Christmas 1

Luke 2:25-32 - Christmas One - December 28, 2014
The Peace of Christmas

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Every Christmas we celebrate the Incarnation of the Son of God.  The word to incarnate simply means to take on flesh and blood.  That’s what God did.  The almighty creator and sustainer of the universe became a Man, born a little Baby to the Virgin Mary, upon whom He relied for His sustenance.  We accept this wonderful mystery in simple faith, because God’s Word clearly teaches it.  Christmas is very readily and joyfully celebrated because God is here presented to man in such a gentle and peaceful manner.  Who could despise this little Baby?  He lies in a manger as a harmless Child surrounded by lowly and gentle barnyard animals.  It is truly a very peaceful way for God to present Himself to us. 

And of course, one can hardly think of Christmas without the song of the angels: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”  This adds to, and in fact establishes, the peaceful atmosphere of Christmas that we all know so well.  Simeon knew this peace very well too.  No, he wasn’t there when the angels appeared to the shepherds singing their beautiful message of goodwill toward men.  But this peace was no less familiar to him because of it.  

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the promised Messiah.  Simeon was well prepared to finish the sermon that the angels started.  “God is most glorified on high,” the angels preached, “when He establishes peace on earth, when He reconciles God and sinners, and when through the Gospel message he shows us His goodwill.”  That’s what the angels preached.  And now there stood Simeon with the very Prince of Peace in his arms.  What other blessing could he possibly speak upon his infant Savior than to confess that he may now die in peace according to the Word of God?  The words that Mary and Joseph marveled at were the words of the Nunc Dimittis, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word.”

Simeon understood the true meaning of Christmas very well, and he serves as a beautiful example for us of what it means to apply the message of the angels to ourselves.  But then his blessing takes sort of a strange and ominous turn.  He turned and said to Mary, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”  Simeon foretells of this little Baby’s death.  This little Child would be despised and rejected by those to whom He was sent, and suffer and die a terrible and shameful death at their hands.   “The one who gives peace to me will cause great sorrow for you.  But in order for him to bring peace to you as well, you must know this.  You must be prepared for the fact that he will be rejected, and that which brings joy to you will be mocked. You must not be scandalized by this.” 

And why?  Because his rejection will serve a great purpose.  His death will pay for the sins of the world.  By this violent death, all sinners, including Mary herself, are given hope of dying at peace with their God.   Simeon was a just and devout man.  He was just.  This means that he believed that his righteousness was not found in himself, but in Christ.  He was devout.  This means that he heard the word of God and believed it.  What was difficult for him to say to Mary, was nonetheless his own consolation.  It was the culmination and fulfillment of all Scripture.  As such, it brought him joy to preach it, even as he knew that it was what Mary needed to hear for her own comfort as well.  Her Child was her Savior.  And yet, although it gave Mary yet something more to ponder in her heart, it was necessary to prepare her for what every prophet had to endure – rejection. 

Jesus was appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel.  St. Paul quotes Isaiah 8 when he says of Jesus, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”  The actual words of Isaiah teach this exact thing, but instead of saying that those who believe will not be put to shame, Isaiah writes that Christ “will be as a sanctuary.”  How fitting.  Mary and Joseph had brought Jesus to the sanctuary of the Temple.  They did so to perform everything according to the law of the Lord.  But what they would need to learn was to find their Sanctuary in Jesus himself, since he fulfills the law in their place.  And this is a lesson for us when the gospel is rejected, we flee to Christ for refuge.  And in the wounds of him whom the world rejects, we will not be put to shame. 

It is easy for people to talk about peace – especially around Christmas time.  Often the message of the little Baby in Bethlehem is turned into a celebration of feelings – the feeling of peace that people of goodwill have toward one another.  Who wouldn’t love Christmas?  And who would be offended by this Baby?  Jesus came to bring peace on earth in mercy mild. 

But this little Lord Jesus is the very obstacle that sinners cannot overcome, because it uncovers the façade.  It reveals the war and enmity that lurks in every heart. 

“Behold, this Child is appointed … for a sign that is spoken against so that the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed.” 

This sign is the crucifixion of Jesus.  It offends.  For the self-righteous who do not look to Christ’s death as the token and guarantee of a peaceful death for themselves, the cross of Christ is nothing but a sign to speak against, a sign to oppose.  

And why?  Because the cross teaches that they have no life apart from Jesus’ death.  That’s why.  People do not like to be told that their status before God depends entirely on their relationship with Jesus.  To teach that no one can find eternal life except through faith in the obedience and suffering of Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, is to teach that all their works and religious thoughts are vain and useless before God.  And so in unbelief, they tear down the Temple of Christ, and so take part in his execution through the judgment of their own futile thoughts.   But the thoughts of such hearts are revealed for what they are.  The very Savior who came to save them from their sin and give sanctuary and safety to sinners becomes for them a cause to fall. 

