The Presentation of Jesus

What is worth waiting your entire life for? What have you been waiting your entire life to see or to receive? What would make you think you could die in peace because it could not get any better?

When Jesus was presented in the Temple in Jerusalem, two righteous and devout people were waiting on him in eager anticipation, Simeon and Anna. They were waiting on the fulfillment of God’s promises and they were committing their lives to see the fulfillment of God’s word.

The Gospel of Luke tells us “Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 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. And he came in 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, he took him up in his arms and blessed God” (Luke 2:25-28, ESV).

Simeon had spent his entire life in devotion to God and in anticipation of the coming of God’s anointed one, the Messiah. Commitment to and devotion to God was Simeon’s sole focus, passion, mission, and purpose. Simeon was dedicated and committed to God and was righteous before him. Simeon faithfully awaited God in His holy temple.

When he finally saw Jesus as he was being presented in the temple by his parents, Simeon said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32, ESV).

Simeon’s life was now complete, having seen God’s salvation for all people. Simeon said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace.” Simeon’s life was complete having all his hopes, dreams, and anticipations satisfied in the presentation of the messiah, the Lord Jesus, in the temple, presented by his parents Mary and Joseph.

Like Simeon, may we anticipate God’s rescue and restoration and the fulfillment of the salvation of all people through Jesus the messiah, and may we faithfully dedicate and commit our lives to Jesus as we patiently wait and anticipate his coming again.

A Collect for the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple (Candlemas): “Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).

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