Presentation of Our Lord - Sermon on Luke 2:22-40

Sermon preached by Pastor Daniel Locke on February 2, 2020 @ St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, FL

Listen to the Sermon here: 

Luke 2:22-40

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. ³⁹ When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. 

SERMON

For those of you who have been following along rather closely, we’ve been moving chronologically through the life of Jesus, starting back in Advent.  From the annunciation by the angel Gabriel, through Mary’s Magnificat. From the journey of an ordinary couple to Bethlehem, to the birth of Jesus in an unusual and less-than-ideal circumstance.  From Joseph and his family fleeing to Egypt at the threat of Herod’s infant massacre, to the arrival of the wiseman and the celebration of the Epiphany. Over the last few weeks, we heard John the Baptist announce the arrival of one who is greater.  Jesus was baptized in the River and was driven into the wilderness. Last week, Christ called his first disciples. As you might expect, we’ve had some forward chronological momentum as we work our way towards Lent, Holy Week, and Easter.  

But, to keep you on your toes, we embrace the two steps forward, one step backwards dance of our lectionary.  Today we cycle back to Jesus infancy, just weeks, days even, after he was born. And we open the word of God to the moment Jesus was presented in the temple.  Chronologically, we’re jumping several years. Next week we’ll return to Jesus teaching and his sermon on the mount, but for today, we step back.

And there are two reasons for us to do so.  First, we do not know much about Jesus’ childhood, and we have very few texts that reference him as a baby or young child.  Even less are the Sundays in which our texts talk about Jesus as a child. So, when the opportunity presents itself, it is good for us to take a moment and dwell within the Word of God as an infant, indeed a baby.

Second, we jump back in lectionary time because today, Feb. 2, just so happens to be the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ.  And it doesn’t happen often that th Feb. 2 falls on a Sunday, so we today we have to opportunity to celebrate this Feast Day - The Presentation of Jesus Christ.  

In many traditions, this is a significant day on the liturgical calendar, and admittedly, Lutherans are the most impassioned celebrators of the day.  In many cultures, this day is marked with major celebrations and town festivals. There are cultural traditions, with song, dance, and special food. In fact, the Feast Day of the Presentation of Our Lord is one of the oldest known traditions in the Christian church.  

Another name for this Feb. 2 feast day is Candlemas.  Within many religious traditions, it is common for families to bring candles from their homes to have them blessed on this day.  Since light is a significant symbol within the Christian church, the blessing of the candles used in the home and church serves as a reminder that each time the candle is lit, Christ is present.  The light of the world shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it.  

Every year, on Feb. 2, whether we gather for worship or not, the Christian calendar celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, and we read this passage from the gospel of Luke.  

Now I know the liturgical calendar can be confusing, but if you’re a liturgical purist or nerd like some of us, this question is for you.  Why Feb. 2? Why is Feb. 2 the Feast Day for the Presentation of Our Lord? We know Christmas is celebrated for 12 days, starting on Dec. 25.  We know that Epiphany falls on Jan. 6 every year.  So why Feb. 2 for this feast day?

For that, we turn to Jewish law.  Within the laws of Leviticus, it says, 

If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; 3On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed.  6 When the days of her purification are completed, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. 7 He shall offer it before the Lord, and make atonement on her behalf; then she shall be clean from her flow of blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, male or female. 8 If she cannot afford a sheep, she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf, and she shall be clean.

On Feb. 2, 40 days after the celebration of Christ’s birth and according to the law of Leviticus, Mary, the mother of Jesus, would present her sacrifice to the priest - a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.  The priest would make atonements on her behalf and she would be made clean. This is why Feb. 2 is the Feast day of the Presentation of Our Lord, because on the 40th day, Mary and Joseph would have taken Jesus and their offering to the temple so that she may be made clean.  And in this moment, as Mary and Joseph adhere to the laws of their faith, Luke introduces us to a man named Simeon and the prophet Anna.

These are brief moments in the overall narrative of Jesus, but they’re important to recognize.  This story is another reminder to us that Jesus was Jewish, born into a humble, well-meaning and devout Jewish household.  Mary and Joseph were obedient and caring, diligent in their practice of the law of Moses. And Jesus, well Jesus was there son.  Flesh of flesh. He was a very real baby with all the quirks, joys, frustrations, and sleepless nights of any other baby. And according to Jewish law, on the eighth day of Jesus’ infancy, he would have been circumcised and named.  According to Numbers 18, on the 31st day of his life, Jesus would have been brought to the Temple to be redeemed. The law states, 

the first issue of the womb of all creatures, human and animal, which is offered to the Lord, shall be yours; but the firstborn of human beings you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. 16 Their redemption price, reckoned from one month of age, you shall fix at five shekels of silver.

