First Sunday after Christmas Day (2) The Bucket List

The Bucket List

The Bucket List

- Isaiah 61:10-62:3

- Psalm 148

- Galatians 4:4-7

- Luke 2:22-40

My granddaughter was recently building a tower out of blocks. She has this bucket filled with blocks which she occasionally digs out and sees just how high she can build a tower until it inevitably falls over with a big crash. On this particular occasion, things weren’t quite going according to plan, and well, frustration set in, and she kicked the bucket across the floor! It got me thinking about bucket lists. You know, the list of all the wishes you’d like to do before our time on earth draws to an end. I don’t mean to be crude. To me a list such as this reminds us to focus on living, not dying. Perhaps your list includes a trip to some far off exotic place. Maybe to learn how to play the guitar. Maybe to publish a book. Maybe to walk your children down the aisle in marriage.

Simeon had a Bucket List, a very unusual Bucket List. We’re told that the Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would see the Lord’s Messiah before he died. So, it was just that one thing on Simeon’s Bucket List? No trip to Australia, no parachuting out of an airplane. Just one, simple item on Simeon’s list…to see the Messiah before he died. The Holy Spirit reveals to Simeon hat he would see the Lord’s Messiah before he died. Every day Simeon would look for a child born the Messiah. Every day, as parents brought their children to the Temple for the rites of purification, Simeon would look to see if maybe this one was the Christ. When Mary and Joseph appeared in the Temple with Jesus, Simeon knew, he just knew, this was the one! He took the child in his arms and that’s when something happened that no one anticipated, not even Simeon. Simeon gazed into the baby Jesus’ eyes and declared that this child was not only Israel’s salvation, but the salvation of us all as well!

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 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.” 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 on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 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, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:a light for revelation to the Gentiles,and the glory of your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Luke 2:22-33

I don’t think Mary and Joseph were thinking much about bucket lists in those days. They are tired, I’m sure exhausted during these early days caring for the infant Jesus. They have travelled from Nazareth to Jerusalem, to Bethlehem, and now back to Jerusalem.

Joseph and Mary were young people of limited means, who struggled to get to Bethlehem for the census. When there was no room at the inn, I wonder if this new father had the money for a hotel stay. He appears helpless, poor, watching Mary give birth in a stable. After his divine child’s arrival in the world, he witnessed shepherds and others worship him. Then he was faced with his role as a provider in the time beyond birth.

The text tells us that Mary and Joseph, could not afford to offer a lamb. They presented the gift assigned to the poor, a pair of turtledoves. Over and again, people told them of the blessing they had in their arms. Every day they struggled to make ends meet.

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, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 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. When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. Luke 2:34-40

We live in a time where we may not understand the blessings in not having “things.” It’s hard to consider that we can be blessed but not prosperous. Success in our times is often linked to our material possessions, not our faith. But material possessions, monetary freedom is temporary. It’s our faith that makes us blessed, not our material “stuff”.   

The text tells us that Simeon was “guided by the Spirit” to come into the temple at the appointed time. When he arrived, he saw two young parents who had come a long way, to follow the law of the Lord and offer a sacrifice for their child. These young parents, like many others of that time, could have made the decision to give up on the faith, because it cost too much. Mary and Joseph remained committed to the rituals of the faith, even though religion cost them the daily resources they needed for survival.

Simeon was a seasoned man of faith. As one who had deep relationship with God, he had surely taken note of numerous young families coming and going from the temple. Simeon was expecting a miracle and waiting for the Messiah. When he saw that this young family brought only turtledoves, he knew they did not have the funds to offer a lamb. In other words, Simeon in a moment knew the long-awaited Savior of the world was being raised by parents in poverty.

Imagine being this seasoned person of faith, who had the chance to witness a poor teen mom and a dad with the Anointed One in their care. Imagine knowing they had a child with tremendous promise and possibility for an entire people. If you were in such a position, would you do something more for this family than offer a blessing?

If Jesus were born today, to teen parents in poverty, would he be better off now than he was 2,000 years ago? Will we answer the call to create a global community that makes sure all mothers and fathers have adequate health care, food, education, clothing, and shelter? When we consider the abundance of our nation, do faithful people of means have an obligation to the poor beyond offering them verbal blessings?

What’s on your bucket list? Exotic trips? Mastering a new hobby? Helping members of our community that struggle with health, monetary, and social injustices? Ensuring your name is written in the most important list: the book of life?

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15

God of glory,you have given us a new name and robed us in salvation.May we like Anna find our home in your presence,and like Simeon recognize Jesus as the Christ,so that, in joy and thanksgiving at becoming your children,we may join with all creation to sing your praise. Amen.