Let Down | What Matters Most

"Now, master, let your servant go in peace according to your word, because my eyes have seen your salvation. You prepared this salvation in the presence of all peoples. It's a light for revelation to the Gentiles and a glory for your people Israel." (Luke 2:29-32 CEB)

Simeon had waited his entire life to see the Messiah. And now, holding baby Jesus in his arms, he prays one of the most beautiful prayers in all of Scripture. He says, "Now, master, let your servant go in peace."

In other words, "I'm ready to die now. I've seen what I needed to see. I can go in peace because my eyes have seen your salvation."

Think about what Simeon is saying here. He's saying that seeing Jesus and holding him in his arms was enough. He didn't need anything else. He didn't need to see Jesus grow up. He didn't need to witness his ministry or his miracles. He didn't need to be there for the crucifixion or the resurrection. Just seeing him, just holding him, just knowing that God had kept his promise...that was enough.

Because Simeon understood something that we often forget: Jesus is what matters most. Not what Jesus can do for us. Not the blessings Jesus can give us. Not the problems Jesus can solve or the questions Jesus can answer. Just Jesus himself. His presence. His reality. The fact that God loves us so much that he became one of us.

That's what matters most. And if we have that, we have everything we need.

But we don't often live like that, do we? We treat Jesus like a means to an end. We come to him because we want something from him. We pray to him because we need him to fix something or change something or give us something. We make our relationship with Jesus all about what he can do for us instead of about who he is.

And then we wonder why we feel empty. We wonder why our faith feels hollow. We wonder why we still feel let down even after Christmas is over.

Maybe it's because we've been looking for the wrong thing. Maybe we've been treating Jesus like a vending machine instead of like the Son of God. Maybe we've been so focused on what we want from him that we've missed the gift of simply being with him.

Tonight is New Year's Eve. In a few hours, we'll say goodbye to 2025 and hello to 2026. And a lot of us will make resolutions about what we want to accomplish or change or improve in the new year. But before you make those resolutions, before you set those goals, I want you to ask yourself a question: What matters most?

Simeon chose Jesus. He decided that seeing the Messiah, holding the son of God, knowing that God had kept his promise – that was enough. That was what mattered most.

Can you say the same? Is Jesus enough for you? Or are you still looking for something more, something else, something beyond him?

Because if Jesus isn't enough, then nothing will be. But if Jesus is enough, then you can go into the new year in peace. Not because your circumstances are perfect or your problems are solved or your questions are answered. But because you have what matters most.

Closing Prayer:

Jesus, forgive us for treating you like a means to an end. Forgive us for being more focused on what we want from you than on who you are. Help us to be like Simeon and recognize that you're enough. You're what matters most. As we enter a new year, help us to hold onto you above everything else. You are our peace. You are our hope. You are all we need. Amen.