David Bahn – Reflections

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Luke 2:21-35

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

²² And when the 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 male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” ²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, 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. 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.”

³³ And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ And Simeon 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 ³⁵ (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

The first step of any recovery program or process is to admit that you have a problem. Whether it’s AA, or Celebrate Recovery, when we admit that we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable, we are able to start down the road to recovery. Martin Luther – long before Bill Wilson or anyone else in modern times – began his 95 theses that signaled the start of the Reformation stated, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent,’ he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.”

Repentance is the essential necessary step to renewal. Long before Martin Luther, Simeon alluded to this when he spoke of Jesus’ impact in the lives of us all. “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed…so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Mary had sung of this in her hymn of praise, “he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate” (Luke 1:52). Jesus will bring us down so he can lift us up. His call to humility is a call to allow him to exalt us.

Jesus taught this in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Mary will, herself, experience this as Simeon prophecies, “a sword will pierce through your own soul.”

Hubris will be replaced – either now or later, and either by godly sorrow which leads to repentance, or by worldly sorrow that leads to death. There is a chasm of difference between repentance (contrition and faith), and the faithless regret of comeuppance. 

Sadly there are many who resist their whole lives, and will fall never to rise again. But those who bow the knee today, who repent and believe, who do not suppose they may recommend themselves to God, will be raised up. The fall of which Simeon speaks is not the fall into sin, but falling in humble honor before our Lord Jesus at whose name every knee will bow in heaven and on earth. And one day every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This little baby will bring all that about, with the Father and the Holy Spirit.