[Machine transcription]
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear baptized believers in Christ’s church, the Holy Spirit has called you by the gospel,
enlightened you with his gifts, sanctified and kept you in the true faith.
God’s word connected with water worked in you through holy baptism.
Because of God’s providence, his word has been placed in your hands.
This word has been proclaimed into your ears through his servants and their vocations.
God’s word is in your head, and it is in your heart, biblical knowledge and trusting faith.
And you, with the help of the Holy Spirit, become more and more convicted that Jesus is the one,
the Son of God.
And in the great…
In the great exchange of sin for righteousness on the cross,
you have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,
who takes away the sins of the world.
And as you walk in this faith given,
to believe by faith in the gift given,
you are living with the assurance of things hoped for,
and the conviction of things not seen.
A couple of days ago,
you celebrated the fulfillment of God’s promise to send the Messiah,
the Anointed One,
who would save the world.
And from the first promise that God spoke to the devil in the Garden of Eden,
in the hearing of Adam and Eve,
and throughout the entire Old Testament,
spoken through his prophets,
God kept the gifts coming
with more and more prophecies,
with more and more details,
about his gift
that he would send into the world.
Four days ago,
as you gathered on Christmas,
where Jesus’ birth was the focus,
you were celebrating God’s gift for you.
The mystery revealed with God in John 1, 1,
creating all things,
to John 1, 14,
where God became,
in dwelling in his creation,
which we confess in the second article of the Apostles’ Creed,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary.
The truth of Galatians 4
reveals to us this activity in this morning’s Gospel lesson.
And when the fullness of time had come,
God said,
God sent forth his Son,
born of woman,
born under the law,
to redeem those who were under the law,
so that we might receive adoptions as sons.
In the verse before the Gospel lesson today,
Jesus was eight days old.
According to God’s word to Moses in Genesis 17,
this was the day when the males were to be circumcised.
In the fullness of the law,
through the shedding of blood,
Jesus was being added to the covenant people
through which he would begin his mission as the Messiah to save them.
Now on the 40th day after Jesus’ birth,
Joseph and Mary, for the first time,
are carrying Jesus to Jerusalem and into the temple courtyard,
to offer the sacrifice for Mary’s purification
after being ceremonially unclean
to the act of blood loss during childbirth,
and also to do for Jesus,
according to the custom of the law,
which is known as the presentation of Jesus in the temple.
The Lord had already given to Joseph and Mary
so many gifts,
so many gifts already.
The angel Gabriel’s annunciation to Mary,
the angel of the Lord confirming to Joseph in a dream,
the words of Elizabeth,
the words of the shepherds,
all pointing to this child born of the Virgin,
given the name Jesus at the time of his circumcision.
On this ordinary day,
walking among all of the people in the temple complex,
God was going to give them even more.
Even though Jesus looked no different than any other Jewish baby boy
that was being carried into the temple complex on that day,
one man walked directly up to Joseph and Mary,
and when he was close enough, he reached out.
And when he reached out, he took the baby Jesus into his arms.
His name was Simeon.
And we are told that he was righteous,
and devout,
waiting for the consolation of Israel.
In other words,
he was clinging to God’s promise to send the Messiah
who would bring comfort and salvation to Israel,
to God’s chosen people.
The Holy Spirit revealed it to him
that he would not see death
before he sees the Lord’s Christ.
So on this day,
by the Spirit,
he was led to that place
and to that specific child.
When the parents thought that they were doing something for God on this day,
God was going to give them another gift.
In the hearing of Joseph and Mary,
Simeon blesses God
and he sung a song.
He sang,
I can imagine him looking up into the heavens
and down at the baby in his arms
and going back and forth
with his eyes singing,
Lord,
now you are letting your servant depart in peace
according to your word.
For my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for the glory of your people Israel.
Did those words recall Gabriel’s words
from Mary’s memory?
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’s song recognizes the Lord God’s presence
and the power of the Most High.
And he’s going to sing a song
that will be called Holy,
the Son of God.
And he’s going to sing a song that will be called Holy,
the Son of God.
Within the courtyard of his own house
that he had made by the hands of man.
The God who had promised to dwell among his people
inside the temple,
behind the curtain,
in the Holy of Holies,
sitting on the Ark of the Covenant
was now in Simeon’s arms
dwelling in the flesh.
For Simeon, the wait was over.
The promise was fulfilled.
The words spoken by the prophet Malachi are realized.
Behold, I send my messenger
and he will prepare the way before me
and the Lord whom you seek
will suddenly come into his temple.
This was the first time
that Jesus had entered into his temple.
The city of the great king
according to Psalm 48 and Matthew 5
and into his temple.
But it won’t be his last time.
In the coming years,
Jesus will walk through those gates
into this space to worship
and to be worshipped.
While Joseph and Mary marveled at Simeon’s words,
Simeon also continued to give them another gift.
By revealing the other bookend
to this day.
Behold,
this child is appointed for the fall
and rising of many in Israel
and for the sign that is opposed
a sword will pierce through your own soul also
so that thoughts from many hearts
may be revealed.
In other words,
they hear Jesus’ future death
and the last time when he will enter
into the temple complex
during that last week
that we know as Passion Week
before his crucifixion on a cross
outside the walls of Jerusalem.
His mission for coming into the world
began with the shedding of the blood
when he was eight days old
and will climax with the shedding
of his blood
on the cross
where he dies for you,
for me,
and for all the world.
