My name is Simeon, and I rest in Peace - Sermon for the 1st Sunday after Christmas

First Sunday after Christmas, December 31^st, A + D 2023
Our Redeemer and Our Savior’s Lutheran Churches
Custer and Hill City, South Dakota
My name is Simeon, and I rest in Peace - Luke 2:22-40
 Podcast Link

Merry Christmas! 

     How nice to be here with you today! As always, it is a pleasure to gather around Christ Jesus, the Anointed of the Lord, the Savior of the world, and the Glory of Israel.

     My name is Simeon. Yes, that Simeon.  I was in the Temple when the Holy Family came to perform
everything according to the Law of Moses. My fame, thanks to Saint Luke, comes from the blessing of having been in the presence of Christ, of holding Him in my arms, when He was just 40 days old.  This was the fulfillment of a promise I received from the Holy Spirit, that I would not see death before seeing the LORD’s Christ.  Oh, how I looked forward to that day, so eager to see the Savior, and then leave this life, in peace and joy.  

     I know this makes me unique, very blessed by what the Lord promised and did for me. But I was not the only one waiting for the promised Messiah. Waiting for the Savior was what it meant to be a faithful Jew. Have you ever noticed the fascination we Israelites had to maintain genealogies? Already in Genesis 5:  At thirty, Adam fathered Seth. And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begat Enosh. And Enosh lived ninety years, and begat Kenan, and on and on it goes.  But why?  Why was it so important for us to remember our ancestors and the generations?

     Certainly it is important to honor ancestors, simply because we come from them, because the Lord God worked through them to give us our existence.  But the main reason for Israel’s fascination with genealogies was always THE Descendant, the promised Seed of the woman, who would crush the serpent’s head.  Later, Eve’s Seed was further revealed  to be the Seed of Abraham, the Promised Savior of God, who would come to correct, to recreate, all that was shattered by sin.  We Jews tracked our genealogy in search of the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed Savior sent from God.  Through the centuries, through the birth of generation after generation, we finally arrived at the Virgin Mary, chosen by God to be the mother of the Christ, the mother of the Son of God.   

     There’s another thing I want to explain.  Luke in his Gospel calls me righteous and devout, a godly man.  And so it was, and so I am.  But don't misunderstand, my righteousness was not my achievement.  I was not always perfectly patient.  I did not always wait faithfully, without doubt or error in my thinking and hoping.  I was a sinner, like all the others.  If not, I would not have been waiting for a Savior.  I was righteous and godly by way of my faith, the faith that the Lord gave me, my trust in His Promise.

     The difference between salvation in the Old and New Testaments, between the time before Christ and after, has only to do with timing, and the fulfillment and revelation of the Divine Plan.  Whether we walk this earth before, during or after the life and ministry of Jesus, salvation is found, and has always been found, in Christ alone.  As it was for Abraham, and for Mary, as for you.  The fact that I am just and pious is entirely the consequence of God's work for this sinner, granting forgiveness and new life to me, for Jesus’ sake.  Like He does for you. Luke makes me seem exceptional, but by my own works and holiness, I was nothing special.  Uniquely blessed, yes.  But I am who I am, a sinner declared to be just and devout, only by the grace, love and action of God. 

     The truth is, it was difficult to wait, difficult to maintain a good attitude.  I mean, there were so many distractions, and temptations, that the devil tried to use to divert me from the path of faith. In the first century, we Jews, or Judahites, the leading tribe of God’s Chosen People, were living under the control of the Romans.  And don’t be fooled by the famous name for that time: the Pax Romana.  Things were generally peaceful, true.  But that peace was always and only maintained at the point of a Legionnaire’s spear. 

     Besides having Roman overlords, Greek philosophies had infected our religion. Many Jews doubted or even denied basic teachings of Moses, especially concerning the promise of life after death.  Our Temple in Jerusalem had been rebuilt by the wicked King Herod, certainly no man of faith.  We had not heard the voice of a new prophet for 400 years.  There were so many reasons to doubt God’s promises, to believe in something different. 

     Is it still the same for you? Is it easy to continue on the path of Christ?  Or do you have distractions and temptations, philosophies contrary to faith, or different attractive religions surrounding you?  I suspect it remains the same today.  Even after 2,000 years, I suppose that following in the Way of Christ is still a continuous struggle. 

     Well, let me say this, as an encouragement to you:  Now, as then, focusing on Jesus Christ and hearing His voice is the key, because He is the source of all love and wisdom, of true righteousness and piety. 

     From the fountain of Christ’s Word I drank, and I continued on the road.  I kept hearing and reading the many promises of the Messiah, and then I prayed and watched and waited for His Advent.  Through the habits of my parents, and their parents, all the way back to Abraham, through a habit of hearing the Word and walking in the traditions that God gave us through Moses, my faith survived. 

