Behold, Now We See Salvation

And when the days of their purification were to be fulfilled according to the Law of Moses, they brought him into Jerusalem to stand him before the Lord ... and to give a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

[Introduction]

I want to paint a word picture for you.

Two thousand years ago, not only was Jerusalem hustling-and-bustling with nearly 80,000 people ... the temple complex that Herod built was huge! ... We’re talking nine city blocks ... you know, an area that spans First Christian Church down to the Church of God Holiness and from Trinity to the City Park. There are people coming and going to offer their sacrifices. There are merchants selling their animals for the daily sacrifices. Meanwhile, members of the Sanhedrin are gathering along Solomon’s portico to discuss politics. Some say this portico was about 300 yards long and 20 yards wide with columns (pillars) rising 100 feet tall. Meanwhile, rabbis have convened teaching the disciples in various corners. Can you picture it?

Now into all of that commotion enters one unassuming couple ... a carpenter and his young wife with their 40-day old baby boy. They have come to fulfill what is written in the Law of the Lord that every male who first opens the womb will be called holy to the Lord.

Yes, you would think everything in today’s reading is business as usual in Jerusalem.

4. But hold on. The fullness of time has come!

And there is someone here who recognizes the significance of this moment. Behold ... Luke proclaims. Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon.

One of the great things about the Gospel according to Luke is the wonderful detail he provides, especially with all the accounts surrounding the birth of Jesus. Simeon, Luke tells us, is a righteous and devout man. And he has been waiting ... waiting for the consolidation of Israel. Waiting for the fullness of time to arrive. Maybe an apt way of summing up Simeon’s character would be to say that he was singing the refrain our wonderful hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

All the centuries of waiting for God to fulfill his promise of a Savior have been concentrated in this one man ... Simeon ... who has patiently waited for the day that God would bring comfort to his chosen people. Luke explicitly points out that not only was the Holy Spirit upon Simeon ... but that today ... he entered the temple in the Spirit. In other words, God was bringing this day to pass. Simeon has been called by the Spirit to bear witness that our redeemer is in the temple.

The world will try to convince you that you can find the spirit. But that’s not true. It is the Spirit who calls you, who gathers you in his temple, who enlightens you here, and sanctifies you so that he will be with you always. It is the Spirit who opens eyes to see and ears to hear.

3. And today the Spirit has done this for Simeon ... and you.

I can only imagine the overwhelming joy he must have felt. Saint Luke reports this joy in two short speeches. First, he delivers a blessing and then a prophecy. The blessing you should know pretty well ... we sing it here at the end of the Service of the Sacrament.

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word.

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.

Do you realize how fitting those words are for us to sing after receiving the Lord’s Supper? The Lord’s Supper actually delivers to you peace ... that is, the forgiveness of sins. Our eyes actually see the body and blood of Jesus, who said whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood will live eternally ... that’s salvation.

What joy should fill our temple today every time we celebrate with all the company of heaven this divine feast? As we struggle in this life with pain and disease and sin and death, it is terribly difficult to keep this in mind. We need a new heart and new nature ... like Simeon ... to recognize why this moment is so important to behold.

2. Listen again to those words that Simeon spoke directly to Mary

Behold ... there it is again ... that epiphany word ... Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed. This is Simeon’s way of saying that there is salvation in no other name but that of Jesus. This is Simeon’s way of saying Jesus is the only Way, Truth, and Life. This is Simeon’s way of confessing the Apostles’ Creed, which expresses the Gospel in simple terms. This is Simeon’s way of saying that those who have faith in Jesus, who confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised him from the dead will be saved.

Yes, Jesus is appointed for the fall and rising of many.

Paul described this fall and rise in his first epistle to the Corinthians. He wrote, God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not to bring to nothing things that are so that no one might boast in the presence of God (1 Cor 1:27-28). God chose his own son to be born to die so that the world might live instead of die.

It’s sad to remember that even Jesus’ own family will deny him at times, and that his own friends will turn their backs on him ... that he will be mocked and spit upon ... slandered and beaten to a bloody pulp. And even after being found innocent of all the charges he faced ... not just acquitted, but innocent ... because he is the one who knew no sin ... the world will nevertheless demand that he be executed and that a guilty man be set free in his place.

To be sure ... some people ... even those among us ... will praise and bless Jesus whenever they think he gives them their hearts desire ... and allows them to be what they want to be. But as soon as he sets out to be Christ to them, demanding that they repent of their sins, there is nothing but desertion. Let’s face ... we are proud, arrogant, abusive, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, slanderous, and lovers of pleasure ... among so many other sins.

1. But behold, the fullness of time has come.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, Immanuel has come to you.

Don’t keep this Good News ... Gospel ... to yourself. The world needs to hear that God has entered his temple to be with you forever. He has reconciled himself to you. Whereas you couldn’t go to him, God in the Flesh ... God with us ... has come to you. He comes to serve /// not to be served. He comes to deliver to you the forgiveness of your sins. He has come so that he could die on a cross, and rise from the dead. He has come to wash you with the Water and the Word of Baptism. He has come to sanctify you. He has come to give you the bread of life and cup of salvation. He has come to announce absolution to you. Jesus has taken your sin, and given you his righteousness ... his innocence. And just as he was raised from the dead, he raises you into eternal life.

Share this Good News with your brothers and sisters and neighbors. Let them know that you who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, Jesus has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.

That’s the reason we celebrate his birth year after year.

BEHOLD, HOW WE CAN SEE AND HEAR THE SALVATION OF OUR GOD

So ...

Rejoice, Rejoice, for Emmanuel has come to you, his new Israel!

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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