Resurrection Lutheran Church, St Catharines

I don’t mind the trip to the big city at all. It is only about a two hour walk from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. Even coming from Nazareth, which would take the better part of a week, I would always look forward to the pilgrimage for the great festivals. A lot of people enjoy the chance to travel with family and friends and then to meet up in the city with relatives you haven’t seen in such a long time. But for me, the highlight is always going to the temple.

 

It is, of course, the biggest building site that I will ever enter. It would be a dream for a carpenter, like me, to be involved in the ever ongoing renovation projects throughout the compound, since King Herod rebuilt the sanctuary. He is not even a real Jew, but I have to admit that he did a great job supplying us with such a grand temple to gather before the LORD.

 

But it isn’t even the architecture or the grand scale of the building that truly stirs my heart. It is the realization that the LORD who built the earth and sky and everything in them, has decided to dwell here in this little nation, among us ordinary people, in order to bless us and take care of us and fill us with joy as we come together to sing His praise and to celebrate our redemption. The journey seems so much shorter when I remember that I am on my way to see God.

 

Mind you, it is admittedly more difficult now, travelling with the baby. Mary is just about back to her full strength after the birth but I have to keep both of them in mind as we make this trip. It is for both of them. We will offer the sacrifice for her purification and present our little Jesus to the LORD for the redemption of her firstborn son (Luke 2:22-24). It is a reminder that the only blood that purifies is the blood that the LORD commanded to be offered on His altar and that He is the one who saved our firstborn children when that final plague of death freed our people from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:29).

 

Here we are and it is as magnificent as ever. It is a busy place, the streets around are filled with merchants, even the outer courtyard is somewhat chaotic with all of the money-changers and sacrificial animals being toted around. There are rabbis and others teaching groups here and there. Some day, someone is going to have to lay down the law and clear out some of the merchants so people can concentrate on God’s presence without so many distractions (Luke 19:45-46).

 

There are a lot of familiar faces, even though we don’t live here in the city. I recognize some of the more famous rabbis. And here comes that man, Simeon. He is always here, flitting about like a sparrow (Psalm 84:3), between the visitors, especially those with children, peering into their faces for just a moment of reflection before hurrying off to the next family. I am sure he will want to see our baby, too. No matter. He is harmless.

 

But once he takes Jesus up into his arms, he stops his frenzied search. He becomes peaceful and you can tell his heart is finally at rest. He offers a prayer of thanksgiving to God. “Lord, now You let Your servant go in peace, Your word has been fulfilled. My own eyes have seen Your salvation that You have prepared in the sight of every people. A light to reveal to the nations and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:20-32). Mary and I are almost compelled to join in. It is clear that our tiny boy has given him a peace that he has been awaiting for a long time. But he tells Mary that the peace our infant Saviour gives will also come with grief (v. 35).

 

Look out here comes another familiar face. That old bird Anna is flying over. She practically lives here in the temple (Psalm 84:3). She also gives thanks to God at the sight of our baby. But off she goes again interrupting everyone to point us out to them, saying that full redemption has finally come for everyone (Luke 2:36-38).

 

What a blessed life these two have had, spending their every day in the house of the LORD, contemplating His promises to them and singing His praise at every reminder (Psalm 84:4), at the sight of every child, and now finally seeing their hopes fulfilled as we arrive with Jesus. The angel told Mary that He is the Son of the Most High and that God will give to Him the kingdom of David to be an everlasting kingdom (Luke 1:32-33). I guess that makes this temple His house. The LORD is in His holy temple in flesh and blood.

 

The angel told me to name Him Jesus because He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). He is our shield (Psalm 84:9), sent from God to defend us against our enemies of sin, death, and the devil. He is the one who will stand in the breach to shelter us and take the onslaught of the attack so that we might find our deliverance (Hebrews 2:14, 15); so that everyone will be purified from this fallen world to stand before God, like Mary purified here today; so that everyone will be redeemed from slavery to sin and captivity in the devil’s kingdom, like Anna is telling everyone.

 

A new Passover Lamb has come to save not only the firstborn but all who are of the same flesh and blood as He is (Hebrews 2:17). He will be the once for all redemption price, so that everyone will have the peace that Simeon now has in the face of death. The LORD will shield us with His mercy (Psalm 84:11). That is what has been revealed to me today, through the mouths of Simeon and Anna, more revelations of the great mystery of this little One who has been entrusted to my care.

 

And now on coming to the temple this time, I can say: O LORD, He is here. “Look upon the face of Your anointed” (Psalm 84:9). See the Messiah you have sent, Your only Son now in flesh and blood to be the Saviour of the world. While just a baby now, He will be for us a faithful high priest (Hebrews 2:17) to lead us all, purified and redeemed, before Your eternal throne.

 

Perhaps the reason I love this place so much is because it is all about Him. It is all about the Messiah, my Jesus, the world’s redeemer. A day here in the temple is better than a thousand anywhere else (Psalm 84:10). Simeon and Anna have it so good to be able to be here every day, even if they cannot go past the outer courts. They have so much joy just being near the presence of the LORD and talking to people about His promises and joining with them to sing the psalms of His praise.

 

He has blessed me, too, with a special calling. He entrusted Jesus to my care, but not to keep Him for myself. I see now, today, that He is God’s gift of grace and mercy for all. I have been given an epiphany. As Simeon said, “a light to lighten the Gentiles” (all peoples), while being the glory of those who share His Israelite heritage. I don’t think I will ever look at a candle or a lamp the same way again. They will always remind me that Jesus is the light of the world, to enlighten all nations so they would see the salvation that He brings, to chase away the darkness of sin and death, and to be the source of truth and life.

 

No, Jesus is not mine to keep. He is placed into my hands to give to others: to Simeon who knows that he will die, so that he may die in peace knowing that the LORD has kept His promise to send a Saviour; and to Anna who finds her life where the Word of God is proclaimed and where He is present to pour out His gracious blessing, so that she may rejoice in the redemption that He has given in the flesh and blood of His Son; and to all who await from Him great and abundant mercy.

 

The LORD does not withhold any good from those who live with such faith in Him as Simeon and Anna, and all who have come to His house today trusting in Him (Psalm 84:12). It is well worth the trip, especially on this day when the LORD is in His house and Jesus is here to bestow on us His favour and honour, His grace and glory.