December 31, 2023
Pastor John Hering
Luke 2:22-40
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 will be called holy to the Lord.”) 24 And they came to offer a sacrifice according to what was said 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, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was 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 Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, 28 Simeon took him into his arms and praised God. He said, 29 “Lord, you now dismiss your servant in peace, according to your word, 30 because my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared before the face of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 Joseph and the child’s mother were amazed at the things that were spoken about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Listen carefully, this child is appointed for the falling and rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 Anna, a prophetess, was there. She was a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old. She had lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37 and then she was a widow of eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple complex, since she was worshipping with fasting and prayers night and day. 38 Standing nearby at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord. She kept speaking about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When they had accomplished everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town, Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
We received gifts over the past week. Maybe it was extra time off from work, or a surprise vacation to the Florida Keys, a wonderful medicine from the doctor, financial help or a better relationship with someone. The day we celebrated Jesus’ birth is almost a week old. But, I’m sure you’re still celebrating! Are you still enjoying the Christmas lights, or did you put them away already? Maybe you’re thinking like the store I was in had already put away the Christmas stuff and replaced it with Valentine’s Day decorations already!
Let’s talk about the gifts you received this Christmas. Were they good? Did you get what you wanted? Do you even still remember what you got? Those gifts were fulfilling, weren’t they? I really hope the gifts you got did bring you joy and happiness. But here’s the reality with Christmas gifts. They’re going to get broken, wear out, and even if you received lots of money, you’ll need that to pay off your credit card bills in the New Year. Sorry, I hope I didn’t ruin Christmas for you.
But wait! You’re here in God’s house because you know what Christmas is all about. It’s more than gifts under a tree, but about the gift that is lying in the manger. God’s gift of the Christ-child is the gift that brings us lasting joy, peace and happiness. Today we get to be refreshed by St Luke as he records the events of Simeon, Anna, Mary and Joseph. Listen carefully and
Treasure The Truly Fulfilling Gift
Fulfilling Your Greatest Needs
This account took place 40 days after the baby Jesus was born.
“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 will be called holy to the Lord.”) 24 And they came to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
Two important laws were being observed. These laws were put into place to remind God’s people of their deliverance from Egypt. First, faithful Mary was coming to the temple for her purification as required by God’s law. Secondly, God commanded that the firstborn male child would be dedicated to the Lord for special service. Whether Mary and Joseph realized it or not, at no time in history did this mean so much as with this child, Jesus. His whole life as the very Son of God would be of special service to the Lord to Fulfill The Greatest Needs of All People! What is happening here sets the stage for the rest of Jesus’ life! Jesus came to fulfill all of the demands of God’s law perfectly. From day one he did. He fulfilled all of the worship requirements. He obeyed all of the commandments. From day one Jesus fulfilled what we could never do—he kept all of God’s laws perfectly.
You realize how impossible it is to keep all of God’s law, let alone, keep one law perfectly. Jesus did this for you, in your place. That’s why we call Jesus our Substitute. When you were ungrateful, Jesus always had a heart of thankful contentment. When you were weak, Jesus always received his strength from his Father’s promises. When you doubted God’s perfect control of your life, Jesus fully entrusted himself to the Lord. When you had a lustful look, Jesus kept his eyes on every good and perfect thing. When your pride got the best of you, Jesus humbly went about his work to serve you. When you failed to love others, Jesus embraced sinners every time. For every time you failed to prioritize worship, to obey, to give generously, to help the helpless, to love your enemies, Jesus fulfilled your greatest needs, Jesus did it all perfectly in your place. Every single law of God that you too often scoff at, Jesus said, “Yes, Father.”
Jesus was fulfilling in another way too. Now, let’s look at Simeon and Anna.
“25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was 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 Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, 28 Simeon took him into his arms”
What an awesome promise to receive from the Lord! You won’t die until you see the Messiah! Then it happened. He saw the baby and held him. I would imagine Mary and Joseph were a little hesitant to let this stranger hold their child. But, then they heard his words.
“28 Simeon took him into his arms and praised God. He said, 29 “Lord, you now dismiss your servant in peace, according to your word, 30 because my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared before the face of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
The Lord kept his promise for Simeon and recorded these beautiful words that we repeat after receiving the Lord’s Supper. We are forgiven. Yes, Lord, you fulfilled another promise and we are ready to depart in peace!
