Joseph and Mary had walked the six miles from Bethlehem to Jerusalem for a purpose.  (Read verses 22-24)  The Law of Moses declared a woman to be ceremonially unclean following childbirth.  The birth of a son called for seven days of seclusion as "contagiously" unclean, followed by another 33 days of religious impurity, during which she was not to come into contact with holy things nor enter the sanctuary.  In the case of the birth of a daughter the numbers were doubled.  (See Leviticus, chapter 12)  Joseph and Mary had come to the temple to offer the prescribed sacrifice for her purification:  "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."

          They had brought Jesus, now 40 days old, "to present him to the Lord."  This ritual requirement, the redemption of the firstborn son, memorialized God's sparing the firstborn of the Israelite families in Egypt the night the angel of the Lord slew the firstborn of all the Egyptians.  (Read Exodus 13:11-16)  The concept was that from that time on the firstborn belonged to the Lord.  The firstborn animals were to be sacrificed to him; the firstborn sons were to serve him throughout their lives.  In actual practice the Levites served in the place of the firstborn.  (Read Numbers 3:5-13)  The firstborn sons were to be redeemed, bought back from the Lord to live with their parents, through offering the appointed sacrifice.  This ritual presentation of Jesus to the Lord and his redemption through the offering of a sacrifice were carried out by Joseph and Mary at the same time that she went through her rite of purification.

1.  What is especially striking about these two parents acknowledging that their

firstborn son belonged to God?

          Simeon, is introduced simply as "a man in Jerusalem."  He was not particularly prominent in Jerusalem's religious circles, but had great spiritual qualifications:  he was _________ and ________; he was waiting for the __________  __________, and the ________  __________ was upon him."

2.  What does it mean that Simeon was "waiting for the consolation of Israel"?

3.  What promise had the Holy Spirit made to Simeon?

4.  How did Simeon recognize the baby Jesus as the Lord's Christ?

          Simeon's "song" of praise is called The Nunc Dimittis from its first words in Latin.  In the fifth century it became part of Church's worship life and is still often used as a liturgical song that celebrates our seeing the Lord's Christ in Holy Communion.

5.  What did Simeon say that made Joseph and Mary marvel?

          Simeon spoke of the destiny that awaited Mary’s son, a destiny that would have a direct effect on her.

6.  What does it mean that Jesus would cause "the falling and rising of many in Israel"?  (See 1 Peter 2:6-8)

7.  How would Jesus be "a sign spoken against, revealing the thoughts of many hearts"?  (See John 10:22-33)

8.  When did a sword pierce Mary's soul?

          Anna is introduced, not just as "a woman" but as "a prophetess."  Since she was a "fixture" in the temple, Anna's testimony about Jesus must have carried some weight with those who heard her.  The Greek here is in the imperfect tense, indicating continuing action.

9.  What do you think Anna said as she "kept on giving thanks to God and kept on speaking about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem"?  Hint:  lutroosis, the Greek word for “redemption” is the price for ransoming a slave or prisoner.

10.  Could we say about our own children in our Christian homes, "They grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon them"?

Stabat mater dolorosa ("The sorrowful mother stood")

At the Cross her station keeping,

stood the mournful Mother weeping,

close to her Son to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,

all His bitter anguish bearing,

now at length the sword has passed.

O how sad and sore distressed

was that Mother, highly blest,

of the sole-begotten One.

Christ above in torment hangs,

she beneath beholds the pangs

of her dying glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,

whelmed in miseries so deep,

Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain

from partaking in her pain,

in that Mother's pain untold?

For the sins of His own nation,

She saw Jesus wracked with torment,

All with scourges rent:

She beheld her tender Child,

Saw Him hang in desolation,

Till His spirit forth He sent.

O thou Mother! fount of love!

Touch my spirit from above,

make my heart with thine accord:

Make me feel as thou hast felt;

make my soul to glow and melt

with the love of Christ my Lord.

Holy Mother! pierce me through,

in my heart each wound renew

of my Savior crucified:

Let me share with thee His pain,

who for all my sins was slain,

who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with thee,

mourning Him who mourned for me,

all the days that I may live:

By the Cross with thee to stay,

there with thee to weep and pray,

is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgin of all virgins blest!,

Listen to my fond request:

let me share thy grief divine;

Let me, to my latest breath,

in my body bear the death

of that dying Son of thine.

