A Light to the whole world

Sermon 8th February

Reading Luke 2:22-32

Jesus Presented in the Temple

22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who 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.”

Simeon Sees God’s Salvation

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just 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 So he came by 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:

“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,

According to Your word;

For my eyes have seen Your salvation

Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of Your people Israel.”

Sermon by Brian McConkey

We see two candles - but what is special about them? One is taller and one will last longer, but the answer is that one candle is completely new.

Simeon was an old man and he had been burning his light for a long time - praying for many years and he was coming to the end of his life.

As we light the used candle we think of Simeon and about what it might feel like to grow old.

Perhaps you can’t do what you once used to do.

Perhaps you may feel your candle is coming to the end of its light.

Simeon had been coming to the temple and he might have thought “What is the use?”

This last time he went to the temple he was presented with Jesus, a new life, a new light. His prayers were answered. His and our saviour had come into the world through this little baby.

He said to Mary & Joseph;

“He is a light for the whole world”

No matter how old or dim we may feel, never stop praying, never stop hoping, never stop expecting Gods light. Because God never forgets, and God’s light came into the world, and is in the world for us to live by and follow. God always brings light.

Amen