Sermon - 2014-02-02

Simeon and Anna, daughter of Phanuel, waited all their life to see and bear witness to the Messiah. Simeon is a devout man, who has served in the temple for years.  He was a man who studied the Scriptures, who knew God’s Law and the many ways in which God had journeyed with the Chosen People of God throughout all generations.  Simeon knew these accounts and wanted to help others understand them to live them out.  He wanted others to bear witness to the way in which he was living so that others may also live out their life towards God.  Simeon, in reading the prophets of old, also knew that God was going to send to the Chosen People of God, a Messiah.  This Messiah would care for the people and return to them the glory and honor that the people had once known.

Anna is also just as devout.  However, being a woman, she would not be able to serve within the temple.  Yet, she gathered at the temple night and day to worship God.  Now this was a woman who knew heartache and the struggles of this world.  She was married to a man for only seven years.  Then he died.  From that day on, she remained a widow.  She did not seek to find another to marry. She did not want to find another man.  Instead, she lived and loved God.  For days, she went to be with God.  For months, for years, for decades, she worshiped God and remained in this holy love and presence.  She also knew of the coming of the Messiah.  

It was these two witnesses that we hear from today about the arrival of a child.  It was these two devout servants of God, who knew of God’s love and were given the gift of the Holy Spirit.  It was through the Holy Spirit that they were able to bear witness to the Messiah that day.   The Messiah, the one who the people had longed for.  He was suppose to return to them the glory and honor that they had heard about for so long from others who had gone before them.  This at long last would be given to them.  

Children are such a gift.  When we hold them for the first time, we are constantly and utterly amazed.  They are so precious.  We look upon them and we see what they could become.   There are endless possibilities that they could achieve within their life, and we put our hope for the future of the church and the world within their hands.

God reminds us that they are indeed gits.  We make it part of our worship service.  At the time of Jesus’ birth, they would do a presenting.  After the Baptism of Jesus, many Christians baptize their children.  Regardless, it is the same purpose.  They are declaring that this child was given to them and they wish to give thanks to God for this gift.  They promised to raise this child in the faith, knowing that God will lead them and guide them.  

However, as a child grows up, they choose whether or not to become someone who lives out their Baptism and faith.  Now this is not something for you, as the parent, to decide for them. God has a relationship and an impact upon them, besides the work that you are doing with your child. However, you can help them.  You can help them know who Jesus Christ is.  What he has done for them.  How God is still in relationship with them.  You can help them grow in their faith by helping them understand and wrestle with the questions that they have within life. By praying for them and putting your faith and trust in God, that God will love this child as much as you love this child.

Yet children give us another gift.  They remind you what is really important in life.  They remind you that the greatest things that we can enjoy is eating, sleeping, and above all enjoying time with one another.  Yes, your love and attention are what they are truly seeking.  When they get older, they know that they are doing well in school because we let them know.  They know how to play sports well because we teach them.  We work with them and encourage them, giving them our support.

When Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple, they are met with others who encouraged them.  They support Mary and Joseph who are not raising just a child, but the Messiah. It will not be easy, because this child shall find a lot of opposition in this world.  There are times in which they will want to protect him, but he must face them himself.  Yes, Jesus was born as a human.  To live and dwell among us.  He learned the heartaches of this world, what it means to feel pain, feel hunger, and even the death of a loved one.  He knows our heartaches as well.  However, Jesus learned about them and did something about them.  For no longer would our flaws, mistakes, and shortcomings separate us from God’s presence.  

Yes, God shows up in the most unlikely of places giving us gifts that we do not realize that we need.  For when many heard that the Messiah would come, they immediately thought that they would receive their reward here in this world.  That they would experience and enjoy the riches, glory, and honor of this world.  However, God gives us so much more than that.  God gives us the gift of his presence.  The very thing that we enjoyed from our  creation.  This was the gift that the Messiah would bring.  A right relationship for us to enjoy once again with our Creator and Sustainer.  That we would know fully of God’s love for us and we could enjoy this life that God had given to us in the way in which God wanted us to enjoy it.  Loving God and living in God’s presence.  

Now go, live out this gift and share it with others.  Amen.