Rejoice: Celebrating the Season of Advent预览

My Eyes Have Seen Your Salvation

Read: Luke 2:28-32; Psalm 34:4-8; Hebrews 12:1-3

SOAP: Luke 2:28-30

“Simeon took him in his arms and blessed God, saying,

“Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace.

For my eyes have seen your salvation”

Into the Text

It’s an amazing scene. Simeon, an old man, took a little baby in his arms and broke into praise. He proclaimed that just by looking into the face of this child, he had seen God’s salvation. Simeon never saw Jesus perform miracles or die on the cross and rise from the dead, yet he had seen enough just by looking at this tiny infant. He firmly believed that by seeing Jesus, He had seen God’s salvation.

Simeon truly lived by faith. He simply accepted what God had told him. This is what faith is: being 100% sure that what God declares to be true is really true. We are certain of the things we cannot see with our physical eyes because we see them clearly with our inner, spiritual eyes. It is like seeing the invisible as clearly as if it was visible. We truly believe God’s Words, and we know for certain that they describe reality.

While we live 2000 years after Jesus came into this world as a baby, and while we can't see Him now, the Bible encourages us to “look” to Him and to “fix our eyes” on Him. Psalm 34 tells us that those who look to Him are helped in such a complete way that they are full of joy. They are radiant. They will not be put to shame. This Psalm also explains what it means to “look” to Jesus. It is taking shelter in Him, seeking His help, crying out to Him, and believing Him.

We are so quick to “look” to other people for help. We often tell friends about our problems before even telling Jesus about them. We run after people, looking for comfort, understanding, and love, forgetting that everything we need is in Jesus. He is our salvation, help, strength, wisdom, comfort, peace, cleansing, and restoration. Before we look anywhere else, let’s look to Jesus. When we see Him, we have truly seen God’s salvation.

Prayer

​​Lord Jesus, I look to you. You are my salvation, my everything. Please help me run this race with perseverance and teach me to fix my eyes on you. Amen.