christ.

 

Movement Two: Blessings Change Lives…

Did you know that blessings are powerful? I want to share three stories with you: two biblical and one personal. First is the story of Mary Magdalene found in John chapter eight. John notes, “Early in the morning [Jesus] came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and, making her stand before all of them, they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’…. [Jesus said], ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her’” (John 8:2-5, 7). No one throws a stone. At this moment, Jesus not only saves Mary Magdalene and not only forgives her of her sins, but he blesses her: “Go your way, and from now on do not sin again” (John 8:11). Mary was blessed—protected by God—that day. This blessing changed her life. As a matter of fact, it was a blessing that she never saw coming. It was so powerful that she committed her life to Christ that day. She found joy in what Jesus did for her.

Second is the story about the Samaritan Woman at the well. John 4:7-15 tells of this story: “A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?’ (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?’ Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.’”

The Samaritan Woman at the well is someone who doubted the reason to why Jesus was at the well to begin with. She didn’t believe him: “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” Jews did not share commonalities with Samaritans: they weren’t even allowed to interact with them. Then she goes on to say, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep.” Not only was she questioning his intentions, but she pointed out that Jesus was unprepared to complete the task at hand of getting a drink from the well of Jacob. But then, Jesus does something: he blesses her with what she needed in life. He said, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life (John 4:13-14).” To this, the woman answered, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water” (John 4:15). Jesus blesses this woman, someone who questioned and doubted him. He blesses here with a source of living water—a resource that leads to eternal life, an avenue to salvation. This blessing changed her life.

Third, for my entire life, I can remember going to church. I was born into a family that made going to church a priority. I was baptized as an infant and from that moment on I fulfilled that divine gift. As I got older, I was involved in the church: band practice on Mondays, choir rehearsal on Wednesdays, church service and Sunday School on Sundays, youth group Sunday evenings, and when I was playing baseball, we practiced at the church. During the summer, the church I was a part of had a softball team that played games on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Church was (and still is) part of my life. But what I didn’t realize back then was that God was keeping me involved in the church because He knew that I would end up making church my career, my calling.

It wasn’t until the fall of 2016, while attending the weekly evening service in the Chapel at Augustana College that I realized that what God was doing back then — keeping me involved in the church — was actually preparing me for what I am doing now: leading a church blessed by Him, leading a church filled with people eager to make a difference, leading a church motivated to care for those inside and outside its walls, leading a church encouraged to see a need and fulfill a need, and leading a church guided by the love and spirit of Jesus Christ. What God was doing back then, was preparing me to reveal the person that Jesus Christ is to all of us: a savior, a healer, a comforter, a forgiver, a doer, and a lover.

Throughout my years in the church, although frustrating at times, were actually a blessing—guiding me to where I am now. I share these stories with you to help you understand that Jesus is always finding ways to bless you, to change your life, but sometimes we ignore those blessings because we don’t believe them or even because we don’t feel prepared to receive them. We tend to put other items on our bucket list than those blessings that have got us to where we are today. What blessings has Christ put before you that you have excused or ignored?

 

Movement Three: What Sort of Blessings are in Your Bucket…

Now it’s your turn. We have seen how the blessing Simeon received led him to be at peace with his life. We have seen how a woman of sinful acts was blessed and saved by Jesus Christ from those who wanted to punish her: her blessing was source of forgiveness and healing. We have seen how a Samaritan Woman, who was not supposed to interact with Jews, was given the blessing to receive the living water of Christ. We have seen how a blessing from the past has led to a blessing today. What sort of blessings have you received in your life that has changed your life?

At the start of the year, I kept seeing on Facebook how individuals were starting a “Blessing Jar.” Each day for an entire year, those participating in the “Blessing Jar,” will write a single blessing that happened that day, put it in the jar, and then at the end of the year pull those blessings out and reflect on how God was working in their life on that day. If you were to start a blessing jar, what blessings would you have it? What would you write down so that at the end of the year you would be reminded of how God was with you every day, through every experience, and through every event and emotion? Church, if we had a “Blessing Jar,” what sort of blessings we would have in it?

