By The Rev. Paul f. Heykes

So – back when Jesus was born, the religious laws and traditions required parents to present their newborn child for rites of dedication and purification, and for the boys, circumcision, on the eighth day of the newborn’s life. As faithful parents, Mary and Joseph fulfilled the requirements of the law by taking Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem.

Now, Mary and Joseph did not expect anything unusual to happen at the temple. Even though Jesus was their first child, they would have learned about the routine and traditions from relatives and friends who had already been there and done that, as well as from the Rabbis whose job it was to teach everyone how to practice their faith.

And yet, just after they finished up with the required rites and rituals, some odd things happened.

First, an old man named Simeon, a righteous and devout man, spotted Jesus and immediately came over, took the baby in his arms and sang a song. Raising his eyes toward heaven and lifting the child, he sang, “O Master God, now you are dismissing me, your servant, in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people, a light to the gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel!”

And then, he prophesied about Jesus, including prophecy about Jesus’ eventual death.

And then, immediately after that, though not included in tonight’s reading, the same thing happened again. Only this time it was an elderly woman named Anna. She too began to praise God and prophesy about the child to everyone within earshot.

Eventually Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus back and having finished what the law required, they departed. (And I can’t help but wonder if they got out of there quickly before some other religious fanatic grabbed their child and started preaching – after all, we have to remember that everything connected to the birth of Jesus was pretty weird. Like being born in a stable and laid in a manger. And having shepherds and magi show up uninvited. Luke tells us that Mary “pondered everything,” which is his way of saying that Mary was trying to figure out, “What the heck was going on?” Years later it would start to make sense, but for the time being there are more questions than answers.)

One thing we can say for sure about Jesus first trip to the temple is that he was a bigger “hit” when he was a baby than he would be as an adult some thirty years later on his last trip to the temple when he created quite a disruption by driving out the money changers and sacrifice vendors. After that, the religious authorities (who were already his enemies) were more determined than ever to be rid of Jesus permanently.

When you compare Jesus first and last visits to the temple, it’s easier (even for us) to love and adore the newly born, baby Jesus, than it is to love and adore the fanatical adult Jesus who turned to civil disobedience to proclaim that the temple is a “House of Prayer,” and not a “den of thieves.”

Everyone loves Christmas and the baby Jesus laying in the manger or snuggling in mother Mary’s arms. And that’s OK – as long as we don’t forget what comes next.

Like these powerful words from the lips of the adult Jesus:

• Love your neighbors as yourself;
• Sell all you have and give to the poor;
• Deny yourself;
• Pick up your cross and follow me;
• Turn the other cheek;
• The first will be last and the last will be first;
• Woe to you who are rich and powerful;
• And, love your enemies and those who persecute you.

As an adult Jesus IS loving and caring and forgiving.

But he IS also stern and harshly demanding, especially toward those who put themselves first and those who demand blind obedience to arcane religious laws and rituals, and those who persist in their sinful ways.

It is easy to be a “Christmas Christian,” 

• It’s easy to happily ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at the manger – but then be reluctant to get anywhere near the cross;
• It’s easy to love the baby Jesus – but be repulsed by the crucified Christ; 
• It’s easy to dote over the babbling baby – but ignore the preaching of the man Jesus.

Many people think Christmas is a big deal – but it is nothing without Good Friday. The baby Jesus is nothing without Christ Crucified.

And that is why Luke records the encounters with Simeon and Anna. Simeon and Anna recognized what God’s plan was for Jesus and they prophetically proclaimed it when they encountered the eight-day old baby Jesus in the temple.

Today we are also reminded of what is to come – from his birth in Bethlehem all the way to Jerusalem and his death on the Cross at Calvary.

Our eyes (and our ears) have seen (and heard) of God’s salvation in Christ, prepared for ALL peoples, a light for revelation and the redemption of the world.

May the Spirit empower us with the faith to see, to believe, and to proclaim “Christ Crucified,” for all, just as Simeon and Anna did.