Our Justice: Jesus-Prophetic Meaning of Christmas

Congregation, what’s true justice?
There’s two different ways to answer that.
What is justice? What’s true justice?

Modern sensibilities—meaning our times, our wider culture—senses of justice are tinged with or defined by social equity. And I’m not saying these are bad things. I’m just saying how justice is defined in our wider culture: social equity, economic equity. They define social equity or something closer to it as equal opportunity. For some people, that’s not only an opportunity of access but of outcome.

But we aren’t sovereign people, are we?

You didn’t decide when you were born, where you were born, to whom you were born. You didn’t decide what gifts you have. I mean, just innate gifts. Are you athletic? You say, “Well, I’ve never been athletic.” OK, you weren’t born with the gift of athleticism. Are you musical? Does it all come natural to you, to just make sense? No? Well then you weren’t born musical. And you can’t make yourself what you’re simply not.

I can’t be 6 foot 3, 215 lbs, and an athlete. I’m not sovereign to make myself what I’m not. And that’s true of so much of life.

Is that fair?
Is that just?

Why am I in this circumstance? Why was I born to these parents, these times, with this lack of gifts, this lack of skills?

And we look around at our world—again, I’m defining justice within a wider context—you didn’t make the choice to be a math brain. Maybe you are, but that’s just how God made you. You didn’t decide to have a skill for language or mechanics or cooking or a knack at organization and numbers.

None of this is your choice. You can develop the gift that’s there or neglect it—that’s a choice—but there’s so much about life that just comes to us. It’s just there.

Which then shows us that a modern sense of justice doesn’t have a very good sense of how life works.

What if I were to say to you: you know what justice is? You know how God or the Bible defines justice biblically?

We’ll start with the Ten Commandments.

You want to see a just world? Let’s start with a sense of who God is, how life is to be ordered, what we’re to pivot our life around, what’s to matter most.

And first—you want justice? Here’s the thing. In the Bible, the Hebrew word for justice is the exact same word for righteousness. And that’s not only true in Hebrew. The Greek word for justice is the exact same word for righteousness. Exact same word. You only have one word for both.

So when you say justice, you’re saying righteousness. What is right. What is in the right.

So that being justified by faith in Jesus Christ, I’m placed in the right before God’s eyes. I’m recognized as just, righteous, in the right. Good.

It’s important we think about that.

Because if we were to define then justice by the Ten Commandments—what is right, what is good—well then we would only love God first and our life would only pivot around Him.

And if we had a just society, that would be true. Everyone’s life worships God. The earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord. Everyone loves the Lord. Hallowed be His name.

You want a just society? It starts right there.

You can see where I’m going to go with this.

Only Jesus is our justice.
Only Jesus is our righteousness.
Only Jesus will bring us what is an ache in our hearts for what is wrong to be put right, what’s fractured to be mended, what is broken to be healed.

And so you can go down the Ten Commandments—from worshiping God rightly, to using His name well, to using His day well, to honoring authority starting with parents, protecting life, protecting marriage, protecting one’s property, protecting one’s reputation and good name.

All of that. Imagine a world.

You want to see justice? Live the Ten Commandments. Fulfill the Ten Commandments.

And then you’re also not pining for what you don’t have. You’re not coveting everyone else’s stuff. You find a certain contentment under God’s care. It’s an act of faith.

And then offering yourself in service and generosity—there’s a just society. There’s righteousness.

Instead, we have war and wickedness and criminality and even governing authorities acting like crooks and skimming off the top with schemes. And we have people brutalizing one another and marriage broken and all these kinds of the fallout of it all.

And Israel itself—now let’s turn back the clock—is under a Roman boot and being taxed so that the Romans can further build their armies to further oppress them. And David’s house is in collapse. They’ve come back from exile, but they’ve always been under foreign authority ever since. Misery.