Friends, every day God gives us a blessing, sometimes more than one blessing, but truth be told we sometimes ignore those blessings. I’m inviting you today to not only witness those blessings but to receive those blessings. And to let those blessings change your life whatever they may be. God gifts us blessings—favor and protection—because He understands that we need those moments in life when life seems fair, when life seems okay, when life seems just, when life is not against us, and when life is more rewarding than punishing. We need blessings in our life in order to experience the same salvation that Simeon was given when he blessed Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem. The blessings we receive are avenues for each of us to walk away from the devil and walk toward Christ. Friends, what sort of blessing has God given you that has changed your life? Has God ever told you that you are a blessing to many people in your life? We may not know the outcome of our life when we receive a blessing like Simeon did, but that doesn’t mean that that blessing isn’t helping us to experience a life of eternal salvation.

We are given countless blessings: some we can count and others we can’t, some we can name and others we can’t, and some we can remember and others we can’t. Whether we can count them, name them, remember them, or not, God is blessing us every day because He understands that whatever blessing He gives us, it will change our life. He blessings us with strength when we feel weak; He blesses us with confidence when we feel vulnerable; He blesses us with food when we are hungry, drink when we are thirsty, sight when we can’t see, freedom when we are held captive; He blesses us with joy when we feel sad; He blesses us with acceptance when we feel lost; and He blesses us with peace when we feel overwhelmed.  You have been given countless blessings. Receive them. Cherish them. Keep them in your heart. Put them in a jar. As Perry Como would say, “put it in your pocket, never let it fade away…save it for a rainy day.”[3] Each and every blessing is a gift from God. Don’t waste them but use them to help you create a life of joy as you bring joy to others.

 

Conclusion:

Simeon wasn’t afraid of the outcome of his life. He wasn’t disappointed. His faith and trust in God led him to experience the one thing in life that he had been waiting for his entire career: to physically see, hold, hear, and bless Jesus Christ. If you think about it, Simeon completed his bucket list. His bucket list didn’t include winning the lottery, owning the fastest car, the largest truck, travelling to remote islands, discovering the eighth wonder of the world, being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, or even completing tasks around the house. His bucket list simply included being in the presence of the one who would save him.

I don’t know what’s on your bucket list, but I hope there are items and things that bring you joy, bring joy to others, and that bless your life in such a way that changes your life. When it comes to your bucket list, what have you written down? Have you written down things that bring you joy? Have you written down things that bring others joy? Have you written down things that get you closer to experiencing the fullness of Christ? Maybe instead of a bucket list, we should all make a blessing list: doing things that bless us but also doing things that bless others.

The movie the Bucket List ends with Jack Nicholson at Morgan Freeman’s funeral. He states, “He saved my life, and he knew it before I did. I’m deeply proud that this man found it worth his while to know me.” The blessings you receive in our life, no matter how they appear to you, are blessings that God is using to change you and to save you. Don’t let those blessings go to waste. Receive a blessing. Remember that blessing. And be a blessing. What blessings are on your bucket list? Let it be so…

 

Communion Transition:

 

Closing Prayer:

Let us pray: Dear God, we thank you for the many blessings you have given us. We thank you for those blessings that have brought us joy, that have saved us, and that have changed us. We ask that you help us to receive each blessing with an open heart and to allow each blessing to be a source of joy for us as we become a source of joy for others. In your precious name we pray, Amen.

 

Benediction:

This week, I invite you to keep track of those blessings God gives you. Write them down, put them in a jar, and allow them to change you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth seeking ways to reveal Jesus Christ in your life. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

 

[1] I bet when those who boarded American flight 5342 and the Blackhawk helicopter they weren’t thinking how this would be their last flight.

[2] Gentiles are no longer outsiders but are brought near by the blood of Jesus, and His grace reconciles human divisions (Ephesians 2:12-13). 

[3] Perry Como, song Catch a Falling Star