Deo Gloria
Sermon for December 31, 2023
Pastor Martin Bentz
Text: Luke 2:25-40
Theme: How Do You Respond to the Birth of the Savior?
- With Praise
- With Peace
- With Proclamation
‘Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The tree was not lighted, the songs were all gone.
No glee and excitement would greet this new day’s dawn.
You see, the presents had been opened, the ham had been et.
So there wasn’t much reason for anyone to be up and about just yet.
Oh sure, there were dishes and glasses to clean,
And wrapping paper in virtually every room could be seen,
Strewn on the floor or scrunched in a pile.
Cleaning up such a mess could take quite a while.
Yes, the children were happy with the presents they got.
But soon, all too soon they would wind up in the very same spot
As last year’s presents–the toy box that time forgot.
In a way it seemed tragic now that Christmas was over.
You’d think Santa had crashed on the white cliffs of Dover,
Or mom had contracted a bad case of the flu,
Or the dog had run off with your new basketball shoe.
So, what does one say about such a sad sight
Except “Merry Christmas to all” and to all, “Good Night!”
Is that the way you feel once Christmas is over? Like many Americans do you get a case of the post Christmas blues? How do you respond to the birth of the Savior?
This morning I’d like to take you back about 2,000 years, back to the time when Jesus Christ was first born, and see how God’s people back then responded to the birth of the Savior. Specifically I’d like to focus on two individuals, both of whom lived in the city of Jerusalem: a man by the name of Simeon and a woman by the name of Anna. Luke tells us their story, beginning at v. 25 of ch. 2. (Read text.)
This incident we have recorded for us took place 40 days after Jesus was born. For us that would put it on February 3rd. The scene had also changed. No longer do we find Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem, but at the temple in Jerusalem, where they had gone to fulfill what was prescribed in the law.
According to the Law of Moses, 40 days after a woman had given birth to a son, she was to come to the temple and offer two sacrifices for purification: a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or dove for a sin offering. If she happened to be poor, she could bring two doves or two pigeons instead. At that time, if this son was their first-born child, the parents would also have to redeem him or buy him back. You see, ever since the Passover in Egypt when God struck down all the firstborn Egyptian children but spared the firstborn of the Israelites, all of the firstborn children belonged to the Lord and had to be redeemed. Thirdly, while they were there at the temple, it was customary for parents to have one of the priests bless their new-born baby.
Joseph and Mary, being godly parents, were naturally concerned about keeping the requirements of the law. So, forty days after Jesus was born, they made the five-mile trek from Bethlehem up to Jerusalem and appeared at the temple. There they offered the required sacrifices, redeemed their first-born son and had him blessed by the priest. And it was there that they ran into Simeon and Anna.
Simeon and Anna were both believers, older believers. Anna, we are told, was 84. Simeon–while his age is not given, I think it’s safe to say was probably more than 29. Simeon is described as being righteous and devout. Of course, no one is righteous before God without faith. He, like his forefather Abraham, believed God and his faith was credited to him as righteousness. Anna is described as a prophetess, someone who knows the Word of God and proclaims it to others. Concerning Anna, Luke also mentions that she spent quite a bit of time at the temple. “She never left the temple,” he says, “but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying”(v. 37). Obviously, both of these people were devout believers. Both trusted in the Lord their God and the promises he had made in his Word, particularly the promise that he would one day send a Savior. Concerning Simeon, Luke specifically states that “he was waiting for the consolation of Israel”(v. 25). The consolation of Israel, the comfort of Israel…. Does that bring to mind any Old Testament Bible passages? How about those familiar verses from Isaiah, ch. 40?
Comfort, comfort, my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling, “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God”(vv. 1-3).
Simeon had been waiting, patiently waiting for the Lord to come and comfort his people. In fact, we are told that it had been revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ, the Messiah. How eagerly he must have looked forward to the day when he would finally get to see the promised Savior!
Today was that day. Moved by the Spirit, Simeon came to the temple. There he saw Mary and Joseph and a baby named Jesus. He even got to hold him in his arms. Anna too saw her Savior that day.
And notice how the two of them responded: they offered praise and thanks to God. “Simeon,” we are told, “took [the baby Jesus] in his arms and praised God”(v. 28). Anna, likewise, gave thanks to God. The very first thing out of their mouths was praise.
Wouldn’t that be a fitting response for us as well? We too have seen our Savior, have we not? Just this past Sunday and Monday we heard once again the wonderful news of his birth. What better way to respond than with thanksgiving and praise?!
I think it’s hardly a coincidence that there are more songs and more music written for the Christmas season than for any other season of the year. And even people who don’t ordinarily care to sing will often join in and sing a Christmas carol or two: “Silent Night,” “Joy to the World,” “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.” Singing praise to God seems so natural at Christmas. And for good reason: Christ the Savior is born! Yes, Christ the Savior is born! Like Simeon and Anna, let’s respond to the birth of our Savior with thanks and praise.
