Sermon in Phoenix 26.12.2010

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, let us unite our hearts this morning in opening prayer and thanksgiving unto our Heavenly Father.

Dear Lord God Almighty, we thank you this morning, dear Father, for this season of joy. We remember, dear Lord, the birth of thy dear Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And we remember, dear Father, the work that he performed on our behalf as he lived his life according to thy word. And in doing so, fulfilled that law which was a yoke upon sin-fallen mankind.

We thank you this morning for all the blessings of this life: for our families, our friends, and our homes. We pray, dear Heavenly Father, that thou would allow your gospel to flow freely in our homes; that this living gospel would continue to shed that love of the Holy Spirit into our hearts, so that this fruit of faith will also remain within our homes and remain here within this kingdom here upon this earth.

We give praise and honor and glory unto you, dear Heavenly Father, for showing us that love and that mercy, for calling us into this blessed kingdom here upon this earth. And if there be any even here yet this morning who have not tasted of this precious gospel, we pray, dear Heavenly Father, that thou would even open this word unto even that lost and seeking soul, that they too may hear and understand the glory and the joy of the living gospel.

We again thank you, dear Heavenly Father, for that gift of living faith, for sending us thy only begotten Son into this world. Lord, and we even pray in that most perfect way that he has taught us to pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Amen. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

For our text this Sunday morning, we'll read a familiar text that is often used on the first Sunday after Christmas. This text is found in the Gospel of St. Luke and it follows that Christmas Gospel that we heard last evening. The words are recorded for us in the second chapter of Luke, verses 21-40. And the words are as follows, in Jesus' name:

"And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. As it is written in the law of the Lord, every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord; and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons.

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms and blessed God and said, '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 the people Israel.'"

And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against; yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow of about four score and four years, which departed not from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she, coming in that instant, gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned from Galilee to their own city, Nazareth. And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. Amen.

We've heard of those events that occurred in the life of Jesus and the Holy Family about 40 days after the birth of Jesus. Jesus certainly, we all experienced another Christmas yesterday, and it is with joy that we remembered the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus, as we know that this is the most important matter concerning this special holiday that we have each year.

Jesus was born there in that city of David, and after eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, it tells us that his name was called Jesus. We know that this name Jesus is in the Hebrew known as the Savior or salvation, and he was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

After the days had passed which were according to the laws of Moses, recorded in Leviticus, the mother and father, Mary and Joseph, took the Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ child, and brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. They brought with them a sacrifice which, again in the old Leviticus law, after a woman conceived and after her time of healing and purification, she went along with the father and the child to the temple and brought with them, as it says here in our text, a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons.

In Leviticus it also speaks of bringing a lamb or a sheep, but it also brings out that if one could not bring this lamb or sheep, they would bring a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons. This pair of turtle doves or pigeons were then sacrificed in the temple: one as a burnt offering and one for an offering of sin.

When they came into the temple, there was this elder man; he was a believer, as our text tells us. This man was a devout man and he was a just man. His name was Simeon. It's interesting that this name Simeon in the Greek language means to hear or to be obedient.

This man Simeon was led unto the temple by the Spirit of God. We know that this was no accident that Simeon came there, but rather it was according to God's will. Simeon was an elder, a devout man who had studied the scriptures throughout his life, meaning the Old Testament scriptures, and he longed for the birth of the Savior.

It had been revealed unto Simeon that he would not leave this life until he had seen that Christ child. We remember that this Christ child, the Lord and Savior Jesus, it says in the Christmas gospel that Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, into the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David.

We also know that Mary was of the house of Judah; Mary also was of that same lineage of David. It's recorded for us in the prophet Isaiah, chapter 11, verses 1 and 2: "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots; and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord."

We know that Jesse was the father of David; Jesse had eight sons, David being the youngest. So this stem of Jesse is that lineage of Jesse and his descendants. The Old Testament scriptures tell us that this branch, meaning the Lord and Savior Jesus, would grow out of this stem of Jesse.

So we know that Simeon, who was a just man and who studied the Old Testament scriptures, understood that this Christ child would come forth from the lineage of David, from the root of Jesse. He entered into the temple and saw the holy family, saw the Lord and Savior Jesus, and it says that then took he him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "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 the people Israel."

Here we hear the words of Simeon and how with joy these words of praise unto the Heavenly Father wept from his heart. He knew that this was that Christ child that had been prophesied by the Old Testament believers. He understood that this was a transition period; that he had been born under the old covenant, and here this Christ child, who was the grace and truth of the new covenant, was there before his eyes.

He was able to see not only through his carnal eyes but more importantly through those spiritual eyes of that salvation that had been promised from the very beginning in the Garden of Eden. This was that branch that would grow forth from the root of Jesse. It would be that branch that would provide a light to lighten not only the people of Israel but also unto the Gentile nations.

Truly, we know that this gospel has been spread through the Lord and Savior Jesus and through his own unto all nations. Joseph and his mother marveled at these things which were spoken of him. We can imagine how Joseph and Mary felt when they brought this Christ child unto the temple. It was acknowledged unto them that this was a special child.

We remember how even when Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, the child in Elizabeth's womb jumped with joy, and she understood that this was a special child within her womb. I was recently looking at some photos of when my wife and I were young with our first child. It seems in some ways long ago, but in some ways only yesterday.

