Sermon - Christmas 1 2018 - Luke 2:22-40

Merry Christmas! When six weeks had passed, and the time for the purification according to the Law of the Lord had come, Joseph and Mary took their infant baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem. As they entered in, they were met by Simeon who “blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “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 through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Indeed, Christ has come as a sign that is opposed, a sword to pierce the hearts of His people, so that we may be saved.

I know Christmas is such a joyful time! It really does bring out the best behavior and attitudes in many people. The sad and lonely are often comforted, the bored are made lively, and even the marginally Christian consider themselves slightly more Christian on Christmas. It’s a time of year many people anticipate with great excitement and expectation. First we have Halloween, then Thanksgiving, kind of like a warm-up for Christmas. Then the day arrives! What joy and jubilation! Joy to the World! Glory to God in the Highest! 

When Simeon, advanced in years, finally got to greet the newborn Christ and celebrate Christmas he was ecstatic! He took Jesus up in His arms, beheld His God face to face, and he couldn’t contain his joy as he blessed the Lord and let loose in song the Nunc Dimitis: “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.” Yet this baby is a sign that is opposed. This child shall pierce the hearts of His people, revealing our innermost thoughts.

As much as we like to rejoice and celebrate Christmas, the fact remains that the Child born on Christmas “is appointed for the fall and rising of many… a sign that is opposed.” Isaiah foretold that the Christ would be “a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling,” “a trap and a snare.” Jesus said of this stone, of Himself, “the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” Again Jesus says of Himself, “For judgement I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” St. Paul declared, “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to the Gentiles.” Surely, Christ did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 

Wherever the Gospel is proclaimed, wherever Jesus is present in His Word, there people will be offended. For the Gospel is always everywhere opposed. Throughout history and even today, the more detail of the Gospel that is explained, the more people despise it and hate it. The wise and learned reject the Gospel as foolish and simple. The rulers view the Gospel as pernicious and vile, something to be banished from among the peoples. 

But it’s not only among rank unbelievers where Christ is found to be an offensive stone of stumbling and is thus opposed. Even among believing Christians do we find ourselves offended by this Jesus. Simeon says that Christ shall be “for the fall and rising of many in Israel.” If even Israel, God’s chosen holy people would oppose the Christ, then so too will we Gentiles oppose Him who comes. 

We don’t need to feign ignorance or innocence. Oh no, let us descend into our own heart. Even we who joyfully heard the message of the newborn Christ Child will hear a voice that constantly and clearly opposes Christ. 

When you heard on Christmas that God became man in the baby Jesus, out of His great love for you, to rescue you and redeem you from sin and death, did you not also hear another voice in your head which doubted this message? A voice that said, no way, God doesn’t love you this much, there’s no God who cares for you, you’re not certainly saved, you don’t know for sure, God wouldn’t become man in the person of Jesus, not for us sinners like us. 

Indeed, there isn’t one among us who hasn’t felt the oppressive weight of such doubt upon the soul! What’s more, when we hear that Christ has come for sinners, of whom we are the chiefest of sinners, we oppose the Christ all the more. Jesus comes like a sword that pierces through our soul, so that the thoughts from our hearts may be revealed. Christ, the Word made flesh, “is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The Son of Man, whom St. John described in the revelation given to him, had coming from His mouth “a two-edged sword.”

Jesus has come to divide the truth from the lies, the righteous from the unrighteous, the holy from the unholy, the good works from the works of darkness, good from evil, the sheep from the goats. He does all of this in your heart as well. His Word, like a scalpel, cuts into your heart, excising the sin from within. Like a surgeon, He removes the cancerous growth from your soul.

But the reason this hurts so much is because we actually like a our sin. We’re like delusional patients, who’re suffering from many serious ailments, yet we consider our diseases to be our most beloved and cherished treasures. We hold our fiercest enemies tight and close to our chest. So when the Christ comes and banishes sin and death from us, we are so delusional that we think God is cutting us to bits, hacking our friends to pieces, and smashing our treasures. But in reality, He is the most loving and patient physician ever. He’s carefully cutting out our disease, destroying our most vile enemies, and crushing our sins and their fruits. So Christ comes and we oppose Him and He pierces our hearts.

Oh but you ask, why doesn’t Christ just come to us in a way that doesn’t offend? Maybe more people would come to church then! If God is God and so compassionate and loving, why doesn’t He just come to His people and be nice? Why doesn’t He proclaim an agreeable Gospel, one that the worldly wise and intelligent can accept? Why did He come in a form and with a teaching that offends so many? 

Well, you know, God could have done that, I suppose. He could have sent one who would rule over all the world like the Jews wanted and still want, instead of a donkey riding dead man. He could have sent a great philosopher to the wise, instead of a poor baby in a manger. He could have given money to the greedy, food and drink to the gluttons, glory to the proud, sexual freedom to the promiscuous. Yes, God very well could have given a gospel which was nothing more than a free-for-all, flattering the flesh, senses, and pride of all people. 

But, how in the world would that have helped us? It would have done nothing more than further separate us from God. It would have sent us flailing headlong into the fiery furnace of hell. So instead, God sent His Christ to offend and pierce our hearts, so that our eyes may see His salvation. 

The secular cultural celebration of Christmas may make you feel good and comfortable, but that is not what Christmas is about. Christmas has come to make those who are comfortable and unashamed of their sins, embarrassed and ill-at-ease. So what should we do?

Thankfully the solution is simple, it’s not easy, but it is simple. Firstly, we ought to confess our doubts and pray to God that He would help our unbelief. Secondly, we ought to acknowledge our discomfort at hearing His Word, and then repent of those things that rebel against God’s divine Word. Because Christ has come for us, poor sinners, in need of His salvation. He knows what is in our hearts, He knows how to make us uncomfortable, so He pierces and stabs and kills until its evil is purged from within us.

What a marvel it is, that Jesus our Lord and our God, born of a poor lowly maiden, does consider us with such compassion and love, that He wouldn’t squeamishly flee from offending us. He’s not afraid of doing what’s necessary, but instead He courageously fights against our old flesh which is so hateful of Him. Even while we are fighting against Him, He still fights for us all the same. Even while we hate and despise Him, He still paid the greatest price and died for us in order to redeem us.

So let us, like both Simeon and Anna, spend our many days in the temple of God, in the place of His promised presence for us. Let us always look to the Lord, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day, awaiting the redemption of God’s people. Let us, instead of looking at how offended we are at God’s Word, rather look to our glorious Savior who comes before to us. He may have been the rock of our stumbling, but He is now still the rock of our faith and salvation. He does not only offend, but what’s more, He is our peace, light, and salvation that shall be for all people. So that when we die and awaken, our eyes shall meet His, and with Simeon and Anna will give thanks and rejoice.