My eyes have seen your salvation (Luke 2:21-38)

Luke 2:21-38 (NRSV)

21 After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

22 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 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

January 1, 2017 Sermon Notes

This morning’s sermon began by asking the members of the congregation to think about who their spiritual ancestors were. We reflected on who taught us about the faith, how they taught us, and what they taught us. Some of us first encountered Christianity from a friend or peer. However, most of us learned from a parent, grandparent, or other elder in the church.

This reality flies in the face of the way much of modern American church life is constructed. Our society has made something of an idol out of youth. Often we use the presence of young families as the sole barometer of church health. We focus our music, activities, and programs on their presumed wants and desires while all too often ignoring the needs of other generations. Obviously, this is not to say that young families are unimportant, but that they cannot be the sole focus of any healthy congregation. Churches need Christians of all ages in order for the body of Christ to be complete.

Jesus was very much born into a multi-generation faith community. Shortly after his birth his young (at least in the case of his mother, Mary) parents took their newborn son to the temple for the rite of purification. While they were there the young couple encountered a pair of the kind of extremely dedicated elders that every healthy church has.

Simeon and Anna were the kind of people who had been coming to worship for years. They were there every time the door opened. They probably had served on every committee and taught Sunday school for years. They were faithful givers, wise counselors, and tireless prayer warriors. Every church has one or two people like this, you can probably name them in our congregation.

Yet, for all their faithfulness, Simeon and Anna were still waiting. They wanted desperately to see the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation given through the Old Testament prophets. Finally, when they saw the baby Jesus, the Holy Spirit told them that their time of waiting was over. Not only did they each broke out in praise, song, and prophecy; they were able to use their wisdom and experience to explain to Mary and Joseph what the birth of their son would mean to them and to the world.

Today’s text was a reminder of the fact that Jesus was born into a fully-fledged Jewish faith community. He was the inheritor of the faith of those who had gone before him. Elders in the faith helped prepare him, and his family, for what it meant to be the Son of God. We, too, have elders who guide us in recognizing Christ’s presence and understanding the implication of his Gospel in our lives.