Monday, December 28, 2015

Sermon Dec. 26-27, 2015

Title:  Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!
Text: Luke 2:41-52

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
    according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31     that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

Missionary Don Richardson who served for many years among the primitive tribes in Papua New Guinea wrote a book entitled “The Peace Child.” He tells the story of two tribes in Papua New Guinea who maintained a blood feud between themselves for several generations. Each generation fought and nursed their wounds only to fight again killing and maiming more and more people.

After years of struggle the two tribes realized that they must stop fighting or nothing would be left of their peoples. But what could they do to end years of warring between the two tribes? The chiefs of the two tribes came together and brought with them a child they called “The Peace Child” This child was the son of one of the chiefs which was adopted into the family of the opposing chief. As long as that child lived the two chiefs promised to cease their fighting so that all could live.

Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author

The perfect picture of peace is God’s love for us in the sending of his Son, the Prince of Peace.
Peace can take on the many different looks, from the baby Jesus being brought into the temple … to the man Christ Jesus hanging on a cross saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

But the everlasting joy and peace we have is because:

Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, [Mary and Joseph] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord

St. Luke finds it necessary to explain to his gentile audience the rites connected with the purification because they were not familiar with Jewish laws. The mother was unclean, according to the ordinances of Moses, for seven days after the birth of a son, and must then remain separate for a matter of another thirty-three days. These forty days denoted the days of the Levitical cleansing, or purification, Lev. 12. At the close of this period the parents went up to Jerusalem with the Child to present Him to the Lord, for the firstborn of man and beast belonged to the Lord, (Ex. 13, 2,) and had to be redeemed with a sacrifice.

Popular Commentary of the Bible PE Kretzmann NT Vol. 1 Pg 274

So Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple to make a sacrifice to the Lord of “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” And while there, to do as the Law required, they run into a man named Simeon who we are told was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, or the comfort and peace of God and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

You may get a feel for this as we here at Peace too see when a baby is brought into the Lord’s house or for a baptism, and all the people come and gather around wanting to hold the baby with smiles and joy on their faces. But this brings a bit of a different reaction:

27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
    according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31     that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

The joy of seeing this child, this Jesus brought to fulfillment for Simeon what the Lord by the Holy Spirit had promised, that he would not die until he had see the Christ. The joy in Simeon’s song is sung by this congregation following the reception of the Lord’s Supper as we too sing in joy with Simeon at what the Lord has given for the forgiveness of the sins of the world.

Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!

Brokenness is a reality in this life. If it is not evident to us all the time there are times when we have our eyes opened. Sickness has a way of causing you and me to slow down and to look at our lives and what really matters.  Speaking to those in the hospital has recently brought this to the forefront for some, as they reevaluate their own lives and what is important.

As we look at the close of another year may we all refocus our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and the gift of forgiveness won at the cross for you and me. May life in him bring joy and peace no matter the circumstance we face bringing God’s love and comfort when it is most needed.

Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!

Death’s sting has been swallowed up in victory by Jesus Christ and we can all have comfort in His blessed work and this blessed Good News. As we lose loved ones or think about this frail existence we inhabit here in this world we can have peace.

Ill.

There is an old proverb that says, “When there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty of character. When there is beauty of character, there is honor in the home. When there is honor in the home, there is order in society. And when there is order in society, there is peace in the world.”

Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author

Maybe that explains a bit of the struggle we see in life and in the world.

Comfort and peace is found only in Christ Jesus who has come to rescue you. Comfort and peace knows the joy of Christ Jesus in your life. Comfort and peace is being called to follow Christ by God’s Holy Spirit who indwells all believers and is called the comforter by Jesus himself.

For Jesus Himself says that:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Dear friends, you have access to the father through Christ Jesus our Lord who came to live, suffer, die and rise again for you and will give you true peace found only in His saving arms that were outstretched upon the cross as He gave His life for you.

Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!

So when the trials of life burden you and the storms of life rage rest in the peace of Christ and in the loving hands of the savior who reminds us in John’s gospel:

7 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  (John 10:27-28)

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit

Amen

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