A Lifetime of Waiting: Simeon and Anna's Hope

Devotional

Day 1: Waiting well: living with “this could be the day”

Simeon and Anna show how to wait without giving up, to expect God in the ordinary, and to refuse the instant-grits version of faith. They kept showing up, hearts tuned to the Spirit, believing God hadn’t forgotten. You can begin each morning with a quiet, steady yes: “Lord, I’m listening—this could be the day.” Subdue the demon of busy and make room for holy interruptions. As you step into a new season, carry a long view that trusts God’s timing more than your clock. Hope does not hurry, but it does not sleep either. [42:22]

Luke 2:25–32 — In Jerusalem lived Simeon, a faithful man who kept waiting for God to comfort his people. The Holy Spirit had assured him he wouldn’t die before seeing the Messiah. Led by the Spirit into the temple, he took the infant Jesus in his arms and praised God: “Master, you kept your promise—let me go in peace. My own eyes have seen the rescue you prepared for everyone: a guiding light for the nations and honor for Israel.”

Reflection: What is one small, daily practice you can begin this week that says, “I’m expecting You today,” and how will you make space for it each morning?

Day 2: Jesus reveals hearts and reorders everything

Jesus stands as the dividing line of history—what we believe about Him shapes how we love, give, pray, and treat people. He exposes what’s really inside, not to shame us, but to heal and align us with truth. As you gather with people who are close and those who feel far, lead with love, not lectures. Some will stumble over Him and some will be raised by Him, but all are seen by Him. Let your posture be gentle, truthful, and full of grace. Love opens doors arguments keep shut. [36:28]

Luke 2:34–35 — Simeon told Mary, “This child will cause many in Israel to fall and many to rise. He will be a sign that people oppose, and the secret thoughts of many will come to light. And a deep pain will pierce your own soul as well.”

Reflection: With one specific person in mind this week, what is a quiet act of love you can offer that points to Jesus without a single speech?

Day 3: Don’t grow weary—stay “on duty” for good

Goodness often looks small: a smile, a prayer in the checkout line, a can of green beans passed to a neighbor, a hand on a shoulder. When your radar is up, you’ll see that God intersects your life with need every single day. Refuse the lie that it’s just a drop in the bucket; you don’t know whose bucket God is filling through you. Lay down the gavel—judge and jury is not your role. Say yes to the Holy Spirit’s nudge and be light in ordinary places. Keep doing good; the harvest comes in God’s time. [49:28]

Galatians 6:9–10 — Let’s not lose heart in doing what is right; at the right time we will reap if we don’t quit. So whenever an opening appears, do good to all people—especially to those who belong to the family of faith.

Reflection: Choose one regular place you go this week and decide in advance one concrete good you will do there—what is it, and when will you do it?

Day 4: Beauty for ashes—joy that outlasts sorrow

God does not belittle sorrow; He transforms it. Jesus knows grief from the inside, and the Holy Spirit meets you on the worst day with a cool drink for a dry soul. Comfort grows slowly, like dawn through fog, until you notice you can breathe and see a few steps ahead again. Your tears are not wasted; they become the soil where hope takes root. The ache may linger, but joy will be greater than the pain. Bless God—He turns heaviness into praise. [55:57]

Isaiah 61:3 — He comes to comfort those who mourn, trading their ashes for a crown, their tears for the oil of gladness, and their heaviness for a garment of praise, so they become strong plantings that display His honor.

Reflection: Where does grief press heaviest right now, and what gentle practice will you make room for this week to welcome the Spirit’s comfort there?

Day 5: Grace over religion—Christ for all people

Religion piles on rules and “try harder,” but grace says, “It is finished.” God wants your love and trust, not practice slips; repentance opens the door and grace does the heavy lifting. He is patient, not willing that any should perish, and His salvation is for everyone. That grace also trains you to live with self-control and integrity while you wait in hope for Jesus’ return. Let that hope shape how you love your family and carry light into your community. Christ is for all, and He makes His people eager to do good. [01:06:37]

Titus 2:11–14 — God’s grace has appeared for everyone, bringing rescue. That same grace teaches us to say no to what is crooked and to live with restraint, integrity, and reverence in this present moment, as we look ahead with joy to the appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave Himself to reclaim us from every wrong and to make us His own people, eager to do what is good.

Reflection: Where have you been “trying harder” instead of trusting grace, and what single step will you take this week to trade striving for repentant, grace-shaped obedience?

Sermon Summary

Christmas Eve is framed as a pause in a frantic world—an intimate moment to remember Christ’s first coming, to cherish family, and to consider who we are becoming over the next decade. The focus turns to Luke 2 and two quiet figures in the story—Simeon and Anna—who model a long obedience in the same direction. They wait under the promise and guidance of the Holy Spirit; they keep showing up; they carry hope without hurry. When the Child is carried into the temple, they recognize Him, and their lives—decades of prayer—suddenly make sense. Their witness teaches that God’s timing is not neglect; expectation can be a holy posture.

