FINDING OUR OWN CHRISTMAS VOICE 4Th Sunday in Advent

FINDING OUR OWN CHRISTMAS VOICE4th Sunday in Advent

Bob Reid, Scholar-in-Residence at UPPC

Simeon’s ProphecyLuke 2:21-35

{21} A1After eight days had passed,

it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus,

the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

{22} 2aWhen 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} b(as it is written in the law of the Lord,

b’“Every firstborn male

shall be designated as holy to the Lord”),

{24} a’and they offered a sacrifice

according to what is stated in the law of the Lord,

“a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

{25} B1Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;

this man was righteous and devout,

looking forward to the consolation of Israel,

and the Holy Spirit rested on him.

{26} 2It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit

that he would not see death

before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

{27} 1’Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple;

2’and when the parents brought in the child Jesus,

to do for him what was customary under the law,

{28} Simeon took him in his arms and praised God,

{29} B’saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,

according to your word;

{30} for my eyes have seen your salvation,

{31} which 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} A’1And the child’s father and mother were amazed

at what was being said about him.

{34} 2Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary,

a“This child is destined for the falling

and the rising of many in Israel,

band to be a sign that will be opposed

{35} b’so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed--

a’and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

IHow December 25th became the birth of Christ? The Secret of Luke 2:21

A.History: Fixing the date?

1.There is no evidence of the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity (Christmas) in December before the fourth century.

2.Prior to that the feast was celebrated on January 6th

3.The earliest reference to choosing December 25th as the date is in a document dated 354 which cites awareness that the celebration may have been held in Rome as early as 336. The Antioch church does not take up the celebration until 375.

4.By the middle of the 5th century it was gradually being adopted as a deast day of the church throughout Western Christendom.

B. The influence of the Roman Saturnalius at the end of the year.

1.The Roman Saturnalia, which began in the middle of December and was celebrated until the first of the new year was a celebration of the God (Saturn/ [Greek] Chronos) and his control of the seasons and agriculture. The festival was characterized with the exchange of presents and great celebrations- many of which could become occasions for excess and drink. Even slaves were released from customary restraints and permitted to become inebriated (i.e., enjoy the fruit of the “distilled” harvest) during this festival.

2.The early church was aware that this celebration represented a particular lure for many of its recent converts to fall back into the pagan lifestyle and worship of pagan gods. Church fathers, who never tired of denouncing this festivity, directed that January first be declared a day of fasting and humiliation for the sins of the heathen.

3.This fast day (which was a day of purification) became associated with the Feast/fast of Purification and the Feast of the Circumcision, which Luke collapses together at the outset of this story.

C.Once the celebration of Jesus Circumcision as a Feast Day (the Octave of the Nativity) was fixed in the Church as a January 1st observance of repentance, purification, and a rejection of sin (Hence New Year’s Resolutions to do better), one need only count the days back according to verse 21 to discover how we arrived at the present date of Christmas.

IIPlacing Simeon’s story in its Lukan context

*The story of Jesus at the temple is extra

IIIExploring Simeon’s prayers of Blessing

AHe was a righteous man and devout who was looking for “the consolation of Israel”-- the fulfillment of Jewish messianic hope for the salvation of Israel.

1.He lived for the promise that he would not die before seeing this hope in the flesh.

2.Guided by the Spirit, he enters the Women’s court of the Temple where cicumsions were performed and children were presented in the rite of Purification after childbirth (Luke has combined these two seperate observances).

3.He sees in the child what others around have not fully grasped: this is the one who is to come.

4.Two sayings:

1st the Consolatory Blessing of the Nunc Dimittis and

2nd, the blessing of the child’s parents

B.History: The Nunc Dimittis derives its name from the first two words in the Latin version of Simeon’s Blessing on the child. It is

1.a statement of acceptance of God’s provision, that one is willing to give the day over to accepting that God has, in Christ, provided the final consolation that vindicates the life of faith every day.

2.As such it has been used as an evening canticle of prayer in the worship of Christian churches since the 4th century.

C.Group Work: Discovering the OT background of the Nunc Dimittis: Images that capture the central place of messianic expectation:salvationand light

1.Explore the image of “salvation” from Isaiah 52:10 as Messianic expectation

2.What are the 2 ways Simeon sees the promise of “light” from Isaiah (42:6 and 49:6) in this Blessing?

Key: What is the point of noting such connections? Do you see any ‘So what’s?’

D.Group Work: Discovering the OT background/images of the 2nd blessing:

1.Falling, Rising, and Opposition in the “stumbing stone:” All of Israel will either stumble of accept as foundational this “stone”; see Psalm 118:21-25 and Luke 20:17-18. How important is the Prophecy Of “revealin inner thoughts” in Jesus’ ministry?

2.The promise of suffering to be experienced by Mary: A popular image the deep suffering; see Ezekial 14:17.

Key: What is the point of noting such connections? Do you see any ‘So what’s?’

Report out Observations and/or conclusions

IV.Salvaging Christmas meanings

A.How do the model responses of Simeon and Anna provide models for appropriate responses to the birth of Christ today?

B.What Kind of Blessings can we write for Christmas: Keeping a Simeon Nunc Dimittis prayer/poetry record of our Christmas Conslolations in Christ.

C.For Simeon and Anna it was enough to Have and Express hope in God’s faithfulness. This Christmas, what is Enough Consolation in Christ for you?

Examples from A Widening Light: Poems of the Incarnation