THE FULL MEAL DEAL Sermon delivered on December 28, 2014 Based on Luke 2:22-40 By Rev. Donna L. Martin

Transcription

1 THE FULL MEAL DEAL Sermon delivered on December 28, 2014 Based on Luke 2:22-40 By Rev. Donna L. Martin Well, Christmas has come and gone. The presents have been opened, some may have already been returned or exchanged and many of us have spent more time at the table or grazing through the days than we care to admit. If that is the case, perhaps the last thing you want to hear about today is food. But as I read the sermon text for this week, the words that came to mind were this is a full meal deal, because it seemed to come with everything. Now in the world of fast food, a full meal deal typically means a hamburger, some French fries, and a soda. For one price you get an entire meal. And this one price usually seems like a bargain compared to buying each item individually. In fact, individual items are usually priced such that for just a few cents more than the cost of a hamburger and a drink, you can have the French fries too, so the full meal deal is a better value. Well as I said, I feel this full meal deal illustration applies to our sermon text today. Although I was tempted to just pick and choose one or two aspects to discuss like Mary and Joseph s obedience to God and the Law of the Lord, or Simeon and Anna s many years of faithfulness, or Jesus being identified in public for the first time as the long-awaited Messiah I felt that for you to really get your money s worth, we needed to consider this passage as a complete package. So you might say this story of Jesus presentation at the Temple is the full meal deal special of the day it comes complete with people from both genders and of all ages, and, in a nutshell, it encompasses almost the entire span of biblical history including the Law, the prophets, the new covenant and the Holy Spirit. All this offered at a price everyone can afford whether they are Jews or Gentiles. But to understand why each of these individual items add value, we re going to have to take a peek inside the bag I mean the scripture. First, let s look at the role of Mary and Joseph. Mary and Joseph are good Jewish parents who are obedient to God. We know this because there are certain rituals prescribed by Jewish religious law that need to be accomplished after the birth of a child. Mary and Joseph take pains to comply with these requirements. One such rite is circumcision. If we had read a couple of verses before our text this 1

2 morning, you would know this occurred on the eighth day after Jesus birth as required by Jewish law. There would also have been a purification period Mary would have had to observe she could not enter the temple until 40 days after Jesus birth and then there would have been a ritual cleansing. We know from the first sentence of our passage today that this too had been fulfilled. The third observance required of Jewish parents was the presentation of the child in the Temple. In this particular case, the law required that every first-born male child be redeemed or bought back from the Lord. This ritual was based on the story of the Passover, when the angel of the Lord brought death to all the Egyptian firstborn, but passed over the houses of the children of Israel. As a result of these children being spared, God claimed possession of every firstborn male of Israel from that time forward. It is in obedience to this commandment that Jesus parents bring him to the temple to be presented, and to offer the prescribed sacrifice two turtle doves for his redemption, thus buying him back from the Lord. Now we who live after Jesus came and sacrificed his life for us, have a hard time comprehending the importance of this ritual. But we have to remember that the Law of Moses was God's plan in the Old Testament for the salvation of the Jewish people, whereas Jesus is God's plan in the New Testament for the salvation of all people. Jesus is God s new covenant with humanity. Even so, we also need to remember that from the beginning of his life, Jesus has his roots firmly planted in God's law. As he will later explain, "Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17). Moving on to the seniors in today s passage, of Simeon we read, He was righteous and devout. He eagerly anticipated the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. A few verses later we are told that Anna is an 84-year-old widow and that she never left the temple area but worshipped God with fasting and prayer night and day. Years of faithful living and devotion to God have filled them with the Spirit and provided them with the wisdom to see that this child being presented is the longawaited Messiah. These elders of the faith then are both prophets. So there you have the full meal deal special of the day. It includes a tiny, innocent baby; his youthful, obedient parents along with wise and faithful elders of the faith all playing their part in God s plan. But as an added value, in these people we also have the Law, the prophets, the New Covenant, and the Holy Spirit. But how does this story about a quaint custom in the life of a few ancient people apply to us today? I think the 2

