The Spirit-Filled Life

A candle burning in the village of Nazareth. 

Scripture:

Luke 2:25    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 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.”

Luke 2:33   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.”

Observation:

We continue with the visit to the Temple by Mary and Joseph. We find another person on whom the Holy Spirit has rested, Simeon. The presence of the Holy Spirit has allowed him to have an intimate relationship with God, and through this he was aware that that he would see the Messiah. He is guided by the Spirit to go into the temple where he is able to meet the parents and baby Jesus. 

Jesus’ identity is now firmly established, both in the manger and in the Temple - he is the Messiah! Simeon takes the baby in his arms and begins to praise God. The desire of Simeon’s life has been fulfilled in seeing the baby, God’s salvation. He understands that this salvation is not just for Israel, but for all people. This is Luke’s “theological project” — to redefine the boundaries of salvation (Neale, NBBC). Jesus will be a light of revelation for the Gentiles — for they will see the truth because of him. The Israelites have been awaiting the Messiah and for them, he will be glory.  

One can only imagine what was going through the mind of Mary and Joseph. Simeon wasn’t finished speaking, but as a Spirit-filled man of God, he also blessed them, and then spoke specifically to Mary. He wanted to give her more understanding about Jesus’ life. He concludes with a common phrase that she would have understood — that the life of her son would be painful for her as well. 

Application:

We usually think about Luke presenting us with the Spirit-filled life in his book on the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2. However, in these first two chapters of his gospel, he shows us the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, and now Simeon. It seems that the Holy Spirit has already been at work in the lives of a few, but not poured out upon the many. It is interesting to see that these lives may be a foreshadowing and model of what is to come. Simeon reveals the pattern of a Spirit-filled life. 

1. The Holy Spirit rested on him. This is the same language that we hear about the Spirit hovering over the seas at creation, or the over the tabernacle in the wilderness. This is a very specific presence of the Holy Spirit over the life of an individual, and we each need the Holy Spirit to rest upon us. Christ promised the comforter for all, not just for some and through Joel’s prophecy we know that in the last days the “Holy Spirit will be poured out upon all flesh.” 
2. The Holy Spirit revealed truths to him. By spending time in God’s holy presence, Simeon had learned to hear and understand the voice of God. This is the call for all of us in our spiritual journey, to spend quiet time, listening to the voice of God. Only in this way do we learn to hear God’s voice and are able to discern the truth. 
3. Simeon was guided by the Spirit. Because Simeon spent time in God’s presence, he was then guided by the Spirit in his actions. He knew how to be at the right place at the right time, because the Spirit was leading him. 
4. The Spirit was able to work through Simeon as a channel for God’s blessing. 

These are the markers of a Spirit-filled life, and yet, some may think that these goals are far too lofty for us, the most ordinary. This was exactly the point of this scene, for the extraordinary came to earth in the ordinary. It was the simple Spirit-filled man, Simeon who saw the Messiah, not the High Priest. Simeon’s ordinary life shows us that we can all be filled and transformed by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 

The Spirit-filled life is God’s gift to humanity. Unfortunately, for many, it sits under the tree, still wrapped. To experience the fullness of God’s gift at Christmas, we need to embrace the Holy Spirit and begin living the Spirit-filled life. 

Prayer:

Lord, please, continually pour out your Spirit upon me and my life. Help me to walk in the Spirit every day. Amen.