Jesus Comes to You - Luke 2:22-40 - First Week of Christmas

 

Luke 2:22-40 NIV

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

Jesus Comes to You

Welcome to my last Blog and YouTube Video for the year. My Blog is” Daily Reflections” and my YouTube Videos are “Pointing to Jesus.” I began the YouTube series at the beginning of 2024 and have found them to be a blessing in my life of study and reflection in God’s Word as I witnessed Jesus in both Scripture and Life. And yes, as the title of this reflection speaks --- Jesus Comes to me and I hope to you as well.

This week’s studies on this passage of Scripture were the basis for a Sunday School lesson and the preaching from the pulpit at the church in which I attend. Since this reflection is a little later in the week than normal, I have had additional time to internalize the message. I find that God works on me in the in-between times of study and reading. I think as we look at God’s Word, pause, and look again, God works on and in us. And that’s kind of what happened here to Simeon and Anna. God was working on and in them all lifelong. And finally, they experienced the joy of seeing God’s salvation right there in their hands.

So, let’s dig in, for this final passage of Scripture for this year.

This passage is said to be, by some scholars, a mixed mash of ceremonies. Maybe three in total. Most obvious is the dedication of Jesus at the Temple.  This dedication of Jesus was similar to the Old Testament dedication of Samuel by Hannah.

1 Samuel 1:21-28 NIV

²¹ When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, ²² Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”

²³ “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

²⁴ After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. ²⁵ When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, ²⁶ and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. ²⁷ I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. ²⁸ So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

This was a dedication of Samuel into the service of God. Likewise, Mary and Joseph handed over Jesus to the service of God. God has a plan for both Samuel, Jesus and all of us as well. And here we witness an account of Jesus coming for ALL mankind in service and love in and through God’s plan of salvation.

Mary and Hannah have so much in common, more than what we witnessed in common of Hannah’s Song and Mary’s Song of last week.

The second ceremony hinted at here is actually for Mary and her cleansing. The reason that this thought pops into the minds of the Biblical scholars, is because of what is offered and the timing.

Leviticus 12:1-8 NIV

12 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. ³ On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. ⁴ Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. ⁵ If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.

⁶ “‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. ⁷ He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood.

“‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. ⁸ But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”

This one is a bit of a stretch, to me, but I can see where the thought came from with the Biblical Scholars. Verse Luke 2:22 does mention purification rites… plural.

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.

And the mention of the sacrifice two doves and two pigeons matches in both cases. So, Okay. This type of sacrifice points out that Mary and Joseph were poor. Okay, sure, maybe poor in riches, but eternally rich in faith and trust in God.

So far, we have one ceremony of the purification of the mother of Jesus, Mary. We have the presentation of Jesus to the service of God. Finally, the third ceremony hinted at is the first born “redeemed” and Holy to God. Jesus was the first born in this case too.

So, perhaps there are three ceremonies in this passage. I’ll leave that up to your own thinking. It is, however, what some Biblical Scholars seem to think. So, there you have that to ponder.

As I continue to introduce this passage of Scripture and these ceremonies, I came to see that here we have the perfect “man” in Jesus, of Mary and the Holy Spirit, made “under the Law.”

So, what’s the significance of this?

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, we see the significance for us today as well…

Galatians 4:4-5 NIV

⁴ But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

Jesus came to us and kept the Law perfectly. So, these ceremonies were part of that Law. Jesus was the only “man” to be able to keep the Law perfectly and He did this FOR us out of love.

And finally on the order of introduction, this passage of Scripture, once again, as in the past few reflections; points out that dividing line in time. We have Anna and Simeon of the Israel of “Old” and we have Jesus of the Israel of the “New.”

New Israel?

The “New” Israel is the Church of today that includes ALL. Jew and Gentile both… ALL. So, Israel is not to be confused with a place, like we have the nation of Israel in the past and today. Israel is the One Church of God today and into eternity. You’ll have to struggle with this one a bit, I’m sure, but don’t let it confuse you too much that it takes you away from hearing the Word.

Now, let’s move on.

What do you want to see most before you die?

