Listen to Sermon
Pastor Tom Johnson, December 31, 2017
Jesus’ parents are fulfilling the Law by taking him to the temple. They offer a sacrifice for their firstborn. This is not to cover Jesus’ sins since he is born sinless. This points us to the purpose of Jesus’ life—to give his life for the life of the world—to bring forgiveness and purchase a place for us in heaven. This infant has not just opened Mary’s womb for the first time and so needs to fulfill the Law’s demands; he will also open the gates of heaven for all eternity. Simeon has been waiting his whole life for this moment. He tells Jesus’ mother Mary that there will be sword which will pierce her soul. This once again points to the prophecy of Jesus’ crucifixion. Mary will see Jesus pierced through with a sword which will pierce her soul with a mother’s agonizing grief. In the movie Nativity, Simeon and Anna not only look at Jesus adoringly but painfully—you can see it on their faces that this Child will suffer and die for them. I love that God sends these geriatric prophets to the newborn Messiah!
What better choice to bring death into perspective than the elderly—our “seasoned citizens”—who have faithfully walked with God through thick and thin. Proverbs 20:29 says, “The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.” God does not want us to look at the strength of Jesus’ youthfulness and lose perspective on who this Christ child is. And so God brings the treasure of these two mature believers at just the right time. Simeon and Anna fulfill the desire of the aging Psalmist who writes in Psalm 71 (v. 18): “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” These two pillars of faith in the Temple are granted an opportunity to proclaim God’s power to another generation—and because their witness is recorded in Holy Scripture, their Word is for us—we whipper-snappers of First Saint Paul. You could call this event in Jesus’ life “a senior moment”—a blessed senior moment—a moment of maturity and wisdom. Simeon gives us a perspective of death for believers but, even more importantly, a beautiful perspective of life.
Simeon is a prophet—waiting for “the consolation of Israel”—ever watchful—looking for true comfort and peace—the Messiah who would console his people. Our text says that Simeon knew “by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” The time had come. Simeon is led “by the Holy Spirit” directly to the infant Jesus as Mary and Joseph bring Him into the temple. How else would he have known? And how would you and I feel about a strange old man snatching our infant out of our arms? If I were Joseph, I would have would have been alarmed and worried that his frail arms would drop him. Instead, Joseph and Mary hear beautiful words flow from Simeon’s mouth: “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
In other words, Simeon says: “I can die now. Go ahead and take me home, Lord. Jesus is all I need before I die. To see this Infant is to see my Savior. And not just my Savior—but the Savior of the whole world—both Jews and non-Jews. Receiving Jesus as our Messiah is all we need. He takes the fear of death away. He brings peace between God and humanity—through the infant who will grow up to the be the Prince of Peace. And he sheds his blood for the life of the world. One of the innovations of the reformer Martin Luther was to sing this song of Simeon after Communion. Like Simeon, we take the Body and Blood of Jesus into our hands. And we say, “Go ahead, and take me! I’m ready to step into eternity. It’s okay.” For to depart this life in peace is to enter our heavenly home—“to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord,” Scripture says (2 Corinthians 5:8). Scripture describes death as a departure (e.g. 2 Tim. 4:6; 2 Pet. 1:15). We are passing away—not into oblivion or vanishing—but passing from this life unto the next—we are just changing our address. We are departing in peace.
For the prophets Simeon and Anna, it was from the earthly temple to the heavenly Temple. It is not that we have made friends with death—but that Jesus has made friends with us—and his friendship takes away all our fears—even death itself. As St. Paul boldly says, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). “Take, eat this is Messiah’s Body. Drink of it all of you.” And after taking God’s gift into your hands and mouths, Christ sends you away in peace. We leave this holy house with a song on our lips and peace in our hearts. Simeon knew he would meet the Lord’s Messiah before his death. There is nothing in this text to tell us when he would depart this life. And so it is for all of us. We do not know the day or hour of Christ’s coming to us or our going to him. Like him, we are blessed with this peace—peace that flows from the assurance of God’s grace. Our sins are forgiven. We have a place secured for us in heaven. We go out into the world in the confidence that we are ready to face anything. We’ve received the gift of Jesus into our hands and hearts. We now have the joy and confidence that he will take us up into his arms and welcome us into our heavenly home.
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