No wonder Simeon—a prophet, a holy man, a godly man—is longing for the consolation of Israel. Longing for things to be put right. Longing for “Kingdom come” and God’s will being done. Longing for the way, the truth, the life, the answer—that’s the Messiah, Jesus.

And that is what we find here this morning.

That we see a world full of sin in all of its misery, and we want redemption. We want salvation. We need the comfort of the coming Messiah—the answer, Jesus.

What we celebrate for Christmas—Jesus is our justice. True justice.

And it’s all made clear in this prophetic statement of Simeon explaining all of this.

So we’re going to look at the timing of this ministry, and how this is all fulfilled by a divine promise and persistent prayer, and it brings about a startling and glorious outcome. And we really—we indeed really need this now.

Now you start with Simeon here, and we’re told a few things about him—things we need to listen to in Luke 2 here.

Now you start with Simeon here, and we’re told a few things about him—things we need to listen to in Luke 2 here. Gonna get, find my place back in Luke 2 starting at verse 23. We’re told—well, in 22—the time of purification of the law of Moses. So this is 40 days after His birth. At 8 days He’d been circumcised, and now comes that as the firstborn He’d be presented before the Lord, and every firstborn male to be consecrated in this way, and to offer a sacrifice in connection with that.

We’re told here a pair of doves or two young pigeons. Mary and Joseph are not people of means, so it’s the poor man’s kind of sacrifice.

And then we’re introduced to Simeon. There’s this man in Jerusalem, Simeon—righteous and devout. Righteous—there’s that word again—in the right, a just man, a right man, a man who does what’s right, righteous in God’s eyes. Devout, devoted, set apart. He doesn’t live his life distracted with other kingdoms and other desires.

“No Lord, I long for things to be the way they’re supposed to be—made right—because the world’s fractured and broken, and there’s tears and misery and sorrow.”

And we’re told here that he’s waiting for consolation. Now that’s a comfort word. You know, you turn to the book of Revelation chapter 21 and you get this vision of the new heaven and the new earth and the bride coming down to meet her husband—that is Jesus Christ, the church made well.

And one of the things He does upon this fulfillment of the fullness of the reign of Jesus is wipe every tear from their eyes.

Why? Because there are tears. That’s why.

Is your life so perfect, so excellent, you don’t have any family members or dear to you whose lives are messy or broken or hurting or shipwreckage? Is your life so perfect, so excellent, that you don’t have an ache in your heart for things to be made right the way they’re supposed to be?

You like life just the way it is? Let it coast on in this sinful path?

Or do you have an ache in your soul—hurt, tears in your eyes?

Jesus comes to wipe them away, to make it well, to heal.

He’s waiting for consolation, for comfort here. Israel has been in her unbelief, even exiled to a foreign place, graciously brought back to the promised land. But ever since, you know, it’s one kingdom after another.

And during this era, following the age of Alexander the Great and the rule of the Greek empire, came the Roman empire, and now she’s under that oppression.

How does the Christmas story begin? Caesar Augustus barking orders. He’s the boss. Go get registered. Go get—I gotta know who lives where, who’s from what, how many people I’ve conquered and rule so that I can tax them better.

And that’s why they find themselves where they are.

And as they now have traveled to Jerusalem to fulfill the law of Moses—because they’re devoted people, they’re going to live out of the word of God and do what it asks us to do for that time and place—this man is waiting for consolation.

We’re also told the Holy Spirit was upon him, and this had been revealed to him. The Spirit had revealed that he wouldn’t die before he’d seen the Lord’s Christ.

So here’s a man who lived a prophetic life, which meant he wasn’t prophesying about something we can’t know. A prophet is principally telling us and reminding us what is revealed in the Bible and we do know.

And so he’s been given this special message: the Messiah is on the way. Look. Wait. Expect.

We might be under a Roman boot, but there’s One who brings liberation. And finally it’s a kind of liberation—a lot more than a political or economic freedom from an earthly power—but a demonic power, and the power of sin in our lives.

