Luke 2:21-35
Matthew 9:35-37
“Love Grows”
After I was born, my parents brought me to church for a special ceremony of infant dedication. Our family attended a Baptist Church at that time, so I wasn’t baptized until I was old enough to decide for myself, but I expect that my dedication felt quite similar for my parents who brought me there to be blessed and prayed for, and for the congregation as they welcomed the newest member of their community with joy and love.
I don’t know the date when that happened (likely some time in the Fall of 1974) and I don’t remember what it felt like either. I suppose that’s similar to Jesus’ experience of going up to the Temple when he was only eight days old. There’s a blessing in that, because Jesus was also circumcised on that day, which is probably not something you want to remember! But neither would he remember what it felt like when his parents put him into Simeon’s arms or the look of joy and love that spread across the old man’s face when he looked at the child.
But even if most people cannot recall specific memories from earlier than age 3 or 4, research shows that positive or negative early childhood experiences do affect people in a lasting way. Our social, emotional, and mental health and well-being are impacted by what happened to us when we were small, even if we can’t remember the events.
I watched a movie about Jesus’ mother Mary a few weeks ago. I won’t recommend it to you though, because it was full of biblical inaccuracies and strange interpretations of the biblical story that I found troubling. One of the scenes in the movie was today’s story about the presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the encounter with Simeon.
I had to press pause on the movie and check the text after I watched that scene because I was distressed that they had left out the most important part. You see, they had noticed that Simeon was a kind of prophet, and they included his words of warning to Mary. He said, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Nick’s comment was that the movie version of Simeon had just pronounced a curse on the Holy Family rather than a blessing. And he was right… It sounded like a curse because they had only included the difficult parts of the prophecy, and they left out the hope and promise.
Imagine teaching about baptism, and only talking about it as taking up your cross and following Christ, or “dying with Christ” without the hope of rising again with him. Or conducting a baptism, and leaving out the prayers for the gift of the Holy Spirit, or the welcome into the family of God.
Or imagine ordaining a new minister like Taeyang, and emphasizing only how hard ministry can be, what a sacrifice it will require, and how tiring and disappointing it will be at times. Why would you skip the parts with the blessings, and the encouragement, and the joy of serving God? How could you ignore the promise of the Holy Spirit that will equip and support a minister in their work?
Guided by the Holy Spirit, Simeon somehow knew the difference that Jesus would make for his people and for all the people of the world. He knew that there would be opposition and pain and sacrifice, but he also knew that Jesus would be a blessing.
Receiving Jesus in his arms, Simeon praised God and declared that this child would be the salvation of the world, a light for the Gentiles, and glory for God’s people Israel. He was clearly filled with joy and hope for the future when he looked at this infant, and he felt a sense of peace at the end of his life, knowing that God was going to be working through Jesus to make things right.
Our Advent devotional suggests that Simeon spoke for more than himself – he spoke on behalf of all who longed for a new world. Cradling Jesus, he could see it. He spoke both prophecy and blessing.
And the devotional imagines that in his prophetic words, Mary heard her own song (the Magnificat) being affirmed, and Joseph remembered his own dream too. They both had hope that their child would grow to become the one who would turn things upside down and set them right, that he would save the people from their sins and indeed, be Emmanuel – God-with-us in the world.
Listening to Simeon’s declarations that day, even if they included the acknowledgement of pain and difficulty, must have confirmed what they were already starting to believe – that their child would be the Messiah of God.
Although the word “love” doesn’t show up in the text, there is a sense that the way Simeon holds the baby, and praises God, and talks about Jesus’ future as the Saviour is a kind of pouring out of God’s love on this child and his parents.
And even if the adult Jesus wouldn’t remember the words or the encounter itself, we can be confident that the way Jesus was loved by Simeon, and by his parents, and by his community, and yes by God as well, impacted his adult life and ministry.
The devotional puts it well: “The same love spoken over [Jesus] as a baby flowed from him as he grew, as he befriended, healed, shared, lived, and died. He saw each person for who they were, and had compassion for one and all. That love took the form of kind words, healing touch, and baskets of bread and fish. That love gave shape to his prophetic challenge of a system privileging few and disempowering many.”
Our second Gospel reading from Matthew today provides a good example of how Jesus not only embodies, but also expresses love for all. Matthew emphasizes the expansiveness of Jesus’ love by using pas, translated as “all or “every” three times in verse 35. Jesus’ healing and guidance are tangible expressions of his love.
And the verb Matthew uses when he talks about Jesus “having compassion” for the crowds of people is splagchnizomai, literally meaning to “have bowels yearn.” This compassion is a visceral feeling that gives rise to action. Jesus teaches us that love involves both feeling and doing.
As a faith community today, Jesus’ love and compassion for all can inspire us to do the same. What might be possible if we welcomed every child with the kind of love expressed by Simeon towards Jesus? And what might happen if we learned to tell each other, at every age and stage of life, that we are loved and valued and appreciated?
Could we bless and encourage one another with words like those of Simeon? “In you, God’s promises are coming true. Your hands offer food that nourishes. Your mouth speaks words that make change. Your body accompanies others, all of us journeying together. Through you, God’s love is made real in the world.”
Because it’s true. I see it in the ways that the people of our congregation generously share their gifts, and in the ways that you provide hospitality to one another and to the newcomers in our midst. I see it in the ways that you care for one another, pray for one another, and support each other through good times and difficult times.
I see it in the way that you live out your vocations as parents, teachers, friends, leaders, servers, and in so many diverse occupations. I see it in the ways that your hearts break at the suffering of the world, and in the faltering ways that we try together to respond to the needs of the world with love.
At the end of each service of worship, I always finish with words of blessing and sending. Our bulletin includes the churchy words for those things – benediction and commissioning. So I want to encourage you, each and every Sunday, to hear those words and let them sink into your heart.
I can’t pick each of you up in my arms and say it to you like Simeon said it to Jesus. But please know that you are deeply loved, graciously blessed, filled with God’s Holy Spirit, and sent out to share that love and blessing with all that you will meet.
May the same love that is spoken over you in this place flow from you in your daily life and work, as you live out your calling as children of God and disciples of Jesus.