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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?
…
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?