The One who will bring true comfort.

What’s your only comfort in life and in death? That I’m not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ, who’s fully washed away all my sins.

That comfort.

And we find here also that as this has been revealed to him, he wouldn’t die. But upon this being revealed to him, he probably would find death soon on the horizon.

And moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. And he finds the parents of Jesus, the child Jesus, doing what they’re supposed to do.

And someone takes up this child in his arms, and he praises God:

“Sovereign Lord, as You promised, You can dismiss Your servant in peace. My eyes have seen Your salvation.”

Wait a minute—salvation? I’ve seen the way, the truth, the life, the answer, the hope, the blessing, the victory—right here in the little infant.

He hasn’t yet had an earthly ministry. He hasn’t yet gone to before trial. He hasn’t been crucified. He hasn’t entered a tomb. He hasn’t yet emerged from that tomb in victory as an ascended in the glory. He doesn’t sit at the right hand of the Father.

Yet he’s been given the insight of this plan of God, which starts in all the weakness of an infant child. And God patiently works His redemption through the long process of growing up into maturity.

And he has a prophetic word then about this Jesus—this baby, the Messiah, the anointed one. That’s what Christ means. That’s what Messiah means—anointed one.

When you anoint someone in those Old Testament and New Testament times, it was like being given a task, an office, a commission to accomplish something that you’ve been called to do. You’re anointed for a task. You’re set apart, recognized, empowered to go do it.

And there’s only One who is that as Messiah—the Anointed One—to save His people from their sins.

Or as John the Baptist would say upon witnessing Christ coming to him: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

Well, Simeon has been given a glimpse of this victory already at this stage.

And then he speaks those prophetic words:

“Sovereign Lord, You’ve promised. Now dismiss Your servant in peace. My eyes have seen Your salvation, prepared in the sight of all people—a light for revelation to the Gentiles.”

Oh—it’s a global thing now. It’s not a tribal thing of an ethnic people—the Hebrews, the Jews. No, it’s for the Gentiles too. It widens out, just like the promise to Abraham long ago: through your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed.

The arrival of the salvation, the reigning Jesus Christ—the Messiah, the Lord—is a blessing to all peoples. It was always in the plan. It was never to be huddled in, hidden, kept away. It was always to reach its fulfillment in a worldwide ministry.

“And a glory for Your people Israel.”

Israel is not excluded, but now we’re all included.

And they can only marvel at this.

And he blessed them, and he gives a prophetic word:

“This child is destined to cause the fall and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign to be spoken against.”

People will love Jesus, hate Jesus. They’ll adore Jesus, abhor Jesus. They’ll follow Jesus; they’ll yell, “Crucify Jesus.” They’ll bow before Him in worship; they will hang Him up in derision.

Some will fall in their unbelief. Others will rise in their faith.

“And the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.”

This is the prophetic word.

You see that we’re given the timing of this ministry—it’s all to fulfill promises given to Simeon, that he wouldn’t die till—and it’s fulfilled by a promise, as we’ve seen, that He’s the answer.

It’s also fulfilled in prayer, because we’re also introduced to a prophetess named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. That’s one of the lost tribes, by the way—but not totally lost. There’s a tiny remnant here, and she’s part of it.

Very, very old woman. Had been married for seven years and had been a widow ever since. Very old. And she either lived at the temple or just always was there—spent her time there constantly.

She worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. She’s like the persistent widow who doesn’t give up.

She isn’t like, “Well, I have time to pray today, maybe I’ll get around to praying.” This is her whole life’s devotion. This is her occupation. This is her preoccupation.

If Simeon has a prophetic ministry, here’s a prophetess—as rare as they are. Here’s one of them.

And she comes up at this moment, and she’s giving thanks and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

And that’s inclusive of Israel.

Redemption is a word that means you’re in bondage, but you’ve been purchased out of bondage and set free. You’re under a tyranny, and you’ve been delivered from a tyranny. You’ve been enslaved, and now you’re free.

