Seeing What Others Miss
Sermon by Pastor Catherine
25 October 2026
Scripture: Luke 2:22–35
When What We Are Looking For Is Right Before Us
Have you ever searched everywhere for something, only to discover that it was right in front of you all along?
Pastor Catherine begins with this familiar experience and the well-known “invisible gorilla” experiment, where participants became so focused on counting basketball passes that many completely missed a person in a gorilla suit walking across the scene.
It raises an important spiritual question:
Could the same thing happen in our walk with God?
We can become so focused on receiving the answer we expect, or seeing our situation resolved in the way we hope, that when God answers differently, we struggle to recognise His hand.
Luke 2 introduces us to Simeon, a man who saw something others missed.
When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the temple, they may have appeared to everyone else as another young couple fulfilling their religious obligations.
But Simeon saw differently.
He recognised the infant in their arms as the long-awaited Saviour.
What enabled Simeon to see what others missed?
Keep Our Focus on God
Luke describes Simeon as righteous and devout.
His faith was more than words. His relationship with God shaped his daily conduct, his choices and the way he lived.
Simeon was also waiting for the “consolation of Israel.”
For centuries, Israel had waited for God’s promised deliverance. By Simeon’s time, the Jewish people were living under Roman rule, yet Simeon continued to wait in hope.
He remained devoted to God even before he saw the promise fulfilled.
This is an important lesson for us.
It is easier to trust God when we can see circumstances moving in the direction we have been praying for. It is much harder when we have no idea how much longer we must wait.
Over time, unanswered prayers and disappointment can affect the way we see God. We may still believe in Him, but become hesitant to hope because we are afraid of being disappointed again.
Simeon reminds us that our devotion to God cannot depend upon how quickly our circumstances change.
If our faith depends entirely upon circumstances improving, our faith will become as unstable as the circumstances around us.
Our confidence must rest upon the God who does not change.
The length of our waiting should never determine the depth of our devotion to God.
So while we wait, we need to ask:
What are we focusing on?
Are we becoming consumed by what we hope will happen?
Or are we keeping our eyes upon the God who remains faithful to His Word?
Respond as the Spirit Leads
The second truth Pastor Catherine draws from Simeon’s life is the importance of responding to the Holy Spirit.
In only three verses, Luke mentions the Holy Spirit three times.
The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon.
The Holy Spirit had revealed that he would see the Messiah before his death.
And on the day Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, the Spirit moved Simeon to enter the temple courts.
The Holy Spirit was clearly at work in Simeon’s life.
We may know Scripture, attend church, serve faithfully and become familiar with Christian routines. But familiarity with spiritual things must never replace our daily dependence upon the Holy Spirit.
Knowing what is right does not automatically mean we will do what is right.
We may know what Scripture teaches about forgiveness and still hold onto offence.
We may know God calls us to reach the lost and still hesitate to speak to someone.
We need the Holy Spirit not only to help us understand God’s truth, but also to empower us to live it.
Obedience Requires a Response
Simeon did more than recognise the Spirit’s prompting.
He responded.
When the Spirit moved him, he entered the temple courts.
Pastor Catherine connects this with Philip in Acts 8.
Philip was experiencing fruitful ministry in Samaria when God directed him to leave and travel towards a desert road. God did not first reveal everything that would happen there.
Philip simply obeyed.
Along the road, he encountered an Ethiopian official reading from Isaiah. When the Spirit told Philip to approach the chariot, Philip responded immediately. That simple act of obedience opened the door for the Gospel to be shared.
Philip did not know the outcome before taking the first step.
Neither did Abraham when God called him to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance.
Faithful obedience does not always come with the full picture.
There is certainly a place for wisdom and discernment. Not every thought or feeling is necessarily the voice of God, and the Holy Spirit will never lead us contrary to God’s Word.
But there also comes a point when we must decide whether we will obey.
Perhaps the Spirit is prompting us to reconcile with someone.
Perhaps He is asking us to forgive.
Perhaps He is directing us to encourage someone, reach out to someone or take a step of faith.
The question is not simply:
“Did I hear?”
The question is:
“Will I obey?”
See Jesus for Who He Truly Is
The third truth is the most important:
See Jesus for who He truly is.
When Simeon took the infant Jesus into his arms, he praised God and declared:
“My eyes have seen Your salvation.”
Consider what Simeon was seeing.
Jesus had not yet begun His public ministry.
He had not performed any miracles.
He had not preached to the crowds.
The cross and resurrection were still years away.
Yet Simeon looked at this infant and recognised the fulfilment of God’s promise.
He saw God’s salvation.
He also declared that Jesus would be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.”
God’s salvation was never intended for Israel alone. Through Christ, salvation would reach the nations.
We are among those Gentiles spoken of in that promise.
Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have received the salvation Simeon saw beginning to unfold before his eyes.
How Do We Respond to Jesus?
Simeon also spoke sobering words.
He said Jesus would cause the falling and rising of many and that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed.
Jesus would bring people to a point of decision.
Some would believe Him.
Others would reject Him.
Their response to Jesus would reveal what was truly within their hearts.
The same remains true for us.
We may gladly turn to Jesus when we need provision, healing, help or intervention.
But how do we respond when His Word confronts something in us that needs to change?
Perhaps there are attitudes we have justified for years.
Perhaps there are priorities we do not want to reconsider.
Perhaps there are areas where we welcome His blessings but resist His authority.
We cannot receive Jesus only according to our expectations.
We must receive Him for who He truly is.
He is not simply the One who helps us when life becomes difficult.
He is Saviour.
He is Lord.
And He deserves His rightful place in every part of our lives.
Seeing What Others Miss
Simeon saw what others missed because his eyes were not simply looking at circumstances.
His life was focused on God.
He remained faithful while waiting.
He was sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
He responded when the Spirit led.
And when Jesus appeared before him, Simeon recognised Him for who He truly was.
Perhaps God is already working in our lives in ways we have not recognised because we are looking for something different.
Perhaps disappointment has affected our vision.
Perhaps the Holy Spirit has been prompting us, but we have hesitated to respond.
Or perhaps we have become more focused on what Jesus can do for us than on surrendering to who He is.
Final Reflection
Pastor Catherine closes by asking us to honestly consider three questions before the Lord.
Has your heart remained steadfast towards God?
Perhaps circumstances and disappointments have made it harder to trust Him as you once did. Remember that God’s faithfulness is not measured by how quickly circumstances change.
Have you heard and obeyed the voice of the Holy Spirit?
Ask whether anything is preventing you from hearing Him clearly. And when He leads, be willing to take that step of faith and obedience.
Finally:
Does Jesus have His rightful place in your life?
Jesus has already given us His very best — His own life.
May we therefore recognise Him for who He truly is and surrender every part of our lives to His lordship.
Keep your focus on God.
Respond as the Spirit leads.
See Jesus for who He truly is.
And perhaps, as our eyes remain fixed upon Him, we will begin to see what others miss.
