WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:03.400 It's a regular work day in Jerusalem. 2 00:00:04.300 --> 00:00:10.100 The temple is crowded as usual with people coming to pray, 3 00:00:11.400 --> 00:00:12.000 to worship, 4 00:00:13.500 --> 00:00:14.900 to offer sacrifices. 5 00:00:16.400 --> 00:00:22.400 Perhaps simply as whatever sort of coffee they had after worship to 6 00:00:22.400 --> 00:00:23.700 socialize with one another 7 00:00:24.900 --> 00:00:25.600 as well. 8 00:00:28.100 --> 00:00:31.500 But parents also brought 9 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:36.300 to the Lord their first born children on this day. 10 00:00:38.100 --> 00:00:44.700 In this environment in this scenario with many contrast many opposing 11 00:00:44.700 --> 00:00:45.800 situations. 12 00:00:47.400 --> 00:00:49.900 There is this 40 day old, baby. 13 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:54.500 Who we now know has come 14 00:00:56.200 --> 00:01:00.600 to the temple to be the new Temple. 15 00:01:01.700 --> 00:01:04.900 The new human Tabernacle for God. 16 00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:08.700 In reality this little baby 17 00:01:11.100 --> 00:01:15.400 is God himself wearing whatever sort of diapers 18 00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:17.600 they had two thousand years ago. 19 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:21.300 It is circumcision. 20 00:01:21.300 --> 00:01:26.400 This little baby is about to shed his first Blood. 21 00:01:28.500 --> 00:01:33.400 The same blood that he would shed three decades later for the life of 22 00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:33.600 the world. 23 00:01:34.900 --> 00:01:37.000 For you and for me. 24 00:01:38.800 --> 00:01:42.200 This is a story of contrast. 25 00:01:44.500 --> 00:01:50.100 There's also this Prophet Simeon saying the Jesus came to two 26 00:01:50.100 --> 00:01:51.700 contrasting worlds. 27 00:01:52.500 --> 00:01:56.300 For the people of Israel the believers in the Lord 28 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:00.100 and for the Gentiles. 29 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:03.700 He says in essence, 30 00:02:03.700 --> 00:02:10.500 this child will live a life of contrasts and literally he says and is 31 00:02:10.500 --> 00:02:15.700 destined for the fall and the resurrection the anastasis 32 00:02:16.700 --> 00:02:17.400 of many. 33 00:02:18.600 --> 00:02:21.700 And to reveal the thoughts of many hearts. 34 00:02:23.500 --> 00:02:27.100 This Prophet Simeon was waiting for the consolation. 35 00:02:28.900 --> 00:02:32.800 The paraklesis the comforting of Israel 36 00:02:34.200 --> 00:02:36.500 and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 37 00:02:40.200 --> 00:02:44.400 There's another contrast here as well devoted as they were Mary and 38 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.900 Joseph his parents had probably prayed for their son like other 39 00:02:47.900 --> 00:02:50.200 parents pray for their newborn children. 40 00:02:51.400 --> 00:02:56.400 That God would grant them grant him a happy and successful 41 00:02:58.200 --> 00:02:59.700 and safe life. 42 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:02.900 Just as any father or mother would. 43 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:11.600 What a contrast when Simeon announces to Mary a sword will pierce 44 00:03:11.600 --> 00:03:13.900 through your soul also. 45 00:03:15.200 --> 00:03:21.700 Simeon led by the Holy Spirit seems to be preparing Mary to see the 46 00:03:21.700 --> 00:03:25.700 suffering that her little baby will eventually go through. 47 00:03:29.100 --> 00:03:33.400 We're faced with contrast everyday everywhere. 48 00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:39.100 We live in an uneven world where some people have seemingly everything 49 00:03:39.100 --> 00:03:42.400 even more than they could possibly ever need or want. 50 00:03:43.300 --> 00:03:45.300 And some people have very little. 51 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:48.100 Not even enough to eat. 52 00:03:49.200 --> 00:03:55.400 Some people live lives of peace and safety and others live out an 53 00:03:55.400 --> 00:03:57.100 existence that is violent 54 00:03:58.100 --> 00:03:59.000 and scary. 55 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:04.300 We live in United States with all of our plenty and financial 56 00:04:04.300 --> 00:04:09.000 confidence while others especially in Asia, Africa and Latin America 57 00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:12.100 live in want and need. 58 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:16.200 Even hear more locally 59 00:04:16.200 --> 00:04:22.200 we live and work and study in the relative safety of Clayton and other 60 00:04:22.200 --> 00:04:22.500 suburbs. 