Jesus speaks of this polarization
that Simeon talked about
of Israel in Matthew 10.
He said,
do not think that I have come into the world
to bring peace to earth.
I have not come to bring peace
but a sword.
I have come to set a man against his father,
a dog,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
A person’s enemy will be those
of your own household.
Whoever loves father and mother
more than me is not worthy of me.
And whoever loves son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me.
And whoever does not take his cross
and follow me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it.
And whoever loses his life for my sake
will find it.
The division is to believe
in Jesus’ words and works
to be true.
And through them,
the gifts of forgiveness of sin,
salvation, and eternal life
are dispensed through His means of grace
and are received by faith.
The opposing belief
is to reject this truth.
Simeon is telling them
that Jesus
will be divisive.
Before Mary dies,
she will see her own Son,
the Son of God,
hanging on a cross.
When the Roman soldier’s spear
pierces Jesus’ side
and punctures His heart,
this pain will be the sword
through her own heart.
But for now, in the coming years,
when Jesus begins to speak,
when Jesus begins His public ministry,
He will also tell the disciples
about His coming death.
But He will also include
when He tells them on the third day,
He will rise from the dead.
And in this divine drama,
the resurrection is always included
with the crucifixion,
and the crucifixion is always included
with the resurrection.
And because Jesus lives,
those connected to Him by faith,
will also rise on the last day
and live with Him
into eternity in His kingdom
prepared for us.
Before Joseph and Mary left the temple,
another person approached them,
a woman by the name of Anna.
As Simeon was like the angels
harrowing the good news,
Anna is like the shepherds,
responding to this good news
by spreading the message of Jesus’ destiny
in redemptive works.
As the redeemer,
He will gain good for others
by making the payment,
the giving of His own life
on the cross to save us.
After performing everything
according to the law of the Lord,
Joseph and Mary returned
to Nazareth in Galilee
with the child entrusted
into their care.
Jesus grew and became strong,
full of wisdom,
and the favor of God was upon Him.
What is our takeaway from this text?
I saw something with a fuller understanding
that I’ve never seen before
in the preparation of this proclamation.
As forgiven sinners,
as Christian believers,
as disciples of Jesus,
as those waiting for the coming of Christ,
we acknowledge that we are like Simeon and Anna.
Before His ascension,
our Lord Jesus,
the second person of the Holy Trinity,
promised to send the Comforter,
Counselor,
the third person of the Holy Trinity
to His disciples.
God now dwells within His people,
the Holy Christian Church.
We believe all of the gifts
that we now receive from the Lord
comes through the power of His Word
and the working of the Holy Spirit.
Remember,
the Holy Spirit has called you
by the Gospel,
enlightened you with His gifts,
sanctified and keeps you
in the one true faith.
This was Simeon and Anna.
While almost all the world
lived in spiritual darkness,
with many of the people in Israel
just doing the activities of the law,
believing that they were earning favor with God,
there was that remnant
who were eagerly waiting
for the coming of the promised Messiah
and their lives reflected it.
This is only possible
through the presence and the power
of the Holy Spirit.
The same is true for you
and for me.
They were moved to go to the temple
on that day.
Again, by the Spirit.
The same is true for you and me.
On this day,
there is that civil war
that Pastor Wolf Mueller talks about
that is within us.
That flash in getting up this morning
is screaming,
No!
I want a fellowship with Brother Pillow
and Sister Sheets.
I’m tired.
It’s been such a busy December.
I’ve got so much due today.
It is through the Holy Spirit
that you understand
that you don’t got to go to church.
You get to go to church.
You’re drawn to the Lord
and His gifts for you
by His word.
Like Simeon,
the Holy Spirit enables you
to fix your eyes upon Jesus,
your reason for being here.
You’re drawn to the Lord
and His gifts for you
by His word.
Through the Holy Spirit,
you understand
that by the gift of faith
in your possession
is the gift of salvation.
For He has promised
never to leave you
nor forsake you.
Through the Holy Spirit,
you are drawn into the presence
to hold in your own hands
the real presence of Christ,
His true body and His blood
to receive from Him
by faith the forgiveness of sins
and the strengthening of your faith.
Through the Holy Spirit,
between the communion rail
and the door of the church,
you are able to sing
and respond back to God.
Either it be with Simeon’s song
in the liturgy
or on this day
as you give thanks to God,
thinking of Lord,
now let your servant
depart in peace
according to your words.
For my eyes have seen
your salvation
that you have prepared
in the presence of all people.
A light for the revelation
to the Gentiles
and to the glory of your people Israel.
As was the blessing of God’s gift
extended through the mouthpiece of Aaron
over the people of Israel,
this same blessing
will also be spoke over you this day
with more gifts given
through your pastor.
In your various vocations,
it is through the Holy Spirit,
that you are able to love.
You are able to be kind
in all of the things
that are said in the epistle this day.
Able to show mercy.
Able to speak of the good news
about your Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ.
It is a gift to us
that the Lord continues to give.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
you and I don’t know
what today or tomorrow
will bring into our lives.
But we know this,
by the power of God’s word
and the working of the Holy Spirit,
that those who have been saved
from sin, death,
and the power of the devil
have been redeemed
by the blood of the Lamb.
And we are able
to stand firm
on Christ’s word
and sacraments.
But to never stand still
Christ in us
for the world.
O Holy Spirit,
enable us both to wait
and to work
to the glory of God
and for the good of others.
Amen.
The peace which passes all understanding
keep your hearts and your minds
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.