For Simeon, he wanted to see, nothing about himself really… NO… Simeon wanted to see God’s Promise to his people and himself before his own eyes. That makes sense. Simeon got to see the Light of God in the face of Jesus. And Simeon realized that Jesus was a gift to ALL people, not just the Isreal of “old,” but the Israel of the “new” today.

Yes, Jesus was and IS a gift for ALL, a treasure for ALL, and a glory for ALL!

How cool is that! We even get to be in this revelation to Simeon of Jesus!

Simeon had some prophecy going on here. Prophecy doesn’t come from “mans” or even Simeon’s doings. It comes from “man” being moved by the Holy Spirit. And this is what happened to Simeon. I mean, after all, it was the Holy Spirit that guided Simeon to the Temple in the first place.

Hear… or read, this New Testament passage…

2 Peter 1:21 NIV

²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

So, Simeon and Anna were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

And in this message from the Holy Spirit through Simeon and Anna, Joseph and Mary come to learn that Jesus is the Messiah. Think about that. This is the first time that they get a hint that Jesus is something more than an earthly king sent by God. Jesus is “mankind’s” Savior. That’s a BIG deal to begin to realize. So, it’s no wonder that Joseph and Mary are astonished. Jesus is Savior to BOTH Jew and Gentile. That’s all of us, folks!

Astonishing as now we and they begin to see how God’s salvation is achieved NOT through earthly powers of kings and rules. No! God’s salvation is achieved by God giving and surrendering Jesus TO the powers of this world.

Some people will reject this Jesus.

Hear or read this prophecy of Isaiah, years before this Luke passage…

Isaiah 8:14-15 NIV

¹⁴ He will be a holy place;
    for both Israel and Judah he will be
a stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.
And for the people of Jerusalem he will be
    a trap and a snare.
¹⁵ Many of them will stumble;
    they will fall and be broken,
    they will be snared and captured.”

So, there you have it. Some will reject Jesus and others will accept Jesus and rise to new life through Jesus. And many will dispute Jesus as Savior.

Jesus’ incarnation… or God becoming flesh, isn’t just sweet, mild and all lovely, alone. Jesus grew up to reveal Himself as God and the Savior. How? Not through earthly riches, power and strength… NO… Jesus is our Savior through service, love, teaching, healing, pain, suffering, death, and that wonderful resurrection.

Some people love Jesus and others hate Jesus. Yet, Jesus forced a decision. Will we as “mankind” change from our desires from worldly greed, lust, power, riches and selfishness, TO, service to God and all those God places in our lives day by day?

Jesus came to save ALL through Love. Many then and today, didn’t and won’t believe in this salvation.

The truth is --- there was tragedy in the life of Jesus.

In this passage of Scripture, we see that Jesus was dedicated, AND, the normal became different. The normal things and people in Jesus’ life became the wonder of God. The focus of God, the Love of God in Jesus to grant the grace of God’s saving Love for ALL.

Jesus’ Love digs deep into mankind. Jesus’ love digs deep into our individual souls and fills us up with God’s goodness and Love. This IS the grace from that “Silent Night,” to the cry of the pain of Jesus on the cross and in the Light of the Resurrection into Life eternal with God.

Why?

Listen to Anna. In Anna we learn that the disaster and death of Jesus is NOT the end. We have Hope in Jesus.

You see, we need the Light of God in our face. The Light of God that brings forgiveness beyond ourselves, TO, life in and with God forever.

Yes! It’s true. In this Christmas Season, Jesus comes to you!

Jesus IS Holy and leads us into the Promised Land. God sent redemption to His people in Jesus. May we “Point to Jesus,” as we have this past year and for all time to come. May we do everything in the name of Jesus.

What do I want to see before I die?

I want to follow Jesus into eternity, as I Point to Him, all along the way.

Thanks be to God!

I leave you with this YouTube video that speaks to this reflection… enjoy

Nunc Dimittis – Song of Simeon

Nunc Dimittis - Song of Simeon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CxBtKqzZTA

Image --- Andrey Shishkin: Simeón y el Niño Jesús.