     So, there I was, waiting for a special, exceptional promise, the opportunity to see the Son of God, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we could receive adoption as sons, heirs of God’s kingdom.   How strange and tremendous it was, to have that Child in my hands, a helpless baby, who, I knew, was also the very LORD God Almighty, made to be a human.  

     What a great moment for an old man.  I was ready to leave the fight of this life; I didn't really want to continue.  But in that moment, as I hugged the Infant Jesus, I realized that, although tired of life, I did not so much care anymore whether I lived or died.  With the Author of Life in my arms, I understood that Christ is my all in all, whether I live and continue on in this broken world, or whether I die and leave all tears behind.  With Christ, both were and are wonderful options. 

     Of course, the only suitable preparation for death is to find and know the Christ, or rather, to be found and known by Him.  Which was my blessing.  I do not want to suggest that other faithful souls who never had the opportunity to see and touch Jesus are not saved.  The Spirit does his work, in many different situations.  From Adam and Eve to my day, no one saw the Christ, but God saved many.  But it is better, much better, to have more tangible evidence.  Like the concrete, tangible evidence I held in my arms.  And so I sang with great joy:  Now Lord, you dismiss your servant in peace ...

    I was ready, resting in peace, and trust.  But that day was not without sadness. The Word I received to proclaim, with all its joy, also had a sharp and painful side, which I proclaimed to Mary.  Jesus' saving ministry was not going to be a quiet or gentle project.  Quite the opposite.  That Child was set forth by His Father for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that would be opposed by many.  

     The false ideas that had infected Judaism would not give up their position of power without a battle.  Jesus was going to suffer a lot accomplishing His mission.  And through His suffering, a sword came for the soul of Mary, and for every person who knew and received the love of Jesus Christ, and then lived to see His Passion, the sword of watching this Child suffer unjustly, in order to give liberation and life to all. 

     This was the painful truth for Mary, and Joseph, and all the faithful. There was no other way to achieve the salvation of men.  And the saddest part is that Christ suffered not only for the sin of others, but also for my sin.  Even though God declared me to be righteous and godly by faith in His Son, the knowledge that Christ also suffered for my sins gives me pain.  Even Mary, most blessed among all women, had to face the fact that, in order to be her Savior, her Son would also suffer for her sin.  But through suffering, God brings restoration, relief, and eternal renewal.    

    Those days were spectacular, intense, unique.  For my part, the euphoria of knowing that the work was under way washed away all the pain.  And the life, death and resurrection of Mary’s Child is clearly the most important event in history, including for unbelievers and enemies of Christ and His Church.  It is no small thing that the “before and after” of Jesus Christ still determines the global calendar.  The world can say “Common Era” instead of “Year of Our + Lord” all it wants.  But Jesus is what makes the era “common,” for He came to be the Savior of all mankind. 

      It is also good that there are still so many observations of this season. Yes, I understand that many people celebrate Christmas but avoid the essential part, the meaning and real importance of the Birth of Jesus Christ.  Don't worry too much about that.  It was the same or worse in my day; the world naturally seeks to ignore and denigrate God and His work.  But there is no earthly power that can stop God's plan in Christ, and so whenever His Name is spoken, there comes an opportunity that another sinner will truly hear.  

     Yes, it was spectacular to have the Son of God in my arms, an unforgettable moment.  But in a very important way, you have it better today. I was still waiting for the consummation of His mission.  The Cross and Empty Tomb were still 30 some years away.  But you live in the Resurrection.  Today.  The sword has already pierced the soul, because the blow of Divine Justice has been absorbed, and the obstacle to our salvation has been reduced to nothing.  Now, today, even though you cannot embrace the child Jesus, He has embraced you, with glorious nailed-scarred hands. 

     The risen Lord has united you to Himself in your Baptism.  You wear Christ as your robe of righteousness, your baptismal dress, that makes you a worthy guest at the eternal wedding feast.  Today you are invited to receive His true Body and Blood, in, with, and under the bread and wine, invited to eat and drink the forgiveness of sins.  Until the new heavens and new earth are revealed, there is no more intimate connection with the Lord.  

     One more thing. I know that my song, that is, the song the Spirit gave me, has been sung from the beginning of the New Testament Church.  For centuries and centuries it has been chanted as the faithful enter the night.  I have always loved that.  But I really like what you Lutheran Christians did a hundred and fifty years ago, in your liturgy.  It is very fitting how you sing my song at the end of the Sacrament.  How perfect to sing of seeing the salvation and glory of the Lord hidden in a very humble Supper, because Christ is there.  This is so much like the Lord Jesus, to hide His glory under seemingly weak and common things. 

     Thank you for the opportunity to talk with you a little today.  I know you will sing my song in a few minutes, after the Supper.  But maybe we could sing it again now, together, an old man and the people of God, rejoicing in the Savior, who has come to save us.  Sing it with me.  If you need the words or music, they are on page 199 of your hymnal.  

Lord, now lettest Thou thy servant...