Aging Gracefully (Luke 2:25-35)

Big Idea: Only Jesus gives lasting peace and purpose.

I used to fear getting older. I thought of a poem an older preacher used to use:

I can see with my bifocals
my dentures work just fine
I can live with my arthritis
but I sure do miss my mind.

But now, instead of fearing older people, I like to learn from them.

This past week, I read about Leslie Newbigin, a remarkable man who spent 35 years as a missionary in India. At 87, he pondered returning to England, only to discover it had turned into a mission field, often more resistant to the gospel than India. In retirement at age 70, he served on his denomination's local council, discussing the future of a 120-year-old church with only 20 members. While the council leaned toward closing it, Newbigin objected, arguing, “If the Church abandoned such areas to settle in the easier circumstances of the suburbs, it would forfeit its claim to be a missionary Church.” The council ultimately agreed—on the condition that Newbigin himself would serve as the unpaid pastor of that struggling congregation.

There are countless examples of remarkable late-life impact. One of my local heroes, Robertson Davies, who passed away last year, stands out. With his flowing white beard and distinguished presence, Davies is best known for works like Fifth Business and World of Wonders. It's amazing that he wrote Fifth Business, his first acclaimed book, at 57, sparking a remarkable 25-year creative resurgence.

Perhaps you heard the story of the man featured on the news last week. At 63 years old, he shared an incredible experience. As a child, he lost sight in one eye after other children threw dirt at him. Last week, while walking through a shopping mall, he accidentally bumped into a post. Astonishingly, his sight was restored. He calls it a Christmas miracle. For the first time since childhood, he can see clearly. At 63, his life is taking a remarkable turn for the better.

This week, we're entering a new year. I don't care how old you are, you will be another year older. I've found that it's impossible for human beings to remain static. Like water, we grow colder over time unless something is done about it. This year, you will either grow more humble and obedient or more selfish and prideful. It's impossible to stay at your current level of spirituality, whatever that might be. You're either going to grow and mature, or you are going to decline.

I'm grateful that Scripture tells us how we can age gracefully. By gracefully, I don't mean graceful like a swan or a ballerina. I mean that we become more full of grace. I believe it's possible, as we age, to become more full of God's grace and less full of ourselves. And Scripture holds some examples of people who did this.

Two Examples

Two of the most interesting people in the entire Christmas story were like this. Their names are not as well known as Mary and Joseph, or John the Baptist. But they have captured my imagination from the time I was a child. Their names were Simeon and Anna. We don't know much about them.

Simeon

We are told in Luke 2 that Simeon was a righteous man and very devout. He was found in the Temple and was full of the Holy Spirit, waiting for the coming of the promised Messiah. Legend has it that Simeon was 113 years old, but Scripture nowhere mentions his age. Although most people believe he was on the older side. Simeon was told by the Holy Spirit, according to Luke 2:26, that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah.

And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel."
(Luke 2:27-32)

Simeon says, "Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, I have seen the Savior." Simeon knows that he can be content with his life, since he has had the honor of witnessing God's salvation. This attitude is important because it puts the other events and traumas of life into perspective. If this can be how Simeon feels, knowing that death is approaching, how should we feel when many of us have much life ahead of us?

Simeon's attitude contrasts sharply with our culture. A Gallup poll shows that popular resolutions aim to improve finances, quit smoking, lose weight, and exercise. While these are good goals, they don't consider the soul or relationships with God and others. If we base happiness on external things that fade, we risk disappointment. Simeon demonstrates that knowing God is the best path. This provides peace and contentment, even in the face of death, by connecting us to the eternal source of life.

Anna

And the second person from whom I want to learn this morning is named Anna. Her story is found in the same passage in Luke 2. It appears that Simeon and Anna did not know each other. Anna is described as a prophet, a very old woman, a widow. Scripture tells us her age: eighty-four years old. It also tells us that "she never left the Temple but stayed there daynd night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer." She joined Simeon in praising God for baby Jesus, acknowledging him as the Messiah.