 

God's Reverse Gear - Luke 1:39-56 - Fourth Week of Advent

 

Luke 1:39-56 NIV

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

God’s Reverse Gear

Put her in reverse and let’s get out of here!

Sometimes that’s how I feel. I’m old, I’m tired and I want to put her in reverse and go back to my youth and those feel-good days. But that’s not going to happen, is it? Or maybe I want to go back to the time before my birth. I ache, I’m exhausted and just want God to take me back. But that’s not going to happen like I wish. God has another plan in mind, I suppose. So, hang on! Were going to put it in drive and go forward in life, following and pointing to Jesus.

In this passage of Scripture for the Fourth and final week of Advent, God’s choice of Mary as the mother of Jesus reflects this reversal theme. How’s that?

In Mary the lowly are lifted high.

It’s the reverse of the reverse?

The Proud, Powerful, and Rich who brag of their self-sufficiency are unlikely to feel the need of God’s salvation, in and through Jesus?

Why?

Well, they don’t see a need for a Savior. They already, here and now, have it made. But in this passage, for these kinds of people, we see the reverse of the reverse. No need to put her in reverse and get out of here. Let’s keep it in drive, moving forward with a good time.

There are Four parts to this passage of Scripture

1.     Mary’s visit with Elizabeth

2.     Elizabeth’s speech

3.     The Song of Mary

4.     Mary’s return home

This was a four- or five-day journey for Mary. Mary journeyed south, to what some think may have been Hebron, a Levitical city, since Zechariah served as a Levitical priest and was married to Elizabeth.

Hebron, the city, actually belonged to Caleb and his family. Remember Caleb? He was one of the spies sent to check out the Promised Land, and brought back a hopeful report. But for the most part, the other spies were kind of “chicken” and didn’t want to trust God to lead and guide the Israelites into a land filled with scary people who may kill the Israelites. Well, in Hebron, the Levites were granted permission to live there and graze their flocks outside of the city.

This passage really doesn’t say that Mary journeyed to Hebron, but some Bible Scholars believe this to be likely. In this passage, all we really know, for sure, is that Elizabeth was in an unknown village, in the hills of Judea.

So, the question pops up, “Why did Mary go on this journey in the first place?”

For the answer to this question, we have to go back a few verses before this Scripture passage for this week.

When an angel visited Mary to tell her the shocking news that she would bear God’s Son, Jesus; Mary was also told…

Luke 1:35-36 NIV

³⁵ The angel answered (Mary), “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.

So, Mary fulfilled the implied command of the angel to see Elizabeth and probably stayed with Elizabeth until the birth of John the Baptist. And on top of all that, Elizabeth and Mary were cousins, so why not visit, after both of them had received so shocking, hard to believe, fascinating news?

Mary’s journey was a hurried travel, because the angel told Mary that Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy. Any thing can happen at any time after the six-month mark, so Mary needed to pick up the pace, just in case. Plus, the news from the angels to the cousins was pretty much hard to grasp and believe in the first place. I’m sure Mary felt the need to talk this over with someone she respects and trusts.

Now this brings to mind the question of Belief… What is belief?

In the sense of Disciples of Jesus, and Mary, Elizabeth, Zechariah and even Joseph; belief is trusting in the One God without boundaries in the faith freely given to us.

Let’s look at some words of Jesus for guidance on belief and faith:

Mark 11:22 NIV

²² “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

Matthew 9:29 NIV

²⁹ Then he (Jesus) touched their (2 blind men following Jesus for healing) eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”;

Matthew 9:22 NIV

²² Jesus turned and saw her (this is the woman who had been bleeding for some time and was seeking healing from Jesus). “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

So, this belief is really the trust and hope and faith we have in the God of no boundaries.

In Mary’s encounter with Elizabeth a timeline is marked for all time.

How’s that?

Here we have an old woman, in Elizabeth, that will give birth to a son that will end an old age. And, we also have a young virgin, in Mary, that will give birth to a Son that will begin a new age.

There’s that reversal theme again.

Now let’s look at the song of Mary.

