“A Story For The Gentiles!”

“A Story For The Gentiles!”(Luke 2:2×-40).
Today, we continue with the story of Jesus’ infancy. He was circumcised on the eighth day. After forty days, the parents went for the purification rites as required by the Law of Moses. Jesus was presented to the LORD in fulfilment of the Law that “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.'” In the temple was Simeon a righteous and devout man who was waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit was on him, and the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah.
Simeon took baby Jesus 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 for all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles…” Simeon blessed them and told Mary, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel…”
There was also a holy woman in the temple. She had been widowed for over fifty years. Though very old, “she never left the temple but worshipped night and dsy, fasting and praying.” She came in at that moment, “gave thanks to God, and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”
Jesus “grew and became strong; he was filled with the Holy Spirit and the grace of God was with him.”
Joseph and Mary returned home only after they “had done everything required by the Law of the LORD.”
We have continued with bringing a child to present to God in keeping with what Joseph and Mary did. We do this reminding ourselves that Jesus himself says he did not come to challenge the law but to fulfil every iota of the law.
We do not dig a new road without cutting across the old one in many places.
We are called upon to train children the way we want them to go so that when they grow, they won’t depart from it. Presenting a first male in the temple was to give him to serve the LORD in the temple. But since the Levites had been chosen to serve in the temple, the Law permitted the parents to buy back the child with two goats – if they were rich, or two pigeons – if they were poor.
Years later, Jesus embarrassed his parents when he remained in the temple, and they were searching for him everywhere. When they found him, he wondered why they were searching for him when he had to be in his Father’s house doing his Father’s work.
We come into the story because Jesus is the salvation which the LORD has “prepared in the sight of all nations, a light for revelation to the Gentiles” that we are! Hallelujah!
Simeon and Hannah were part of the testimony of who Jesus is. They had not seen him before, but the moment they saw him, the Holy Spirit revealed to them who Jesus was.
May the Holy Spirit reveal Jesus to you as you see him in the Other! For Christ is in the Other!
Sunday prayer: Holy Spirit, reveal Christ to us daily so that we can adore and glorify him. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you! Merry Christmas and a fulfilling New Year!
Rev Babila Fochang.
04/01/2026.