61 00:04:23.900 --> 00:04:25.400 While, the city of St. 62 00:04:25.400 --> 00:04:29.500 Louis proper is the murder capital of the nation. 63 00:04:31.900 --> 00:04:34.400 I wrote that last sentence on Friday. 64 00:04:36.400 --> 00:04:42.800 And then on Saturday a fraction of that violence entered even into our 65 00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:47.100 campus are normally tranquil campus here on the campus 66 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:49.800 Chapel Plaza. 67 00:04:52.700 --> 00:04:55.400 We thank God but no one was injured. 68 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:01.300 Still we live and uneven world with uneven distribution of wealth, 69 00:05:01.300 --> 00:05:03.600 uneven opportunities, 70 00:05:04.600 --> 00:05:08.400 uneven safety a world of contrasts. 71 00:05:11.200 --> 00:05:14.700 We the church are called to serve in is uneven world this world of 72 00:05:14.700 --> 00:05:15.400 contrast. 73 00:05:15.400 --> 00:05:20.600 We are called upon by this little baby 30 years later to love our 74 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:24.100 neighbors, but even more so to love our enemies. 75 00:05:26.400 --> 00:05:30.100 This can feel like a burden at times especially when we see others 76 00:05:30.100 --> 00:05:33.700 unbelievers who have more than us. 77 00:05:34.900 --> 00:05:38.600 You can feel like the world is winning and we are losing. 78 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:42.700 But this little baby. 79 00:05:43.800 --> 00:05:50.700 First name Jesus here continues to fill our lives with the truest of 80 00:05:50.700 --> 00:05:51.500 contrasts. 81 00:05:51.500 --> 00:05:58.800 He is the center of attention in our text the eyes of Mary and Joseph and 82 00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:01.200 Simeon and Anna are all on him. 83 00:06:03.500 --> 00:06:06.400 We live in this uneven world of contrast 84 00:06:06.400 --> 00:06:12.700 but in reality this little baby who shed his blood for us has put us 85 00:06:12.700 --> 00:06:18.500 permanently on the wondrous side of all the most important contrasts 86 00:06:18.500 --> 00:06:19.700 in this life. 87 00:06:21.100 --> 00:06:24.100 Ultimately, this world has only despair. 88 00:06:25.100 --> 00:06:31.300 But this little baby gives us hope the world has only meaninglessness, 89 00:06:31.300 --> 00:06:35.700 but this Jesus gives us meaning and purpose. 90 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:38.900 This world has only sorrow. 91 00:06:40.300 --> 00:06:45.700 But in him, we have ultimate joy this world has slavery 92 00:06:46.700 --> 00:06:49.700 but we become the citizens of his kingdom. 93 00:06:51.400 --> 00:06:53.400 This world has disgrace. 94 00:06:54.500 --> 00:07:00.500 But he has given us his glory. This world lives in darkness 95 00:07:02.100 --> 00:07:02.700 but we 96 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:05.400 we have his light. 97 00:07:06.600 --> 00:07:12.800 This world is cursed but we are blessed even when we feel poor or 98 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:16.700 downtrodden or threatened or mourning. 99 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:20.800 This world is separated from him. 100 00:07:21.900 --> 00:07:28.500 But we are his beloved children who will enjoy eternity in his 101 00:07:28.500 --> 00:07:29.200 presence. 102 00:07:31.100 --> 00:07:40.200 This world has only death but we are destined for his anastasis his 103 00:07:40.200 --> 00:07:40.900 resurrection. 104 00:07:43.300 --> 00:07:46.800 Jesus entered into this world of contrasts and took on all the 105 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:52.000 accursed aspects of this world for us as Martin Franzmann put so 106 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:58.400 poetically in his hymn: He came as to our Hall of death O Christ breathe 107 00:07:58.400 --> 00:08:03.900 are poison to are to drink for us the dark despair the strangled hour 108 00:08:03.900 --> 00:08:05.000 of reluctant breath. 109 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:09.400 This little baby came into our world. 110 00:08:10.400 --> 00:08:13.300 Was brought to this Temple to be our Temple. 111 00:08:14.200 --> 00:08:19.200 Actually be the lamb to be sacrificed at the temple. 112 00:08:20.100 --> 00:08:24.500 To be our rescuer to take upon himself all the horrible parts of the 113 00:08:24.500 --> 00:08:27.200 contrast of this sinful world. 114 00:08:29.100 --> 00:08:33.799 This little baby was the center of attention in the temple 115 00:08:34.700 --> 00:08:35.500 and in our text. 116 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:43.000 May he always be the center of attention in our lives as we seek to 117 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:47.600 trust and serve him in this uneven world of contrasts. 118 00:08:48.800 --> 00:08:51.000 In the name of Jesus. Amen.