Christmas, Pt. 7: "The Hopes and Fears of All the Years"

THE HOPES AND FEARS OF ALL THE YEARS (LUKE 2:21-38)
Chuck Swindoll told a touching and an unforgettable story about Major Harold Kushner and a marine who was held by the Viet Cong for five and a half years:
“Among the prisoners in Kushner’s POW camp was a tough young marine, 24 years old, who had already survived two years of prison-camp life in relatively good health. Part of the reason for this was that the camp commander had promised to release the man if he cooperated. Since this had been done before with others, the marine turned into a model POW and the leader of the camp’s thought-reform group. As time passed he gradually realized that his captors lied to him. When the full realization of this took hold he became a zombie. He refused to do all work, rejected all offers of food and encouragement, and simply lay on his cot sucking his thumb. In a matter of weeks he was dead.” (Charles R. Swindoll, Growing Deep in the Christian Life)

Why did he give up? The marine realized that his enemies did not mean what they said. There was no hope for release, no way to escape and no reward for good behavior. The Chinese say, “There is no bigger tragedy than a heart’s death哀莫大於心死.”

Hope is powerful. It’s been said, “Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” (14,000 Quotations, 242)

The Bible tells us that hope in God does not disappoint: “Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us.” (Rom 5:3-5)

The lives of two people in Jesus’ birth narrative are richly deserving of mention and merit. Simeon and Anna lived to an old age but they never lost hope in God. They waited patiently for the Messiah, devoted themselves selflessly to God and committed themselves exclusively to service. Their hope in God was rewarded when Jesus’ parents arrived at Jerusalem, entered the temple and offered required sacrifices for the baby’s circumcision and purification.

Why does hope triumph in the midst of pessimism, uncertainty and silence? Why is it so powerful and necessary? How does hope make us strong?

There is Peace in Abiding by God’s Promise
22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:22-32)

I bought a framed poster when I was a teenager, the only one I recalled buying since, and gave it to my sister, who was an unbeliever then. Somehow I was drawn to the words: “I believe in the sun - even when it does not shine; I believe in love - even when it is not shown; I believe in God - even when he does not speak.”

Ten years later, I came across Robert Schuller’s version of the story behind those words: “Sweeping across Germany at the end of World War II, Allied forces searched farms and houses looking for snipers. At one abandoned house, almost a heap of rubble, searchers with flashlights found their way to the basement. There on the crumbling wall, a victim of the Holocaust had scratched a Star of David. And beneath it, in rough lettering, the message: “I believe in the sun - even when it does not shine; I believe in love - even when it is not shown; I believe in God - even when he does not speak.” (Illustrations Unlimited, James S. Hewett)

Simeon was a visionary who could see the end and not just the beginning of things, one who basked in foresight while others moaned in hindsight, and an individual who lived the present in view of tomorrow. He was unique. His waiting was a positive and optimistic, not a negative or passive outlook. He was more definite than desperate and he believed in God’s design despite delay. What motivated Simeon, captivated him and kept him focused?

For the long period of 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testament God did not say a word. For four centuries, the Jews were thinking, longing, wondering for something to happen. Simeon never abandoned that hope or believed that the presence and promise of God had left Israel in the first place.

Simeon had a wonderful revelation that he would not die and that he would live to see the child (v 26). Yet it could be a horrible curse. Elderly life is not a blessing; eternal life is. Living without dying is a horrible thing. The only reason and motivation for Simeon’s will to live was the fulfillment of God’s promise.

Can you imagine the anticipation of Simeon? He was all waiting, excited about the preview, the unveiling and the grand prize, and what did he see? Not a prince, prophet or politician but a child!

What can a child do? By faith and in obedience, Simeon saw the Messiah, the Savior of the world and the King in the child. And he took the baby in his arms, praised God for deliverance and announced his own retirement.

There is Peace in Abiding by God’s Priorities
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:33-35)

According to MemoriseThis.com, Christmas is up there in stress with divorce, moving house and changing jobs as the sixth most stressful life event. 86% of respondents say they find buying presents difficult and 65% find Christmas shopping a stressful experience, according to the results of a new survey of over 3,000 people.

The results of the survey reveal that over 30% of folks get stressed just at the mere thought of hitting the high street at Christmas, and 61% say they lack inspiration when shopping and worry that people won't like what they've bought them. 60% have at some time had the horrible experience of buying a gift for someone and seeing disappointment on their faces when they opened it.