3 application comes when we consider the significance of a full meal deal of faith while living in our have-it-your-way world. We need only look at McDonald s to see how changing times effects the fast food industry. When sales begin to take a dive, McDonalds begins tweaking the menu to try to appeal to the changing consumer appetite. For years, McDonald s courted families with kids, and the chain made its name on unhealthy fast food. Over the years, to keep with the more healthconscious times, they have added some healthier choices to their menu such as salads, yogurt, apple slices, and, most recently, those little oranges called Cuties. Now McDonald s finds itself in a decade where young people are staying single longer and having fewer kids. And more and more of them actually care about the quality of the food they stuff in their face. So recently, McDonald s has deconstructed their full meal deal. Now instead of ordering the typical combo of a burger, fries, and a drink for one price, the new menu offers the main entrée a Big Mac, a Quarter Pounder, or a Salad for a certain price and then you can add a soda or fries for a dollar more each ( So what, you might ask, do these menu changes have to do with church and faith? Quite a lot I think. The church does not exist in a cultural vacuum. The world outside that caters to consumer likes and dislikes, fads and whims, has a direct impact on how many people experience the church and view their religious or spiritual lives. As far as church goes, I think it is clear that sales are down. Church attendance in most first-world countries has been going down for decades. Only about 20% of Americans attend church on a regular basis ( Of those who consider themselves regular attendees only attend church 1.2 times a month ( And a vast majority of people who identify themselves as Christians only attend church Christmas Eve and Easter. Why? Because many people today do not see the value in organized religion and view many of the church s rituals as antiquated and meaningless, empty calories on the religious menu that don t add much flavor that they can do without. As McDonald s has discovered, The times they are a changin. Yet despite this downward trend, the church as a whole, does not feel compelled to keep up with the times. 3

4 Now, it would be easy to point the finger of blame for this crisis at a specific generation and say that they are the problem, but the truth is, we have all played a part in the decline of the church. Those who see going to church as an optional weekend activity may need to explore in greater depth explore the things they find unpalatable or irrelevant whether that be reciting The Lord s Prayer every Sunday, or taking communion, or going to a Bible study or Sunday School class. To them I would say, there are reasons these traditions are observed and practiced. Some of them can t be discarded wholesale without losing something vital to our faith. (McDonalds would never get rid of their signature sandwich, the Big Mac.) So if something is not meaningful to you, look around and ask someone to whom they do seem important why they consider them important. Rather than turning away, make some effort to do a little research to see what lies behind these outward symbols of God s inward grace. But by the same token, those of us who do find meaning in the traditional aspects of church and religious life need to be able to communicate why we these things are significant aspects of our spiritual lives. Why are we reluctant to give them up? Be prepared to articulate why your faith and practice gives life meaning and structure and why certain songs or rituals are of deep spiritual significance to you. (And by the way, Because we have always done them that way is not a good answer.) But also, and this is important for those of us who have been in church for a while to remember, be willing to hear the concerns of those who struggle with these traditions and rituals. Although it may seem they just want it their way, they are seeking meaning and purpose. We must do everything we can to bless them and nourish them on their journey and that means more than just being tolerant. It means being willing to adapt and it means realizing that their future in Christ, at least in part, depends on our witness. There is a phrase Kairos team members are encouraged to apply when working with inmates in their prison ministry people whose life experiences are different. The phrase is Listen, listen. Love, love. I think the church would do well to adopt this as its motto. Where there are differences in age, gender, culture, or experience, our first task should be to listen. Why? Because when you listen first, the other person knows they have been honored and respected. They know their sacred value in God s kingdom is being acknowledged. And if you listen first, I mean truly listen, 4

5 they will know they are loved. So young people, listen to your elders and seniors, listen to those young whipper snappers. Because, my friends, healthy faith communities are 'soul communities,' soul communities in which young and old are soul-mates, bound together as an extended family of God, who love, support, and sustain one another. We should ensure our senior adults are honored as resourceful contributors to community life, wisdom-givers, and exemplars of the faith. Likewise, those of us who have the benefit of age and wisdom should be willing to nurture, support, encourage, and, when needed, educate those younger than us who are seeking more meaningful relationships with God, a community of faith, and the world they live in. And last, but certainly not least, all adults of any age, should be the protectors, nurturers, and cheerleaders of our children and youth. They are the future church. The value of a fast food full meal deal is the bang you get for your buck. More food for less money. But how can you put a value on a life of faith when the value of a life of faith is priceless? We know from our scripture today the importance of a full-meal-deal faith. It was important to Jesus development that Mary and Joseph were obedient to God and the Law. Because of their obedience and faithfulness, Jesus grew in stature and wisdom. Likewise, it was important to Mary and Joseph to receive Simeon and Anna s blessings for them and their child. This assurance and support would sustain them when they were bewildered by their child s actions and life. And it was also important for Simeon and Anna to be able to pass on their legacy of faith and to see a glimpse of God s future plans for their people and the world. As we begin leaning into yet another New Year, it is important for us, as people of faith, to be the part full meal deal of faith offered to others. Each and every one of us has a role to play in God s plan for the redemption of the world. In the long run God will have it his way. The question is: how will we add value to the overall package? Amen 5