I enjoy doing sermons like this when I imagine beyond the text. The goal, of course, is to have the listeners think beyond the text as well, which could lead to their identifying in themselves things that connect with the people in the text.
This was one of those weeks when the Chapel sermon flowed better than the Sanctuary sermon. I sometimes try to figure out why each group responds the way they do, and of course, haven't quite figured it out. But I think that sometimes the Chapel gets my dry humor better than the Sanctuary service. My commentary on older folks was supposed to be fun observations, which seemed to work in the Chapel given their chuckles and smiles; but in the Sanctuary, it seemed to come across more as a serious study of the older generation, and I'm not sure they all agreed with that study! It also seems to me that in the Chapel service the sermon has more of a feel of sitting around the family room telling stories, while in the Sanctuary it feels more like a sermon most weeks. I'd be curious what those of you who rotate between the two services feel about the differences between the two.
"The
Older Folks” January 4, 2015; FPC, Troy; Bit Players series; Luke
2: 25-38
Introduction:
Here
comes Simeon. People recognize him as he arrives at the Temple. And
if they do not recognize him in person, when they hear his name, they
know him by reputation.
Simeon
is one of the good guys. There are stories about what a righteous
man he is and how devout he is. When they put together a panel of
adults to share with the youth about faith journeys, they always ask
Simeon to be one of the adults because he has lots of stories from
his life that point to his faithfulness.
Lately
when Simeon talks about staying alive just so he can see the Messiah,
people sort of dismiss it as the silly talk of an old man, but that
day when we tells someone that the Holy Spirit has told him to come
to the Temple, the person has no doubt that God could and perhaps has
spoken to Simeon.
As
Simeon enters the Temple, he passes by Anna. Again, someone who is
known throughout the congregation as one of the faithful. Anna is
viewed less as one of the people who gathers at the Temple, and more
as a fixture in the Temple. Sort of like one of the pews. She's
there no matter when you go to Temple. It sort of makes people feel
good to to see here praying when they arrive. Makes you think that
god really is out there listening.
Simeon
and Anna – the last bit players we meet as part of this preaching
series.
Simeon
and Anna, two people who have their one scene in the Christmas story.
A small part, to be sure, but an important one.
They
are the two who are away from the excitement of the birth of Christ;
they have not been swayed by angels appearing in the night. They are
the “outside, neutral observers,” if you will, who confirm that
the baby born in Bethlehem, this child Jesus whose parents bring him
to the Temple, that this is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God sent
to save Israel.
And
did I mention that they are old. We don't know exactly how old
Simeon is, but Anna is at least 84 years old.
Move
1:
That's
right, two of the older folks confirm who Jesus is.
1.Older folks have seen it all.
2. they've seen the priests come and go.
3. They re there years ago when the rabbi was teaching those new ideas and got kicked out of the Temple.
4. They were there when the new rules came into being – in fact, both of them had shared their opinion to the priests putting together the new rules.
5. They've seen generations of younger kids misbehave in Temple, grow up, move on, and some even move back.
6. they remember the fight that almost split the congregation over renovations to the worship space.
b. Marj Carpenter (1/5/15, Presbyterian Outlook, 9) "In a Sunday school class for seniors, one grandmother laughingly reported: My grandson asked me if I knew how much alike God and I were. I was so please and tried to think what I had done that he would think was so good. And I asked him, "How?" And he promptly answered, "You're both old."
1. Simeon and Anna fit that category,.
2. which also means that when they announce that this child is the Messiah, they have credibility.
3. they've lived through the fads, seen the next great rabbi come and go, they've seen it all, and now they've seen the Messiah.
Move 2: Stop for a moment and think about older folks in the congregation. Not sure if Anna and Simeon were like this, but I suspect they were.
a. I am reminded of all the older folks that watch, support, and encourage the younger folks in the congregation.
1. Sometimes we think of older folks as being the ones who do not want to change, etc..
2. I could share a few stories about those folks.
3. but my experience also has been that some of the older folks help form the foundation of the local congregation.
4. They are the ones who are there year after year, and they are the ones who support the next generations.
5. They are the ones who are secure enough in who they are, or maybe they are just old enough to not care what others think, to share the truth – whether it be words of praise, or thoughts on how to improve.
6. Can you think of some folks like that in a congregation where you have been a member?
7. when I read about Anna I am reminded of a woman in the church I served in KY. She show up 30 minutes early for worship each week and sat in the sanctuary praying. As the congregation wandered in each week, there she was on the next to the back pew on the right-hand side of the sanctuary praying away.
b. Baptismal vows
1. The congregation takes those vows whenever a child is baptized in a Presbyterian congregation.
2. In some ways, it feels a bit like what takes place when Jesus is presented in the Temple that day.
3. Not that Simeon and Anna are taking vows to raise Jesus in the faith, but they are there to proclaim God's presence in their midst and Jesus as the Messiah.
4. Important to have people like Anna and Simeon around.
5. Do you know what fiddlehead ferns are? (Didn’t you?) To clean fiddleheads before you cook them, you put them in water and rub them up against each other. The dark outer layer – dirt, skin, whatever – comes off leaving a beautifully bright green skin that sparkles in the sauté pan. They don’t clean up well one by one; they have to rub up against each other to be transformed (donteatalone, 9/3/2007, Milton Brasher-Cunningham, http://donteatalone.com/fiddlehead-faith/)
6. We need older folks like Anna and Simeon to rub off on us, so that what they see in Christ will transform others.
Move 3: But before I get to sentimental about older folks, I want to point out that their importance is not found in their being older, but in their recognition of who Christ is..
a. Their age and wisdom may help them, but ultimately proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah is not about being old.
1. If they were old fuddy-duddies who resisted anything new, they would not have recognized him.
2. When we tell Simeon and Anna's story we celebrate the older folks who can still envision the future and see God at work.
3. Their words confirm that Jesus, the baby being presented by his parents, is the long-awaited Messiah.
4. That vision, of course, is not limited to any one generation.
b. Simeon and Anna arrive at the Temple on this day long after the excitement of Elizabeth's pregnancy and then Mary's pregnancy is a thing of the past.
1. the angels and shepherds have come and gone.
2. the post-Christmas routine has settled in for everyone.
3. You know that feeling. There are no more presents to buy, no more meals (maybe) to make, no more gifts to wrap.
4. All that’s left is to figure out what's next.
5. Simeon and Anna lead us into the what's next.
6. Now we who have celebrated Christ's birth need to announce him to the world.
7. we need to follow him into the world and participate in the salvation of the world.
8. Christmas is over, but the task of Jesus the Messiah and the tasks of those who will follow him has just begun.
( I read an article by Karoline Lewis, Associate Professor of Preaching and Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Homiletics, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, which talked about praise being the only response left after Christmas. Although I did not focus on praise, her thoughts spurred my thinking for this last point. https://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=3469)
Conclusion: Simeon and Anna get it.
Do you?
3. They re there years ago when the rabbi was teaching those new ideas and got kicked out of the Temple.
4. They were there when the new rules came into being – in fact, both of them had shared their opinion to the priests putting together the new rules.
5. They've seen generations of younger kids misbehave in Temple, grow up, move on, and some even move back.
6. they remember the fight that almost split the congregation over renovations to the worship space.
b. Marj Carpenter (1/5/15, Presbyterian Outlook, 9) "In a Sunday school class for seniors, one grandmother laughingly reported: My grandson asked me if I knew how much alike God and I were. I was so please and tried to think what I had done that he would think was so good. And I asked him, "How?" And he promptly answered, "You're both old."
1. Simeon and Anna fit that category,.
2. which also means that when they announce that this child is the Messiah, they have credibility.
3. they've lived through the fads, seen the next great rabbi come and go, they've seen it all, and now they've seen the Messiah.
Move 2: Stop for a moment and think about older folks in the congregation. Not sure if Anna and Simeon were like this, but I suspect they were.
a. I am reminded of all the older folks that watch, support, and encourage the younger folks in the congregation.
1. Sometimes we think of older folks as being the ones who do not want to change, etc..
2. I could share a few stories about those folks.
3. but my experience also has been that some of the older folks help form the foundation of the local congregation.
4. They are the ones who are there year after year, and they are the ones who support the next generations.
5. They are the ones who are secure enough in who they are, or maybe they are just old enough to not care what others think, to share the truth – whether it be words of praise, or thoughts on how to improve.
6. Can you think of some folks like that in a congregation where you have been a member?
7. when I read about Anna I am reminded of a woman in the church I served in KY. She show up 30 minutes early for worship each week and sat in the sanctuary praying. As the congregation wandered in each week, there she was on the next to the back pew on the right-hand side of the sanctuary praying away.
b. Baptismal vows
1. The congregation takes those vows whenever a child is baptized in a Presbyterian congregation.
2. In some ways, it feels a bit like what takes place when Jesus is presented in the Temple that day.
3. Not that Simeon and Anna are taking vows to raise Jesus in the faith, but they are there to proclaim God's presence in their midst and Jesus as the Messiah.
4. Important to have people like Anna and Simeon around.
5. Do you know what fiddlehead ferns are? (Didn’t you?) To clean fiddleheads before you cook them, you put them in water and rub them up against each other. The dark outer layer – dirt, skin, whatever – comes off leaving a beautifully bright green skin that sparkles in the sauté pan. They don’t clean up well one by one; they have to rub up against each other to be transformed (donteatalone, 9/3/2007, Milton Brasher-Cunningham, http://donteatalone.com/fiddlehead-faith/)
6. We need older folks like Anna and Simeon to rub off on us, so that what they see in Christ will transform others.
Move 3: But before I get to sentimental about older folks, I want to point out that their importance is not found in their being older, but in their recognition of who Christ is..
a. Their age and wisdom may help them, but ultimately proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah is not about being old.
1. If they were old fuddy-duddies who resisted anything new, they would not have recognized him.
2. When we tell Simeon and Anna's story we celebrate the older folks who can still envision the future and see God at work.
3. Their words confirm that Jesus, the baby being presented by his parents, is the long-awaited Messiah.
4. That vision, of course, is not limited to any one generation.
b. Simeon and Anna arrive at the Temple on this day long after the excitement of Elizabeth's pregnancy and then Mary's pregnancy is a thing of the past.
1. the angels and shepherds have come and gone.
2. the post-Christmas routine has settled in for everyone.
3. You know that feeling. There are no more presents to buy, no more meals (maybe) to make, no more gifts to wrap.
4. All that’s left is to figure out what's next.
5. Simeon and Anna lead us into the what's next.
6. Now we who have celebrated Christ's birth need to announce him to the world.
7. we need to follow him into the world and participate in the salvation of the world.
8. Christmas is over, but the task of Jesus the Messiah and the tasks of those who will follow him has just begun.
( I read an article by Karoline Lewis, Associate Professor of Preaching and Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Homiletics, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, which talked about praise being the only response left after Christmas. Although I did not focus on praise, her thoughts spurred my thinking for this last point. https://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=3469)
Conclusion: Simeon and Anna get it.
Do you?
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