There were three significant people or groups of people we know of, who met Joseph and Mary and the infant Jesus.  One group was the shepherds. By the nature of their work they were poor, dirty, uneducated and not warmly received in Jewish social circles.  Most people would not have even thought to invite them to a birthday party, but God sent them a special invitation to witness the birth of His Son and their Savior, Jesus Christ.  A second group was the Magi.  In contrast with the shepherds, they were wealthy, well educated, the embodiment of the wisdom of the age, and they would have been highly sought-out to be included in all the “right” social circles.  Even so, we should be surprised that God invited them to the party because they were not Jewish ... they were Gentiles.

God invited the shepherds and the Magi because He loves Jews and Gentiles ... the rich and the poor ... the educated and uneducated ... and everyone in-between.  One thing the shepherds and Magi had in common was that they both received a supernatural announcement of Jesus’ birth, a supernatural invitation to come and see the new-born King, and supernatural directions to find Jesus.  All of this came to the Magi by way of a special star, and to the shepherds by an angel of the Lord.

There is a third person who was told that he would see the Savior ... a man named Simeon.  He was Jewish, he was righteous, he was devout, and he was looking for the consolation of Israel [Messiah].  Although the Lord revealed to him that he would see the Messiah before he died, he was given no supernatural sign when Jesus was born.  He received no announcement of Jesus’ birth ... no invitation to come and see ... and he received no directions as to where to find Him.

How then did Simeon see Jesus?  He was simply being faithful to walk with God through all the routines of everyday life.  In his faithfulness to follow the Lord in everyday life, God prompted him [he was led by the Spirit] to go to the temple courts and he just “happened” to bump into Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus as His parents were taking Him to the temple to be circumcised.  We would all like to have supernatural announcements and guidance as the shepherds and the Magi did.  But most of the time God reveals Himself to us as He did to Simeon ... we see Him in everyday events and relationships when we are faithful to the Lord and walking in His Spirit.

May the Lord reveal Himself anew to you this Christmas season through family, friends, worship and fellowship with other believers, through loving service and acts of kindness, and through His Word, as you walk with Him in faithfulness and in the fullness of His Spirit.

A Merry and Blessed Christmas to you all,

Pastor Jim