The second thing I’d like you to notice about Simeon’s response is the peace that filled his heart. Having seen the Christ child, Simeon praised God saying, “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, now dismiss your servant in peace”(v. 29). Simeon, remember, had been given a very special promise by the Lord: that he would not die until he had seen the Christ, the promised Savior. Having seen the baby Jesus, Simeon says, “I’m ready, Lord. I’m ready to die. You can take me any time. Lord, now dismiss your servant in peace.”
The reason for Simeon’s readiness to leave this life is stated in the very next verse: “For my eyes have seen your salvation.” Now wait a minute. Isn’t Simeon getting a little ahead of himself? Jesus hasn’t done anything yet. He’s only 40 days old. He hasn’t said anything. He hasn’t performed any miracles. He hasn’t forgiven anyone’s sins. He hasn’t suffered and died on the cross. How can he say, “My eyes have seen your salvation”? Because his eyes had seen the Savior. Simeon had seen the one who would accomplish his salvation. Whether or not he got to see how he would accomplish his salvation really didn’t matter. God always keeps his promises. God had promised to send someone who would save him from his sins. That someone was now here. Simeon knew it would only be a matter of time before that Savior would accomplish his mission and save him from his sins. He didn’t have to see how it would happen. As far as he was concerned, it was as good as done.
And that’s why he could say, “Lord, I’m ready. I’m ready now to die. You can take me anytime.” With the Savior here, Simeon knew his sins were forgiven. With the Savior here, Simeon knew his guilt had been removed. With the Savior here, Simeon knew that nothing could ever separate him from God and his love. With the Savior here, Simeon knew that his next home, his eternal home, would be heaven. “I’m ready, Lord. Let your servant depart in peace.”
Like Simeon, you and I also have seen our salvation. In fact, we’ve seen far more than Simeon ever did. Not only have we seen our Savior, we’ve also seen what our Savior did to save us. We’ve seen how he lived a perfect, sinless life in our place, obeying God’s commands the way we should but so often don’t. In addition, we’ve seen how he died in our place, suffering the punishment we deserve for disobeying God’s commands. And we know he rose again three days later, confirming the fact that God had accepted his payment for our sins. We know the whole story of our salvation, from beginning to end. Like Simeon we know our sins are forgiven. Like Simeon we know our guilt has been taken away. Like Simeon we know that nothing can separate us from God and his love. Like Simeon, we know that heaven is our home. With Simeon we can say, “Lord, let your servant depart in peace.”
Depart in peace…. You hear those words on a regular basis here at church, don’t you? Every time we celebrate Holy Communion. Each time you receive the Lord’s Supper, before you return to your seat, the pastor will say, “Go in peace” or “Depart in peace,” reminiscent of these words spoken by Simeon at the temple. There he saw his Savior. Here we see our Savior. Here we commune with our Savior. Here we receive his body and blood. Here we are reminded of the sacrifice he made to rescue us from our sins. Here we are reminded that our sins have been forgiven. Like Simeon our hearts too can be filled with peace.
So you’ll never guess whom I saw the other day at the Mall of America? Justin Jefferson. Yeah, I even got his autograph. I’ll show you right after the service. Now before you start forming any lines, let me say that I didn’t actually see Justin Jefferson. In fact, I didn’t even go to the Mall of America. But what if I had? Would I be eager to tell you? Of course I would. What if he had given me his autograph? Would I be eager to show you? Of course I would. You would too. In that way we’d be a lot like Anna, the prophetess. She hadn’t seen Justin Jefferson either, but she had seen her Savior. And she was eager to tell everyone about it. Look again at v. 38. Luke tells us that she “gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” Obviously Anna was excited. The long-awaited Savior, the one she had waited for and prayed for for so many years, the Redeemer of God’s people, was finally here. And how did she respond? She spread the wonderful news to everyone else who was waiting for the Savior.
What a wonderful example Anna sets for us in responding to the birth of the Christ child! Again, like Anna we too have seen the Savior. Like Anna we too have some wonderful news to share. And just like in Anna’s day, there are plenty of people who are ready to hear it: people who don’t have peace in their hearts, people who don’t know their sins are forgiven, people who are carrying around a load of guilt inside and don’t know how to get rid of it, some people who even celebrate Christmas but don’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior. Some of those people you work with. Some perhaps are your friends. Some you may play basketball with or eucher. Some may live just across the street or even next door. Those people need someone like Anna, someone like Carol or Mary or Sharon. They need someone like Robert or Bill or Michael or Tom. They need someone like you or someone like me, someone who has seen the Savior and is ready and willing to share the wonderful news with others.
How do you respond to the birth of your Savior? Let me suggest that you take your cue from Simeon and Anna and respond the same way they did: with praise, with proclamation, and with peace. Amen.