Sermon for the First Sunday After Christmas - Luke 2
Christmas 1
Preacher: First Year Seminarian Aaron Schian
In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today’s scripture is from the Gospel Lesson focusing on these words:
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.” (Luke 2:33-36, ESV)
Let us Pray: Almighty and everlasting God, you glorified yourself through your Son, Jesus Christ, from his youth. Bestow upon us your Spirit, that we too may walk in your sight as your children, and bring forth the fruits of righteousness; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
On Christmas Eve, we saw Jesus away and asleep in a manger. It was a silent and holy night in O Little Town of Bethlehem. The shepherds kept their flocks by night. The angels were singing sweetly over the plains. On Christmas Day, we rejoiced, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” “O come, let us adore Him,” we sang.
Today, infant Jesus is not in a manger. It is forty days after his birth. Jesus is in the Temple cradled in the arms of ancient Simeon. Simeon announces that Jesus is appointed for the fall and resurrection of many and that the thoughts of many will be revealed. Jesus cradled in the arms of righteous Simeon, will be cradled on the cross.
God’s Word reveals the cross is weakness to the world. Jesus is a stumbling block for the Jews and foolishness for the Gentiles. Jesus is the cornerstone that the builders rejected. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The path to destruction is wide and easy and many follow. The way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few. There are two roads: the path of death, and the way of life.
Simeon announces that Jesus is appointed by God the Father for the fall and resurrection of many, and he will reveal their thoughts. Our thoughts are not beautiful. The thoughts in our hearts are filthy rags that sometimes become visible in our actions. No matter how much we make ourselves beautiful on the outside, we cannot make our hearts clean. Jesus reveals our thoughts so that we realize he is all that matters.
The thoughts of people are pride, lust, and greed, and boy, do we love ‘em. Most reality t.v., sitcoms, and game shows (like Survivor, Desperate Housewives, Price is Right, Sopranos, and Soap Operas) use pride, lust, and greed as their basis for humor, tension, and suspense. We call that good entertainment.
Deal or No Deal reveals the greedy hearts of contestants par excellence. Why don’t the people walk away with $200,000? The contestants always want more. They are never content. Certainly, Deal or No Deal, Survivor, and Desperate Housewives are just shows on t.v. and don’t represent us. We don’t act like them. Right?!?
Well, pride tempted Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The devil lied to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden into believing that the fruit would make them like God. Adam and Eve thought that they didn’t need God to make it in the world. They wanted more. They were not content.
The devil didn’t stop lying to Adam and Eve, and he continues to lie to us today. The devil tells us that we too can be our own god.The devil tells us that we need more…more money, more love, more [you fill in the blank]. The devil tells us that we can make our own way in the world without God. We creatures think that we can make it in creation without our Creator.
Our pride tells us that our thoughts are good. Our pride tells us that our thoughts are pure. Our pride tells us that our thoughts are wise. Our pride tells us that our way is the right way and only way.
So, let us peer into our hearts if we dare to be so bold. What hidden thoughts are there to be revealed? Jealous for another’s possessions? Trusting in insurance plans and money more than God? Fantasizing a loved one’s financial or physical disaster? What thoughts do you hide so well that they have been kept from others? Do we think that we are better, smarter, and harder working than the neighbor sitting next to us? Do we think that we are more righteous and holy than the neighbor who doesn’t come to church every Sunday? Oh, the problem with fallen man is that we compare ourselves with each other and create a false sense of pride. We need to repent of these thoughts.
But, God our Father doesn’t expect our thoughts to be better than our imperfect neighbor. He wants our thoughts, words, and deeds to be perfect. Our thoughts, words, and deeds are not perfect, but Jesus’ thoughts, words, and deeds are perfect. He is perfect for us. Even though Jesus is perfect in every way, he is the one who is rejected by people, delivered over to the government, and crucified on a tree.
