Introduction
We’ve been working our way through the first two chapters of Luke’s gospel and his account of the events surrounding the Saviour’s birth. You might remember that Luke said in the opening verses of his gospel that he had carefully investigated the things which eye-witnesses have handed down to them about the Lord Jesus and his life and ministry. And Luke was now writing his own orderly account of these things.
And his orderly account of the Lord’s life and ministry begins with the narrative of the Saviour’s birth. And Luke has already told us about the two announcements: the first to Zechariah that his elderly, barren wife will have a child of her own who should be called John and who will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord; and the second announcement was to Mary that she will conceive a child by the Holy Spirit and give birth to a son who will be great and who will be a king who will rule forever and he will be the Son of the Most High God.
And then, in Luke’s orderly account, he told us about the two births: the birth of John the Baptist; and afterwards his father praised God; and then there was the birth of the Lord Jesus; and afterwards the angels and shepherds praised God.
So, two announcements and two births. And next in Luke’s orderly account are two consecrations: the Lord’s earthly parents brought the infant Lord Jesus to Jerusalem to consecrate him to the Lord; and then, when he was 12 years old, the Lord, in a sense, consecrated himself when he made clear to his earthly parents that he must serve his Heavenly Father.
We’ll study the second of those two consecrations this evening. This morning we’re focussing on the consecration which took place when he was only an infant.
Verse 21
And so, we read in verse 21 that on the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, Mary’s child was given the name Jesus. And Luke reminds us that this is the name which the angel had given him before he had been conceived. So, when the angel appeared to Mary, he told her that her child should be called Jesus. Matthew, in his gospel, tells us that an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him the same thing. And the angel explained to Joseph that he should be called Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. The name Jesus means ‘The Lord saves’. In other words, it means ‘Saviour’. Their child should be called Jesus because he’s the Saviour of the world.
And when the Saviour of the world was eight days old, Mary and Joseph circumcised him. Why was he circumcised when he was eight days old? He was circumcised when he was eight days old, because this is what the law of the Lord required.
We were thinking about circumcision last Sunday evening when we were studying Luke’s account of John’s birth and circumcision. The roots of the practice go back to God’s command to Abraham in Genesis 17 when God said to Abraham that from that time on every male who is eight days old must be circumcised as a sign of God’s covenant-promise to them. And the practice was then written into the law of the Lord in Leviticus 12.
And one of the significant features of the passage before us this morning is the number of times it mentions the law. If you have your Bible open, take a look at verse 22 where Luke refers to the time for their purification ‘according to the law of Moses’. The law of Moses is the law of the Lord which he gave to Moses for his people. Then, in the very next verse, verse 23, Luke quotes what was written in the law of the Lord about consecrating firstborn males. Luke also mentions the law in verse 24. In verse 27 he tells us that Mary and Joseph brought the Lord Jesus into the temple in Jerusalem to do to him ‘what the custom of the law required’. And in verse 39, Luke concludes the story of the first consecration by telling us that when they had done ‘everything required by the law of the Lord’, they returned to Nazareth. So, how many times is that? It’s five explicit references to the law, while a further reference to the law is implied in verse 21 where it says they circumcised the Lord Jesus on the eighth day. They circumcised him on the eighth day according to the law of the Lord.
Why does Luke refer to the law these six times? I think it’s connected to what the Apostle Paul says about the Lord Jesus in Galatians 4:4: ‘But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law.’ God sent his Son into the world to redeem or to deliver those who were under the law. Those who are under the law need to be redeemed or delivered, because the law condemns us. It shows us our sins and shortcomings. When we read God’s law — for instance, when we read the Ten Commandments — it convicts us, because we know we haven’t done what the law of God requires. The law shows us that we’re lawbreakers, who deserve to be condemned and punished. And the only one who can deliver us from the law’s condemnation is someone who has kept the law in full. And that someone is the Lord Jesus. He is God’s Son. In other words, he is God the Son. And since he’s God, then he’s the Law-giver. But the Law-giver became one of us. And when he became one of us, he put himself under the law. He put himself under obligation to keep the law. As one of us, he was required to keep his own law. And since he kept it in full, doing everything required by the law, he’s able to deliver us from the law. That is to say: Though he was blameless, he took the blame for us, when he died on the cross, so that all who believe in him are pardoned.
That’s what Paul was saying in Galatians. And here’s Luke making clear for us that the Lord’s parents were careful to keep the law in connection with the Lord Jesus. So, his obedience to the law didn’t begin when he was an adult. His obedience to the law began right at the very start of his life, because his earthly parents made sure that they performed all the ceremonies and practices which the law required in connection with their son. His earthly parents made sure that he kept the law when he was only a baby. And throughout the rest of his life, he kept the law of the Lord perfectly. He kept the ceremonial law of the Lord which the Jews had to keep in those days. And so, he took part in all the religious festivals and practices which the people had to perform. But he also kept the moral law of the Lord, which all people everywhere are required to obey and which are summarised in the Ten Commandments. He kept them all. And then he took the blame for us so that we can be pardoned. Why does Luke tell us six times that his parents did what the law required? To reassure us that when our Saviour died, he wasn’t being punished for his own sins, because he never ever did anything wrong. No, he was being punished for our sins.