Wounded with His every wound,

steep my soul till it hath swooned,

in His very Blood away;

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,

lest in flames I burn and die,

in His awful Judgment Day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,

be Thy Mother my defense,

be Thy Cross my victory;

While my body here decays,

may my soul Thy goodness praise,

Safe in Paradise with Thee.

Jacopo da Todi (ca. 1230-1306)

“Now That I’ve Held Him in my Arms”

by Michael Card

An old man in the temple,

Waiting in the court,

Waiting for the answer to a promise,

And all at once he sees them

In the morning sunshine

A couple coming carrying a baby.

“Now that I’ve held Him in my arms

My life can come to an end.

Let Your servant now depart in peace.

I’ve seen Your salvation.

He’s the Light of the Gentiles,

And the glory of His people Israel.”

Mary and the baby come.

And in her hand five sheckels,

The price to redeem her baby boy.

The baby softly cooing,

Nestled in her arms.

Simeon takes the boy and starts to sing.

“Now that I’ve held Him in my arms

My life can come to an end.

Let Your servant now depart in peace.

I’ve seen Your salvation.

He’s the Light of the Gentiles,

And the glory of His people Israel.”

And now’s the time to take Him in your arms.

Your life will never come to an end.

He’s the only way that you’ll find peace.

He’ll give you salvation,

He’s the Light of the Gentiles,

And the glory of His people Israel.

What must it have been like for Simeon to wait in the temple every day for the promise? 

 What must it have been like for Simeon when he first laid eyes on Mary, Joseph and the Baby?

What does it mean when Simeon said as he looked at the little baby, “I’ve seen your salvation”?

 Based on what we talked about earlier, why did Mary and Joseph have to pay a price to “redeem” their baby?

How can you “take Him in your arms” this Christmas?

What does it mean that “your life will never come to an end”?

How will Christmas bring you real peace this year?

Promises.  In a way this song describes how before Jesus was born, waiting was the greatest part of faith.  It speaks of the power a promise can have.  Simeon was a man who received a very special promise from God.  The promise?  You will not die until you have seen the coming of the Messiah.  For a Jewish man of faith, there was no greater promise.  It became the nexus of his whole life.  From that time on, Simeon spent the remainder of his days waiting, as did all the faithful who lived before the advent of Jesus.  Having faith meant waiting for God to keep His promise.

How good are you at waiting?  Could you have done what Simeon had done?

What promise of God are you waiting for Him to fulfill in your life?

We really don’t know what Simeon was expecting, though we can guess.  Perhaps he was looking for a king who would come in great glory, since that was the image of “Messiah” for many of his friends.  Perhaps as he sat in the temple court, Simeon kept his eyes focused on the sky, waiting for the clouds to part and reveal a great and glorious king.  Each sunbeam that broke through might be a sign that the promise was about to come true.  Perhaps Simeon was expecting a warrior.  Many were hoping the Messiah would be a warlike leader, especially a group of radicals know as the zealots.  They saw the Messiah as someone who would forcefully get rid of the Romans.  The point is, we do not know what Simeon was expecting, but we do know what he got.  A little baby wrapped in rags, with paupers for parents.  Jesus.  A most unlikely person to change the world.

When the Holy Baby appeared, cradled in His mother’s arms, what must have gone through Simeon’s mind when God pointed out to him that this was His Promised One?

Simeon was wise enough to expect the unexpected from the Lord because he went straight to Mary and Joseph.  Luke gives us the wonderful detail that he took Jesus and held Him in his arms.  That, for me, is one of the most significant moments of the nativity narratives.  In this one simple moment, two worlds meet.  The Old Testament embraces the New.  As Simeon took Jesus into his arms he responded poetically, perhaps even in a song, as Adam had first responded to Eve, as Mary had responded to the angel.  The promise had become flesh.  It was real.  It was “the good news.” 

Why is the promise of Jesus not a promise anymore?  (Hint: a promise is about something that is yet to come.)

Would you say Christmas is more about remembering what was? What is? or What will be?

