Pondering Jesus
St. Luke 2:22-40
31 Christmas 2017 – Redeemer
Sermon Idea and Structure – Pr. David Peterson / Chad Bird
“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19, ESV) That is how the Christmas Eve gospel according to Saint Luke ended for us last Sunday evening. Mary had a lot to ponder as the mother of God. She had gotten pregnant without knowing a man. She endured the adulterous suspicions of her beloved Joseph and journeyed 90 miles in the last days of her pregnancy. Her maternity ward was a barn and her first-born’s crib was a manger. Barely had the labor and anxiety of birth calmed when a whole new anxiety arrived – a little band of sweaty, gruff shepherds burst into the birthing room to behold her baby with tales of angel choirs.
On the 40th day of Jesus’ life Mary received more to ponder from a strange old man named Simeon in the temple. Without a word from Joseph or Mary, he prophesies that he had been waiting for Jesus. He had been told he would not die before he saw the Lord’s Christ. He took Mary’s little lamb Jesus in his arms and blessed God saying,
“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 2:29–32, ESV)
The Shepherds cannot contain the good news of their Savior. Joseph marvels at these things. Simeon can die in peace for he has seen the Christ, but to Mary something else is given for her to ponder.
“Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce you own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts will be revealed.”
Mary knew Jesus was the Savior of the world. She knew what the prophets had said – virgin birth, Immanuel, house of David, Bethlehem. Those same prophets also said God’s Savior would die – like a Lamb to the slaughter, cut off from the land of the living for the transgression of God’s people. Mary pondered this – she would see her little baby die. He didn’t deserve to die. He was born of a Virgin – He inherited no sin from his father because God was His Father. Mary had the perfect Son. She would never see Him sin. He would always honor and obey her, love and cherish her – even from His cross. Her Son had no sin yet He would be treated like the worst sinner the world ever saw. She would stand under His cross and see Him die. When the Roman soldier pierced His heart, her own soul would be pierced. She knew Jesus had to die, for without His death the Shepherds had nothing to boast about, Joseph had nothing over which to marvel, Simeon could not die in peace, and Mary herself would have nothing except despair at how wrong all of this was.
This Word of God for Christmas 1 preaches right to us. There is much joy in Christmas – Christ is born, but you know there is even more. Jesus died for our sins. He rose again. He will return on the last day. That should bring you great joy – your sins are forgiven and that means Satan is silenced. He can lay no charge against you – all of your sins were on Jesus. In Christ you are holy, righteous, and innocent. If God is for you (and what more evidence do you need than Jesus) who can be against you? What harm can befall you? You are baptized and that means you have been drowned to sin with Christ and been raised to life with Him. Not one of your enemies can stand against you in Christ – not sin, not death, not the devil. And yet, daily, with Mary your soul is pierced.
Your children or grandchildren want nothing to do with Jesus. The world lives as if God did not matter and they mattered most. The church itself has mostly gone the way of the world, and is more concerned about the perception of others than the preaching of Christ. The government seems filled with self-serving bureaucrats who have forgotten they were elected to serve the people. Your own life has too much sadness, cancer, tragedy, and death.
Every year Christmas sets us up, promising joy in new gadgets and gismos, optimism and hope for a new year. And every year it lets us down. For every year someone else is missing, someone is mad, something is wrong. This year, as soon as Christmas was over people rushed to pay their property taxes. Back to reality – it’s almost tax time.
But death and taxes is not your certain reality. Jesus was born of Mary. That’s the joy that holds you when life in this world is not as it should be. Jesus was born to die and die He did – for the sin of the world, for your sin. For sin is what is finally wrong with the world – the sin in your heart, the sin in your government, the sin in your church, the sin in your children. But sin has met its match, or better yet its debt in Jesus. He was sent to redeem those under the Law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Your life is no different than Mary’s, saddened that things are not as they should be, but joyful that God sent forth His Son, so that you could be His son or daughter too. Gabriel preached to Mary, “You have found favor with God.” That same news is preached to us in Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection – you are favored – favored by forgiveness, favored with life, favored to be raised with Christ, favored to be His own child.
Did you recognize Simeon’s words from the liturgy? We sing them right after communion – the Nunc Dimittis – Lord, now you let your servant go in peace. That’s not just going home after service – that’s going to be with the Lord. In the Lord’s Supper you are getting the best gift you will have this side of heaven – Christ’s true body and blood – the fruit of Christ’s life, death and resurrection – a medicine that forgives your sins, gives you life eternal, and saves you from death and the devil. I don’t know what your week or year will bring – but I know what Jesus brings – He brings you peace with your Father, by the forgiveness of your sins. He brings you adoption as Sons of God. He will see you through whatever comes, as He did Mary. Treasure that and keep it in your heart. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Pr. Bruce Timm
30 December 2017 anno Domini