Sermon from the Third Sunday in Advent by the Rev. Dr. Tara W. Bulger
Luke 2:25-32
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
The Bed Build
A few months ago, the youth of our church decided on a mission project they would like to work on together. The organization they wanted to support is called Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Their mission is to provide fully furnished beds to kids who need them—bed frame, new mattress, pillows, and bedding. So, our church youth got to work raising money with a bake sale and by getting the word out and accepting donations. And our church stepped up! They raised just over $5000.
It takes about $250 for Sleep in Heavenly Peace to provide one bed, and they keep their cost low by having volunteers build the beds. So again, our youth and some adults from our church got to work—they had a build day at Sleep in Heavenly Peace. They cut wood, stained it, nailed it together, and branded each bed with the Sleep in Heavenly Peace logo. My daughter Ryann went to the build and said it was the best thing she had ever done. Miracles abound; Ryann even came home with all her fingers after working with power tools! They built forty beds that day.
Delivering the Beds
Last week, our youth director, Anne Dillon, had the honor of going with several folks from Sleep in Heavenly Peace to deliver beds to kids who need them. They delivered three beds to a single mom who was a nursing student and worked two other jobs to support her kids. Anne Dillon wasn't sure what to expect, but when they pulled into the driveway, the first thing Anne Dillon saw were little kids pushing the curtains open and peering out of the glass with excited faces. She said they looked so happy; they had been anticipating this delivery for days. In that small ranch home in North Huntsville, that young mom only had one bed in the house. But suddenly, because of the work of the youth and adults in this church, everyone was going to have their own bed! The excitement of those little kids has stuck with Anne Dillon—she said walking into that house felt holy to her like the Holy Spirit was there. If you know Anne Dillon, with her big blue eyes and blond hair, those kids probably thought an angel visited them that day, too.
Simeon’s Expectations
In our reading today, Simeon is expecting something holy too. Simeon is an old timer—the kind of person who has been faithful their whole life. We are told he was devout and righteous. As Simeon has gotten older, he has had some things revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has told him that he will see the Messiah before he dies. Like so many people, Simeon was looking for the Messiah who would be the consolation of Israel. He was looking for the person God would send to console him about the world and how it was. Due to his age, I imagine Simeon had seen a lot in life that grieved him—his friends' faithlessness, the difficulty of living life as it was, and maybe he was worried about his family and leaving them. He desperately hoped for something that would console him in his old age and show him God heard his worries and sorrows.
So, one day, the Holy Spirit leads Simeon to the temple. And that is the day Jesus' parents happened to bring him to the temple, too. And Simeon knows, through the work of the Spirit, that this child is the Messiah. And Simeon takes the child Jesus in his arms and says now Lord, now you can dismiss your servant in peace.
The Face of Jesus
Now Simeon can die in peace. It makes me wonder what he saw in the face of Jesus, what the Spirit worked in him that day that made him feel that peace. Did Simeon look in the face of the child Jesus and see that he would have eternal life? I doubt it, as Jesus' victory over death on the cross was still some time away. Did he look in Jesus' face and see that Jesus would launch some sort of revolution to free Israel? No, I don't think so because we know that isn't what will happen. So, what did he see in the face of Jesus at that moment?
It can best be described this way. When Simeon, with a heart that longed for the Messiah, looked at the face of the child Jesus, what he saw that moved him was the face of God's complete love for humanity reflected there. When Simeon took Jesus in his arms, he saw, for the first time, love, grace, and salvation for all people in that one face. Simeon had hoped for the consolation of Israel; in the face of Jesus, he saw salvation for everyone. Simeon had been so eager to see the Messiah, and when he did, he saw something holy. He saw God come to all humanity in the face of Jesus. And Simeon knows—God is with us. God is with us. Now, Simeon can die in peace.
A World to Grieve
There are things in our world I grieve this Christmas season, much like I imagine Simeon did. It grieves me that there are children without beds and that there are folks who are hungry and unhoused. I grieve the war between Israel and Palestine, that our political system seems more divided and unhealthy than ever, and that people I love are sick and dying. There is much to grieve in this world, isn't there?
But I am also remembering this Advent to be filled with anticipation, with an open heart, for the coming of God with us. I know that in the manger, we will again get to see the face of Jesus, and in it, we will see God's perfect love, grace, and forgiveness. We will see the hope for all humanity that never runs out, and we will see the promises of God fulfilled. In the face of Jesus, we see that God is with us always and that we can hope and have peace in him. In Jesus, we can have peace and consolation for ourselves and the whole world. And we will remember that until Christ comes again, we, the church, are to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world. Building beds, loving one another, dedicated to God. May we each feel that anticipation and excitement of this season because it is life-changing—the hope for humanity we have in Jesus is life-changing—for Simeon, me, you, and the whole world over. Thanks be to God for that. Amen.