It's Christmas Day. I'll skip the News Weakly for today and just recognize Christmas. That is, after all, the biggest and best news of the week, of the year, of the history of the world. On this day of the year we celebrate the Son of God taking on human flesh -- being born to a human family -- to live a sinless life, die on the cross for us, and rise again. This was His gift to us -- our one and only chance for salvation from our sin. On this day of the year we celebrate Emmanuel -- God with us. It just doesn't get any better than that. I hope you all give that at least a moment of attention on this day.
Before you go, I have to do a little homily, right? A short one, perhaps. Have you ever thought about Simeon? He appears in Luke 2 after the birth of Christ. It's about 40 days after His birth and Mom and Dad are taking Him to the Temple for the purification rite required by the law. Luke describes Simeon as a "man" -- apparently no special status ... priest, Pharisee, prophet, whatever -- who was 1) righteous and 2) devout and 3) looking for the consolation of Israel. Oh, and he had a special helping of the Holy Spirit (Luke 2:25). He had a promise from the Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah, so one day -- this particular day -- "he came in the Spirit into the temple" (Luke 2:27). There he encountered the Christ. How did he know? It doesn't say. We'll assume the Spirit let him know. He took Jesus into his arms and, it says, he "blessed God" (Luke 2:28). "Now Lord," he started, "You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace" (Luke 2:29). We don't know how old Simeon was. We don't know how much longer he had to live. (Neither did he.) It didn't matter. Simeon was "good to go." He had all he needed. He was fully satisfied. A simple encounter with the "consolation of Israel," the "Lord's Christ," and he could die happy.
How about you? Are you "righteous and devout"? Are you looking for God's consolation? Are you satisfied with Christ? Or is there something more you need to be content? Jesus is God's greatest gift ... all we need.
With that in mind, then, Merry Christmas.
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