Jesus is foolishness for the world. People scoff and laugh at us and wonder why we can worship such a weak God. Jesus is not weak - he is the stone that crushes our pride. He breaks to pieces and reveals thoughts of self-righteousness that make gods. He breaks to pieces so that we realize that our only God and only Way of life is Jesus Christ himself. He breaks to pieces so that we realize that Jesus is all that matters.
Simeon declares that Jesus is appointed for the fall of many. Why would God make us fall? Why would God bring us low? God makes us fall and brings us low so that we are dependent only on him.
When a child begins to walk, the child falls a lot. The child needs help getting back on his or her two feet. The parent raises the child up and he or she begins to walk again until they fall. The child needs more help than just standing up. The child needs help being directed away from an open swimming pool.
We are God’s children. The only Way to life is the Way of Jesus Christ. How does God our Father join us to Jesus Christ, the Way of eternal life? When were we adopted as children of God our Father? Baptism! In Baptism we fall!!! In Baptism we are buried with Christ. We are not just left in the watery grave. In Baptism we are resuscitated!!! In Baptism we fall so that God, our Father, resurrects us - raises us, from the watery grave with the name of Jesus marked on our mind and heart. We are now children of God.
Our thoughts of pride, lust, and greed are washed away and drowned in the holy flood of Baptism. Jesus’ pure and righteous thoughts become our thoughts because we live in the Holy Ark, Christ Jesus himself. What a joyous exchange?!? Christ takes our thoughts of pride, lust, and greed and gives us his perfect thoughts. Jesus continues his work of bringing us low and raising us to live in the way that leads to life when we are absolved, gladly hear and learn God’s Word, and eat and drink Christ’s body and blood.
We are exposed, but forgiven! We are accused, but justified! We are fallen, but resurrected! We are broken, but made whole! We are killed, but made alive!
We gathered a few days ago with Mary at the crib of Jesus singing, “Joy to the World, the Lord is come.” Where is the joy in the world? Why do we come and adore Him? We are bombarded daily with the images of death, violence, and disease through the window of world news. Closer to home, we have family death and financial hardships.
Mary, the Mother of our Lord, is told that a sword will pierce through her own soul. Does this appear to be a reason for joy? Mary, Mother and Israelite, represents the Holy Mother Church and the Baptized, the new Israel. This [pointing] baby Jesus will be whipped, scourged, delivered up, and crucified. His throne is not made of gold and silver but a wooden cross. His life, death, and resurrection is the sign that is spoken against by the world. Jesus’ words and actions are spoken against by the world because he doesn’t meet people’s expectations.
We have expectations especially during this time of the year. Did you receive the presents you expected? Were you disappointed? Were your children’s expectations fulfilled? People are disappointed with Jesus because the way of life is the way of the cross. The cross means suffering and death. But, where the world sees suffering and death, we see life. We see life that is joyful and life that is eternal.
The way to eternal life is not an easy way. This way pierces us just as it did Mary. The way that leads to eternal life involves discipleship.
We become disciples of Jesus in Baptism. In Baptism, we are united with Jesus and his life, death, and resurrection. Jesus’ life that is opposed by the world becomes our life also. The sinful course of our Old Adam of earthly power, wisdom, and money is drowned and we are raised from the baptismal waters following Jesus, the Way that leads to eternal life. Following Jesus involves taking up our crosses, suffering loss of friends and family, enduring pain, and finally death all leading to eternal life. We do not choose our crosses but Jesus gives them to us so that we, his disciples, become disciplined.
Why would Jesus discipline us? When we suffer and endure pain, loss, and sickness, our thoughts of pride are revealed and our excuses and hiding places exposed. We are stripped of all our false gods that we have become dependent on for temporary comfort, healing, and salvation. Suffering and the cross teach us that Jesus is all that matters. Only Jesus can bind up our wounds and heal us. Jesus knows what we need.
Infant Jesus is no longer in the Temple cradled in the arms of ancient Simeon. Jesus is the Temple that was destroyed and resurrected in three days. Now, Jesus is cradled to us in words, water, bread, and wine. Jesus is cradled in Word and Sacrament. Jesus is cradled in our hearts. Jesus cradles us on the way of eternal life. Amen.
