Luke 2:22-40 ESV
And when the time came for their purification
according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present
him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every
male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to
offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the
Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a
man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous
and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy
Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 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.”
And his father and his mother marveled at what was
said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in
Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce
through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be
revealed.”
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of
Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with
her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow
until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the
temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And
coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him
to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
And when they had performed everything according
to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town
of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with
wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Have You Seen Him Yet?
I remember in years past, Herb Neve, a friend in a Men’s
Group in which I participated. I was leading a study on the book of Revelation.
One of the questions for each individual in the group, went something like
this: “What is your desire in the end of time?” Herb’s answer was emphatic and
bold, Herb stated, “I want to see Jesus!” Herb meant it too. Yes, Herb really
meant it and everyone in the group realized Herb’s passion to see Jesus.
In the life of Christ’s disciples, we are guided by the Holy
Spirit. We see God… Jesus… Messiah… Immanuel… through Word and Sacrament. Yes,
we see God each and every day of our lives as we come to God in repentance and
turn to God for forgiveness.
The Holy Spirit leads Simeon to the Temple to see Jesus.
Each day we are led by the Holy Spirit to come to Jesus.
Simeon had seen, through the Holy Spirit, the coming of
Jesus, not just for the Jews, but for all mankind. But here I get a little ahead of the
scripture.
Mary and Joseph are following the Law. No one rejects the
Law of the Old Testament, in this New Testament passage.
Looking at the offering from Mary and Joseph, it becomes
evident that they were poor. Mary and Joseph brought the “poor people’s”
offering of turtle doves and pigeons. So, knowing this, we see that Jesus was
poor by earthly standards as well. Sort of… not really. I guess it depends on
what you consider as poor and how you view earthly standards. Do you view the
earth from a heavenly or a worldly point of view.
Mary and Joseph come to the Temple with an offering much
more beyond what we see on the surface.
The Gospel lesson seems to begin in the Temple with
Zechariah. Remember earlier in the book of Luke how when Zechariah was offering
incense at the Temple; an angel of God appeared and told him that his wife,
Elisabeth, would give birth to a son, even in her old age? Well, that son was
John the Baptist. John the Baptist, who would announce the coming of Jesus, the
Messiah.
So… the Gospel lesson begins in the Temple with Zechariah
and closes in the Temple with Jesus and the disciples. And, this leads us up to
Simeon and Anna, and their prophetic announcements, to the world, of Jesus.
It’s important to understand that prophecy, like what we
hear here, and all prophecy for that matter, do not originate by man. No!
Prophecy originates from God in the Holy Spirit. Man is always moved by the
Holy Spirit to prophecy what God gives to prophecy.
2 Peter 1:21 ESV
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of
man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Simeon mentions, at the end of God’s prophecy…
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
The glory of Israel, Jesus, is a gift for all mankind. ALL
mankind… Gentiles… Jews… ALL mankind.
The birth of Jesus is the incarnation (God made flesh). It’s
not just a sweet, nice, goody thing alone. No, Jesus’ birth points us to
something much larger and bolder. The birth of Jesus is God’s action to save
all his people. The birth of Jesus is not really peace on earth, like we desire
to think. At least, it’s not peace on earth just yet. The birth of Jesus was
the beginning of God’s war on sin, death and the devil.
Some men will love the baby Jesus. But there will be some men
that will hate Jesus. They will hate Jesus so intensely that they will put Jesus
to death.
This war is more than something we can stand aside of and
observe from a distant. Even, as Jeus disciples, and those that love Jesus, we
will be challenged.
This man, Jesus, comes to force us to deal with difficult
decisions. Jesus forces us to deal with decisions that will reshape our lives. Jesus
forces us to decisions to renounce our selfish pride, greed, lust and power.
Jesus calls us to accept things that are outside of
ourselves. Things that free us to a new life and a new way of living for God
and for neighbor. Jesus calls us to accept him and his life. A life beyond our
own selfish life.
Jesus came to bring, to you, to me, to Gentile, to Jew, to
all mankind, salvation through love.
Through Jesus humble beginning and life, God brought to flower
and fruit what is the humble of this world, what is the common of this world,
what is exactly opposite of this world’s values and standards, to bring life,
love, hope and eternal life with God.
What we see as God’s children are the same objects that worldly
man sees. Yet as God’s children, what we see is different. As God’s children we
see a world full of suggestions of God. We see the goodness of God, in this
world we see the wonder of God, in this world, through the gift of Jesus, we
see the grace of God. In this new world in which we live with Jesus, we see the
best of God’s creation. And that’s only the beginning of it.
And what does God see? Well, God looks straight into your
soul AND he loves you eternally.
Soon Jesus will come again, to this sinful, evil world and
will put a stop to it all. Soon, God will declare enough is enough. Soon Jesus will
come and make all things new. Soon, Jesus will come with the clouds and begin a
resurrection like no other. Soon and very soon…
Yes, Herb Neve, yes Bill, yes to all of God’s children, yes
to all people… We will see Jesus…
“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.”
Yes, God works wonders. Yes, God gives us the clothing of
salvation. Yes, God wants to show us all Jesus.
Thanks be to God! Come, Lord Jesus come… today… tomorrow and
forever.
Amen
I leave you with a beautiful YouTube creation of a beautiful song, that reflects this reflection. God bless you this First Sunday after Christmas.
... "In Christ Alone" ... follow the link below...
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