The First Sunday after Christmas – Pr. Anderson sermon
St. Luke 2:33-40 “This Child is Appointed”
December 29, 2024 | Christ Lutheran Church
In Nomine Iesu
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Lord God, heavenly Father, who by the mouth of Simeon declared that Jesus Christ is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, we humbly ask You, enlighten our hearts with true knowledge of Your Son, that, in perils and adversities, we may not be offended in Him, but cling to Him and rise through Him and abide in Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, now and forever. Amen. (The Lutheran Liturgy, companion altar book for The Lutheran Hymnal, p. 61)
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:
And His father and His mother marveled at what was said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon Him.
These are Your words, heavenly Father. Sanctify us by Your truth, Your Word is truth. Amen. (Joh. 17:17)
In Christ Jesus, who at the appointed time, came down from Heaven to redeem you, and He continues to bless you and remain in your hearts, dear fellow redeemed:
When you were a child, there were two events that you always looked forward to. You were most likely looking forward to your next birthday and you were looking forward to the season we are in, the season of Christmas. It is these two events where you knew you were going to get presents. You had asked your parents about your wishes, and you hoped and prayed that was what you were going to receive. As you have now gotten older, maybe these events aren’t marked with the hope of receiving something. While we may think that the gifts are long in the past, our Scripture text reveals to us that we should always remember what we have received at Christmas. We have received a blessing that can’t be taken away from us. In the days that follow the birth of Jesus, the days of celebration weren’t over. People were still rejoicing, and we can still rejoice because of what this child was appointed to do.
This child’s appointment was waited for by many. Thousands of years have gone by since the original promise of Genesis 3:15. Now at the fullness of time, the seed of Eve had finally arrived. As we rejoiced only a few nights ago, there were others who were waiting to see this promised child. Waiting for His arrival was a man by the name of Simeon. He was in the remnant and devout, waiting for what God had promised him. He was told by God that he would see the Savior. As the Holy Spirit brought him into the temple, He would see and hold the baby in his arms. He would then sing the song we know so well, asking for the Lord to let him now depart in peace. Scripture tells us that the baby’s parents, “marveled at what was said about Him. And Simeon blessed them” Joseph and Mary witnessed how the angel had told them both the truth. This child truly was special. Simeon would bless them and reveal to Mary more concerning her baby and the life He would live.
“Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” This doesn’t sound like the Prince of Peace. Scripture teaches us Jesus did not come to bring an earthly peace. He begins His ministry with a message of repentance. For many, this is a message that does not sit well. As Jesus would become the gracious foundation for His people, there are many who don’t want to build on His foundation. “For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame” (1 Peter 2:6). As there will be those who build on this stone it also is, “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense” (1 Peter 2:8). As this baby would grow up to have enemies, a sword of great agony would deal this baby’s mother a painful blow.
Why must this happen? Why should this little baby have to take on a life of hardship? This is supposed to happen, “So that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” For some hearts, that means finding out the hypocrisy. For there are many who will do what they can to keep their hearts of stone. The world has so much good to offer. The law teaches us that even if it is such a small and insignificant thing yet, it will have a deadly consequence. As many will try to hide their sins from the law, to fight means to continue hardening their hearts as St. Paul writes, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). This is what happens the deeper we go and the more we say it will be okay in the end. We lose sight of the baby in the manger. The baby who is the very image of God.
This is why He came here. He put on our very flesh. Something He didn’t have to do. As He reveals God’s love through His life-giving work, the world will not see it that way. The world hates the notion that we are not inherently good. This little baby did not come down to confirm everyone’s sins. This child was appointed to change the hearts of many. For some it will be good. For many, He will be rejected. Jesus would say at the beginning of His ministry, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” (John 5:39-40). Scripture will never confirm our sins and Scripture points to the work of the baby in the manger. Instead of Scripture telling us that it is fine if we make a mistake here or there, it reveals that as we all sin, we are all enemies wanting harm to come to this baby.
While our sins make us enemies to the baby who was brought into the temple, with His parents bringing Him in, we see the love of God on His enemies. The Christmas gift isn’t gone as we see in our text He arrived. As Simeon rejoiced, seeing his salvation and his redemption, holding Him in his arms, there was someone else there in the temple who was also waiting for this day. An elderly woman named Anna was waiting to see her redemption. “She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of Him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” Here is the reaction of the Christmas season. A reaction of joy. A reaction of not giving up on the message that God brings. He keeps His promises, and redemption arrives for His people.
And just like Simeon said, many hearts would change. Some would follow this baby in the manger. At the end of His ministry some hearts would go the other way. We know what happens to this baby at the end of His ministry. We hear the sword pierce His mother as John records, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciples whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home (John 19:25-27). The child appointed for the salvation of His people, knew that it would come at a price. The price He was born to pay and a price He willingly paid for the forgiveness of His people’s sins.
This forgiveness comes to you as Jesus lived out the law in your place. He lived it out perfectly even as a baby. While He could only do what babies do, His parents trusted in God’s plan and did as God commanded. “And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon Him.” In Jesus’ growth, the same growth we experience, you see the importance of Jesus’ appointment. Only God could do this. Only God can save the world. With motherly love, Mary does what is needed to care for her child. Following the law, “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). As you see the humbleness of Mary, only able to afford doves, you see the amount her child is worth. He is the lamb who would be slain for you.
This great Christmas gift can’t be forgotten. You can only have hope for eternal peace if the baby in the manger lived out His life according to His Father’s will. For you this baby would learn His Father’s will. As the Prophet Isaiah foretold, “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 the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:2-3a). He would learn and, in His knowledge, He would know what it would take to save you. Even as He knew He would be “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Psalm 118:22). He laid out the firm foundation. You can rejoice because you are firmly planted. Your Savior didn’t waver even when faced with His death on the cross. He knew what it would take to pay for your sins. He did it willingly, and He knew He would rise from the dead.
Jesus’ death and resurrection, the blessings and gift you receive during this holiday season and always, continues to come to you. You don’t have to wait every year to receive this gift. As the Prophet Malachi prophesied, “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 3:1). This gift not only comes to you, but He dwells in you. As His parents brought Him to the temple, the temple is not gone. Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken (John 2:19-22). The temple of Christ is within you, strengthening you through the Word and Sacraments. It calls to you in times of weakness. In its joy, you rejoice, for the child was appointed and continues to change your hearts, so you can depart in peace. 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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