Luke’s account of Jesus the Christ includes the eight days after His earthly, fleshly birth, in which Jesus was circumcised. When He was 40 days old, His mother and father brought Him to the temple to make a sacrifice, required by the Law as recorded in Leviticus 12:1-5 for the purification of Mary and the presentation of Jesus as her first born. Entering the temple, Joseph and Mary had met Simeon, a man described as “righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” Simeon took Jesus into his arms and sang the song known as “Simeon’s song.”
Jesus grew up wise “and the favor of God was upon Him.” (Luke 2) As First Covenant chosen and redeemed by Yahweh, Joseph and Mary continued to be faithful to God’s Law, including participating in the yearly Feast of the Passover, which commemorated God’s deliverance of His chosen Israel from slavery in Egypt and delivered them to His Promised Land. One such year, when Jesus was 12 years old, Joseph and Mary had departed Jerusalem after the Feast of the Passover to return to Nazareth with their travelling party, only to find Jesus not among them. Returning to Jerusalem and after three days they were surprised to find Jesus in the temple, but Jesus corrected His earthly parents’ confusion by reminding them who He is: “Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?”
Simeon was not the only God-favored in first century Judea with his own song which is still sung today. An angel of the Lord—Gabriel—had appeared to Mary, who was honored with her own song. Many Christians spend weeks before Christmas singing Mary’s Magnificat beginning with “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…” As you, fellow believer, and I journey into a new decade, may we be reminded of the only way of life in this fallen world and in the blessed world to come, and it comes from Jesus. It is He who belongs in His Church because it is His. If you have been separated from our Lord and have not worshipped Him for some time in a gathering of fellow believers who take God’s Word as precious light in this darkened world, return to Him in a church that loves Him through His Word. Ask Him to help you in reuniting your heart with His. He will help you. (Matthew 7:7-11)
You might find little goodness in one Biblical church, yet you may encounter warm hearts in another church which does not completely trust His Word. Choose the former and forgive them as God has forgiven you. Pleasant smiles are no substitute for the truth of God’s Word. You’re there to study the Holy Bible and to worship Christ. Read about the young but wise Solomon—first in 1 Kings 3:4-15, then in the book of Ecclesiastes. Return likewise when you also stray and sing Simeon’s song every time you depart from the Sacrament of the Altar: “Now, You are letting your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word…” Gloria Deo—Glory to God
Timothy Matthew is a former Ripley County resident and is from the Trinity Lutheran Church.