“Lord, set us free. Lord, answer our prayers. Lord, we’re struggling. We’re hanging on by our fingernails of faith. We’re not strong. We don’t have the answers. We’re not the solution. Bring the answer. Bring Messiah. Bring redemption.”

That’s the kind of prayer she was ever praying.

And then you have Simeon—all the consolation of Israel.

There’s so much that hurts in life. Can’t we relate to all of this?

Because we’re not called to wait for Jesus’ first coming—He’s come. We celebrate Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, whenever you might have a service. You celebrate the coming of the Christ.

He lived. He died. He rose. He reigns.

But we’re still in the battle of faith. We’re still in the struggle to serve. And we’re still waiting for the coming again of the Christ to bring the full, complete victory—putting it all right, making justice fill the earth, making righteousness—justice, same word—fill the earth.

If you’re a political kind of person—whether you’re tilted left or right—it doesn’t matter. It’s stinky. It’s corrupt. Where there’s power, there’s corruption. There’s taking advantage of others. There’s skimming off the top. There’s looking out for—if you lived in the 70s, remember—hold that one number one. That’s always yourself.

And then you just look around at hearts that hurt, lives that bleed, people who are desperate—turning to a bottle or a pill box or some illicit drug. Or not broken that way, but just worshiping all that life can give you now. “My best life now” is to be rich or be filled with as many adventures and experiences as possible.

All sorts of people—whether they’re rich or drug addicted or simply in love with money—ever trying to numb the pain of boredom or of hurt or shame in their lives, how they’ve hurt people.

Things are so broken.

“Lord, come. Lord Jesus.”

That’s one of the last prayers in the Bible.
Maranatha.
Come, Lord Jesus. Come quickly.

We want the consolation of “Kingdom come.” We want justice and righteousness and rightness to fill the earth, because there’s wrongness and wickedness and unrighteousness and injustice everywhere.

Jesus is our justice.
He’s our righteousness.
He’s our hope.
He’s our victory.
He is the way, the truth, the life.

And both Simeon and Anna show us that this is fulfilled by a promise and by prayer.

And we have to live by promise and by prayer.

I can say to my shame, I don’t pray enough. I pray—you know—I don’t pray more. Keep more people in my heart and more of God’s cause as the immediate desire.

When Jesus taught us to pray, He taught us first things first.

“Hallowed be Thy name.”

First things first. Sounds like the first commandment—no other gods before Me. First things first.

And then, “Thy kingdom come.”

Not “my life be happy.”
Let the rule of the Christ come.
Let the reign of the Messiah be manifest.

And when that happens—“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”—then Satan’s cause diminishes. Wickedness gets pushed out of the way. What is good and right and just and true plows its way through the world.

And that’s why the church has such a high calling—to be light and salt.

You see, we reflect the Messiah. We reflect His righteousness. As just as we want to treat people with dignity and honor, we go forth out in the world and we still wear the badge—or we have the jersey—of Jesus on us, if you will.

And so everything we do reflects Him.

Thus, to love like He does.
To have the mind of Christ.
To consider others.
To seek their benefit.

This is part of a just, righteous world.

You might say, “Well, it’s small beginnings.” Yes. Good doesn’t matter if it’s big or small. What matters is that it’s faithful, and it’s in the trajectory of “Kingdom come” in its victory in fullness.

And then notice that the blessing of the Christ is further manifest here in our last point, if you will—that this brings about a startling and glorious outcome, which is a Kingdom-come outcome.

Because in announcing this, first you have Mary and Joseph—the father and mother of Jesus—who marveled at what was said about Him.

He’s the light of revelation to the Gentiles.
He’s the glory for the people of Israel.

That’s right.

And the prophetess Anna saying He’s the One through whom redemption of Jerusalem comes.

All of that glory—startling, amazing.