From Simeon’s prophecy comes a bracing clarity: Jesus is the dividing line of history. What one believes about Him determines destiny, shapes relationships, and redirects priorities. The call is not to argue at the dividing line but to love there—especially in homes we return to during the holidays—because love opens doors that lectures cannot. Mary’s soul would be pierced; discipleship does not erase sorrow, but God transforms it. In Christ, the joy to come will outweigh the weight we carry now.

Five lessons emerge. A lifetime lived for God will be rewarded. The wait will be worth it—so don’t grow weary in doing good, because small obediences stack up in ways we rarely see. Expectations will be exceeded—the glory to be revealed cannot be measured against present suffering. The joy of God rises from the ashes; grief is not minimized but transfigured. And Christ is for all people; the gospel is not “try harder” religion but grace that teaches us to say no to ungodliness and live upright, self-controlled lives here and now.

The invitation is practical and urgent: wake each day with expectancy; be on duty for goodness; listen for the Spirit’s nudge; refuse the lie of “busy” that crowds out the Father’s business. Receive—not earn—the finished work of Jesus. God has been patient; He is not slow as some count slowness. Communion seals the remembrance: we proclaim His death until He comes. And as candlelight spreads, a picture appears—light multiplies in community. No one has to stand in the dark while the family of God stands near.

Key Takeaways

1. Wait with Spirit-led expectation Waiting is not passive; it’s a posture trained by promise. Simeon and Anna show how to keep showing up, let the Spirit lead, and live ready for the moment God fulfills His word. Expectation doesn’t control outcomes; it keeps the heart tender when timelines stretch. Long waiting can sharpen recognition when Christ finally appears. [42:22]
2. Jesus is the true dividing line What one decides about Jesus determines far more than religious affiliation; it reorients eternity and reframes how we love people right now. Neutrality is not neutral—indifference is a decision at the line. This clarity isn’t a cudgel; it’s a compass that calls for truth with mercy. Love best displays what we believe about Him. [36:28]
3. Do good; small acts matter Goodness is not theoretical; it’s daily, local, interruptible. A smile, a prayer, or a bag of groceries can be the hinge on which someone’s day—and sometimes life—turns. When the Spirit nudges, act before cynicism talks you out of it. Faithfulness in little things keeps us ready for bigger assignments. [49:28]
4. Glory will outweigh present suffering Suffering is real and often prolonged, but it is not final. Scripture dares us to compare our pain with the glory to come—and says the math doesn’t even work, the gap is that great. Christ’s fellowship meets us in the ache, and hope begins to lift the fog. Identification with His wounds becomes participation in His future. [52:53]
5. Grace, not religion, transforms life Religion layers rules and says “try harder”; grace says “it is finished” and then trains us to live differently. Repentance opens the door; the Spirit supplies new power for self-control and joy. Disciplines help, but they don’t earn; they align. The Christian life is received, not achieved. [58:43]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[07:11] - Holidays: joy and hardship
[08:05] - Cherish fleeting family seasons
[10:20] - A ten-year spiritual vision
[32:07] - Simeon and Anna introduced
[35:08] - Presentation at the temple
[36:28] - Jesus the dividing line
[42:22] - Waiting well with expectation
[44:11] - Living ready for His return
[47:32] - Do good; don’t grow weary
[52:53] - Suffering and surpassing glory
[55:26] - From sorrow to joy
[57:40] - Christ for all, not religion
[66:37] - Grace that trains us now
[73:47] - Communion and light in darkness

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading

- Luke 2:21-40

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

Observation questions

In Luke 2:25-27, what words or phrases describe Simeon’s relationship with the Holy Spirit? What is Simeon doing, and who initiates his movement?
In Luke 2:34-35, list the outcomes Simeon foretells about Jesus and Mary. Which are aimed at the nation and which are personal?
Luke 2:36-38 sketches Anna’s daily life. What rhythms do you see? How might those practices shape a person over decades?
The statement “a no vote is a vote” presses on neutrality about Jesus. What decision is being named here, and why is it urgent? [36:59]

Interpretation questions

Waiting can be Spirit-led expectation, not passivity. How do the Spirit’s roles—promise, presence, and prompting—in Simeon’s story shape a theology of waiting for today? (Luke 2:25-27; [42:22])
If Jesus “is destined to cause the falling and rising of many” and “reveal the thoughts of many hearts,” what does that mean for conversations with loved ones during the holidays? What might it look like to love at the line instead of lecturing? [38:05]
“A sword will pierce your own soul too.” How does this image prepare followers of Jesus to face sorrow—with honesty and hope—so that grief is transformed rather than minimized? [55:57]
“Let us not become weary in doing good… at the proper time we will reap.” What “harvest” might be in view, and why do small acts matter so much in God’s economy? [48:07]