It was for sure good news for Simeon to finally be able to embrace the Promised One.  But far and away the best news of all is that He embraces us.  That was the reason for His coming.  Many people say, “I’ve asked Jesus into my life.”  We should really say He has invited us into His life!  That was the reason for Simeon’s song.  Deep inside his tired old heart, he knew that the infant he held in his arms was in truth the One who had been holding him all his life long.

“Church ABC’s” is a year-long journey dedicated to understanding God’s calling upon His holy people—what it means to be a vibrant, mission-driven body of faith. We believe that God has called us to know Him and to make Him known to others in the world by living a life of service for the benefit of our neighbors. 

Today we conclude our “Prepare Ye” worship series for Advent. For the past four Sundays, we have “pondered” the meaning of Jesus’ arrival, we have “prayed” with confidence, we have “praised” God through all circumstances, and today we follow the models of Moses, St. Paul and John the Baptist and “proclaim” our devotion to the One who was born to save!

Matthew 1:18-25

The Gospel of Matthew begins with a detailed genealogy, beginning with Abraham, tracing through David, Israel's greatest king, and ending with:

"Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ" (1:16).

Matthew begins with a genealogy of the Messiah, of who begat whom, but now he must explain why it is relevant. This conception, this birth, bears some explanation.

It's pretty clear from what is not said in Matthew that his readers were familiar with the story of the virgin birth that Luke recounts, which had been told from Mary's point of view (Luke 1:26-38). Matthew's account, on the other hand, is told from Joseph's perspective.

Matthew begins simply:

"This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit." (1:18)  Notice that he just states simply the facts of what his readers already knew, without embellishment.

Joseph’s name was a proud name, recalling the ancient Jewish name of one of he twelve patriarchs, Joseph the son of Jacob.

How old was Joseph?

Where might they have lived?

What is a Carpenter?

What might Jesus have learned as the son of a Carpenter?

Joseph knows that he is not the biological father.

Mary’s pregnancy had placed her at considerable risk in that society.

What does it mean that Joseph was a “righteous man”?

Instead of exposing Mary to “public disgrace” what did Joseph decide to do?

God changed Joseph’s mind.

The three times we have a record of God speaking to Joseph, it is through an “angel of the Lord” appearing to him in a dream.  Each time when he wakes up, he immediately obeys the messenger (1:20; 2:13, 19).  What does this say about Joseph?

The name “Jesus” means “Yahweh saves.”

Jesus’ name from the time he was a baby was to indicate his mission.

Joseph is commanded to personally name the child.  This is deeply significant…

Biologically, Jesus is begotten by the Holy Spirit and is thus the “Son of God”, but legally he is the son of Joseph and heir to the promises of David, Joseph’s ancestor.

Matthew quotes Isaiah 7:14 because he sees in it a prefiguring of the Virgin Birth of Jesus.

Emmanuel or Immanuel (depending on how you spell it) is a transliteration of the Hebrew name in Isaiah 7:14, literally, “with us is God”.

Immanuel is the perfect name to describe the incarnation.

Did Mary and Joseph have other children?

The final things we learn about Joseph happen a few years after Jesus’ birth.

First, Joseph brings Mary and Jesus to Egypt to protect them from Herod.

After Herod’s death, Joseph brings them back and settles in Nazareth.

The Bible tells us nothing about Joseph’s death, though presumably he was not living during the time of Jesus’ ministry…

Joseph Ponders the Incarnation

 “How could it be?”  What do you think it was hard for Joseph to understand?

What does it say about Joseph that even though the baby in his arms was not “his”, he still loved him?

What might some of the challenges be to raise the very Son of God as your son???

 Why do you think God asked a simple carpenter to be father to His Son instead of, let’s say, a priest or a king?

If you were Joseph, how would you feel?

A simple carpenter stands in the shadow of the stable, in the shadow of history.  People come and go.  The shepherds have seen angels.  The Wise Men, a star.  Others have only heard fantastic rumors.  Some of them have come hundreds of miles.  Some only across the street.  The silent figure stands there watching them come and go, the crying ones who adore and the curious ones who merely stare.  He is the gentle step-father of Jesus, a rural carpenter named Joseph.  The best in him rejoices with the others. God has finally come to His people!  The worst in him still wonders if he isn’t the biggest fool in Bethlehem tonight.

How might the events of the incarnation and Jesus’ birth have helped Joseph believe what was happening?