In the 16-24 year old age group 62% cited Dad as the hardest person to buy for. Less surprisingly the survey also showed that men dread the idea of shopping on the high street more than women with 34.8% of men compared to 27.8% of women.
55% would most like to receive is “a surprise - something inspirational”. This was followed, in order of popularity, by funky gadgets; pampering products, gift activities (e.g. Ferrari Driving or Wine Tasting) and gourmet treats. Conversely only 3.7% of us said we would prefer to receive a gift to share with the family such as a game. http://www.prnewswire.de/cgi/news/release?id=113215

In all the commotion, everyone forgot about Joseph and Mary.

Do you know how many people had blessed the parents of Jesus at his birth? None. The angels appeared to the shepherds, made their announcement, sang and departed (Luke 2:13-15). The shepherds arrived, saw the baby, praised God and told their neighbors the good news (2:16-18). The Magi came, worshipped the baby, brought gifts and left (Matt 2:10-11).

It was left to Simeon to give the parents a needed blessing, a precious warning and a sincere advice. Joseph and Mary were a young couple in need of advice and care. They had, in fact, been through a lot – engagement, pregnancy, marriage (in that order), from Galilee’s Nazareth to Judea’s Bethlehem (Luke 2:4), onward to Jerusalem eight days after the baby was born. On top of that, as many young couples could testify, they did not have much to spend or experience with kids. Simeon’s testimony was significant and refreshing to them. He was God’s voice of acceptance, His arms of presence (v 28), and His instrument of love.

Aging Simeon’s presence and words were an assurance to the newly-weds that God had accepted their offerings. Remember, Mary and Joseph could only afford a poor family’s offering of a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons – not a lamb sacrifice, as required of those who could afford it.

The elderly Simeon was also there to offer support to the young mother Mary, who got a peek at the baby’s nature, mission and influence— one that affected the words, the thoughts and hearts of people. Yet the baby will also give Mary anguish, distress and struggles, because her baby will face opposition, rejection and execution. Mary’s grief will multiply with her upcoming roles as a supportive parent, a devoted follower and a helpless eyewitness.

There is Peace in Abiding by God’s Presence
36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)

Have you ever thought what it was like to be eighty-four?

Bruce Bliven, 86, one-time editor of the New Republic for thirty years, lived with his wife at Stanford, England, often wrote to those who asked them about their well-being, especially in their old age:
“At 86, Rose and I live by the rules of the elderly. If the toothbrush is wet, you have brushed your teeth. If the bedside radio is warm in the morning, you left it on all night. If you are wearing one brown shoe and one black shoe, you have a pair just like it somewhere in the closet.

Try not to mind when a friend tells you on your birthday that a case of prune juice has been donated in your name to a retirement home.

I stagger when I walk, and small boys follow me, making bets on which way I’ll go next. This upsets me children shouldn’t gamble.

Like most elderly people we spend many happy hours in front of the TV set. We rarely turn it on.” (Ann Landers 12/13/95)

The prophetess Anna was a tremendous woman of hope. She was an eighty-four years old lady whose husband died seven years into their marriage, and she had remained a widow. Age, romance and status meant little to her in view of her value before God. The 84-year old Anna valued who she was, what she did and where she was. There was no hint of bitterness, retirement or inactivity in her soul.

Why? In God’s eyes, Anna was valuable not by her years of life or her husband’s longevity, their years of marriage, the happiness she “deserved” or the places they traveled.

Anna was an extraordinary person living in an extraordinary place playing an extraordinary part. She may be old, odd, orthodox to others, but she was separated for God, obedient to God and approved by God. What an amazing woman - she never left the temple. Can you imagine no Christmas cards, carols and cookies? Like the psalmist in Psalm 84, she thrived on these words: “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord…Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young--a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God… Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
(Ps 84:1-3, 10)

I had baptized a couple in their 80’s who asked me, “What can we do?” Be like Anna, pray for the pastor, the church and all brothers and sisters. This is priceless service only a servant like Anna could understand and appreciate.

Conclusion: Have you made peace with God? Is God a one day celebration or is He an everyday presence in your life? Have you reflected on the past year and how you can improve on the present year and coming years? Have you made a financial contribution to help out the church, the lost, the needy? Have you made peace with others and are you yielded completely to God?