Christmas 1, 2018
Luke 2:22-40
"Depart in Peace"
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Simeon and Anna were two faithful believers of the true God. While we don't know the age of Simeon...we do know that he was awaiting his death. Scripture says that Simeon was righteous and devout and was filled with God's Spirit. On the other hand Scripture records that Anna was advanced in years. She had been widowed quite young and was found worshipping in the temple day and night giving thanks to God. It is said that Simeon was awaiting the consolation of Israel and Anna was awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. In truth they were waiting for the same thing. They were waiting for the Messiah to be born and save their people.
I'm sure that we have all known our share of "Simeons" and "Annas." There are many wonderful people that are ready for their Lord to call them to their eternal rest. Often these men and women are pillars of the faith. Often they have kept the faith even as they have suffered from many hardships and tragedies. We often feel sorry for them and don't know what to say to them. There is no sin in waiting for the Lord's eternal rest. There is no sin in waiting for the consolation of this world and the redemption of all believers.
Surely even we know the feeling of wanting our Lord to return. There is much that we have become frustrated with. There are times we feel burdened. Often we feel weary. This life is tough. This life is filled with tragedy and heartbreak. We have lost loved ones at all too young an age. We have seen friends and family suffer from sickness and disease. We have loved ones that have lost the faith...and we would do anything for them to believe in Christ again. Over and over again we see the suffering of this world and we endure the suffering of this world due to sin. Yes, we are ready for a new heaven and new earth. Yes, we are ready for our Lord to return. Yes, we are ready to live without sickness or disease, or heartache, or tragedy. We are ready for Christ. We are ready for His peace!
But where is this to be found? With all the problems in this world we wonder if we can take it anymore? We question why bad things happen...especially to good people. We can't take the true injustice of this world anymore. Will there ever be an end to war? Will people start caring for one another? Help one another? Love one another? Will families be reunited...or will they continue to tear apart? Something's got to give! Where is the consolation of God's people now? Where is the redemption of our sin?
Listen again to our Gospel lesson...specifically about Simeon. "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. 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. 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, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:25-32)
Do these words sound familiar to you?...well they should! We sing the Song of Simeon nearly every Sunday. We will be singing these in just a few moments. We know the Song of Simeon as the Nunc Dimittis, it’s Latin title, which means “now, let depart.” These words were first spoken by Simeon immediately after God’s promise of seeing the Christ came true. So why do we sing these words?
Just as God promised Simeon that he would see his Lord before death...our Lord promises to be with us until the very end of the age. Christ Jesus is with us always...even when we don't think we can see him. Yet we do see our Lord. We see Him every Sunday. Ever since the Ascension of the risen Lord Jesus into heaven, the church has celebrated the Lord’s Supper, in which the Lord Jesus comes to us with his life-giving body and blood. In a sense, it can be said that Simeon was the first person who went to the temple because “Jesus comes.” The Spirit led Simeon to the temple. The same Holy Spirit gathers us to this place.
The Nunc Dimittis is a reminder to us all of what Jesus has and continues to do for us. Why do we sing Simeon’s Nunc Dimittis today? We do so because it is not only Simeon’s song. It is also our song. It is the church’s song—the entire church’s song. Since the sixteenth century the Nunc Dimittis has been sung in many Lutheran churches immediately following the reception of the body and the blood of our Lord in the Liturgy of Holy Communion. What makes this seemingly simple song so profound is the time and place in which it is sung. Like Simeon, we have held the body of the incarnate Son of God in our hands. The Holy Spirit enabled Simeon to recognize that the baby hidden in humble flesh and carried in Mary’s arms was the Lord, the Creator and Redeemer of the world. The Holy Spirit has enlightened your eyes to recognize the Savior of the world hidden in humble bread and wine.
Why do we sing the Nunc Dimittis? Just as Simeon sang these words thanking God that He would finally be able to depart in peace...we sing these words because the Lord lets us depart in that same peace. Here in this place our Lord is found giving us what we so desperately need: love, forgiveness, strength, salvation, peace. We are given peace from this hectic world; we are given peace from sin and death, we are given peace from tragedy and heartbreak; we are given true peace in the body and blood given and shed on the cross for you.
True peace is found only in Christ. Christ is here, right now, for you. Here is His peace. Here is our salvation. This is the place where God comes to His people and raises them up to heaven as we worship with all the saints. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ remember these words: "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." (Genesis 28:17) This place is truly awesome. This place is the house of God and the gate to heaven. This place is where our Lord is found in with and under the bread and wine. Come to the Lord's table this day. Receive forgiveness and strength and depart in our Lord's peace. Amen.
Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.
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