But for us who confess our sins we find in Christ forgiveness.  For us who recognize the warfare that exists between sinners and God, we find in Christ our peace.  For us who are loaded down by guilt and the weight of sin’s burden and confess to God our need for Jesus to free us, this Christ was appointed for our rising.  He serves as our sanctuary.  He who rose the third day remains our Temple.  And so it is to the Temple we flee. 

What thoughts are in your heart?  They are revealed to God.  Sure, you see sin.  You see regrets.  You see resolutions broken and you see the cause to be your own fault.  These painful thoughts that we can’t shake off, we lay on Jesus.  And He takes them.  For this reason He was born.  For this reason He comes to us in such a lowly and unthreatening way.  He comes to forgive us – to raise us up and give us confidence and faith that we are God’s true children just as He promised when He baptized us.  

But there is another pain that we still feel.  It is a pain that Mary felt when she saw her Son rejected as the Savior.  The sword that pierced Mary’s soul pierces the soul of the Church as well.  It hurts to see others despise what we love, and refuse to find refuge in Christ our sanctuary. It hurts to see people so unwilling to find refuge in him who lived and died by hearing his word.  The enemies of the Church whose assaults we must withstand are the very ones whom Jesus died to save.  They are most often those who once learned the gospel, like Israel, but have since abandoned the pure word of God for false opinions and worldly honor.  It is therefore very painful to see what is the most precious thing on earth discarded by so many people as useless, especially by those we love.  

It hurt Mary.  But Simeon had warned her.  And so we are warned too. Simeon and the prophets made it clear that Jesus would cause so much offense.  He was appointed to be a sign that is opposed.  It causes us pain and sadness to see the Gospel spoken against.  But our joy in the gospel is in spite of this pain.  It does not take away our joy, because the world’s rejection of Jesus is not a sign that we are spoken against or opposed by God.  It is a sign that we are spoken against by the world, just as Christ was.  Jesus never grew bitter against those who persecuted Him, but prayed for their repentance.  And so do we.  The pain that Mary had felt, the pain that the Church must go through does not indicate that God is displeased with us no matter how much we must suffer because of Christ.  On the contrary, it confirms his what he said. 

We don’t synthesize the joy of Christmas.  We don’t base this season on how it makes us feel.  That would be a bad idea.  The joy of the gospel is an objective reality.  Its source is not to be found in our hearts or even in our lives.  And sometimes we won’t even feel this joy very strongly, especially as we see our sin rise up against us, and our consciences accuse us.   But we do not look for the joy of the gospel where our lives and hearts are littered by our own sin.  We look for the joy of the gospel in Jesus.  The gospel’s joy is an objective reality because the peace with God in which we rejoice is an objective reality.  The angels sang at Jesus’ birth, “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.”   

During this Christmas season we learn, like Simeon did, to apply this Christmas peace to our own lives.  And we encourage one another, like Simeon did for Mary, that in the midst of soul-piercing sorrow, there is your God who cares for you.  We find this peace in the life and death of Jesus who was born a little Baby in Bethlehem.  He is your sanctuary.  This is the Incarnation that we celebrate at Christmas time.  The Son of God took on human flesh and blood so that He could willingly give His body to be beaten and pierced, and His blood to be shed for us, so that He could take upon Himself all of God’s wrath against ours and the whole world’s sin.  Jesus Christ our blessed Savior turned away God’s wrath forever.  This is peace.  If God is no longer angry at sin, we have peace – there is no more war. 

Peace in the world is often no more than the absence of fighting as we await the next war.  But peace with God is much more than a ceasefire.  It includes with it God’s eternal good favor, life forever in heaven, and unspeakable joy that can never be taken away from us.  All of this is given to us when God speaks peace by forgiving us our sin. 

Because all of this is freely given to us, we also can say with Simeon these words which we consider more fully this coming Wednesday evening, “Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace according to Your word.  For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all people: a Light to lighten the gentiles (that’s us), and the glory of Your people Israel.”  We usually say these words when departing in peace from the Lord’s Supper.  Simeon said these words when departing in peace from life on earth.  There is no difference.  In both instances we approach the living God who is our refuge and strength.  His peace is objective and it prepares us for everything.  It belongs to us because Jesus won it for us and gives it to us.  With this peace comes both heaven, with all its glories when we finally leave this earthly life, and also the strength and confidence in God to keep living this earthly life.  Because this Christmas peace is objective, it is ours in life and in death. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen.