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Epiphany 4 / Presentation of Our Lord, 02/02/2014
Sermon on Luke 2:22-40, by Brad Everett
Luke's gospel records four songs of praise-all of which are used in various worship services in our liturgy; all of which point us to Jesus.
The first is Mary's song (Lk. 1:46-55), often referred to as the Magnificat, which she sang after her cousin Elizabeth greeted her as "the mother of my Lord". This was after the angel Gabriel's visit to Mary in Galilee when he told her she would be mother to the Son of God. This hymn is found in the early evening service Vespers and serves as a song of thanksgiving for all God has provided throughout the day and into the evening.
The second is Zechariah's song (Lk. 1.68-70), which he sang upon the birth of his son, John the Baptist. This hymn of praise is sung at the morning service of Matins, comparing the coming of Jesus to the dawn; reminding us of the good news of what our Lord has accomplished for us and of the message we are called to share.
The third is the song of the heavenly host at Jesus' birth, which is sung as part of the liturgy in the service of Holy Communion.
The fourth and final song in Luke's gospel is the Song of Simeon, also referred to as the Nunc Dimittis, found in today's gospel lesson, which the old man sang upon seeing the infant Jesus and by the power of the Spirit recognizing him as the one sent by God. This hymn is sung at the conclusion of the nighttime service of Compline and asks for God's peace at the close of the day as well as calls to our remembrance the promise of his light of salvation given to us in Christ Jesus.
It's this mention of Jesus as "the light to reveal God unto the nations" that led to this day not just being known as the feast of the Presentation of Our Lord but also as Candlemas-the occasion for a congregation to bless the candles that will be used for the coming year.
The importance of Candlemas has diminished over the years, in large part because we no longer live in a time when candles are the main, if not only, source of light for homes and churches. Thanks to electricity darkness is no longer seen as a problem-but of course it is. Because while the candles may no longer be needed to push back the darkness so we can see our hymnals, we continue to need the light which they remind us of and point us toward-the light of Christ.
We need the light of Christ for our own sakes and for the sake of the world, because as has been the case since the Fall, humanity is living in dark times. There is a tendency among some to spend time and energy arguing as to why the world is a darker place today than ever before but really, such an exercise is useless because (at the risk of stating the obvious) sin is sin and dark is dark and what causes it matters less than the one Who brings light.
Simeon's song reminds us that the revelation of God in Jesus Christ is the source of the light for our world. This light is totally and completely a gift from God. We can't manufacture, invent or create this light for ourselves-and by this I mean that all plans, programs and processes we might come up with to drive back the darkness and make ourselves and the world a better place are fatally flawed-without the light of Christ.
We need this light for ourselves. "Lord now you let your servant go in peace, your word has been fulfilled", is a request for God's peace and a declaration that the one who has promised us forgiveness and salvation will keep it. This is something we need to do at the end of every day, in preparation for our last day.
There is much darkness pushing in on each of our lives. The darkness might be from without, the pressures and stresses of the world we live in. Or it might be from within, the worries, concerns, memories and regrets that assault our hearts and minds (often in the middle of the night) pushing us to leave the hope of Christ's light for the despair of the darkness.
The light of a candle is a powerful symbol for the light of Christ in our lives. The candle's flame doesn't flood our surroundings with bright light for as far as we can see. No, it provides the light we need for what is closest to us, to help us see the next step, but not 20 ahead. So long as we are in this fallen world, there will be the darkness of sin trying to push in on us, but the light of Christ keeps it at bay, keeps it from paralyzing us in one place, allowing us to move forward on the journey God has called us to as his children. The light of Christ assures us that the promises of our baptism are the true; in stark contrast to the anxious and fear-filled lies whispered to us by the dark, the light of Christ bears witness to the certainty of first and last words God has spoken over our lives-words of salvation, light and life.
The light is important not just for us as individuals but for the world. For those who don't know Jesus-his love, grace and forgiveness-they only know the darkness. Now of course for many of these people, they probably wouldn't admit to this-in part because if darkness is all you have ever known, you assume that's all there is. But there are also those who by the grace of God recognize that something is not right, but don't know what else there is or what else to do. That's where each of us as bearers of the light of Christ, and the church as the body of Christ come in. In the midst of great darkness even a small light is noticeable-and a group of lights together even more so. For anyone looking for it, the light of Jesus stands out as a beacon of hope. Of course there will always be those who prefer the darkness to the light, but that should in no way deter us from letting the light of Christ shine in our lives.
As disciples of Jesus we are called follow where God is leading us and let the light of Christ, the revelation of God's mercy to the world, shine in and through us. As we confess our faith and place our trust in the love and mercy of Christ, we are bold to share and shine the light of Christ in all we do and say, trusting that those who are looking will see it and come to know He who Scripture calls the light of the world.
A simple candle can serve to remind us of these promises of Christ and the truth of his presence with us and in the world. Thus we ask God's blessing on the candles today, that the light they produce in the days ahead will serve to encourage us to faithfully hold to and bear witness to the light of Jesus Christ for our sakes and the sake of the world.