Anna and Simeon

this is short today, we will also look at a DVD of part the Christmas story.
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This year the main Gospel we are reading through is the Gospel of Luke. We have moved through Chapter 1 during Advent, where we heard of Zechariah’s experience in the Temple, and Elizabeth’s pregnancy; the birth of John and Zechariah’s song; the angel and Mary having a conversation; and finally Mary’s visit to Elizabeth and Mary’s song.

Luke 1: 1-14, 24-25 intro/Zechariah/Eliza pregnant

Luke 1: 57-80 birth of John B/ Zechariah song

Luke 1: 26-38  angel and Mary/ Mary says Yes

Luke 1:39-45, (46-55) Mary and Elizabeth /Mary’s song

Christmas morning we heard the beginning of Luke chapter 2 with the journey to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, the angels appearing to the shepherds and the shepherds visiting Jesus.

There are ? things I want us to look at with this passage – I did tell Ian I could probably preach for a whole month on this passage, that is 4 Sundays, not 30 days J, but you may get bored with it if I did that, so here is a number of things to think about.

The passage we heard read this morning is a reminder that Mary and Joseph were devout Jews. Just as we have rituals around birth, so did people in Israel: 

·                     At 8 days, Jesus was circumcised and named- this would have happened at home with lots of relatives in attendance.

·                     As a first born male, at 31 days Jesus would be presented at the Temple,

·                     Then at 40 days, Mary would be taken to the Temple for the rite of purification – if she had given birth to a girl, this would have been after 80 days.

“According to the Jewish law, Mary was to come to the synagogue on the fortieth day. The law told her to offer a sacrifice of a lamb or if she could not afford a lamb, she was to offer two turtle doves or two pigeons. She sacrifices two turtle doves or two pigeons and this indicates that Jesus was raised in a poor family.” [http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_simeon_and_anna.htm]

Sometimes something unexpected happens and our rituals take on a different meaning for us.  For Mary and Joseph, arriving at the temple ready for the rite of purification for Mary with the appropriate sacrifice, a man takes the child from their arms – now I can’t imagine too many parents being relaxed about a someone taking their month old child from them as they enter the Temple. But that is what Luke records, Simeon took the baby in his arms and said something like: OK God, I am ready to die now, just as you said, I have seen the salvation of Israel and all people.  ‘Simeon is ready to die. Not from a sense of resignation or failure but because in this child he has been reminded of God’s indefatigable commitment to be with us and for us forever.’ [David Lose In the Meantime]

Simeon says he is ready to die, that is what is meant by depart – are you able to say that of your own life, that you are ready to die, that you would be at peace about dying? What else would need to happen for you to be at peace with death?

Some of you will have seen or heard about the movie ‘the Bucket list’ what is on your bucket list, not the frivolous buying a sports car list;

These words of Simeon’s are part of the resources for prayers at the time of dying in our prayer book – would needs to happen for you to be able to say them about your life?

Anna’s words are not recorded, but she praised God and spoke to all in Jerusalem who were waiting for the redemption of Israel.  This doesn’t mean handing out tracts on street corners. Anna praised God, she lived a devout life, and now she praised God and told others what she knew, that she had seen Jesus, the promised one. Does our living praise God, do our words tell the good news of life transformed?

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Manger box – each week during advent we added our prayers, our thoughts and our actions, do we see a box for a baby, or the coming, the fulfilment of hopes and dreams, of waiting and watching for the promised one.

Both Anna and Simeon recognised Jesus as the one that God had promised, the one that all of Israel was waiting for. I wonder how often do we notice the presence of God in our lives?