The Presentation of Our Lord – Pr. Anderson sermon
St. Luke 2:22-32 “Presented Before All”
February 2, 2025 | Christ Lutheran Church
In Nomine Iesu
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God of all grace, keep us from all arrogance and through the Holy Spirit, awaken in us pure hearts for rightful and earnest obedience, and graciously keep us in the same to our end. Amen. (Martin Luther)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Rom. 1:7, etc.)
The sermon text for today is taken from the 2nd chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke. We read selected verses in Jesus’ name:
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
“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.”
These are Your words, heavenly Father. Sanctify us by Your truth, Your Word is truth. Amen. (Joh. 17:17)
In Christ Jesus, who doesn’t want you to worry about feeling if He is with you, but wants you to hear with your ears and see with your eyes, He is with you, bringing you forgiveness and peace, dear fellow redeemed:
In school, there were times that the teacher would take the class and put everyone into groups for a group project. For some students this was an exciting time, for others, it was dreaded. You had to hope everyone was going to do their share to make the project go smoothly. If your group managed to stay on task with the project, for some, that was only half of the battle. Tied with every group project is the presentation and that meant the group would have to speak and deliver this presentation in front of the class. Sometimes you could get away with designating someone with the role of speaker, but of course there were times when everyone in the group would have to say something. Now while those are daunting, there are presentations you like to do. It is not hard at all to talk about and present a topic, like a DIY project, when it interests you. Forty days after Christmas and God the Father is presenting His DIY presentation and it is a presentation He wants everyone to see. His one and only son, Jesus Christ is presented before all.
While Luke is the Evangelist who focuses on the technical aspects of his account, He records why Jesus had to be presented in the temple in Jerusalem. And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Luke has been told the devotion that Mary and Joseph had for God and His law. The Old Testament people had been following these laws for the last fourteen hundred years. These laws seem strict and unfair for the people, but by diving into the Old Testament, we see why God has given this law to His people.
The first thing Jesus does to fulfill the law takes place eight days after His birth when He is circumcised. At eight days old He sheds His blood for His people. This is not all that must be done, especially for the firstborn. The law states for the mother, “And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, and he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her. Then she shall be clean…” (Leviticus 12:6-7a). With Mary’s purification revealing the constant state of sin we are in, God then says, “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine…. For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem” (Exodus 13:2, 15). Even in childbirth, the people are reminded where all things come from, and the mercy God brings in redemption.
It is hard for us to wrap our minds around God’s law being in place because of His mercy. We do not want to be told what to do, and the laws seem so harsh. We see God gets rid of every excuse. Our text reveals to us that Mary and Joseph did not have much by the offering they offered. This comes directly from the law as God commands, “And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean” (Leviticus 12:8) God’s law is for all as even the poor could offer a gift for atonement. God wants His people to be clean and holy. He doesn’t want to stand judge and condemn. While these laws were strict to set the people apart, they were in place for their good as they see God caring for their needs.
As God holds out a caring hand over the fourteen hundred years these laws have existed, many have failed at following them even with God’s opportunities. Mary and Joseph are in a small remnant. The remnant that is looking forward to the One who would pay the ultimate redemption price. A man by the name of Simeon was also looking for the consolation of Israel. As Isaiah had foretold the great birth, Simeon was also told something special. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. It is hard to not be jealous that Simeon was going to see Christ in the flesh. While we can sometimes lament that we are not like those in Scripture seeing Jesus in the flesh, having His Word, we never need to lament. We don’t have to worry about Jesus being here because He is here, and He speaks to us. We hear Him speak in His Word, preaching to us the same law He is being presented for. They aren’t hard to follow, but they can only be followed with God doing all the work. While we struggle and need to be purified, it is fitting for Mary to offer up two doves. As she offers them up to be purified, her sacrifice points to the lamb of God she has presented to the Lord in the temple, the all atoning sacrifice for the world.
Like many, Simeon was waiting for this day to see this great presentation. They waited and heard only what the prophets had said, giving them a taste of what was coming. “I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:7b) This is exactly what Simeon witnessed. The Lord would fill His temple once again. However, it wasn’t just that He would fill it with glory, it was the manner of glory as the psalmist writes, Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! (Psalm 24:7-10) And as God keeps His promises, the parents brought in the child Jesus and Simeon laid his eyes on the King of glory. God had presented Himself before Simeon, and even though He was an infant, Simeon knew with the help of the Spirit this child was the promised child of old, the redemption of his people.
And he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word.” What joy Simeon has as his eternal peace is presented to him, and he is holding Him in his arms. Of course, this presentation isn’t just for Simeon. This is for all of God’s people who have waited over the centuries for this day. As Simeon can now depart in peace, those who have already gone before him have departed in peace believing this day would come. The festival of Jesus presentation in the temple complements Epiphany so well because God’s promise from His Word is found in the revealed Word made flesh. As the people’s faith endured through the testament of time, it is that same faith that sees and hears this presentation of God, knowing a peaceful departure will come for you as well.
As Simeon sings about the sweet departure that can only come from Christ, he continues, acknowledging why the peaceful departure comes. He sings, “for my eyes have seen Your salvation that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,” Where have you heard that from? You have heard it from Jesus’ own words in John 3:16. God loves the world so much He sent His Son to be its salvation. This is the job only God can do. You have seen His laws and know that you need to be purified. Here is your purification, here is your salvation, presented to you in the flesh. Already at the age of forty days old, He was taking your place and doing what you could not. He is presented in His temple to do the redeeming, and you witness that redemption every Sunday. He comes to you to be seen in His Word and sacraments and when you depart in peace you will see Him face to face.
Since you see your Savior, you see that He is very noticeable. He doesn’t come in a way that is hidden. Simeon finishes his song, “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” The Gospel is a bright light for all to see. Visible because of His great presentation. And since He has been presented to you, you don’t have to doubt whether He is truly there because of a feeling. You don’t have to doubt and think that you are not pure. You are purified as He presents Himself to you as the ultimate sacrifice for the forgiveness of all your sins. He is the perfect Son of God who obeys the Father’s will and gives up His life on the cross as the lamb to be slain. Jesus is presented to you in the Means of Grace, and like Simeon, you hear and see the miracle of your salvation. God has had mercy on you, and you will depart in peace.
And this peace is for the world even as they try to deny it. Jesus is presented as “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” As they try to snuff out the light, this is a light that shines through the darkness and can never be extinguished. The more they attack and the more you find comfort that your Savior presents Himself to you and you get to hear and see Him in the Means of Grace. You don’t need to think that you need to be in the temple with Simeon, seeing the little baby in his arms. You don’t have to worry that you aren’t pure enough. You hold Him in your hand or have Him placed on your tongue at the Supper for the forgiveness of sins, and then He dwells in you. And as He is with you, shining brightly on the path to travel, you know that as you travel, He is doing it all for you and like Simeon you can sing, “Lord, now You let Your servant depart in peace according to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people, a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel” (The Nunc Dimittis). Amen.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.
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