First Sunday of Christmas | 29 December 2024 | A Sermon on Luke 2:22-40 | by the Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel |

Luke 2:22-40 English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles

And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.²⁷ And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, ²⁸ he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, ²⁹ “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; ³⁰ for my eyes have seen your salvation ³¹ that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, ³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” ³³ And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ 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 ³⁵ (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” ³⁶ And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ³⁷ and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸ And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. ³⁹ And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Sermon Title: “Everything According to the Law of the Lord!”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

     St. Luke writes at the end of this passage that is our gospel text for this first Sunday after Christmas, “And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord…” And that pretty much sums up this gospel lesson.  St. Luke, the Gentile evangelist; St. Luke, who is himself, not a Jew, not a follower of Jewish customs or requirements, in his gospel intended to proclaim the good news to other Gentiles, as he wanted them—and us Gentiles today to know that this child, and his parents, this holy family—though filled with the divine presence, in Jesus, are still also a human family, who fulfilled all righteousness, finished everything required by the law of the Lord of any faithful human family, and neglected nothing that God had commanded of human families from the time that God created and established this most basic human community—the human family.  And we have to ask, why was this so important to Mary and Joseph, and then to St. Luke—that he wants us to know about the faithful obedience of this family?  And why, on the Sunday after Christmas, is this the appointed reading?

     The fact is, we share this lesson with our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters, who traditionally refer to this Sunday as the Festival of the Holy Family.  We Lutherans have tended to focus, not so much on the Holy Family, but on the presentation of Jesus in the temple, and the experience of Simeon and Anna, who proclaim that Jesus is indeed, the fulfillment of prophecy, the light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of God’s people, Israel.  And while focusing on the presentation is not a misuse of this account— it’s only one part of this visit to the temple in Jerusalem.  Yes, it’s important to hear the witness of Simeon and Anna—but they would not have been witnesses to this Messianic child, if Mary and Joseph had not been faithful parents, bringing their child to the temple, as required by the law, in the first place.  Which is why, in the Roman Catholic tradition, the primary focus is on the faith of the family—the obedience of Mary and Joseph, and Jesus, in fulfillment of God’s commands.  Which is valuable for us, today, as well.  Valuable, for us, in a world where families are under-fire constantly, to give in to the culture first, while putting God’s commands second.  Valuable for us, in a society which is anything BUT Christian, and where parents and children are under constant pressure to conform to the ways of the world, to fit in to the dominant culture of secularism, to water-down our faith and obedience so that we don’t appear to be fanatical about our Christianity.  It seems that the example of the faith and obedience of the Holy Family, which is also a completely human family, is critically important for us to see and to acknowledge—to strengthen us in our own families and to remind us that Jesus’ birth didn’t end God’s law, but frees us to live for His law, joyfully, committed, ourselves, to doing everything that the Lord requires of us!  And, according to the example of the Holy Family, what is required of us?

     First and foremost, we are to offer our children to God.  That’s why this Sunday is also known as “the Presentation”.  It marks Mary and Joseph, presenting their child to the Lord God.  According to Mosaic law, every firstborn male was required to be dedicated to the Lord as holy—as consecrated to the Lord.  And is that not an appropriate commandment for every parent, and every child?  We would view our children differently, and treat them differently, if we truly understood that we have presented them to be God’s own, consecrated them to God, and then received them back, so that God is their Father, and we are simply foster parents.  If we truly thought of our children as God’s, on loan to us—who would ever raise a hand against God’s daughter or son, in anger, or frustration?  Who wouldn’t think twice in every decision, every word of guidance, every opportunity we have for loving and challenging and strengthening this child, that God has entrusted to us?  That’s the first thing that the Holy Family models for us.

     The second is that when God entrusts children to us, we must continually give thanks for them, and live lives of repentance and forgiveness.  When presenting a child to the Lord in the temple, the traditional offering, if you could afford it, was an unblemished lamb, to serve both as a sacrifice of adoration and thanksgiving and as an offering for sin.  Mary and Joseph, members of the working poor, could only afford the smallest offering, two turtledoves or pigeons.  Though Jesus’ parents were of modest means, still, they fulfilled what the law required—they made an offering of thanks and praise to God, and an offering to atone for sin, to receive forgiveness.  And who among us remembers to give thanks and praise to God, regularly, for our children?  And who among us doesn’t need to be reminded to fill our homes and our lives with repentance and forgiveness?  Parents and children, in accordance with God the Father’s will, are to come faithfully to the church, our temple, where together, they can confess their sins to God and by the blood of Jesus, receive full and complete forgiveness—that restores hope and joy and peace, in the household.  Parents and children, in accordance with the Father God’s will are to make it a regular practice to repent of harsh words, unkind actions, and disobedient behavior, asking one another for forgiveness.  And that means parents being prepared to admit wrongs they may have committed, asking children for forgiveness, as well as children doing the same. Obviously, Mary and Joseph were concerned that, as parents, they receive God’s absolution—and the same is to be true for all of us—that being forgiven by God, leads us to repentance and forgiveness in our homes, our family relationships, in all our relationships.  And that means parents and children, repenting and asking one another, for forgiveness.  So, the second thing we learn from the Holy Family is to give God thanks and praise for the gift, of all children, and to be concerned to live lives of repentance and forgiveness.

     Finally, what we learn from the example of Mary, Joseph and Jesus, is that it is our privilege, to live in accordance with the law of the Lord—it is our joy, to try to fulfill everything that the Lord has commanded us.  Sadly, if there is one thing Christians do not understand—it’s the proper relation between the Gospel and God’s Law.  If you ask most Christians about it, their answer will be something like, “Because we are saved by God’s grace, it doesn’t matter what we do, or don’t do in life.”  Which basically is a cop-out, because what that means is that I can do whatever I want.  And before we adults nod our heads yes, and point our fingers at our disobedient children, we adults might want to turn our accusing fingers at ourselves!  Because it’s we adults, who often choose not to keep the commandment to “remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy”, neglecting the Sunday gathering of believers, as described in Hebrews.  It’s we parents who are not raising our children in the covenant of their baptism, bringing them to the services of Gods house, teaching them the Lord’s Prayer, the Creeds and the Ten Commandments. It’s we adults who sometimes fail to set a proper example—in thought, word and deed, telling the children, “Do as I say, not as I do.”

     The good news is, indeed, that we are not saved by what we do or fail to do.  But it’s this good news, that we are saved by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus and not by works, that frees us to want to fulfill everything that the Lord has commanded us!  It’s the good news that frees us FOR, the commandments of God.  Frees us for, obedience.  Frees us for, holiness, purity, chastity.  Frees us for honesty, and integrity.  Frees us for, repentance and forgiveness.  Frees us for Sunday worship and reading the Word and living lives of prayer.  The good news doesn’t excuse us from the will of God—and certainly doesn’t free us to follow our own will.  The good news sets us free from the burden of having to earn our own salvation—and sets us free to live, totally for God, with every breath we breathe, every choice we make, every step we take.  Knowing that we are not—Jesus, son of God and son of Man.  Knowing that our family is not, the Holy Family.  But also knowing, that our human families—that we, adults and children, seek to follow the example, of Mary, Joseph and Jesus—that we may indeed seek, by the grace of God, freed by the Gospel, to be faithful—as we seek to fulfill all that the law of the Lord requires of us—that the favor of God may also, be upon us!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

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©David M. Wendel

   d.wendel@grace43081.org

   Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Westerville, Ohio US