Unexpected Prophecy – December 29, 2024

Isaiah 11:1-9, Luke 2:22-38
December 29, 2024

A couple of weeks ago, we looked at the story of Zechariah.  You may remember that he was the father of John the Baptist.  (And the Uncle of Jesus!)  And what happened to him?  He was struck dumb – made mute – by the angel Gabriel.  (I still don’t know how to say that!)  He was unable to speak, because he doubted the angel’s word that he and his wife Elizabeth were going to have a baby.  Remember, she was “advanced in years.”

The part of the story we read that day was when they brought the baby, John, into the Temple for dedication.  And that was when Zechariah’s “mouth was open” and he was able to speak.  And when he did, he prophesied.  And not only did he prophecy about John, that he would be the prophet of the Lord, but he also prophesied about Jesus, saying that God had “raised up a horn of salvation for his people.”  So, you remember that story.

Well, I mentioned at the time that there would be “more prophecies to come.”  That would happen when they brought Jesus to the Temple for his dedication.  And this is that story.  Here, we have these two people who we haven’t met before.  And they‘re prophesying about Jesus  We have this man Simeon, and we have Anna, who is described as being a “prophetess.”  And we don’t have Anna’s words, only that she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him (of Jesus) to “all who were looking for the redemption of Israel.”

But we have the words of Simeon in our reading for today.  And notice, that Luke doesn’t tell us that Simeon is a prophet.  (Though he does call Anna a “prophetess.”)  He does tell us, though, that it was revealed to him, “by the Holy Spirit,” that he would not see death “until he had seen the Lord’s Christ – the Lord’s Messiah.”  So when Mary and Joseph came into the Temple with the baby Jesus, Simeon took him in his arms and prophesied!  And I’m saying that his prophecy was “unexpected.”  It was certainly unexpected in the way it happened!  But I think it was also unexpected in what Simeon actually said.

He said, “Lord, let thy servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared in the presence of all people.”  There’s that “all people” thing again!  Simeon’s words echoed the angel’s words to the shepherds, that the “good news of great joy” was “for all people.”  That was unexpected, and as I’ve said before it wasn’t fully understood until later.  But it was restated here in Simeon’s words – as were the words of the Old Testament Prophets, when he said this baby was to be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for the glory of the people of Israel.”  That’s right out of Isaiah 49:6.  (You gotta love Google!)

But still, that was unexpected!  As I said on Christmas Eve, those people longed for their Messiah.  But they saw him as their Messiah!  Even our hymns reflect that.  Do you remember the one I quoted?  “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.”  But when Emmanuel finally came, he was the Messiah for all people!  That alone was “unexpected prophecy.”  Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph “marveled at what was said about Jesus.”  Yeah, I’ll be they did!

But then Simeon turned to Mary.  And he added to that “unexpected prophecy.”  He said, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel.”  And I have to wonder what her reaction to that was!  He continued.  “And he will be a sign that will be spoken against, that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.” (That was the New International Version)  In other words, “Many in Israel will be divided over him.”  And we know that became the case!  Jesus would become a controversial figure!  “And many hearts will be revealed.”  And I would add “Many hearts will be challenged.”  And we know that he would do that, too.  He would challenge many people’s understanding.  He would show what they were really thinking!

Those words had to be unexpected – even shocking!  Again, we read them as holy scripture.  Can we imagine hearing them for the first time?  But then Simeon has this ominous prophecy just for her, just for Mary.  “And a sword will pierce your own soul, too.”  And we feel for her here, don’t we?  We know what’s ahead.  She would be there throughout his life.  She would witness all the controversy.  And she would be there, in the end, at the cross.  We can’t even imagine the sword that pierced her heart – even as the Roman spear pierced Jesus’ heart.

So, once again, we are faced with the Epiphany – the “sudden revelation” – the “Aha moment!” – that we’ll consider next week, when we read the story of the Wise Men.  They were foreigners – they were Gentiles!  But they came to worship the “King of the Jews.”  And I hope, in all this, that we will realize that God’s understanding of the world is much bigger than our understanding.  Sometimes that’s hard for us humans!  We like to think that we are final authority!  We like to think that ours is the greatest understanding – of everything!  And it can be very uncomfortable to us when we realize we’re not!

And yes, some of the things this baby would come to say, some of the things he would call us to do and to be – and even to think – will not be so easy!  Indeed, he was set for the fall and rising of many – and not just in Israel!

So, as we cross the threshold of a New Year, I invite you to think of what Jesus calls you to do and to be – and yes, even to think!  I invite you to remember the “controversy” around him, and to remember which side of that controversy you’re on.  And I invite you to do all of that, as we prepare for the following week.  That’s when we’ll read the story of Jesus’ baptism, and we’ll use that as a time to think of our own baptism, and to recommit our lives to him.  And isn’t that’s a good thing to do at the beginning of a new year!

So with that in mind, I hope you all enjoy the rest of 2024.   There’s not much left!  And I wish you a happy, and prosperous, and blessed new year!

Prayer

Like Simeon, Lord, our eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all people.  Help us to be that “light of revelation” to the world, and to your glory.  Help us in our resolve to follow even more closely, Jesus Christ, our Lord.  For we pray in his name, Amen.