Joseph was the first person to really struggle with the Incarnation.  Mary’s quick, “How could these things be?” seemed to come and go, like a cool breeze.  But Joseph saw no angels.  He only dreamed dreams.  He had no quickening in his belly to tell him that life had indeed been conceived in a miraculous way.  We know almost nothing about Joseph, apart from his gentleness and willingness to say “No” to his doubts and fears for Mary’s sake and for God’s.

What does this teach us about Joseph’s character?

Imagine the dilemma of that simple man, finding himself cast in the role of father to the Son of God.  Though that beautiful infant was not part of his body, the baby must have quickly taken over Joseph’s heart, as most adopted children have a way of doing.  As he held that squirming bundle in his arms, Joseph must have asked the question every new father asks himself and God, “How could it be?”  It is an impossible task, being a parent.  To take a life from its first breath on through to maturity – to feed, clothe, educate, and all the rest…  How could it be?

Parents, ever felt overwhelmed in raising your son or daughter?

Confirmands, what do you think would be the greatest challenge of being a parent?

How do you think Joseph did as a father?  We sadly have no scenes of him with Jesus in the carpenter shop.  But since Jesus was also known as a carpenter (Mark 6:3), He must have learned His trade somewhere, and why not from His loving father?  We know for certain that Jesus made it to manhood with a wonderfully strong and simple vision of what father meant.  He must have learned it at least in part from Joseph.  Before He cried out “Abba, Father!” in the garden of Gethsemane, He must have tenderly called out the same name in an innocent child’s voice to that man in the shadows, Joseph.

What are some of the things Jesus might have learned from His father Joseph?

What are some things we can learn from this wonderful man, Joseph?

“Church ABC’s” is a year-long journey dedicated to understanding God’s calling upon His holy people—what it means to be a vibrant, mission-driven body of faith. We believe that God has called us to know Him and to make Him known to others in the world by living a life of service for the benefit of our neighbors. 

Today we continue our "Prepare Ye" Advent series as we contemplate the ways we prepare ourselves and wait for the coming of the Christ Child. In our worship we celebrate the upcoming arrival of our Savior through songs and shouts of praise. Elizabeth, in her greeting of Mary, is filled with the Holy Spirit and provides a benchmark for rejoicing over the good news of salvation found in Jesus. Moses’ song and St. Paul’s letter to the Church in Philippe serve as two additional models of having confidence in the Lord and praising Him through all circumstances.

Pondering the Incarnation

Mary Ponders

The word incarnation does not occur in the Bible. It is derived from the Latin in and caro (flesh), meaning clothed in flesh, the act of assuming flesh. Its only use in theology is in reference to that gracious, voluntary act of the Son of God in which He assumed a human body. In Christian doctrine the Incarnation, briefly stated, is that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became a man. It is one of the greatest events to occur in the history of the universe. It is without parallel.

1 Timothy 3:16

What does St. Paul call the incarnation?

How do we know anything about the incarnation? (How was it revealed to us?)

John 1:1-5, 14

Cerinthus and the belief known as Docetism claimed our Lord only “appeared” to be human.  How do these verses disclaim this heresy?

Not only did Jesus “become flesh” but He also made his dwelling among us.  What does that mean?

Galatians 4:4,5

God sending His Son presupposes that God had a Son!  Jesus was the Son in His eternal relationship with the Father, not because He was born of Mary.  When did Jesus begin to exist?

Centuries before Jesus was born, the Prophet Isaiah wrote of Him, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given…” (Isaiah 9:6) and “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).  What does Immanuel mean?

Philippians 2:5-11

“Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing…”

God emptied Himself!  He did not lose His Deity when He became man, for God is immutable and therefore cannot cease to be God.  He always was God the Son; He continued to be God the Son in the flesh, He is God the Son in heaven today as He will remain throughout all eternity.  What does it mean that Jesus “made himself nothing”?

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”  What does that mean for us today? 

“taking the very nature of a servant…”

This is a voluntary act of amazing grace!  The almighty Sovereign stooping to become earth’s lowly Servant.  What does this teach of us of God’s nature?

Jesus said in Matthew 20:289, “The Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.”  How much are you worth to God?

“being made in human likenes.”

This phrase expresses the full reality of His humanity.  Is there anything we experience that God Himself has not experienced?