The old prophetess Anna longed for that same Savior to come and redeem Israel, setting them free from their sins.
“36 Anna, a prophetess, was there. She was a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old. She had lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37 and then she was a widow of eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple complex, since she was worshipping with fasting and prayers night and day. 38 Standing nearby at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord. She kept speaking about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.”
Jesus kept the law and Jesus kept God’s promises to Simeon and Anna, with the help of his parents, since he couldn’t crawl yet.
Let’s have some fun and make of list of things we would like to receive from the Lord. Lord, make me rich, take away all my problems, make everyone be nice to me, take away all my sicknesses, stop the wars, end all crime, etc. Wait, that sounds like you’re trying to make heaven on earth. We realize that God never promised to remove all troubles in this sin-broken world. Yes, we can pray about things we would like to have, but what God promised to give us has already been fulfilled. Dear Christian Friends, Treasure the Truly Fulfilling Gift That Fulfills All Your Needs—Jesus Christ! Then may the Holy Spirit go to work at
Filling Your Hearts With The Greatest Gifts
Let’s try this again. Let’s make a list of the Greatest Gifts we need from the Lord. We need a Rescuer from the curse of sin. We need a Substitute to receive the punishment of death so that we can heave eternal life. Far greater than asking to have a pleasant life in this sinful world, God promises you a perfect life in the glories of heaven. That promise he has fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus is the Treasure That Fulfills All Our Needs with His Greatest Gifts. From the moment of his birth in the manger, through his daily life, and then to the cross, Jesus gave his life for yours. Because of Jesus, you are saved. You are set free from your sins. You are right with God. These are Truly the Greatest Gifts to Treasure.
One of the best parts of this account is the reaction that Simeon and Anna had to seeing the Savior with their own eyes. You know what I’m talking about if you remember holding a tiny baby. It’s new life. Look at the little fingers—all 10 of them with little fingernails. Just watch the faces of those who are holding that baby and you’ll always see joy. Now, imagine holding the Savior in your arms. Hold God in flesh! Talk about new life! Talk about having joy. That’s what Simeon experienced. Listen again to his reaction as he praised God.
“28 Simeon took him into his arms and praised God. He said, 29 “Lord, you now dismiss your servant in peace, according to your word,”
Now that that promise was fulfilled. Simeon was filled with one of the greatest gifts—peace. He had total peace of mind and soul. Why? Because he saw God’s salvation of the world in his hands.
Think about the great gift of peace of mind. Peace of mind is a mental state of calmness or tranquility. It’s a freedom from worry and anxiety. Car dealerships might offer you a peace of mind warranty, that if anything happens to your car during that warranty, it’s all going to be fixed free of charge. H&R Block offers a peace of mind extended service plan for their tax preparation so that if you get audited, don’t worry, H&R will handle it. Peace of mind. You don’t have to worry. You don’t have to stress.
Having Peace of Mind might be tough for us today. The busy world, the politics, the constant bickering, the disease, fears, the uncertain future and the guilt of your sins. All these things can certainly work to cloud the Peace of Mind we had while singing, “Silent Night” a few days ago. But, that’s the perfect time to look under the tree, not the Christmas tree, but the tree that became the cross, and see the Savior who sets you free from the worries of this world and from the fear of your sin. Jesus holds you in his arms, believe it. Look in the eyes of Jesus who hung on the cross for you, believe it. Be filled with the peace that surpasses all understanding. In Jesus there is Peace of Mind… and joy, happiness and love.
I wonder how many other people brought their children to the Temple that day. They would see the altar, smell the incense, observe the busyness of the day. Some of them were probably serious about what they were doing, and some were probably just going through the motions. It appears most of them didn’t even give Jesus a second glance. Sadly, it sounds like so many who barely notice Jesus at Christmas, let alone the days after Christmas. I’m sure lots of people have already moved on or are feeling unfulfilled even after opening some pretty great Christmas presents. Why? Because so many of them missed seeing the real gift of Christmas that is truly fulfilling. May God keep our faith strong to Treasure The Truly Fulfilling Gift of Jesus. He fulfilled our greatest needs, and fills our hearts with the greatest gifts. Amen.
