It's entirely appropriate to remain neutral.

But as we'll hear today on Truth for Life, neutrality is not an option when it comes to responding to the gospel.

Alistair Begg is teaching today from Luke chapter 2 or in verses 33 through 38.

Young parents very quickly become accustomed to the approach of strangers who will often offer their congratulations

and their observations and say kind things about your children.

Now in the case of Mary and Joseph of course we would anticipate that there would have been many kind and tender greetings expressed to them.

And in one sense they were already becoming very familiar with a dramatic nature of what had been entrusted to them in the gift of the sun.

And yet it's striking is it not that here in the thirty-third verse following the prayer of Simeon we read that the child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.

In other words the events of the angels words and the gathering of the shepherds and so on had not dulled them in any way.

They were still very alert, they were still wondering and they were marveling at the unfolding saga into which they had been thrust by the intervention of God.

Now in verse 34 Simeon proceeds with a word of prophecy which is going to make a tremendous impact particularly on Mary.

And I think you will agree that it is quite interesting that in verse 34 it says then Simeon blessed them plural and said to Mary his mother singular.

He addresses his word directly to the mother.

Now you will also know if you study your Bible that Joseph very quickly fades from the scene.

We don't read much about Joseph after this at all.

And some of the commentators are very straightforward they say that Joseph died before Jesus ever began his earthly ministry.

I'm not sure that it is possible to conclude that from the instruction of Scripture but nevertheless I think it is a fair inference.

And if that is to be the case then we can understand why it would be that the Spirit of God would direct this man to approach Mary particularly in so far as she would be the one who would be bearing the brunt of what he was telling her.

Incidentally all that we know about this man Simeon we discover here.

He was righteous and devout. There is no indication that he was a religious figure or that he was a priest rather that he was an ordinary man who had an extraordinary devotion.

And of course God delights to pick up ordinary men and women and to infuse them with an extraordinary devotion.

So that Simeon is recognizable for two things primarily one on account of his character.

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