Are We Tuned In?

(Micah 5:2-5a; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:22-38)

Last Sunday Rev. Heise spoke on the Magi or Wisemen who came to see the baby born to be King of the Jews. The celebration of this event is called Epiphany. The word epiphany means “manifestation” or “revelation”. To have an epiphany is to have a revelation or an eye opening experience. The Magi, non-Jews, otherwise known as Gentiles, had their epiphany as they stood before the baby Jesus in a manger.

Although, the official day of Epiphany begins on the twelfth day after Christmas, January 6, Epiphany is an actual season in the Christian Church. It is the season that leads us up to Ash Wednesday which begins the season of Lent. I’ve never really focused on this season before but this year as I was looking ahead I thought maybe we need to look a little closer at Epiphany and see how Jesus was revealed to people while he walked among us and if it is possible for Him to still be revealed to us today.

Before we go into our scriptures for this morning I wanted to point out that the Magi were not the first to have an Epiphany. If we go back all the way to Elizabeth and the baby within her we see that even before Jesus was born people were having Epiphanies of who he was and what he would be to the world. The night of Jesus birth we heard of the shepherds who came and saw the baby. Their Epiphany came when they saw the baby and realized that what the angels had told them was true! The revelation of Jesus as the Messiah began early in His life and today we read about two people who have an Epiphany when they see Jesus.

Let’s start with understanding the setting of today’s scripture. “time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Joseph and Mary were following the laws of the Jewish tradition. Sacrifices for a first born would have been a lamb for a family that was well off. Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph who were not wealthy and so they offered a humble sacrifice. That is interesting enough when we think about the reality that Jesus later would become the ultimate sacrifice – the Lamb of God sacrificed for sake of the sins of all the world.

So Mary and Joseph are simply doing as the Law required and as they are in the temple an old man walks up to them.

“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. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

I have wondered, did Mary and Joseph know Simeon? What they thinking as this man came up to them? There must have been something about him to make them stop and have this interaction with him. We don’t have a lot of information about this except what Luke has written, but in these words we have an answer to why Simeon has an Epiphany. Listen,

27 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, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word;30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

Did you hear it?

Well before I say any more let’s be reminded of Anna, the other person in our text from this morning.

“There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.”

Again I wonder what Mary and Joseph are thinking as this woman comes up to them and begins praising God and speaking of their child as the redemption of Jerusalem. Can’t you just hear their thoughts? “Is it going to be like this His whole life? Will he create a ruckus everywhere we go?”

Why is it that only Simeon and Anna greet the Holy Family like this?

Why doesn’t everyone see who this baby is?

I believe our answer comes in what we have just read, Simeon was a “righteous and devout man” and get this….the Holy Spirit rested on him! The scripture said, “Guided by the Spirit….Simeon came into the temple…” Simeon was moved by the Spirit to find and recognize this baby boy, Jesus, as the Lord’s Messiah.

Anna was a prophet, one who spoke with God and shared the messages from God. She never left the temple but was always there worshiping!

Simeon and Anna were tuned in to God and were open to the Spirit’s leading.

Do you remember when televisions first came out? I mean the really early ones? I remember Mom or Dad would turn it on and there would be only this little white dot in the middle of the screen. We would have to wait what seemed like an eternity for the dot to turn into a picture. Sometimes it would come in all fussy at first but if we waited it would soon smooth out and we would have a full a picture.

If we want to experience an Epiphany we have to be tuned in and ready for it. Like Simeon and Anna, we have to be open to the Spirit who will reveal the presence of Jesus to us.

Yes, Jesus is still revealed to us today. In Genesis we read that God created humans in His image. This is why I believe that if we look deep inside the eyes of others we will see Jesus. If we watch the kind actions of people we will see Jesus. If we look for the good in all people we can find Jesus.

Throughout this Season of Epiphany we are going to study the scriptures and seek to understand how Jesus was and is revealed to humankind.

Have you met Jesus? Have you knelt before Him as the shepherds and Magi did? Have you praised Him as Simeon and Anna did? How has Jesus been revealed to you and how did you respond?