Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Waiting. It seems that for the past couple of months that’s what we have been talking about.
During the month of November we spoke of waiting and watching for the final coming of our Lord.
We heard the words from Jesus, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
We also heard from him the word: “Watch.”
Now, some might take that as a command, others might take it as a warning.
But as Christians we take it with anticipation – anticipation and great joy.
We know what that final coming means and what lies in store for those of us who believe.
We know that there will be judgment and separation, but we know that there will also be great reward.
Not a reward such as money or a gold star, but the reward of eternal life.
A reward already won for us, not through our good works or our moral living, but through the grace of God. Through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.
During the month of December, the season that the Church calls Advent, a word that means, coming, we prepared for the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Messiah.
The secular world joins with the Church during this season.
Those who don’t necessarily believe in Jesus, still like to participate in His annual birthday celebration.
So much so, that the preparation for the “big day” keeps getting pushed further and further away from the actual event.
Whereas the Church takes a month for the preparation, the secular world has taken to starting its’ preparation immediately after Halloween, if not sooner.
Apparently, all the preparation didn’t work this year, however, because one of the big news stories this past week seems to be that the Christmas season was a disappointment.
A disappointment as far as retail sales go, anyway.
How about yours? Was your Christmas disappointing? Did you get everything that you hoped for and desired?
When you rummaged through those packages, so neatly wrapped with paper and bows, did you find the one that you were looking for, …you know, that special one? Was the wait worth it?
In our Gospel text this morning, we hear another story of waiting.
This text really should be read on February 2nd. That would be the 40th day after the birth of Jesus.
According to Leviticus, a woman would be unclean after the birth of a boy for a period of 40 days. On that 40th day, she was to present herself to the Priest along with a lamb and a dove for sacrifice.
The priest would then offer the sacrifice for the purification of the woman. If the woman could not afford a lamb, two doves could be substituted.
Mary, Jesus mother, and Joseph would have waited this period of time before making the short trip from Bethlehem to the holy city of Jerusalem to present their firstborn son at the Temple.
There was more waiting going on at the Temple.
An elderly Jew, pious and devout, sat patiently near the back of the Temple.
He had become a fixture there, waiting day after day. Some thought he was strange, but he knew what he was waiting for.
Yahweh, through the power of the Holy Spirit, had told him that he would not depart from his earthly life until he seen the Lord’s Christ.
And so he had waited. He would look at those who entered into God’s house. Is that the one? Or perhaps him?
Time was beginning to take its toll on the old man, but he held firm to the promise of God.
He had searched the scriptures to have a sign of the coming Messiah. He knew that the Christ would be one of his own, a descendent of Abraham. He knew that he would come from David’s royal family.
Today, however, was a special day. The Spirit had guided him here with more than hope, more than promise. He was moved with anticipation.
He saw the young couple as they came to the Temple.
His eyes followed them. Certainly this couldn’t be. This poor couple bringing a newborn for presentation to the Lord.
He saw as they purchased, not a lamb, but a pair of doves to offer for the sacrifice.
As they approached, Simeon felt himself moving toward them.
Imagine the shock on the face of Mary and Joseph as this old stranger approached, looking, not at them, but at the child Mary held in her arms.
His face seemed to almost glow as he looked at the face of their child. He gently reached for and then cradled the baby in his arms.
God had opened his eyes and Simeon saw before him, not the 40-day-old child, but the 33 year old man hanging from a cross. He knew that he held in his old, tired arms, the Savior of the world.
Suddenly, he burst forth in song. A song that is oh, so familiar to us, but must have shaken many as it echoed off the walls of the holy Temple.
“Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.”
With that, he hugged the child to him.
For Simeon there is no more waiting. God has fulfilled His promise. The Savior of the Nations had come.
The angels, when they had appeared to the shepherds on that night not too long ago, in the skies above Bethlehem, had said, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
Certainly, Simeon was blest to have the favor of God. He received the peace which comes only from God.
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Simeon truly had been saved long before Joseph and Mary and the baby appeared at the Temple.
Just as Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Moses and David and Solomon had believed and trusted in their God, not only as a creator, not only as a leader, not only as a provider, but also as a Savior, Simeon too, had trusted and believed in the Lord.
And now, God had kept his promise that Simeon would see with his own eyes the Savior that God was sending…not only to deliver Simeon, but to deliver all the nations and all the people.
All people would now have before them, the face of the babe of Bethlehem.
This baby was to be the light of the world. This little, tiny, infant, was the glory of Israel.
Now, if you can, imagine the heights of the love and awe that fill the hearts of Mary and Joseph. They knew the miraculous circumstances surrounding the birth of their son and they had heard from the shepherd’s the glorious song of the angels.
Now, this old man has confirmed and built upon what they truly knew and believed.
The words of Simeon don’t stop, however, with the beautiful Nunc Dimittis from above.
He has more to say. The Holy Spirit has delivered him to this place at this time not only for his own benefit, but for the benefit of all mankind.
His words take on a somber note as he addresses Mary: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."
The angels had given a sign to the shepherds when they told them about the Christ-child. They said, “You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."
And now, we have the second sign from the Gospel of Luke.
This baby, still wrapped in swaddling clothes, was destined to be spoken against.
Mary’s tiny bundle of joy, given by God to all the world, would be rejected. He would be smitten, stricken and afflicted. He would be pierced for our transgressions. He would become a stumbling block who would cause divisions within Israel and among people the world over.
Simeon had gone from a herald of good tidings and great blessings to a prophet of the rejection and death of this young Christ.
One can only imagine the tears of joy mingled with the tears of sorrow flowing down the cheeks of this old man.
Joy, because he knew the deliverance offered by this tiny one and sorrow because he knows the people.
This is not what the people expect. They expect an earthly king, one of high estate, one of royal stature, not a lowly son of a carpenter, born in a stable.
They expect a ruler of a country, heralded by trumpets and choirs, not a baby whose parents cannot afford a lamb to sacrifice, sung to by an old, tired man.
Simeon also knew the cost. The sword that would pierce Jesus’ side as He hung on the cross would also pierce soul of his mother, as she stood by and watched her Son give His life for the world.
Those who bear Christ are not immune to suffering and sorrow in this life. Not Mary, his mother. Not the Church. Not you and me. The cross marks the life of this Child, and it marks all who follow Him.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the other person who was gathered at the Temple that day, also waiting.
It was a woman named Anna. She was 84 years old, and her life was devoted to prayer and praise of God.
She, no doubt, heard the song of Simeon and ran to see what the commotion was all about. And her eyes, too, were open by God.
Her life was now complete. Everything
· she had hoped for,
· she had prayed for,
· she had fasted for,
· she had waited for
was found in this little Child born of Mary.
So she gave thanks to God and then spoke about Him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Anna bore witness to Jesus. There He is! The One in Simeon’s arms! He is the One we’ve all been waiting for.
Anna is a picture of the Church - receiving Christ, thanking God, witnessing to all the world.
So there they are, The Waiters: Simeon and Anna, Mary and Joseph, and there in the middle, a tiny 40 day old baby.
It’s a little congregation. Kind of like ours. Everyone is represented.
The young and the old, the married and the single, the widowed - people who would otherwise have nothing in common are gathered by the Spirit of God around the baby Jesus.
People to whom have been given the one true and perfect gift. The one they hoped and prayed for. The one they waited for has been delivered.
And so, we too can sing with saints Anna and Simeon: Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your Word.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