Some think that Mary most likely meditated on “Hannah’s Song” over and over and internalized Hannah’s Song.

So, what and who is Hannah and what is her song?

Well, Hannah was another elderly lady who wasn’t having any luck bearing children. She prayed to God to open her womb, even in her old age. And she told God that if she had a child, she would dedicate her child to Him. Well, Hannah gave birth to Samuel, who is one of the great Priests and Prophets in the Old Testament.

And here is Hannah’s Song:

1 Samuel 2:1-10 NIV

2 Then Hannah prayed and said:

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
    in the Lord my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
    for I delight in your deliverance.

² “There is no one holy like the Lord;
    there is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.

³ “Do not keep talking so proudly
    or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
    and by him deeds are weighed.

⁴ “The bows of the warriors are broken,
    but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
⁵ Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
    but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
    but she who has had many sons pines away.

⁶ “The Lord brings death and makes alive;
    he brings down to the grave and raises up.
⁷ The Lord sends poverty and wealth;
    he humbles and he exalts.
⁸ He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
    and has them inherit a throne of honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;
    on them he has set the world.
⁹ He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
    but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

“It is not by strength that one prevails;
¹⁰     those who oppose the Lord will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
    the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength to his king
    and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

Can you see how Mary’s Song is so like Hannah’s Song? And there is that reversal theme of God all over Hannah’s Song as well.

Some Bible Scholars believe that Mary’s Song was really from Elizabeth, since the Song was so like Hannah’s Song, and the fact that both Hannah and Elizabeth were on in years. I’m going to stick with Mary’s Song coming from Mary, even if Mary meditated on Hannah’s Song and internalized it. I hope we all are so familiar with God’s Word that we come to internalize it, after all.

All through history, God’s people have been singing songs of Praise to God. Don’t we also do this every time God meets with us in worship, or devotion? I hope so anyway. Take a look at the Psalms and even our Hymnbooks and Praise Songs.

Let’s look and compare Simeon’s words after setting eyes on the baby Jesus…

Luke 2:29-32 NIV

 

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

As God comes to us, as our heart opens and turns to Him, because God makes our sin obvious to us and turns us around to look at Him; it’s then that we receive faith from God. This is a faith that does not depend on what we have done or our own actions, but rather… God gives us a faith that draws us into His forgiveness. Forgiven and full of God’s faith we come to believe. How could we not? And, because of God’s Love we act out in faith, hope and love towards all those God gives to us in our lives, here and now.

Yes, here is another of God’s reversals.

In all of these Songs and in all of our songs today, we must, because we can, see God.

God is pictured in these songs as to what He has done. You see, God has done what God will do. God is I AM. It’s both past and present language.

God’s justice and mercy to us are reversed fortunes:

The lowly are lifted…

The hungry are filled…

The proudly rich are empty…

On and on, we see God’s reversals.

In the words of Jesus…

Luke 6:20-26 NIV

²⁰ Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.
²¹ Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.
²² Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you and insult you
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.

²³ “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

²⁴ “But woe to you who are rich,
    for you have already received your comfort.
²⁵ Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.
²⁶ Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

And again, in this story from Jesus, we hear more of God’s great reversals:

Luke 16:19-31 NIV

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. ²⁰ At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹ and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

²² “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴ So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

²⁵ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

²⁷ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, ²⁸ for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

²⁹ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

³⁰ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

³¹ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

God’s great reversals. God’s divine reversal in the birth of Jesus, for us, and to us.

Yes, along with Hannah, Mary, Elizabeth and so many Disciples throughout all eternity, we sing praise. And God expresses His salvation for all His people through Jesus. This is the Son born of Mary, Jesus, who comes out from history and eternity, to shine His face upon all the world. Yes, Jesus, came to us here from heaven for us.

What an awesome, thrilling reversal we have been freely given.

Come, Lord Jesus, come… today… tomorrow… and forever!

Yes Lord, you reversed it so I, and all people, could move forward, as we Follow You and Point to You now and into eternity.

Thanks be to God!

I leave you with this Chris Tomlin Christmas Song

Holy Forever

Image – Christ On The Cross Silhouette