And on the 40th day of birth, the mother would appear to the priest in the Temple to offer her sacrifice and to be cleansed.  

So, why is this is significant?  Why does this Feast day matter? Well, I think there are two important things for us to glean from this text and this feast day.  The first, is that Jesus was a human being. God took on human flesh, became truly human. God came among us in the very plain, ordinary walk of life.  To a very ordinary, some-what poor, devout family - God was born. Jesus was born in a Jewish household, to Jewish parents, and was raised in Jewish tradition and law.

I think sometimes we tend to hold the incarnation of God at arm’s length.  As a divine moment that is almost inconceivable or relatable.  But we must not forget the confession of our faith in which Christ was born fully human, fully divine.  It’s one of the great doctrines and mysteries of our faith. And it’s an important understanding, because it reminds us that God has acted and continues to act in the ordinary of life.  God knows the daily realities of our lives. God knows the weight of human joy and pain. God knows the agony of defeat and the despair of loss. God entered the ordinary walk of life to offer a new way of life. 

Much like through the ordinary elements of bread and wine, of water and word, God uses these ordinary means to offer grace, forgiveness, and eternal life.  Go uses the plain and ordinary, like you and me, to bring about the kingdom of God. And the promise of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is that God will continue to bless us in this extraordinary and unbelievable ways.  So I think this moment is significant in our understanding of God’s incarnation - God’s beloved promise to abide within our lives.  

The second important truth that our text teaches us, is that this 40-day old, ordinary baby, Jesus Christ, is God’s son.  Jesus is God incarnate, the salvation for the people, the revelation for the Gentiles. This ordinary tiny human, is the savior of the nations.  The Messiah. The one called for. While Mary and Joseph fulfill the laws and traditions of their faith, God fulfills the promise proclaimed by the prophets and the Angel Gabriel, that this tiny human, God fulfills God’s promise to redeem the world.

There’s this beautiful, but almost haunting moment in today’s text.  It’s the Song of Simeon, the Nunc Dimittis. There was a man named Simeon who 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.  

To be sure, this is a man who is ready to die.  Following a full, righteous and devout life, he is near death.  But the Spirit of the Lord rests on him and reveals that he will not die until he has seen the Lord’s Messiah.  And so, he waits. Day after day at the Temple he waits. He waits for the Lord. Until the 40th day of Jesus’ life, when Simeon beholds the Lord’s Messiah, takes him into his arms and says,  

Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.  

Having held and beheld God, Simeon’s lifetime of waiting is fulfilled.  And it’s a bit haunting because he sings a song about death. But for Simeon, it’s not simply that he may die, but that he may now die in peace.  Trusting in the fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem Israel. Simeon’s song is an affirmation of the Lord’s peace, gifted to the world, a gift of peace for the people Israel.  Indeed, a light of revelation. The long-awaited Messiah has come to restore God’s people and bring forth the reign of God. Simply beholding the son of God was the assurance of God’s promise fulfilled, which allowed Simeon to now depart in peace.  

Simeon’s song known as the Nunc Dimittis is one of the Christian church’s oldest songs.  It is often sung during evening prayer, vespers, or compline. In fact, every time we gather for worship on a Saturday evening, we sing it within our liturgy.  Do you know when? As communion comes to close, once all have had the opportunity to taste and see that the Lord is good, we sing Simeon’s Song, and the timing is not coincidence.  Once all have held and beheld the grace of God, we sing, “Now Lord, you let your servant go in peace: your word has been fulfilled.  My own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people; a light to reveal you to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.  Now Lord, you let your servant go in peace.”

Simeon was told by the Spirit that he will not depart until he saw the Lord’s Messiah.  And so Simeon spends his days, weeks, months, who knows how long waiting. Waiting in his old age.  With his physical ailments. With any infirmities. Waiting for this moment. And when he finally beholds the Messiah, he sings a somber yet hope-filled song - and what is beautiful is that he doesn't sing it for his own sake, but rather for the sake of the world.  

That the world around him will now behold the Lord’s Messiah.   The his eyes have seen God’s salvation, which God has prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”  And with the world now safely enfolded into the care of God’s promise, Simeon can rest in peace.

Few and far between are the liturgical moments to reflect on the infancy of Jesus.  God, in God’s infinite and unconditional love, comes to us in this tiny human, in the ordinary customs and traditions of life, and offers and extraordinary gift for all people - a gift of redemption and freedom, marked with justice and peace.   God is present. Very, really present. And God’s presence is good news for all people, in all times, in all places.

And on this, the 40th day of Jesus’ life, we celebrate the presence of God as the firstborn of Israel, the new lamb, offered as a sacrifice for the redemption of the world.  God’s promise fulfilled. Amen.

©Sermon preached by Pastor Daniel Locke on February 2, 2020 @ St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, FL