“And being found in appearance as a man…”

Jesus came into the world to relate to mankind.  What if he came as “Superman”?

“he humbled himself…”

The world has never witnessed a more genuine act of self-humbling.  What made this the greatest act of humiliation ever?

This humiliation will be clearly evident to us when we see God completely in heaven.  Then the contrast between divinity and humanity will be eminently clear!  Ever notice what people in the Bible do when they find themselves in God’s veiled presence?

“and became obedient to death.” 

Remarkable, the God-man dies!  Question: did He die as God or did He die as man?  Answer: 

“even death on a cross!”

Our Lord died as no other person died or ever will die.  How???

His own people considered crucifixion the worst kind of disgrace.  In the Old Testament it says, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” (Deuteronomy 21:23)  Not only did our Lord die, but He died bearing the burden of the worst of criminals and the guiltiest of sinners.  He truly was cursed.  Apply this to Jesus’ words from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34)

Purpose of the Incarnation?

To reveal God to mankind.

To reveal mankind to mankind.

To redeem mankind.

To restrain and ultimately defeat Satan.

To rescue the whole of mankind.

To restore “Israel”.

To reign.

Mary Ponders

Matthew 1:18             States the fact of what happened.

Luke 1:26-38               The Annunciation

Luke 1:39-56               Visit to “Aunt” Elizabeth and Magnificat.

Luke 2:15-20               Mary ponders all these things…

Luke 2:33-35               Simeon and Anna.  Mary “marveled at what was said about him.”

A word of distinction:  Incarnation – Virgin Birth – Immaculate Conception

Mary Ponders the Incarnation

How did the Incarnation show the Father’s love for us?

What is so amazing about Jesus being a baby in His mother Mary’s womb?

What does it mean, “A mother made by her own child”? Why might this seem like fiction?

Do you think the Baby Jesus, who cried in the manger, knew all things?  Why or why not?

The “Fall” is Adam and Eve’s fall into sin.  How did that fall “devastate”? 

How did the Creator re-create?

What does it mean that Jesus was made “like us” so that we “could be like Him”?

That is the Mystery!

More than you can see.

Give up on your pondering

And fall down on your knees.

Mysteries… I used to think mysteries existed only to be solved like a Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew novel.  I actually used to believe I had the ability to understand it all, given enough time to figure things out.  When I heard of the “mystery” of Christ, I assumed that Jesus was only a mystery to unbelievers.  How wrong I was!  To “know” the mystery of Christ is to realize that it is indeed just that, a mystery.

St. Paul said in 1 Timothy 3:16, “Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great!”  Seriously, the Apostle Paul, the inspired author of so many books in the Bible said the Incarnation was a mystery???  Should we then, be bothered if we can’t figure this thing out?  How does that make you feel?

To represent faith in Jesus merely as something we come to understand and accept is to rob it of the mystery of being in relationship with something that is infinitely bigger and wiser than we are.  His ways are not our ways, the prophet Isaiah tells us, (Isaiah 55:8) and that hasn’t changed!  He is still the Creator and we, His creatures.  Like the birds, we receive our daily bread from His hand and each breath of life as His gracious gift.  Is that not itself a mystery?

If we claim to fully understand God’s nature, His purpose and His plan… what does that make us?

Does that mean there is nothing we can know about God and His ways? 

How do we know anything about God?

Mystery is not a category only for the spiritually elite, secret knowledge reserved for pastors or professors.  The mysteries of faith in Christ are for everyone who claims to be in relationship with Him.  The basic truths of Christianity are mysteries, not understandable:  The virgin birth of Jesus, the Holy Trinity, grace, prayer, the union of the believer with Christ in Holy Baptism, Holy Communion, the Cross, and perhaps most mysterious, and key to them all, the Incarnation.

What do you need to know in order to be saved?

Then why do we spend so much time in confirmation class memorizing and learning about all these other things?

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  With that in mind, what does it mean to believe these mysteries by faith?

It has been said that only by believing do we “know”.  We do not claim to fully understand the mystery.  Not in the least, or else it would be no mystery!  It is because of the mystery, and not in spite of it, that we know.  The mystery calls forth faith, giving us the ability to “know” with the heart as well as the mind.  Even the knowing is the mystery!