Verses 22 to 24
But let’s move on. The law required male children to be circumcised when they were eight days old. And then, thirty-three days later the mother was required by the law of the Lord to bring offerings to the Lord in order to be ceremonially purified from her bleeding. And that’s what Luke is referring to in verses 22 and 24. Wealthy families were to bring a lamb for a burnt offering, while poorer families could offer a pigeon or dove in place of the lamb. It seems from what Luke says in verse 24 that this is what Mary and Joseph brought.
Luke also refers in verses 22 and 23 to another ceremony which goes back to the time of the Exodus from Egypt. Ever since the night of the original Passover, when the Lord passed over the homes of his people and spared their firstborn males, the Lord regarded the firstborn males of his people as belonging to him. This applied not only to their firstborn sons, but also to firstborn animals. And in the case of a clean animal like a sheep or goat, this meant the people had to offer the animal to God as a sacrifice. In the case of unclean animals like donkeys, the people could pay a ransom to the priest to buy their animal back. And firstborn children also belonged to the Lord. But the child’s parents could pay a ransom to buy back their child. And that’s what Luke is referring to in verses 22 and 23. Since the Lord Jesus was Mary’s firstborn, he belonged to God. And so, they consecrated him to God in the temple, before buying him back according to the law.
Verses 25 to 28a
And while they were at the temple, doing what was required of them according to the law of the Lord, this elderly saint, Simeon, took the child in his arms. Luke explains for us that Simeon was righteous and devout. And he was waiting for the consolation of Israel. What is the consolation of Israel? This goes back to those passages in the book of Isaiah where God speaks words of comfort and consolation to his people. So, in Isaiah 40 it says: ‘Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for….’ Then there’s Isaiah 49: ‘Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.’ Then there’s Isaiah 51: ‘The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins…. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.’ And there’s Isaiah 61 which the Lord Jesus quoted when he began his public ministry: ‘The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn….’ And then there’s Isaiah 66: ‘As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.’
Isaiah wrote to warn the people that, because of their persistent sin and rebellion, God was going to send them into exile, far away from the Promised Land. However, the Lord — who is merciful and gracious and slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and who does not treat us as our sins deserve — would one day restore his people to the Promised Land. And therefore, the day would come when he would speak words of comfort and peace to them. And while Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in part when the Lord brought his exiled people back to Jerusalem in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, Simeon was waiting for the Lord to console his people once again, because in those days, Jerusalem was part of the Roman Empire and God’s people lived under the power of the pagan Roman Emperor. And Simeon was waiting for the day when God would comfort and console his people by rescuing them from their enemies and giving them the kind of peace they once enjoyed in the days of David and Solomon.
And Luke tells us in verses 25 and 26 that the Holy Spirit was on Simeon and it had been revealed to him by the Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. The Lord’s Christ is the Lord’s Spirit-Anointed Servant-King, who was coming in the name of the Lord to rescue God’s people from their enemies. And now the Spirit of the Lord directed Simeon into the temple so that he was there at just the right moment to meet Mary and Joseph and the infant Jesus. And Simeon took the child into his arms and he began to praise God, because he understood by the Spirit that the time had come. God had sent his Spirit-Anointed Servant-King to save his people.
Verses 28b to 35
And he praised God by saying that God has done what he had promised Simeon. What had God promised Simeon? God had promised Simeon that he would not die before seeing the Lord’s Christ. And he has now seen the Lord’s Christ, because the little child in his arms is the Lord’s Christ. He is the Lord’s Spirit-Anointed Servant-King who has come into the world to save God’s people. And so, Simeon says that he has seen God’s salvation. He has seen God’s salvation, because he has seen the Saviour.
And here’s the wonderful thing: God’s salvation is not only for the people of Israel, but it’s for the Gentiles as well. It’s for the nations of the world. Simeon’s words in verses 31 and 32 recall the words of Isaiah 49, where God said that it was too small a thing for his Servant to restore the people of Israel only. And so, the Lord will make his Servant a light for the Gentiles; and he will bring salvation to the ends of the earth. Isaiah foretold that when the Lord’s Servant-King comes, he will rescue, not only the people of Israel, but he will also rescue people in every nation.
And from what will he rescue them? The Jews in those days thought that they needed to be rescued from the Romans. They were expecting a king to come to lead them in victory over the Romans. But the Lord’s Servant-King was coming, not to rescue God’s people from the Romans. He was coming to rescue God’s people from the tyranny of the Devil, who has taken the whole world captive to do his will. And Christ, God’s Servant-King, was coming into the world to save God’s people from the tyranny of the Devil through the forgiveness of our sins, because whoever believes in God’s Servant-King receives forgiveness from God; and we’re set free from Satan’s bondage; and we’re brought into Christ’s kingdom of grace; and he promises to bring his people into the Promised Land of Eternal Life in the new heavens and earth, where we’ll live with God forever and forever. Mary’s child, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the Lord’s Spirit-Anointed Servant-King; and he came into the world to save his people from Satan’s tyranny through the forgiveness of our sins. And his people are all those who trust in him for salvation. His people are believing Jews and they are believing Gentiles. They are those who believe in him and who call out to him for salvation.
