Lord, you can now let me go in peace (“Nunc dimittis… Domine.”)

The Moment When Waiting Is Completed

Text: Luke 2:25–35

What is faith, a life of waiting? We often grow weary of waiting and waver before promises. However, the Bible presents us with a man who never gave up waiting. His name was Simeon.

1. God Does Not Forget Those Who Wait

Luke 2:25 introduces Simeon as follows:

“He was a righteous and devout man, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”

Simeon was not a flashy figure. He had no position or fame. But before God, he was a righteous and devout man. He may have been forgotten by others, but he was certainly remembered by God.

He waited for the consolation of Israel, the Messiah. He may have waited for decades, perhaps even a lifetime. But he did not fill his wait with complaints, but with faith.

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2. Waiting with the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is central to Simeon’s life.

The Holy Spirit was upon him,

he received guidance from the Holy Spirit,

and he entered the temple under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Waiting is not resolved by time. When the Holy Spirit is with us, waiting becomes faith. Simeon was sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and he immediately recognized the baby Jesus, whom others had overlooked.

Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit see not outward appearances, but the reality of God’s promise.

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3. Nunc Dimittis, the Completed Hymn of Waiting

Simeon holds the baby Jesus in his arms and praises God. This hymn has been called “Nunc Dimittis” throughout church history.

In Latin, it begins:

“Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine,

secundum verbum tuum in pace.”

Translated, it reads:

“Lord (Domine), now, according to your word,

you are letting your servant depart in peace.”

The key word here is Domine, the confession of “Lord.” Even in his final moments, Simeon calls God his Master. He knew that his life was in God’s hands.

And he says,

“For my eyes have seen your salvation.”

For Simeon, salvation was not a concept. It was the baby he held in his arms, Jesus Christ whom he saw with his own eyes. Therefore, he no longer harbored any regrets about life.

True faith is not a faith that says, “I still have to live,”

but a faith that allows you to say, “It’s okay to leave now.”

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4. Salvation for All Peoples, Light for the Gentiles

Simeon’s hymn of praise does not stop at personal satisfaction.

“This is what you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and the glory of your people Israel.”

It is a remarkable confession. In the heart of the temple, through the lips of an old man, the horizon of the gospel opens. Jesus is not only the Messiah of Israel, but the Savior of all nations.

The faith of waiting inevitably expands into a missionary perspective.

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5. The Shadow of the Cross Hidden in Joy

But Simeon speaks not only of joy.

“He is appointed to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel,

and to be a sign that will be spoken against.”

Jesus is not someone who is welcomed by everyone. He reveals the core of humanity. Before Jesus, people are divided.

And he says to Mary:

“A sword will pierce your own soul also.”

The baby Jesus of Christmas will soon become the Jesus of the cross. Salvation is a free grace, but it is by no means a light grace.

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6. What is our confession today?

Simeon’s hymn is not an old man’s farewell.

It is a declaration of the completion of faith.

I hope that someday we too can confess this:

“Nunc dimittis… Domine.”

“Lord, now you can let me go in peace.

For my eyes have seen your salvation.”

A life where waiting becomes faith,

faith becomes praise,

and praise is completed in a peaceful departure.

That life was Simeon’s,

and it is the path of faith to which God calls us today.

May we become Simeons of this age,

holding to the Lord’s promise to the end.

I pray this in the name of the Lord.

Amen.