Click here to watch my video reflection on our text for today, or keep reading for my written reflections: 

Today in our reflection, we are going to be looking at Luke 2: 29-35:  

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.”

33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Today is a day in the life of the church that I really wasn’t all that familiar with until I saw someone tweet about it yesterday.  Today is what is called Candlemass.  Today is the 40th day since Christmas and in Jewish tradition, a mother would have remained semi-secluded until this day, then they would go to the Temple to make an offering for the child and to present the child.  That is what is happening when the Holy Family encounters Simeon and Anna.  

These two prophets had been waiting for the promised Messiah and now they have seen Him.  This passage shows us a lot.  It shows to us the importance of waiting and looking. Simeon and Anna could have missed Jesus if they had not been looking for Him on this day. 

It shows us that God will be true to His word.  He told Simeon he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.  Now, he can go in peace. 

It shows us that following Jesus can be hard.  Mary didn’t know all that she was agreeing to when she received the Word of the Lord. She simply accepted God’s promise on faith. She did not know all that would happen.  She obeyed, and God did amazing things.  Not always easy things.  But amazing things.  

And I think one last thing this shows us to us today, is that for us to fully understand who Jesus is, we need to also understand His Judaism.  We are not simply a New Testament people. We are a Bible people. The Old Testament forms the New Testament forms us deeply.  We need to drink from that well. Today we are told that He will be a light to the Gentiles (us) but the glory of Israel.  Until we understand the power of the Covenants, the Prophets, and Law from the Old Testament, we don’t fully understand the power of the New Testament. 

Don’t get in such a hurry to read about Jesus that you skip over the scriptures that prepared the way for Jesus. We are an Old Testament people as well.  

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