Cheap Grace

Luke 2: 22-40

Here we are with Christmas all over. Here we are with the life of Christ just beginning. After all of the prophesies and waiting, all of the angels and the shepherds, Jesus is born and thriving. And his parents are beginning the hard task of raising a child. Luke writes that they are being good, dutiful parents. They’ve brought their baby home and have brought him their first son to be presented at the temple. They are following the ritual law that Jesus will fulfill. The presence of Jesus in the temple does not go unnoticed. Two people identify him as the Messiah. One man and one woman, both “great in age.”

As a society, we don’t deal with aging well. After about age 21 birthdays are no longer occasions to be celebrated. If my dad overhears someone gripping about an upcoming birthday, he always says “well, it’s better than the alternative.” And some people get around this by turning 29 or 39 or 49 over and over again.

We also do things and buy things to avoid looking or acting older. Our pharmacy shelves are filled with anti-wrinkle creams and products for youthful rejuvenation. Not to mention botox and plastic surgery. As a society, we fear growing older. And unfortunately, we do not honor and respect our elders.

Luke honors two—does not lament their age, or pity them, but praises their wisdom and faithfulness. Simeon is a man, on whom rests the Holy Spirit. He comes to the temple this particular day because the Spirit guides him. Had he not listened to this prompting and staid home, he would have missed seeing the Messiah. He sees the child, holds the child, and says great and terrible things about him: Jesus is the fulfilling of God’s salvation, but also the falling and rising of many, a sign to be opposed. It’s good news, overall, but not terribly cheerful.

Simeon, upon seeing the child Messiah, does not lament his own life. He does not ask for further longevity, he says “now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word.” A man who faces his death with full confidence and no fear. This is basically the same brave sentiment from Mary that we heard last Sunday: “here am I, the servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your Word”

Luke is telling his story with those faithful, humble, pure-of-heart people. Simeon, who knew that he would see the Messiah before his death, now faces that death in peace. Perhaps a lesser person would have bargained for more time, as if Jesus were a wish-granting genie, but not Simeon, he has peace in God both in life and in death.

One of the characteristics of the book of Luke is his mention of women. Sometimes his is called the “gospel of women” because women are mentioned so frequently. While Luke does mention 10 named women, he mentions 133 named men. While 10 is great, it’s no match to 133.
He pairs stories of men with stories of women. We start off with Zechariah and Elizabeth. Later, there’s the healing of the centurion’s servant, then the widow’s son. The masculine story of the lost sheep is followed by the story of the woman and the lost coin. Luke also pays a lot of attention to widows. So it’s no surprise, that the story of Simeon is followed with the story of Anna as complement. Note; this does not make Luke a feminist gospel. The inclusion of women may hint at inclusion of women in the Christian community, but this is not a standard of equality. Though he includes women, even by name, which is unusual, he still characterizes them based on their relationships to men and gives them less power and autonomy. Luke identifies Anna through the naming of her father and tribe. He then discusses her husband and identifies her as a long-term widow. Though she also speaks of the child, we do not get to hear her words, even though we hear Simeon’s. Simeon, too, we learn, has been blessed by the Holy Spirit, and while Anna is a prophet, Luke does not include the Spirit in her description. It’s hard to tell exactly what’s going on with Anna. She’s a prophet who never left the temple, but worshipped with fasting and prayer night and day. She sounds rather extreme and perhaps a little batty. Like she might be a lone woman who’s set up camp in the temple and then starts blabbering about Jesus. We don’t know because Luke doesn’t tell us that the Spirit was upon her, that the Spirit led her to the temple and to Jesus, or that she was righteous and devout.

At the time that Luke’s gospel was written, there were various communities of women, particular older widows, who formed religious orders in places like Qumran, like a Jewish form of nuns. Anna may have been part of a like community, or a “consecrated widow” serving the temple through ministry and prayer. Anna is likely, not just an older woman with nothing to do but loiter in the temple. She is the honored prophet and widow who carries out the work of God in the temple.

But whatever else, Anna is not pitied for her old age. Luke honors her both for being a widow and for being of “great age.” Both she and Simeon demonstrate wisdom and devotion. Like the shepherds, they are not confused by a messiah who shows up as a baby. They understand that this is their salvation, their redemption, and their hope.

In this instance, we begin to learn the implications for Jesus’ coming. Now that the redeemer has come, we can settle in to what that will mean. The light is here, the baby is born, peace and justice may roll down like waters. The words of joy roll in. But this redemption comes with a price. It’s not all joy.

After Simeon praises God for this light and revelation, he turns to Mary. He acknowledges the great hope of the event, but then has a word for the mother. Simeon says: "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed--and a sword will pierce your own soul too." Not exactly the words she might have wanted to hear about her new baby boy. Your baby boy, so cute, and fresh, and squishy, with the cheeks that no one can resist, will be opposed. And a sword will pierce your own soul. Parenting is never easy. But here’s Mary, who so willingly gave her life to God, to be blessed with such a son, a son to bring healing and wholeness to the world, but will also bring division, and certain pain for you.

Mary, so willingly, said “let it be unto me according to your word.” Opening herself up to whatever God might have in mind, even accepting that this child will bring her great pain and heartache.

Jesus is a litmus test for falling and rising. A truth serum. A line drawn in the sand. There are those who recognize him and those who do not.

Wonder and mystery, the holy chaos of this infant God.
In the temple, Jesus, the Incarnation, becomes public, legal fact.
This is cause for both praise and caution. This grace comes with a cost: opposition and swords. It is not “cheap.” It will cost a mother and father their son. It will cost us our complacency and comfort. For anyone, who thinks that Jesus is for the feint of heart, Dietrich Bonhoeffer once called this “cheap grace.” He says: Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace.... Such grace is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: "ye were bought at a price," and what has cost God much cannot be cheap.
God’s grace goes before us and with us. It went with Simeon and Anna as they saw the truth of Jesus.

Behold. Jesus has come. He will grow and become strong, filled with wisdom, with the favor of God upon him.

May we have such favor. May we be strong and wise. May God fill us with grace. May we see Jesus. May we open ourselves up to God, to be available and willing according to God’s Word.