Luke tells us in verse 33 that Mary and Joseph marvelled at what Simeon said about their son. But then Simeon went on to say to Mary in verse 34 that her child was destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel and people will speak against him. And in this way, the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.
And we’ve thought about this falling and rising before, haven’t we? I’ve said before that one of the themes in Luke’s gospel is the reversal of fortunes. The high and mighty, the proud and arrogant, the rich and powerful are humbled because of Christ, whereas the lowly and weak and lifted up. And so, Simeon was saying that some who are high up will be brought down low. And others who are humble and lowly will be raised up. And they will be brought down or raised up depending on how they respond to the Lord Jesus.
Those who refuse to believe in him, like the Pharisees and Sadducees and teachers of the law, will be brought down low. And the way the Pharisees and Sadducees and teachers of the law spoke to the Lord Jesus and spoke about him revealed the thoughts of their hearts and how they did not believe in him.
But those who believe in him will be raised up. And the way they spoke to the Lord Jesus and about him revealed the thoughts of their hearts and how they believed.
So, think of the beginning of Luke 15, where Luke tells us that the tax collectors and sinners — the lowly and humble — were gathering round to hear the Lord Jesus, whereas the Pharisees and teachers of the law — the high and mighty — were grumbling about him. How they responded to him showed what was in their hearts. And those who don’t believe — and who continue in their unbelief — will be brought down and punished by God; whereas those who believe will be lifted up to have eternal life in the presence of God.
And that means that the Lord’s coming into the world divides the world. His coming divides the world: some believe in him, while others do not. And whenever the good news of Christ is proclaimed today, those who hear it are divided into those who believe and those who don’t believe. And so, the question to ponder is where are you? Which side are you on? Are you on the side who believe and who will be lifted up on the last day to enter eternal life in the presence of God in the new heavens and earth? Or are you on the side who do not believe and who will be brought down on the last day and sent away to be punished forever? Which side are you on? It’s one or the other.
The good news is that those on the unbelieving side can come over to the believing side. And as soon as they believe, God forgives them their sins and shortcomings and he promises to remember them no more. As soon as they believe, they come over to the other side, so that they too will be lifted up to eternal life on the last day. The good news of the gospel divides the world. But those who believe will live with him forever.
But Simeon is still not finished. He has one more thing to say. At the end of verse 35, Simeon said to Mary that ‘a sword will pierce your own soul too’. And by those words, some commentators think he’s referring to the pain that Mary will suffer whenever she sees what will happen to her firstborn son, when he will be arrested and beaten and whipped before being nailed to the cross and crucified. And when Mary sees it, it will be as if a sword was thrust into her. She will suffer in her soul whenever she sees her son’s suffering.
What a thing to say to a new mother! What a thing to say about her new son! But there was no other way, was there? In order for the Lord Jesus to save us from Satan’s tyranny and to give us eternal life, he had to die on the cross. He had to give up his life on the cross to pay for all our sins so that we could be set free from Satan and have eternal life. There was no other way.
And Simeon’s words are important because this is the first hint in Luke’s gospel that the only way for us to be saved was for Christ to suffer. Mary’s child is God. He is God the Son. He came to earth as one of us. And as the angel said to Mary, he is great. And he’s a king who rules forever. And he’s the Son of the Most High. And as the Zechariah said, he came to redeem his people. And as the angel said to the shepherds, he came to give us peace with God. He came to do all the things we’ve been reading about as we’ve gone though Luke 1 and 2. But now, for the first time, we hear from Simeon that he can only save us if he suffers for us. And it’s a measure of his love for us that he was willing to suffer for us. He was willing to suffer the pain of the cross and the wrath of God for our sins, so that you can have peace with God and everlasting life in his presence. That’s how much he loved you.
And he calls on you to believe in him. And he calls on you to live your life for him. Since he’s the only Saviour of the world, then you’re to believe in him. We’re to trust in him for salvation. And since he’s also a king, then you’re to serve him. You’re to put him first in your life. You’re to seek to do his will in every decision of your life. You’re to live, not for yourself, but for him. And living for him is not difficult for us, and it is not a burden for us, because the one you’re called to serve is the one who loved you so much that he was prepared to suffer and die for you. So, believe in him and live for him.
Verses 36 to 38
I haven’t said anything yet about Anna. And I don’t have time to say much. But notice this one thing: when she realised she had seen the Saviour, she gave thanks to God and she spoke about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. The redemption of Jerusalem is the same as the consolation of Israel. And so, Luke is referring to people who were waiting for God’s salvation. Anna gave thanks to God for Christ and she spoke about him to others who were waiting for salvation.
Christianity is not a private religion. True believers will not remain on their own for long, because all who have received God’s salvation will want to meet with other believers to talk about these things and to rejoice together in this good news. That’s what we’re doing today. And what we’re doing today, we will do forever and forever in eternity when Christ comes again and brings us into the new heavens and earth where we will worship God together forever.
Sermons and Stuff 