The Ultimate Bucket List
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
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Simeon (Gospel of Luke)
12 min read
The article centers on Simeon's encounter with the infant Jesus at the Temple. Wikipedia provides historical and theological context about this figure, including the Nunc Dimittis canticle and his role in Christian tradition.
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Presentation of Jesus
11 min read
The article describes Mary and Joseph bringing Jesus to the Temple to fulfill Jewish law. This Wikipedia article explains the religious requirements, the significance of the event in Christianity, and its artistic depictions throughout history.
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Nunc dimittis
14 min read
Simeon's words 'Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace' are the Nunc Dimittis, one of the most important canticles in Christian liturgy. This article explores its use in worship traditions across denominations and its musical settings.
By Mike Glenn
Photo by WanderLabs on Unsplash
These days, everyone has a bucket list – a list of things they want to have done or seen before they die. Ask your friends and you’ll find out everyone has some kind of bucket list. They may not have written it down, but everyone has given it some thought. Some people want to jump out of airplanes. Other people want to climb mountains and everyone it seems wants to write a novel. Some of the wishes are large - climb Mt Everest - and others are more intimate – get through these treatments and walk my daughter down the aisle at her wedding. Yet, as varied and interesting as these lists are, no one has come close to the bucket list of a man called Simeon in Luke’s gospel.
What was so special about Simeon’s bucket list? There was only one thing on it. The only thing Simeon wanted to do was see the Messiah God had promised. After a lifetime of prayer, God answered and promised Simeon he wouldn’t die until he saw the promised Savior.
There was only one thing on his bucket list…to see the Savior promised to Abraham and David.
You remember Simeon, don’t you? According to Luke’s gospel, Mary and Joseph were taking Jesus to the Temple to fulfill all of the requirements in celebration of the birth of a son and on their way, they ran into Simeon. Or rather, Simeon ran into them. After all, this is all he has been waiting for. According to Luke, Simeon had been waiting for the day when the Spirit would point out the child – the Messiah – the One Simeon had been looking for. When Simeon saw Mary, Joseph and the child, he erupted into praise and worship. Holding the child in his arms, Simeon danced and praised God. His over the top antics made Mary and Joseph a little uneasy.
If Simeon’s praise had made Mary and Joseph uneasy, the rest of Simeon’s words must have sent them over the top. “He will be set for the rise and fall of many…” “A sword will pierce your heart…” This child, this baby in Mary’s arms, was God’s line across time and space. The birth of Jesus marks the beginning from the end, the before from the after, from how things used to be to how
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