Presentation of Jesus in the Temple Luke 2:22-40

Presentation of Christ in the Temple Luke 2

 Luke 2 :22-40

CS Lewis said, "  Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny."

Simeon was such a man.  The Gospel of Luke says that he was a " man in Jerusalem" " and the same was just and devout waiting for the consolation of Israel" 2:25  ( that is he was looking for the Messiah-Matthew Henry notes)

Jesus was presented in the temple by Joseph and Mary.  This was done after circumcision ( 8 days) at 40 days.  Leviticus 12 tells us about the woman & the duty of all believers and their families for purification being done 33 days after the 7 days of uncleaness .  So this was being done as Mary was offering for "her purifying" bringing a lamb .  Being poor Mary and Joseph were allowed to bring something else, Luke records " two turtledoves or two young pigeons" 2: 24

" Just and devout"  ----just means righteous & devout literally means " taking hold well"

Someone said that the sun shining hardens brick and melts butter.  Our hearts are either hardened in opposition to Christ , His Word and His Church by trials or they melt before them in following Christ.  Simeon we do not know how old even though it looked as though in his words " Lord now let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation" as he took Jesus up into his arms , he was ready now to die.

But he was " just" and " devout" as we should also be in going through our difficulties, waiting and trials of our lives.

Simeon said that the child is " set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel ....that the thoughts of many hearts shall be revealed." 2:34

Why is this season called Candlemas in some traditions?  It marks the mid point of winter according to one source I found about British customs.  It was known as the " Festival of Lights", and candles in the church were blessed marking Jesus as the "Light of the World".  Luke says " a light to lighten the Gentiles" 2:32  Some of the other traditions I found interesting as well: " Many Orthodox Christians celebrate this event by bringing beeswax candles to their local church and requesting for these candles to be blessed to be used in the church or at home. Some Christians observe the practice of leaving Christmas decorations up until Candlemas."  ( www.timeanddate.com)  Also a German proverb tells how Groundhog Day , today and Candlemas are linked:"  The badger peeps out of his hole on Candlemas Day, and if he finds snow, walks abroad; but if he sees the sun shining he draws back into his hole."

" And the Spirit was upon him" 2:25 Luke and this means continually with the verb tense.  He came into the temple Luke says in vs . 27 and had a special sensitivity to the Spirit to be led like that.

These are all the characteristics of someone whom we can confide in and trust.  Having a just and devout life with being led by the Spirit.  All of us needs friends and counselors to help us.  Of course Jesus is that for us.  Just as Simeon waited for Jesus we too should wait for the things and people that Jesus puts in our path.  It is not easy to wait, and I think it is a hardship but this makes us better people.

These made me think of mentors in my life.  " Mentor has been adopted in English as a term meaning someone who imparts wisdom to and shares knowledge with a less experienced colleague."  in Wikipedia.  Mentors are those who share "spiritual kinship" with us and encourage us to be better people in how we follow our Lord .  Some people help us as Simeon said to rise in the sight of the Lord; others do not.  That reminds me of Spurgeon the Baptist in England who in talking to the seminary students in England told them that in " speaking of heaven their faces should light up; but in speaking of hell their ordinary faces will do."

One of my mentors that I shared in the bulletin front was the pastor of a church in Monterey, California.  He looked like the knight in the Indiana Jones movie who said in choosing the right ordinary chalice, " You have chosen wisely", and he carried an aura of spirituality that always made me feel God in his presence.  I still remember the first Sunday we visited ST . John's in a September morning prayer and they were singing the  lovely English hymn ... (   " All Things Bright and Beautiful"   by William Henry Monk who also wrote " Abide with Me"      ) about God and His creation and the beauty of it and the animals.  To top it off the sun was shining right through the stained glass windows.  I felt all the wonderful part of the  tradition that I had once known in seminary and some parishes I had attended and right there I said to myself and later to my family, " this is the way we ought to worship."  Do you have someone like that who can help you feel God's presence in your life and His beauty and His love?

" All Things Bright and Beautiful...all Creatures Great and small...all things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all." Mrs. C.F. Alexander

It seems some people help us rise in the salvation that we have in Christ and some do not.  We can call them soul friends or spiritual mentors.  The Irish called them anamchara.  In his book Mentoring Edward C. Sellner lists several attributes of a soul friend--maturity, compassion (" the ability to hear what another is attempting to put into words, the ability to understand without judging, the ability to be with another in pain"), respect for others ( their stories and their times of anguish and of joy), the ability to keep things confidential, the ability to share parts of one's own journey when appropriate, and lastly one who is able to reflect on personal questions and experiences in relationship to God.

" Lord  ( Simeon said) you are now setting your bondslave free or literally releasing him "  We all need to be freed from our sin to serve God and others.  Only Jesus who perfectly keeps all of the commandments we cannot keep does that for us when we trust in Him for salvation.   For Jesus has come for the rise and fall of many, some are still in bondage to their sin because they are trying to enter heaven by their good works.  This is not possible.  Only the child can set us free.  " by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight" Romans 3:19

John Bunyan said in The Doctrine of Law & Grace Unfolded  :

" For friends let me tell you though you can now content yourselves without the only harmless , undefiled, perfect righteousness of Christ; yet there is a day coming, in which there is not one of you shall be saved, but those that are and shall be found clothed with that righteousness.  God will say to the rest, " Take them, bind them hand and foot and cast them into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Mt 22:13

But Simeon said , " Mine eyes have seen thy salvation"