At 84, widowed for decades, she devoted herself to worship, fasting, and prayer in the temple. Her life, though seemingly insignificant by worldly standards, was rich in faithfulness. When she saw Jesus, she praised God and shared the news with others waiting for redemption.

Anna teaches us that no matter our age or circumstances, a life centered on God is never wasted. Her quiet faithfulness prepared her for the extraordinary moment of meeting the Savior. Like Simeon, she reminds us that true contentment and purpose come from knowing God and witnessing his salvation. Their stories challenge us to age gracefully, becoming more full of God’s grace and less full of ourselves.

Learning from Simeon and Anna

These stories teach us how to age gracefully. The lesson is this: True happiness and peace is found exclusively in the person of Jesus Christ.

It’s possible to climb the ladder of success, only to find it leaning against the wrong wall. Charles Colson, once a powerful figure as special counsel to President Nixon, discovered this after orchestrating a landslide reelection. On what should have been his proudest night, he felt an unsettling emptiness. During the Watergate scandal, he met Tom Phillips, a successful executive who admitted to feeling unfulfilled despite his accomplishments. Phillips found the answer in a personal relationship with God, realizing, “All the material things in life are meaningless if man hasn’t discovered what’s underneath them.”

Douglas Coupland, in Life After God, captures this same longing. Writing about a generation raised without religion, he describes a character trapped in guilt, shallow relationships, and a meaningless job. The book ends with a raw confession: “My secret is that I need God… I am sick and can no longer make it alone.”

These stories echo Simeon’s lesson: true happiness and peace don’t come from success, wealth, or even relationships. They come from knowing Jesus Christ. Only he fills the emptiness and brings lasting contentment.

The True Source of Contentment

Philippians 4:7 tells us that knowing Christ and praying brings a deep peace that protects our hearts and minds in him. Simeon experienced this peace firsthand. Having seen and known Jesus, he was completely at rest. Everything else in life faded into insignificance. He had encountered the Savior, and the rest of his life's achievements no longer mattered.

Paul echoes this sentiment in Philippians 3:1-12. His achievements as a Pharisee—his status, success, and credentials—were insignificant compared to the value of knowing and serving Jesus. Let me tell you: it’s our walk with God and faithful service to him that give life its true meaning.

This service looks different for everyone. Not all are called to preach or serve in full-time ministry. Some, like Simeon, are called to testify or encourage. Others may be called to minister to children or serve in quieter ways. But Simeon understood that true contentment comes from knowing God and witnessing His salvation. That’s what defined his life, and it’s what should define ours too.

Let me ask you some questions. What are you doing with your one and only life? It's soon coming to an end. What are you doing with it? When it ends, what regrets will you have? Who or what are you serving with your life? Career? Happiness? Success? Do you have a sense of emptiness, a whole in your life that nothing seems to fill? Do you realize that you need God? Do you know God? Do you have plans to get to know him better in the coming year?

Simeon said, "Now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation." Paul says:

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11)

The gospel reminds us that true peace and purpose are found in Jesus Christ. Simeon and Anna’s lives point us to this truth. They were defined by their faith in God's promises and their relationship with the Savior, not by worldly success or temporary achievements. Simeon’s joy came from seeing God’s salvation, and Anna’s life of worship prepared her to recognize and proclaim the Messiah. Their stories show us that no matter our age or stage in life, we can find fulfillment in Christ.

The good news is that this salvation is available to all of us. Jesus came to rescue us from sin and offer us new life. Through his death and resurrection, he made a way for us to be reconciled to God. If you feel empty despite success or relationships, remember that Jesus invites you to follow him. He offers forgiveness, peace, and the promise of eternal life. Turn to him, trust in his grace, and let him transform your life. Like Simeon and Anna, you can find lasting joy and contentment in knowing and serving the Savior.