But the thoughts of many hearts are revealed. And a sword—Simeon says to Mary—will pierce your own soul too.

Before there’s crown, there’s cross.

Some people want to believe in Jesus—and you have these false gospels.

Believe in Jesus to get rich.
Believe in Jesus just to have a happy, wide-smile life.
Believe in Jesus and it’s all about you and your happiness and a flourishing life like worldly people.

Believe in Jesus and be worldly like worldly people, except your worldliness comes from Jesus, not from the world.

But it’s still worldliness.

There’s no cross in that.
There’s no sacrifice in that.
There’s no following—taking up your life to lose your life—in that.
There’s no self-denial in that.
There’s no following in the steps of Jesus, bearing your own cross, dying to your old self.

There’s none of that in that.

That’s why it’s false. And it’s not really about salvation and forgiveness and redemption—it’s just about your own greed and our own needs.

The startling outcome here is the pathway of following Jesus—for Mary and for so many others.

The sword pierces your own soul.

And probably part of that is she will see the answer, the way, the truth, the life—on a cross, crucified. That is certainly a sword piercing your soul.

But also, the sword pierces our souls when people we love—whom we have nurtured in the faith—turn aside. That pierces our soul too.

Our souls are pierced when we see the falling instead of the rising of many—when people walk away from the faith.

Our soul gets pierced again when we’re brought to repentance and the shame of our own sins.

So many people live a “whatever” life—you know, a teenager “whatever” life—Christian life, so-called Christian life. “Whatever.”

“Oh, the Christian life is ho-hum and boring.”

Yeah—because your soul isn’t on fire for Jesus.

Ask to be put on fire.

If you’re apathetic and indifferent, ask—not to be—“Lord, heal me. Mend me. Change me. Inspire me. Fire me up.”

But then, being fired up, get ready to serve—and yes, bear a cross, and perhaps swords piercing your soul—because some fall and don’t rise.

All of us need this word, where we see our Messiah as the just One.

Perhaps I’ll end this way.

We saw it in Isaiah 9—that passage we read. We saw some of those words: that though people are in darkness, light has come. People living in the shadow of death—the light has dawned.

That’s Jesus.

There’s hope. There’s help. There’s enlightenment.

And it goes on to say that He’s the One who beats down all that brings plunder and brokenness. He shatters the yoke, the crossbar, the rod of the oppressor.

It’s burned up—the warrior’s garments rolled in blood, destined for fuel for the fire.

This is the One who brings a government, a reign, a Kingdom—come already here with Christ’s first coming, but consummated, brought to its full victory, at His second coming.

Who then brings justice in the earth.

And He will reign on David’s throne and over His Kingdom and uphold it with justice and righteousness forever.

But you can turn two pages later—about that—in your Bible to chapter 11, and righteousness—remember that word, righteousness, justice, same word—will be His belt, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.

It’s Jesus too.

And He’ll strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He’ll slay the wicked.

He will bring righteousness on the earth.

The day is coming when He comes again, dear brothers and sisters. It won’t be—it will be to save and usher us forth into the glory to come, but it will also be a final day—a judgment day, a day of vengeance, a day of victory.

He comes again to judge the living and the dead. We confess that in the Apostles’ Creed. That’s what He comes to do.

And that’s our consolation. That’s our longing.

Jesus is the justice of God.

Where the outcome is: there are no other gods before God. There’s no worshiping something wrongly instead of God. God’s name is hallowed, not desecrated. We’ve entered the full rest of Sabbath day—eternally.

And now there’s no more tears and crying and pain because of murder and slander and adultery.

There’s the fullness of righteousness made round—
all things made right,
in the right,
right with God,
and God all in all.

Jesus—when we think of the coming of the Christ—we need to think of the victory, and we need to think of the Victor, and we need to think of our Savior.

Then—Jesus.

We need to pray for that justice, that righteousness—our Savior, our King.

Amen. Lord, bless Your word to us.