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Simeon

Reverend Philip Stringer

Luke 2:25-35

LET US PRAY: We ask, oh Lord, that the words which we hear this morning and the worship which we offer, may bear fruit in our hearts and be acceptable in your sight, our strength and our redeemer. AMEN


The Word of the Lord comes to us today with a message of comfort and assurance in a world so often lacking in these. We are safely held in the embrace of God. Do not be afraid. God has already written the end of our story — and it ends in peace.


As I joked in the announcements before worship, today is Groundhog’s Day!


We are not observing Groundhog’s Day as a festival of the church today. Instead, today we celebrate the presentation of Jesus in the Temple. But there actually is more of a connection than you might realize. I’ll need to give you some background.


history of GHD- medieval superstition.

CANDLEMAS DAY-- purification of Mary after 40 days.

Celebrated as early as 4th century.

PAGAN RITUALS in Rome and Northern Europe.


MIDPOINT BETWEEN WINTER SOLSTICE & SPRING EQUINOX


Germany— “Farmer’s Day”— a farmer should have half of the stored hay remaining.


For a long time, people have tried to comfort themselves with the belief that they have some degree of control over the things that are truly out of control. The weather and Groundhog’s Day are one example -- our lives are full of plenty of others. But the reality is that there are things that we cannot control -- and that means that we are at the mercy of the events themselves.


We grow up and we grow old, and our lives change. There are periods in our lives which we know are good and full -- but we cannot prevent time from slowly taking those parts of our lives away -- perhaps to be replaced by other good and happy times -- perhaps not. And there are difficult times when all we can do is wait for better times to arrive.


Those of you who have suffered through the death of a loved one -- know how fragile and how quickly our lives can be changed. We live in a world which is full of uncertainty where so much of our lives, we must admit, are uncontrollable.


In this sense it is the same for us as it has been through all of history. And it was this way for a man named "Simeon", also.


His was a world that was not so complex as ours, but it was just as uncertain and just as uncontrollable. As a Jew, he knew firsthand the persecution which his people had suffered. He knew their history as a people who continually strayed away from God, and broke God's covenants. And I am sure that he struggled with the everyday uncertainties of life just as you and I do.


Our Scripture text doesn’t tell us a lot about Simeon-- only that he “was a holy man. A righteous and dedicated man.” Like you and me, Simeon had many worries and uncertainties upon him. Like us, he realized that he was not able to control all things -- that bad things would happen in spite of his not wanting them to happen.


And yet Simeon had hope in the promises of God to give Israel a messiah -- the Christ who would take away the uncertainty. Simeon was set as a watchman for this Christ -- knowing that he would come -- eagerly awaiting his arrival.


But though he waited for these things, Simeon was helpless to bring them about himself -- or even, perhaps, to comprehend them. He did not know beforehand just when this messiah would come. He likely did not know how he would come -- and exactly what way he would fulfill the promises.

He realized ((maybe because of or maybe in spite of these worries)) that he was dependent upon God -- that God was his only certainty in the midst of uncertainty -- that he was, in effect -- at the mercy of God -- for there were two things that he looked for the Messiah to do:


First was the deliverance of his people from an existence beyond their control. A Lord to lead them out of the darkness and into a right and holy relationship with God.


And second, he waited for the arrival of the peace of Christ in his own life. A peace that would come in the midst of the uncertainties -- a peace that would, in fact, disarm the uncertainties and give him something good and pure in which to rest.


The author of the Book of Hebrews put his finger on it when he lifted up death as the culmination of all fears. Death is the unbeatable adversary. Our very identity as “MORTAL” is defined by the fact that we will die — “mortis” Death.


“Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, Jesus himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death … and free those who all their lives were held in slavery to the fear of death.”


When Simeon gathers the infant Jesus into his arms, it is a reminder to him that the time of his own death is near -- and yet he is overjoyed! Simeon serves as an example of faith for us in our own time of uncertain waiting. And an example of how God is at work in our own lives, as God was present in the life of Simeon. It was the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which motivated Simeon to come to the Temple to find the Messiah.


It was here, in the Temple -- a Holy place -- where the two were brought together.


Our reading today tells us that when they met, Simeon "took him up in his arms and praised God." He had been led to a Holy place where the Messiah came to him, and then he received the Messiah and praised God saying "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace."


This is a story about faith in the midst of great change and uncertainty. And that is a story we need to hear.


Most of Simeon’s world hadn’t changed. He was still old. His people were still under the burden of the Romans. Yet Simeon is happy, even though he will never live to see Jesus as a man. The messiah had come, but Simeon wouldn’t live to see it all.


In fact, he probably didn’t even understand all that it meant. It seems to me highly unlikely that he would believe that Jesus would die the death of a criminal on a cross. I don’t think he understood these things. But he didn’t need to. He saw the birth. He saw the hand of God at work fulfilling his promises. and that was enough. Simeon didn’t need to live to see the end of the story, to know that God would be the one writing it -- that God would be faithful -- that God would fulfill God’s promises.


You and I live in the same world as Simeon, not knowing all things. We can light our candles and wait for the wisdom of woodchucks to guide us if we want, but it’s still an uncertain world.


Simeon received a sign and it was enough.


Even a brief glance at the news headlines this morning is a stunning reminder that we live in a not-so-perfect world where stress and uncertainties weigh upon us; Where we find it difficult to work with and be patient with others. We find burden upon burden placed on our backs until it may be hard to find joy in the things we once enjoyed.


Today, we are given a sign that the way this story ends is in peace.


Eucharist — here at this table, the one who has already conquered all that would separate us and all that would destroy us, comes to meet us where we are. In this bread and wine he comes to touch us and assure us that he is with us. Even in these uncertain times we have this assurance.


The Christ child has come for you. He has come for us, and we, like Simeon, are being stirred by the Holy Spirit to take the Messiah into our arms -- to receive him -- to embrace him.


And a reminder that even as you are invited to come here today to receive him — he is already embracing you.


The Paschal Candle is lit today — Candlemas — a symbol of Christ, the light of the world.


You and I, in our baptism, have received the new life that is in the resurrection of Christ. You and I need not seek out a Holy place in which to find Jesus. In our baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ, we are made Holy. We are a holy place into which the Messiah has come . . . and he comes with peace —


One of Martin Luther's most quotable quotes is that we should "return daily to our baptism." That is to say that each and every day we ought to remember that although we are sinful beings, in our baptism our sinful self has died and we are born again in new life.


Every day you are faced with the uncertainties and frustrations of life. Do not forget that you are also standing in a holy place, where the Christ child has come with the gift of peace.


Christ has come that you may have a sure and certain hope in the midst of a world of uncertainty and change. For the Christ has come -- he has been raised from the dead -- and his mark is upon your brow.

AMEN

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