|
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple.
SERMON – 10.15am, Emmanuel Church, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Sunday 31st January 2010
Revd. Canon David Pickering
Luke 2: 36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four.
Today we leave Christmas behind us and look forward to Lent and Easter.
Christmas focuses on a child, but it is surprising how many older and even elderly people occur in the story.
Part of the wonder or even miracle of the birth of John the Baptist is the age of his parent, Elizabeth and Zechariah.
Luke 1:7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.
And the words of the angel to Mary in Luke 1: 36 & 37 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.
Presume Mary was a young woman, but what of Joseph?
He soon disappears off the scene. Was he much older and died?
Then today we have Simeon and Anna.
The words of Simeon's song, the Nunc Dimittis, would seem to imply that he was an old man coming to the end of his days.
And we are told that Anna was a great age.
Anna & Simeon present us with some interesting and valuable pointers for our life of faith.
Anna and Simeon were both steeped in the Jewish faith with great devotion, and loyalty to its laws and requirements, but looked beyond to something or someone else.
Anna in her widowhood may have dedicated her life to service in the temple.
But neither of them is just satisfied with the provisions of their inherited faith and the worship of the temple. They looked beyond with a kindled flame of expectancy.
Anna – the redemption of Jerusalem
Simeon – the consolation of Israel
Both standard phrases for the messianic age.
This raises the second interesting point.
How did they know that this child Jesus was the one they were waiting for and hoping to see?
Jesus didn't have a big label tied round his swaddling clothes saying, 'I am the Messiah'. Joseph and Mary didn't wave flags or shout out to everyone. 'Look! This is the baby you've all been waiting for!'
From the outside Jesus looked like any other baby of his time, and Mary & Joseph looked just like an ordinary, fairly poor set of parents, probably dusty and dishevelled from their journey to the Temple in Jerusalem.
So how did Anna and Simeon know that this was the baby they were waiting for?
We are told Anna never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day.
And Simeon was righteous and devout.
Their recognition of Jesus arose out of their relationship with God.
They had been listening to God all their lives. They always tried to see things as God sees things. They sought to discern and fulfill the will of God in every aspect of their lives.
This engendered in them expectancy, a hope, a waiting, a looking out for something, or someone greater.
If we are not looking, watching, waiting and expecting, then we will never see.
Because they were always looking, watching, waiting and expecting, A & S recognised Jesus when he came.
Because their Jewish heritage was alive and vibrant they saw their messiah when he came.
So for us, where we come from shapes our understanding of where we are, who we are, and what God intends for us in the future.
There is a danger of hanging on to the past and its traditions, especially when they are encased in some kind of unbreakable seal. This inhibits the proper role of our roots and traditions. They have made us who and what we are, and a foundation for understanding the present. Then they form a base and guide to the future.
Our creative and loving God has and always is on the move, we have to make sure we don't get left behind.
In their old age A & S looked forward with expectancy and no doubt excitement, and saw the Messiah. They may not have known what they were looking for, but they recognised who Jesus was when they saw him. We may not know what God wants for us, but if we are vigilant and expectant then we will what it is when we see it.
We can also see this from another aspect of today's gospel reading and celebration.
The words of Simeon give the feast of the Presentation its popular name, Candlemas.
vv.30 -33 For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.'
A light for revelation to the Gentiles
Simeon saw that in Jesus a new light had dawned upon the world, which would bring a new light of revelation to all people.
It took the old man Simeon, and, in her own way, the elderly Anna to see Jesus in his true light.
That is often one of the most important give older people have to see things in their true light.
This true light is often born out of years of experience.
Make sure we see the lights that are there.
Positive as opposed to the negative
See the good rather than just the bad.
If we live as lights then we see the light.
Candle a symbol of the light of God shining in our lives.
|
