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Christmas 1 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
December 29, 2024
Exodus 13:1-3a, 11-15, Colossians 3:12-17, Luke 2:22-40
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Herod the Great expanded the temple mount, doubling its size to a magnificent 36 acres above the rest of the city. The temple atop the mount was refurbished and expanded and is now the visual focus of the whole city of Jerusalem with the pinnacles soaring 150 feet up from the top of the mount. The temple and its plateau mount are a bustling center of activity bringing in people from all over.
Jews come to worship and pray and bring sacrifices. Gentiles can come up onto the mount, but not inside the temple. Jewish women can come inside the women’s courtyard to pray and watch sacrifices in the inner courts through the passageways. It is a constant bustle of activity with so many people coming and going -- bringing sacrifices and offerings.
There are those who come to the temple to fulfill Jewish laws and rituals and there are those who are at the temple waiting for Israel to be redeemed.
Anna is a prophetess who stays at the temple. That day Anna sits off to the side in the women’s courtyard watching all the comings and goings. Anna is an elderly widow who worships with fasting and prayer day and night at the temple. Her eyes are growing weak but she still watches all that happens. She is waiting for the redemption of Israel; she is waiting for the Christ to come. It is winter and she pulls a shawl close over head and shoulders against the chill. As she adjusts her shawl, just then she sees it.
Her eyesight is not so great but she can recognize Simeon easily as he sits across the way keeping an eye on the gate. Simeon is also a fixture at the temple and is waiting for the Christ to arrive. It is said that the Holy Spirit has revealed to him that he will not die before he has seen the Lord’s Christ.
Simeon quickly stands up and is suddenly on the move. Anna struggles to follow him with her eyes as Simeon zig zags deliberately through the crowd towards a destination Anna cannot see. She gets up and tries to follow, but she loses sight of him in the crowd so she squints and scans the mass of people. Simeon emerges from the throng moving towards the Beautiful Gate on the Eastern side of the Temple. Simeon approaches a young couple. The woman is carrying a baby and the man holds a small cage with two birds. They must be coming for her purification and the baby’s redemption. With the help of a walking stick Anna continues towards Simeon and the family as fast as her 84-year-old legs will move. She keeps her eyes on the small group as she walks. Simeon marvels at the young family and then takes the baby up in his arms and looks heavenward. He begins to speak and Anna is now close enough to hear, Luke 2:29–32 (ESV) 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
Could this really be the one? Is this little baby in Simeon’s arms really the Lord’s Christ? Simeon declares his eyes are open to God’s salvation. Simeon proclaims that this baby has come for Israel, but also to open the eyes of the Gentiles.
600 years earlier, the prophet Ezekiel had a vision of the glory of the Lord departing from the Temple -- no longer confined to the Temple and the Holy of Holies. Ezekiel also prophesies that the glory of the Lord will return to the temple one day. Simeon and Anna are seeing the fulfillment of that prophesy before their eyes. Others are around, but are unaware of what is happening. The Glory of the Lord has returned to the Temple as a tiny baby boy.
The boy’s mother and father marvel at what Simeon is saying. For them it is one more confirmation of what was told them by angels 10 months before. Luke 1:31 (ESV) 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. Luke 1:35 (ESV) 35 … “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”
Simeon blesses the three of them and then addresses the baby’s mother with a troubling warning. Luke 2:34–35 (ESV) 34 … “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
The sword of the Christ’s revelation will go through Israel bringing great opposition and revealing hidden evil. You would not think that the bringer of salvation would cause such trouble and conflict, but He will. The darkness rebels against the light. The Christ has come as a light to the Gentiles and the glory of Israel, but He will face constant opposition and danger. He will be arrested, tortured and executed on a cross in order to silence Him from bringing the Good News of salvation. Despite all they will do to him the Christ will rise from the dead and ascend into heaven and send the Holy Spirit upon His followers. They will continue to spread the Good News of Salvation in Jesus of Nazareth despite opposition and danger and even death.
This is a dark and troubling warning. This baby, the Lord’s Christ, will bring trouble. The shepherds were given a sign of a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. The second sign is that the child is destined to be spoken against.
The shepherds received the announcement about the Christ from the angels, sought Him out, and then spread the good news of the birth of the King. Anna receives the message about the Christ from Simeon; she gives thanks and spreads the message of the Song of Simeon to all who are waiting for the redemption of Israel.
Her pregnancy with Jesus was announced by angels to Mary and Joseph. Elizabeth and unborn John the Baptist recognize the Good News upon Mary’s visit. On the night of Jesus’ birth, shepherds receive the announcement from an army of angels, and now 40 days later Mary and Joseph get additional confirmation from Simeon and Anna as to the identity of their child.
Jesus is the Christ, but life for Jesus will not be an easy life. He will reveal the evil intent of many who pretend to be religious leaders. There will be those who want to silence Him; kill Him.
Life as a follower of Jesus is not the promise of an easy life. Still today, Jesus brings opposition from a world that pretends to follow God but has evil intents. As followers of Jesus we continue to learn how to live together in the face of this opposition and evil. In his letter to the Colossians St. Paul instructs us how to live with one another with all the ongoing temptations and distractions and false teaching. Colossians 3:12–13 (ESV) 12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
There is such a tremendous temptation to let impatience and anger and pride destroy relationships. This is dangerous in families and it is especially dangerous in the Church; Christ’s body on earth. The Church is where the truth of God’s Good News is proclaimed and people are set free from the curse of sin, death and the devil, and the evil one wants it to stop. This gathering together of believers is your source of comfort and support on the difficult journey of life. So… Colossians 3:14–15 (ESV) 14 … above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
What a great picture of getting ready each day by putting on, like clothing, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and above all these…love. Christ is born. Jesus, YHWH saves, has come to be God with us. So each day, as a baptized child of God, start your day by putting on your Christmas best, your Christian best, to live in the love and light of Christ; to live as the love and light of Christ in a dark world that wants to silence Jesus.
And each week, as you receive the body and blood of Jesus…as you hold the body of Christ in your hand like Simeon did at the temple so many years ago…know that as a child of Christ… as the Lord’s servant…you are ready to depart in peace.
Your eyes have been opened to know that Jesus has given you the gift of salvation for the Last Day. You have peace with God. And so, like Anna, you thank God and speak of Him to all who are waiting for Jesus to return. Amen.