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.