Truly, as it was with Joseph and Mary, they were truly full of doubts, not only concerning the fact that this was a very special child but also, I am sure, filled with those doubts of how to raise even this child in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

Yet even as in the life of my wife and myself, and I'm sure as it has been in each and every one of you out there, couples who have had children often looked towards those elders to provide that guidance and that support and uplifting. Simeon even recognized this; he recognized the poorness and the weakness that this young couple felt and he offered unto them even that most perfect encouragement that we can offer unto ourselves or unto one another.

It says, "And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother, 'Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against; yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, and the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.'"

Simeon preached the encouragement of the gospel even unto them and prophesied of those events which were to come. He encouraged them and brought forth that this young child would cause some to fall and yet some to rise. There would be those who would reject and would hate this child as he grew older and as he revealed unto the world his purpose in life, which was to bring forth the word of God, to fulfill that law, and to offer grace and truth unto sin-fallen mankind.

Yet there would be some that would also rise, some that would heed this calling, some that would come to the knowledge of God and the condition of their undying souls and would receive and accept this Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in their hearts.

He also spoke unto Mary directly: "Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, and the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." My understanding is that he was speaking of the death of the Lord and Savior Jesus, of how Jesus must suffer and die on that middle cross of Golgotha, and how this event would even pierce the heart and the soul of Mary.

We remember even how Jesus, when he was there hanging on that middle cross of Golgotha, had compassion unto his own mother and asked that one of his own would even take care of her.

Simeon spoke of the life and the events of the Lord and Savior Jesus and how he would be set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against.

Then it goes on to speak of this second elder that was there in the temple: this was Anna the prophetess. We remember that even in the Old Testament there were other women who were also prophetesses: Miriam, Deborah, and one named Huldah, I believe, who is spoken about in the book of Chronicles. These were also women that were just and sincere in living faith and spoke of the coming of the Lord and Savior Jesus and spoke of the times and the conditions that the people lived in.

It speaks here of this prophetess Anna: "There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher." In the Hebrew, her name would be Hannah, and the meaning of this word Hannah would be of grace or of mercy.

It's interesting how these two elders who were there in the temple, even their names had a spiritual meaning: how this Anna who was there, her name meant of grace, and how Simeon was of to hear and to obey.

Certainly, in our own lives of faith, it is important that this obedience and this hearing of God's word and the obedience of God's word is important in our walk of faith. In so doing, God will continue to shed his grace unto us if we continue to be obedient to his word and to continue to walk in that living gospel of the forgiveness of sins.

It goes on to speak how this Hannah the prophetess, or Anna, was of great age. I once read that she was 84 years old when she entered the temple on that day, although here in this text it tells us that she had had a husband for seven years and apparently this husband must have passed away. She had been a widow of about four score and four years, or rather 44 years.

It says that she departed not from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

I've had the opinion, and it seems that perhaps this widow Anna might have been barren or perhaps had no children and perhaps had not had many around her. There was a notation in my Bible that referred back to the book of Timothy, chapter 5, verse 5. It reads: "Now she that is a widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day."

As we read this portion here, it says that Anna the prophetess also departed not from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. She, coming in that instant, gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Again, here we see this second elder who is also one who studied and served God with fastings and prayers both night and day. She also, as Simeon had been born in that time of the old covenant and was experiencing this, recognized this Lord and Savior Jesus as the Christ child and realized that this time and this promise of the Old Testament prophets had been fulfilled, and she also rejoiced.

So this holy family then, it reads, "And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their own city, which was Nazareth. And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him."

Certainly, we can say that it was a blessing that these two elders were able to see this Christ child and to recognize this child as the Lord and Savior Jesus. With joy in their hearts, they gave praise and honor and glory unto the Heavenly Father.

We who are here today, who have come here to these services, have not been able to see the Lord and Savior with our own carnal eyes, but we recognize and we see this Lord and Savior Jesus, for he is here within our midst. He is here even this morning in spirit; he lives within the hearts of the child of God.

As we have often heard before, even as these few moments here in the temple were a joyous and festive occasion for these children of God, we can say that it is also good in our lives when we are also able to gather together with the children of God and have even these very same types of festive occasions.

Certainly, when we have a holiday such as Christmas, we remember with joy in our hearts the love that God has shown unto us. But we have also heard, dear brothers and sisters in faith, that for a child of God, each and every day is a day of Christmas, a day of celebration and joy.

It is good that we would gather together so that we can be united in that very same bond of Christian love. It is that same love and that same joy that came forth from the hearts of both Simeon and Anna. It is certainly a joy that we experience here in God's kingdom.

So dear brothers and sisters in faith, be encouraged even this morning hour to lift up your hearts and believe all sins, doubts, and temptations forgiven and washed away in Jesus' precious name, atonement and atonement blood.

Even as Simeon blessed this holy family, that same blessing is even offered yet today. It is that blessing that will strengthen us, encourage us, and give us guidance unto our eternal home in heaven.

So dear brothers and sisters, be encouraged to even yet believe as this new year comes upon us that we would make those very same promises of God to continue in this way that we have been taught through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Even for my own many sins and doubts and shortcomings, I wish to hear my sins forgiven. Can I even yet believe? I promise to believe with you, dear brothers and sisters in faith.

We have a good and gracious Heavenly Father, one who has given us this Christ child, who has been a light unto us, who has encouraged us moment by moment to continue on that straight and narrow path that leads us unto our eternal home in heaven, in Jesus' precious name. Amen.