What do you long for so deeply that, if it came true, you could close your eyes in peace? Each of us composes a song with our life, cheerful, wistful, or sad, because that is simply how life has turned out. This sermon takes us to the temple in Jerusalem, where old Simeon takes an infant into his arms and begins to sing (Luke 2), though humanly speaking he has no reason left to sing at all. Listen, and ask whether such a meeting would change your own melody.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- According to Luke 2:21-35, what enabled Simeon to recognize this particular child in the temple, and what role did the Holy Spirit play?
- Simeon had many reasons for sadness: old age, the loss of loved ones, life under foreign rule. Why is his song after meeting Jesus full of joy rather than grief?
- The sermon says life is like a song that expresses what we long for. What melody is your life singing today, and what do you truly long for?
- Many people in Simeon's day were waiting for the Messiah, yet that knowledge changed nothing in them. What is the difference between simply waiting and truly longing for Jesus?
- Christians in Nigeria and orphans of martyrs sing about peace despite the danger. What does their example teach you about a source of joy no one can take away?
- What struggles in your family, work, health, or finances are taking away your desire to sing right now, and how can meeting Jesus change your perspective this week?