Application questions

Where are you personally waiting right now? What would it look like this week to wake with expectancy and say, “This could be the day,” even if answers seem slow? Set one small daily cue to practice this posture. [44:11]
Think about being “on duty” for goodness. Identify two very ordinary acts you can be ready to do in the next 72 hours (a prayer in aisle three, a warm smile, sharing groceries). What will you do before cynicism talks you out of it? [49:28]
As you head into family spaces, name one relationship that sits near the dividing line around Jesus. What is one specific way you can choose love over lectures there? [38:05]
Name a sorrow you carry. How might you invite Jesus into it this week—through a psalm, fasting, or asking someone to pray with you—so that grief is not minimized but begins to be transformed? [54:27]
Where has “busy” been crowding out the Father’s business? Choose one concrete change for this month (screen limit, a weekly hour of silence, a no-after-8 p.m. email rule) to make room for God. [41:17]
Grace, not religion: where have you slipped back into “try harder” mode? What would repentance and receiving look like in that exact spot? Share one practice that will help you align, not earn (for example, memorize Titus 2:11-12). [58:43]
The candlelight picture shows how light multiplies in community. Who is one person walking in a dark patch you can stand beside this week? What simple step will you take by Thursday? [01:18:34]

Sermon Clips

He is the dividing line in history between falsehood and truth. Between love and between hate. He is the acid test of humanity. What you think about Jesus will determine your eternal destiny. What you think about Jesus will determine how you treat the people around you. What you think about Jesus will determine how much you pray. What you think about Jesus will determine where you give. What you think about Jesus will determine everything in your life, whether you're thinking about it or not. [00:36:28] (43 seconds) #JesusChangesEverything

There is nothing else. Many religions have over the years tried to plug that gap with all kinds of other foolishness. Have tried to fill it in with all kinds of alternatives. There isn't another alternative. It is Jesus Christ, the living son of God, or nothing. Because with him we go to live as we were intended, eternally with God, in fellowship with a righteous and holy God. Without him we are eternally separated in a place called hell. [00:37:30] (35 seconds) #JesusOrNothing

Simeon and Anna teach us about a lifetime of waiting, expectation, and the joy of finally meeting the Savior. A lifetime. Can you imagine? We pray and if we don't get an answer in just a few minutes, we are antsy and we're like, where's God in all this? Think about Simeon. His entire life, he was waiting on the Christ. [00:42:22] (29 seconds) #LifetimeWaitingForJesus

I know when you look out there and as crazy as this world is right now, sometimes you think it's just a drop in the bucket. Why should I bother? Because you don't know whose bucket you're filling up sometimes. Sometimes you don't know that that last smile might have been the smile that kept somebody from taking their life today. That can of green beans that you thought you were going to buy for yourself but you pass it to the person behind you because you noticed that the cart wasn't full very much might have been the meal that fed a child that night. [00:48:41] (36 seconds) #SmallActsBigImpact

All they got left is to turn and bite the hand that's trying to beat them down again. And that's all they got left because they've lost their faith in humanity. Because nothing's working for them. And sometimes, bless God, they did it to themselves. Be careful with that. Because it could just as easily be you. And I've learned a long time ago, I am not judge and jury. That is not what he called me to do. He called me to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. And to tell them that there is hope on the other side of whatever you're going through. [00:51:02] (43 seconds) #ReachNotJudge

Think about the glory. Because it's going to exceed your suffering. Whatever you've suffered to, brother, sister. That suffering, whatever that level is, the glory of God is going to exceed that. And you think, well, I've suffered. Glory coming your way, brother. Sister, glory's coming your way. Because when I suffer, it says I am identified with Christ. Because he suffered. He understands it. He knows it. He's acquainted with it. [00:53:05] (33 seconds) #GloryExceedsSuffering

See, sorrow does not get diminished. I know that's not a happy thought. But sorrow becomes transformed. It does not just go away. God transforms that sorrow into joy. It's not an instantaneous process because you will sorrow for a while. But in your sorrow, in your reaching, in those mourning hours of where it's all quiet and it's just you and God and all you've got is tears. He will turn that into joy. [00:56:08] (49 seconds) #SorrowTransformedToJoy

I've been on a battle for the last couple of years against religion. I hate religion. And it's destroyed more people and more countries and more nations than anything I can even think of. And we continue to press into religion like somehow it's going to get better. And it doesn't get better. It just gets worse. Because the only thing that you can be guaranteed by religion is more rules. More try harder. [00:57:57] (42 seconds) #ReligionFailsLoveHeals

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