Scripture/Sermon of the Day. December 31, 2023
Luke 2:22-35, 39-40
Jesus Is Named
21 A week later, when the time came for the baby to be circumcised, he was named
Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
[Jesus Is Presented in the Temple]
22 The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of purification, AS
THE LAW OF MOSES COMMANDED. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present him
to the Lord, 23 AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW OF THE LORD: “Every first-born male
is to be dedicated to the Lord.” 24 They also went to offer a sacrifice of a
pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord.
25 At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good,
God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with
him 26 and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's
promised Messiah. 27 Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the
parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple TO DO FOR HIM WHAT THE LAW
REQUIRED, 28 Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:
29 “Now, Lord, you have kept your promise, and you may let your servant go in
peace. 30 With my own eyes I have seen your salvation, 31 which you have
prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 A light to reveal your will to the
Gentiles and bring glory to your people Israel.”
33 The child's father and mother were amazed at the things Simeon said about
him. 34 Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is chosen
by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a
sign from God which many people will speak against 35 and so reveal their secret
thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your heart.”
39 When Joseph and Mary had FINISHED DOING ALL THAT WAS REQUIRED BY THE LAW OF
THE LORD, they returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. 40 The child
grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God's blessings were upon
him.
Reflection/Sermon:
I. This year when I read this passage, one verse is louder and more
attention-grabbing than the others. Verse 34. (Interesting — it was the same
verse last week — when Mary said to the angel Gabriel — “What? I’m having a
child? But — I’m a virgin! I’m engaged! This can’t be!” That was verse 34
too — from the second chapter of Luke’s Gospel. This week, verse 34 says Jesus
will be rejected. Which is as shocking, or more, as what happened to Mary.
First Simeon thanked God for letting him see the Messiah before he dies, and he
proclaimed that this child will be GOD’S SALVATION TO ALL — “A LIGHT TO THE
GENTILES” and GLORY TO ISRAEL. Then Simeon says — “But many will reject him.”
II. Thats the Bible, full of contradiction. In Egypt people begged God for
400 YEARS to free them!!!! God said — “I will send Moses to rescue you and take
you to a promised land.” But after a couple weeks in the wilderness the people
begged God to let them go back to Egypt! God said no so the people rejected God
and made an idol out of metal. This is the Bible. Now — thousands of years
later — the people are crying again, “Give us a savior!” God said, “Yes — I
will. Here he is — Jesus!” The people said, “That’s not the savior we want.”
III. And why does Luke give us such detail about Jesus’ circumcision and
Mary’s purification rituals, saying FOUR TIMES “in accordance with the law of
Moses?”
We’re even told the animals that were sacrificed.
Why are these rituals so important to Luke? Because Luke wants us to know that
Jesus was Jewish. When he was grown, he didn’t try to start a new religion. He
taught synagogues. People called him Rabbi. Jesus was born and lived and died
a Jew.
IV. And here we are in the 21st century maybe calling ourselves“Christians”
but still many of us rejecting Jesus the Jew and his teaching to love everyone!
Groups like Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups — the millions of
Christians during the time of Nazi Germany — “Christians” who allowed the deaths
of millions of Jews, Jesus’ people. CHRISTIANS CHEERED AT THE NAZI RALLIES IN
NUREMBERG — AND TODAY AT THE HATE-FILLED LANGUAGE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND ON SOCIAL
MEDIA OF RACES OF PEOPLE WHO “POISON THE BLOOD”— People calling themselves
“Christian” still cheer words of hate, racism, and white supremacy.
Did Jesus worry about one race poisoning the blood of another race? Did he try
to keep the races separate? Why do “Christians” stand by someone who calls
God’s greatest creation “poison.”
V. The gospel of John says people love darkness more than light. And
Simeon warned Mary. We call ourselves “Christian” — but do we really want a
savior who commands us to love everyone?
VI. The Bible is a mirror — it says: “Look — this is who you are. But
God’s grace, working through Jesus, will change that.” This is a New Year and
right now we can say “Yes” to God.
Because, according to our Bible, the problem of people spewing hatred to crowds
in Nuremberg and New Hampshire — and crowds embracing the hate — will not be
solved by law enforcement agencies or the FBI or the Supreme Court. EVEN
CHURCHES —paradoxically — have become part of the problem.
The DIVISIONS in our nation and the DISEASE of hate for PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT
FROM US CAN’T BE OVERCOME BY WILL POWER or POLITICS or LEADERS.
The salvation we seek, and the power that CAN heal our hearts, and our world, is
in the infant Simeon holds. Notice, Simeon doesn’t give Jesus back to Mary and
Joseph. That’s because he has turned toward us — and he hands the Christ child
to us, right now. By God’s grace, we may receive the Christ child from Simeon,
so he may grow in strength and wisdom IN US.
JESUS GROWING IN EACH OF US, ONE BY ONE — that’s how God plans to heal this
world.