How About Now?

Hima I|n[

Luke 2: 21-33

This year we received various Christmas cards and letters. One of them struck me and I would like to start my sermon with it.

“When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among brothers,

To make music in the heart.” (Howard Thurman)

Today’s passage indicates this reality. What about now? What about after the baby was born? Forty days after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary took him to the temple for two reasons: the purification of the mother Mary, (2:22a,24) and the presentation of the firstborn (2:22b-23).

It seems Joseph and Mary were poor. They took a pair young pigeons instead of a young lamb and a pigeon (Leviticus 12). The law allowed the poor to do that. The priest made atonement for Mary, so that she becomes ceremonially clean.

The highlight of the story is the encounter of Jesus and his parents with two elderly people, a devoted man called Simon and prophetess called Anna.

By reading what Simon did, I am astonished how the work of Christmas began even though Jesus was an infant boy. God works in mysterious ways.

Simon was waiting for this day. The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would not die until he saw the Savior Jesus. He did; he was led by the Spirit to come to the temple. He held Jesus in his arms and continued to prophesy.

The work of Christmas began. Listen to Simon’s prayer and song of exaltation:

"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

This man praises God for the fulfillment of His promise. Christmas was fulfilled in this man’s life. He saw salvation. It is not a theory. It is a reality that God came down and became like us. The Good News that Simon reveals that this promise belongs to everyone, to the Gentiles and to the Israelites.

The same happened with Anna. She saw Jesus and “she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”

I believe the earliest missionaries were the shepherds, (they returned, told everyone and glorified and praised God), and Simon and Anna who were praising God and telling about Jesus.

The work of Christmas began. How about you. Do you see the fulfillment of God’s promise accomplished in your life?