Christmas 1

1  All Humanity Turns Upon this Child

A wheel turns, and every part of it moves.

But the hub spins in one place,

so that the rest of it moves around the hub.

This simple machine illustrates

the relationship between the child of Mary

and the rest of the world.

Our text shows us this relationship

in the words and actions of two people:

Simeon and Anna.

Jesus, even as a little baby,

was the hub of the wheel.

Everyone else in the whole world

is moved in relation to Him.

There are three reasons for this, found

in the words and actions of Simeon and Anna.

All of humanity turns upon this Child.

Because He was promised to all Because many fall by rejecting Him. Because many rise by receiving Him.

2  Luke 2:33–40

And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

2.1  Because He was promised to all

The promise of salvation through Jesus Christ

came from heaven to all mankind.

Speaking to the serpent after the Fall of Man, God said,

I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.

When the head of the serpent is bruised,

then Satan’s power over man is defeated.

When the heel is bruised —

the heel of the woman’s Seed,

then He will suffer, but will be able to recover.

This was God’s promise to all mankind

in the Garden of Eden.

There is not a single person in the world

who is not covered by the promise God made in the beginning.

Sadly, not everyone believes it.

The world has been enclosed by darkness:

Death has come to every part of the globe.

Wherever we may go, we bring death with us.

The darkness of sin and death is only partly visible.

We see that there is crime and injustice. We feel sorrow, and experience suffering.

But all of this is only a part of the truth.

Our disease conceals its worst from us:

that even our best efforts only collect more guilt

because our motives are always sinful.

Even the most noble, just and princely king,

is pleased to let his best works stand before God as evidence of his own righteousness.

But in God’s sight, our righteousness is not enough.

So even in the best of us,

our own hearts betray us, turning those best works of ours into filthy rags.

The problem is in the foundation.

Sin entered our race at its beginning,

while there were still only two.

Therefore everything we build on that foundation

will carry the same basic flaw:

the darkness of sin.

But Simeon also knew about this, and rejoiced to see Jesus.

He spoke words familiar to those who come here each week: 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

Simeon knew from his Bible

that all people need a Savior, from the humblest beggar to the mightiest king.

Now he was ready to die.

He saw the fulfillment for which He had waited.

He saw the baby Jesus.

Sin spoiled our race at its very foundation,

but God promised us a Savior from that same time.

It may seem like Christmas is over,

the presents unwrapped, and past time to take down your tree.

But for Simeon and all who believe God’s promises,

Christmas is never over. It’s the beginning of our foundation.

Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith.

This isn’t only for the Jews,

but for everyone descended from Adam and Eve.

All humanity turns upon this Child,

because He was promised to all.

2.2  Because many fall by rejecting Him.

Our text emphasizes that Joseph and Mary

wondered at what Simeon said about Jesus.

This doesn’t mean they wondered if it were true,

the way we sometimes use the word.

Their wonder wasn’t caused by doubts,

but by faith.

The wonder did not cease:

Simeon had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Christ before he died.

Led by the Spirit, Simeon came to the Temple

exactly when Mary and Joseph came to fulfill the Law.

Mary and Joseph already knew

that Jesus would save His people from their sins.

That meant the Jews.

But now from Simeon, they learned

that Jesus was also the light to the Gentiles.

If only we had the same kind of faith and wonder

as Mary and Joseph.

Then we wouldn’t be so ready

to move on to the next season and the New Year.

But we’d continue treasuring up the wonders of Christmas,

and ponder every day how God moved heaven and earth

just to save us.

Then we wouldn’t be so jealous

of giving our time and showing our gratitude

for the One who came from Heaven to redeem us.

In our time, people don’t like to wonder very much.

But where faith is concerned,

God would have us believe things we don’t understand.

The universe is greater than our imaginations

and greater than our intellect.

God is greater still.

Here at Christmas we have the greatest work of God:

that He came from His throne on high, to be conceived and born a human creature.

Anyone who can’t wonder at it,

must still be in the darkness of unbelief.

It seems that many people are concerned

that Christmas is under attack.

Manger scenes are being altered or replaced, people are told not to say “Merry Christmas,”

But these things are not the problem.

They are symptoms of a greater problem:

the darkness of unbelief enshrouding the world.

The main point of Christmas is not to celebrate it outwardly,

but to celebrate it inwardly:

to wonder in faith alongside Mary and Joseph, to rejoice in the deeply humbling realization

that God has stooped so far for my sake.

and only then, to show our gratitude

by imitating the shepherds of Bethlehem, who

made widely known what they had been told.

Yet the main point of Christmas is lost,

even to many who call themselves Christians.

Whole churches deny the virgin birth of Jesus. Some think that Christmas is more about giving

than about receiving what God has given to us all.

Most people don’t wonder in faith,

as Mary and Joseph did,

but wonder as skeptics, if it could even be true.

Others are outright offended by Jesus.

“How can you tell me

that my life isn’t good enough?” that Jesus is the only Savior?” that I have to believe what a book says about Him?”

So the words of Simeon are fulfilled:

Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against …, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

So all humanity turns upon this Child,

because many fall by rejecting Him.

2.3  Because many rise by receiving Him.

Many others rise by receiving Him.

Mary and Joseph are the first examples in our text.

Humble and poor as they were,

they were the most richly blessed family in the world.

That’s what it means to have Christ with you in faith.

Then Simeon, coming to the Temple,

found and recognized his little Savior.

What great joy it brought to poor old Simeon! He prophesied, telling what a great blessing Jesus would be

not only the Jews, His own people,

but even to the Gentiles.

Finally came Anna, a faithful prophetess

who had served her whole life in the Temple.

After that long life of service to God,

Anna was granted the same great blessing.

Her faith and joy overflowed. She couldn’t contain it,

but spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

You and I would not be allowed into the Temple,

because we are Gentiles.

But we have Simeon’s words, inspired by God,

saying that Jesus is a light to the Gentiles.

Think of what that means.

None of the prophets, priests, or kings before this

were called a light, and certainly not for the Gentiles.

But now is born this one

who brings the blessings of the Jews:

the blessings of the Temple itself

to the Gentiles!

Though we could not enter the Temple,

one has been born to bring its blessings to us!

Have you been caught up in the world’s darkness?

Have you wondered in doubt that the message is true? Have you been thinking only of the things you give

instead of the heavenly blessing you receive from God?

Have you been ready to move on to the next season already,

hoping the new year will bring something better than Christmas?

Have you even been a bit offended

that your own life is not acceptable to God without Jesus?

Then confess your doubts and misgivings,

your preoccupation with distractions, your dissatisfaction with God’s Word, your selfish pride.

Confess all your sins to God, and receive His gift:

This Jesus,

A light for revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Israel.

Here is your God, your Savior, your Redeemer, your Hope.

Let the light of Jesus Christ drive away the darkness of sin.

His Word reveals the thoughts of our own sinful hearts,

so that we can now confess them, and God can take them away.

Instead of guilt and strife with God,

we are left with peace:

the forgiveness of our sins.

In Him, your sins are forgiven.

Romans 5:1–2: Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

So do not be dismayed that so many are opposed to Jesus,

and that so many are opposed to those who belong to Him.

It must be so. But He came to redeem the whole world.

So let’s continue celebrating Christmas each day,

by marveling inwardly at God’s gracious deeds, and by making widely known what He has done.

All humanity turns upon this Child.

He raises you up for eternal life.

Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria!