Reflections on “Faith in the Silence” Mark 5: 21-43

I have preached this text before, in fact, I preached it here at St. Andrew not quite two years ago.  I decided to preach it as part of the series on women because of the Jairus' mother and daughter, who do not speak in the story, but surely played dramatic roles as the story unfolded.  In fact, there is very little that carried over from the previous sermon on this text, although the first few lines were a variation from a section of the previous sermon.  no one mentioned having heard those lines before, so they were either being kind or do no remember those lines (I'm betting on the latter).

Two humorous asides on feedback about the sermon: first, my wife told me this was her least favorite of the three sermons preached in this series (I find it humorous, because it was my favorite of the three!); I also heard that someone thought I was saying woman with a "hemorrhoids," instead of woman "hemorrhaging."

I really enjoyed putting this sermon together and imagining what was not in the text, but perhaps part of the story.  A challenge in the sermon was preaching was knowing we have several people in the congregation in very difficult medical circumstances who would love to be healed, which riases the question:  "Why the woman with the hermorrhage and not me?"

“Faith in the Silence”  January 27, 2019; Mark 5: 21-43;  Women series

Mark 5: 21-43 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat[f] to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” 24 So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Introduction: Another week in the preaching series on when in the bible.  this week, three women.  All three integral to the story;  none given a name.

This morning, let’s look at the three women; reflect on the place of silence in the story; and the what Jesus is doing.

Move 1:  three women.

a.  the woman with the hemorrhage

1.  Twelve years. 144 months. 4383 straight days living with and suffering from a flow of blood.

  2.  In truth, She suffered from more than just the flow of blood.

  3.  She has suffered as an outcast from society – her medical condition marked her as unclean.

  3.  She might as well have had a “Do Not Touch”: sign hanging around her neck for all to see.

  4.  As the Gospel of Mark describes her, she also suffered at the hands of physicians.

5. I bet she has seen all the doctors or anyone else, from the ones with the best reputations to the quacks and their wild theories, anyone who might have a chance at healing her. 

  6. she also has spent all of her money dealing with her problem.

7. And for all that she has done to try and treat her illness, she has just gone from bad to worse. "Begging Believers and Scorning Skeptics," from the blog Left Behind and Loving It on 6/26/2012, by Mark Davis (http://leftbehindandlovingit.blogspot.com/2012/06/begging-believers-and-scorning-skeptics.html)

8.  We are not told that she is a woman of faith, but she desperately seeks out the one in whom she can place her hopes for healing.

b.  Jairus’ daughter

1.  No name given; only identified as the the daughter of her father Jairus.

2. she is connected to the woman with hemorrhage by the number 12.  a subtle connection perhaps, but woman had been bleeding for twelve years; the young woman was 12 yrs old.

3. She is also connected by the word “daughter.”  Jesus calls the woman with the hemorrhage, “daughter,” and we are told the young girl is Jairus’ daughter.

3. they share the number 12, the reference as daughter, and the dire need of help.

4.  We do not know about her faith life, but we might assume she has the beginnings of faith, much like a child raised in the church by her parents.

c.  Jairus’ wife, or the mother of the child, as she is called in the story.

1.  The mother who is given no name or words in the story.

2. Jairus is given voice; he gets to act; he gets to go and find Jesus.

3. The mother stays at home. 

4.  nothing to do but watch as her daughter slips away to death.

5. We do not know her faith, but we can imaging eat desperate faith of a parent praying for God to somehow intervene.

Three women - no names; few words; in desperate need.

Move 2:  Silence in the story.

a.  When we hear the story of the woman with the hemorrhage, we may not notice the  silence.

1. Lots of people.  Loud crowd. surely there is lots of crowd noise as it presses against Jesus,

2. Notice the woman does not speak before she is healed.

3.  Well, she seems to speak to herself, but no words to other as she silently approaches Jesus.

4.  maybe she is too scared to verbalize her hopes; maybe she has been disappointed so many times, she dares not utter words of hope.

4.  but the woman needs no conversation, no powerful words from Jesus; she just needs to touch the cloak Jesus wears with the hope and expectation that he will heal her.

5.  It is not as if she cannot speak.  When Jesus asks who touched her, she readily speaks up to acknowledge who she is and what has happened.

6. But her faith to reach out to touch Jesus’ cloak is lived out in silence.

b.  the mother.

1.  We do not hear words from her.

2.  maybe there are no words to express the anguish she feels as she waits for a miracle that never comes as her daughter dies before her eyes.

3.I suspect tears flowed, even as word went unspoken.

c.  Daughter

1. We never hear from her either.

2. of course, she is near death or even dead for much of the story!

d. Even Jairus becomes silent in an unexpected way.

1.  After he asks Jesus to come heal his daughter, he silently waits as Jesus deals with the woman with the hemorrhage.

2. Can you imagine being the father who wants Jesus to act now to save your daughter, but then has to wait as Jesus’ focuses on someone else.

3.  I would expect a desperate plea for Jesus to leave everything that moment to go to his house.

4. but instead Jairus silently waits.

e. But into the silence Jesus speaks.

1.  First to the woman, “Your faith has made you well.”  Words of hope and promise; words that follow Jesus’ decisive act to heal.

2.  Jesus speaks in dramatic fashion, “ta leetha cumee.”  

3. “Little girl, get up.”

4. jesus’ words interrupting the arrival of death to bring new life.

5. reminiscent of God looking out over the unordered chaos before creation and saying “let there be light” to order creation and call into being all the possibilities for new life.

f.  this story establishes without a doubt where we are to turn when we are in need.

We turn to Jesus, the son of God.

Move 3:  In Christ, we discover the amazing possibilities God offers to us.

a.   The woman with hemorrhage has no future, no hope.

1. she has exhausted all her possibilities.

2. Except one - Jesus.

3. Jesus acts to heal give her new life.

b. Jairus’  twelve-yr old daughter.

1. In our context, we see a twelve yr. old as a child.

3. In Jesus’ time, a twelve yr. old was close to the marrying age on the brink of womanhood.

4. But, the possibilities about to unfold in her life are snuffed out by her illness.

5. Until Jesus heals her, resuscitates her and brings her back to life.

6.   Of course, in bringing her back to life, Jesus foreshadows his own resurrection

c.  Jairus’ wife

1. the mother, who like every other parent we know, imagines the greatest of possibilities for her daughter, but no longer sees a future as her daughter lies dying in front of her.

2.  Jesus invites the mother (along with the father and the few disciples with him) into the bedroom to see Jesus work his miracle.

3. the others who laughed at Jesus when he said the daughter was not dead are not invited to witness what is happening.

4.  But the mother discovers in Jesus the offer of new life and future possibilities.

d.  Jesus offers you new possibilities.

Frederick Buechner Little girl. Old girl. Old boy. Old boys and girls with high blood pressure and arthritis, and young boys and girls with tattoos and body piercing. You who believe, and you who sometimes believe and sometimes don't believe much of anything, and you who would give almost anything to believe if only you could. You happy ones and you who can hardly remember what it was like once to be happy. You who know where you're going and how to get there and you who much of the time aren't sure you're getting anywhere. "Get up," he says, all of you - all of you! - and the power that is in him is the power to give life not just to the dead like the child, but to those who are only partly alive, which is to say to people like you and me who much of the time live with our lives closed to the wild beauty and miracle of things, including the wild beauty and miracle of every day we live and even of ourselves.  (http://www.frederickbuechner.com/blog/2016/5/20/get-up-all-of-you?rq=little%20boys; referenced in Milton brasher cunningham’s blog, http://donteatalone.com/lenten-journal-sermon/; 2/28/16

Conclusion: Who has the power to heal?

Who can give us words of hope in the face of death?

Who can command the dead to rise?

Only Jesus, the one who desires to be a part of your life.

Reflections on "MIriam: A Sister's Love" Exodus 2; Exodus 15: 20-21; Numbers 12: 1-16

This sermon was the second in the series on women in the Bible.  I ended up with three Scripture lessons to share all the info about Miriam for the sermon.  I do not believe I have ever preached on Miriam, so it was a fun week of preparation for me as I dug into some new insights.   I particularly liked the ending when I connected Miriam to Mary, the mother of Jesus.

“Miriam – A Sister’s Love”  January 20, 2019; Exodus 2; Exodus 15: 20-21; Numbers 12: 1-16;  Women series

Exodus 15: 20-21 Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. 21 And Miriam sang to them:

“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;

horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.”

Numbers 12: 1-16  While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had indeed married a Cushite woman); 2 and they said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very humble,[a] more so than anyone else on the face of the earth. 4 Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them came out. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the entrance of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forward. 6 And he said, “Hear my words:

When there are prophets among you,

    I the Lord make myself known to them in visions;

    I speak to them in dreams.

7 

Not so with my servant Moses;

    he is entrusted with all my house.

8 

With him I speak face to face— clearly, not in riddles;

    and he beholds the form of the Lord.

Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.

10 When the cloud went away from over the tent, Miriam had become leprous,[b] as white as snow. And Aaron turned towards Miriam and saw that she was leprous. 11 Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us[c] for a sin that we have so foolishly committed. 12 Do not let her be like one stillborn, whose flesh is half consumed when it comes out of its mother’s womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her.” 14 But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp for seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” 15 So Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days; and the people did not set out on the march until Miriam had been brought in again. 16 After that the people set out from Hazeroth, and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

Introduction:  We continue reflecting on women in the biblical story.  this morning, we read some familiar stories, stories we usually see through the lens of Moses, but this morning we look at the role Miriam plays in them.

Move 1:  In a broad sense, Miriam’s story expands the role of women, indeed expands the role of all who seek to serve God.

a.  Unlike most women in the Bible, Miriam is never called mother or wife.  

1. Josephus, a historian, decided Hur was her husband.

2. rabbinic sources give Miriam Caleb as a husband.

3.  Both assertions are based on the desire to have Miriam married not on any biblical text or notation about Miriam being married.

4. the tellers of the story trying to get Miriam to fit into the box they have for a woman, but Miriam will not stay in that box.

b.  The biblical text defines Miriam in two ways.

1. First, as a sister - we are told she is the sister of Moses and the sister of Aaron.  Moses and Aaron, of course, being brothers.

2.  Secondly, Miriam is called a prophet.

3. In fact, the first woman in the biblical story to be called a prophet.

4.  apparently, a prophet with significant influence because the prophet Micah, many generations later, mentions her as one of the prophets with Moses and Aaron - all three on equal footing from Micah’s perspective.

d.  Miriam exemplifies a hard to define, independent woman, who played a significant role in God’s actions to save Israel from slavery in Egypt.

1. Tomorrow we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr’s work with the civil rights movement.  His work a testimony to the idea that the human tendency to limit people by categories we impose must be overcome.

2.  In Miriam, we are reminded that any box we create to keep people from serving God is unacceptable.

3. All of us, regardless of sex, race, nationality, all of us can serve God, indeed, are called to serve God.

Move 2: Miriam also exemplifies a sister’s love

a.  The first script lesson is a familiar story about Moses.

1. remember at that time Pharaoh had become worried about the Israelite slaves becoming too numerous and hard to handle, so he orders the Israelite midwives to kill any baby boys born to Israelite women.

2. When we think about heroic women, do not forget Shiphrah and Puah, who decide to serve God instead of Pharaoh and refuse to kill the Israelite baby boys.  

When Pharaoh class them in to question why they are not doing as he ordered, they tell him that the Israelite women re giving birth too quickly and the boys are born and whisked away before they arrived.

Two women, who give a nod to earthly power, but then act on their faith in God.  their actions set the stage for a generation of Israelite men to arise and escape the slavery of Egypt.

b. Moses was one of the baby boys who slipped through the Pharaoh’s death notice.

1.  Moses is placed in a basket, hiding among the reeds off the river bank.

2.  His mother sends his sister to stand watch.

2.  His unnamed sister, who we come to know as Miriam.

3. Imagine being the sister watching your brother, whose life was already threatened just by being born.  Now, he waits in the reeds to see what happens next to his life. How vulnerable to watch and wait, with no idea what will happen.

4.  As Miriam watches, Pharaoh’s daughter finds baby Moses.

5.  In the moment, Miriam acts decisively.

6. She offers to find a nursemaid for the baby Pharaoh’s daughter has found.  When the daughter agrees, Miriam races to find her mother before something else happens.

6.   Ella Lindvall, Read Aloud Bible Stories, Vol. 4 tells this story.  Baby Moses is hidden with his big sister watching  “Go fast, big sister, go fast”

7.  Seems to capture the moment - the desperate race of a sister to save her brother.

8.  Miriam saves Moses and keeps his future before him, indeed the future of God’s people, by her quick action.

c.  Miriam reminds us that as followers of Christ, we need to be read to act, and then act decisively.

Move 3:  Miriam also knows how to celebrate.

a.  Another well-known story.

1.  The Israelites have crossed the Red Sea.

2.  not just crossed the Red Sea, but crossed it when God parted the waters and gave them a path through the wall of water.

3. They have reached the other side steps ahead of Pharaoh’s soldiers and then watched as the waters crashed in and drowns the soldiers and overwhelms their chariots.

4.  The Israelites miraculously saved by God.

b.  In response, Moses leads the Israelites in song as they sing of God’s glories.

1.  then, Miriam takes over by grabbing a tambourine and dancing 

2. She does it so well that her dance and song are forever memorialized as Miriam’s song.  in fact, the bible I used to prepare the sermon labels the verses we read as “Miriam’s song.” (Moses’ part of the song does not get named after him!).

c. Powerful image

1.  as the story is told generation after generation, the Israelites, indeed we will be reminded that God’s saving grace demands excitement and gratitude.

2. Maybe even song and dance.

Move 4:  We cannot finish Miriam’s story without noting that she also had some issues (much like some of the men like David, who are a mixed bag of faithfulness).

a.  We read of a couple of Issues she had with Moses

1.  First, Aaron and Miriam bad mouth Moses because he married a Cushite woman.

2. they do not like the foreign woman that he married, and they make their opinion known to others.  

b.  Perhaps even more importantly, Miriam and her other brother Aaron challenge the prophetic authority of Moses.  

1. “Are you the only one through whom God speaks?  hasn’t God spoken through us?”

2.  Maybe jealousy at play?

2.  Or are Miriam and Aaron making a claim for other voices to be heard?

3.  In another story, their question could have been lifted up as a call to expand the leadership and recognize others whom God has called.

4. But in this instance, it comes across as jealousy and a challenge to how God is at work through Moses.

c.  God uses the moment to make clear about the special role to which God has called Moses.

1. And, God punishes.

2.  Actually, God only punishes Miriam.  

3. she is stricken with leprous skin.

4.  In that moment, we see more sibling love as Moses intercedes on Miriam’s behalf.

d.  Miriam’s story reminds us of our own imperfections, but also of the God who calls us to serve despite our not getting it right all the time. 

Conclusion:  What do we do with Miriam?

We remember the way she expanded the understanding of who could serve God.

We remember how she acted decisively to save Moses.

We remember her example of excitement and gratitude at God’s saving race.

We remember her humanity and imperfection.

And, oh, by the way, remember the mother of Jesus, the one we know as Mary.

Mary is a variation of the Hebrew name Miriam.

The list of women serving God continues on and on.

Reflections on "Anna in the Shadows" Luke 2: 25-38

This sermon began a series on "Women in the Bible," which will go until the end of February.  Each week we will explore the stories of various women, mostly ones who are less well-known than others.  

I have preached on Anna before, but this sermon was redone quite extensively from a previous sermon.  this sermon got off to slow start (no one seemed to even smile when I said I was not a woman, so I thought I was in big trouble!), but the sermon flowed well and it worked for what I was trying to do.

If you have any women in the Bible you'd like to be part of this preaching series, I still have a week or two open. 

“Anna – in the Shadows”  January 13, 2019; Luke 2;  Women series

 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;[d] this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.[e] 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon[f] came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon[g] took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

29 

“Master, now you are dismissing your servant[h] in peace,

    according to your word;

30 

for my eyes have seen your salvation,

31 

    which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

32 

a light for revelation to the Gentiles

    and for glory to your people Israel.”

33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon[i] blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

36 There was also a prophet, Anna[j] the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child[k] to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Introduction:  Today begins a series of sermons reflecting on different women in the biblical texts.

With that in mind, I have a confession to make – I am not a woman.  

I have raised three independent-minded women, who willingly, often without being requested, share their perspective on the world from their younger female perspective.  

and I am married to a woman, but that’s probably another sermon series!

What it means, though, is what you will hear in the sermons about women these woman is interpreted through my male lens.  I can't do much about that, but I will try to be informed by other voices and other perspectives than my own as I prepare my sermons.

In many ways women have been left in the shadows of the biblical text and of church history.  Not because they have been unimportant, but because the power brokers and the storytellers have usually been men.  I hope that we can see some of these women emerge from the shadows in the coming weeks.

Move 1: The Gospel of Luke has some very dramatic announcements of who Jesus is, including some from women.

a.  You might note that the Gospel of Matthew tells the story of Jesus’ birth primarily through the male lens - the only people mentioned much are Joseph, King Herod and the wise men.

1.  As Luke tells the birth narrative, however, he focuses on Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother of Jesus.

2.  They acknowledge who Jesus is while he is still in the womb.

3. Mary’s words are so poetic and beautiful, they were put to music, which we know as the Magnificat.

3.  And then there are angels from heavens bursting out with “glorias” to announce the birth of Christ.

b.  In the passage we read this morning, Simeon, the priest in the temple, makes a dramatic announcement as well.

1. I can see him center stage as the priest might be sharing with everyone that he can now die because the Messiah God has promised has arrived.

1. We see Simeon going over to Mary and Joseph and sharing with them this great news.

3.Surely, those gathered were in awe at what the priest was announcing and his conversation with Jesus' parents gave them much to talk about.

d. And the announcement, after the phrase, “there was also…” which means, oh by the way, let’s throw in this last little unimportant matter.

1.  “there was also “Anna.”

2. She is acknowledged as a prophet.  In fact, we are told more about her age and marital status than we are about what she says.

3.  she makes no grand announcement.

4.  she simply praises God and quietly tells people who are wondering about the redemption of Jerusalem that the Messiah has arrived.

Move 2:  Anna

a.  Her husband had died.

1. she would probably have been encouraged to get remarried, in part so that she could have kids.

1. But she chooses not to get married.

1. She is a widowed woman with no children in a society that defines and identifies women through their husbands first, and then through their male sons.

4. In the power hierarchy of the world in which she lives, she, a widowed, old, barren women is down at the lowest rung with the orphans.

b. But  Anna has chosen a different way to live our her faithfulness.

1. She stays in the temple day and night, fasting praying and worshiping God.

1. I suspect at times some of the others laughed about the old lady who is always there praying in the temple.  She has no life.

1. But, I also imagine that some admired her persistent prayer.  

1. Certainly, over time she became like part of the woodwork of the temple.  Always there.  

1. When I read about Anna, I remember a woman in the first church I served in Kentucky.

I arrived ready to get the church moving, which I thought meant everyone had to be doing something. Sign them up for a committee.  Send them on a mission trip.  Have them teach Sunday school. Volunteer with the youth.

Faithfulness meant discernible action and movement.

Many humored me, but there was a woman who was at church every Sunday.  Sat on the back pew.  Didn’t say much.  Resisted all efforts to teach, volunteer with the youth, serve on a committee, go on a mission trip.  I saw her there each week, saw the potential she had, knew it was up to me to get her more involved (I’m embarrassed to say that later I found out she had more volunteer hours at the local hospital than anyone in its history, but it wasn’t a church activity, so I didn’t notice!).

Even as she resisted my offers, she kept coming to church.  I quit trying to get her involved, and I also noticed that she showed up half and hour or more early every Sunday.  Not for Sunday school, which would have satisfied my need for her to be involved, but she would sit in the sanctuary.

People coming, kids running up the aisles before worship, lots of activity, and she would sit in her corner pew at the back.

Over time, I learned she spent that 30-45 minutes each Sunday praying.  She prayed for the church, the world, for me, for all the people in need of healing.  Every week, this symbol of faithfulness and concern

1. Anna, think was like that - each day a sing of faithfulness for the gathering community.  

1. she’d been doing it a long time.  84 yrs old and still living out her faith by being present at the Temple.

1. IN some ways, the day Jesus was presented was a day like none other; in other ways, it was like any other day.

1. Anna was there, being faithful, and on this day that included sharing what she knows about the you boy being presented in worship.

Move 2:  As we reflect on our own lives of faith and how we are shaped by the example of others, remember these three things about Anna’s faith.

a.  Anna’s patient faith.

1.She'd been waiting a long time.

2. But she kept waiting.

3.surely she must have wondered at times why she kept waiting.  

4. But she kept waiting.

5. She kept praying.

6. She kept fasting.

7.  She kept worshiping.

8.  how easily it is to give up, to decide God is not going to do what we think God ought to do, so we give up.

9.  not Anna.

b.  Anna’s persistent faith — kept looking for the Messiah.

1.  in the midst of the distractions of the world passing by, Anna maintained her focus on looking for the one who was coming to redeem Jerusalem.

2.  We live in a world where we multi-task and have many distractions.

3. Anna reminds us of the singular focus needed to see Christ in the midst of those distractions.

4.  It is easy to miss God in our midst  – Our busy lives, our preconceived notions about God, our inability to comprehend what God is doing – we easily miss God because we are not looking at the right time and the right place.

5. Not Anna – she kept her focus.

c.  Anna’s proclaiming faith - she tells the story.

1.  I love the way Luke simply says, “she began to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.”

2. No angels from on high.

2.  No Peter speaking to the crowds

3. No Paul or debating on Christ's behalf.

3. Anna simply tells the story about who Christ is and what God is doing to redeem Israel.

Conclusion:  It seems to me our world needs to see patient, persistent faith;

and the world needs to hear again about what God in Christ has done, is doing, and is going to do.

Go live that faith and tell that story.

Amen.