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This passage, written by Third Isaiah around 530 B.C. deals
with a time when the returned exiles did not find conditions as
glorious as Second Isaiah promised. Third Isaiah kept the message
of righteousness and salvation, pictured as festive garments,
alive in a disappointed people. In chapters 60-62 the prophet
announces God's promise of deliverance. Verses 10-11, spoken by
Isaiah or Jerusalem, constitute praise and thanksgiving for the
promised deliverance. In 62:1-3 the problem is when God will save
the people. The prophet is now speaking that he will not keep
quiet until the time comes when Israel will be delivered and be
given a new name.

Lesson 2: Galatians 4:4-7 (C)
Before Christ we were slaves of evil forces in the world. At
the right time God sent his Son to be a human subject to the law
to rescue us and adopt us as his sons. That we are sons of God is
confirmed by our possession of the Spirit. No longer are we
slaves to sin, but sons with an inheritance.

Gospel: Luke 2:22-40 (C, RC); Luke 2:25-40 (L)
As a devout, faithful, religious family, Joseph and Mary
present Jesus in the temple when 40 days old and make the
offering of the poor. While they were in the temple, an aged
couple recognizes Jesus as the Messiah. Simeon had the insight to
see in an infant the face of Christ. Now that the Messiah has
come, he is ready to die in peace. At the same time Simeon has
some "bad news" for Mary. He tells her of the future fate of the
child and of her own suffering because of his fate. Likewise,
there is an aged Anna, a prophetess. She spent her life in
prayer, devotions and genuine piety as she looked for the
Messiah. When she saw the Christ-child, she gave thanks to God
and declared to the people that the child was the Messiah.

Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 148 (C); Psalm 147 (E); Psalm 111 (L) -- "Praise the
Lord from the heavens." Psalm 148:1

Prayer Of The Day
"Almighty God, you wonderfully created and yet more
wonderfully restored the dignity of human nature. In your mercy,
let us share the divine life of Jesus Christ who came to share
our humanity."

Hymn Of The Day
"All Praise To You, Eternal Lord"

Theme Of The Day: Recognition Of The Redeemer
Gospel -- Recognition of the Redeemer in the baby Jesus.
Lesson 1 -- Recognition of a redeemed people by the nations.
Lesson 2 -- Recognition of being children of God through the
Redeemer.

On this first Sunday after Christmas, we are to consider who
was the child born on Christmas day. Was this just another baby?
Whose child was he? The Spirit enables two aged people, Simeon
and Anna, to see the promised Messiah in the 40-day-old baby
Jesus (Gospel). In Lesson 1, the nations of the world will see
the burning torch of Israel's salvation. At the right time God
sent Jesus to the world through a woman to redeem those living
under the bondage of the law, and this fact is known because the
Spirit confirms their status as sons of God. The theme of the
Psalm agrees, "He has sent redemption to his people." Because he
is the Messiah, the Hymn of the Day has us sing, "All Praise To
You, Eternal Lord." The Prayer of the Day continues the theme of
Christmas in Jesus' sharing our humanity and giving it dignity.

THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel: Luke 2:22-40
1. Spirit (vv. 25-27). Simeon was a Spirit-possessed man. He
did not have to wait until Pentecost to get the Spirit. This
reminds us that the Spirit is as old as God, for the Spirit is
God. When and how Simeon received the Spirit, we do not know. It
is enough that we see that the Spirit possessed Simeon, gave him
the revelation that the baby Jesus was the Christ, and inspired
him to enter the temple at the right time to see Jesus.
2. Depart (v. 29). Simeon was now ready and content to die. He
was willing to depart this life because he had received his wish
to see the Messiah. In every person's death, there is the time
when the dying person accepts the reality and necessity of death,
and then is ready to go. For Simeon, death had no terror because
he, having seen Christ, was sure of his salvation. "Blessed are
the dead who die in the Lord."
4. Sword (v. 35). The Spirit gave Simeon not only insight for
the present in seeing Jesus as Messiah, but also the insight to
see the future concerning the child and mother. He could see the
turbulence and revolution to come with Jesus' teachings and he
foresaw the pain and sorrow that would come to his mother because
of her son's violent death. The cross cannot be separated from
the manger, for Christ came to die for the sins of the world.
4. Prophetess (v. 36) Women preachers (pastors) are not a
modern phenomenon. Anna is described as a prophetess, one who
proclaims the Word of God. She was equal to the man, Simeon, for
she, too, was devout and saw Christ in Jesus. Devotion to God,
prayer and spiritual insight know no boundaries in terms of
sexuality.

Lesson 1: Isaiah 61:10--62:3
1. Rejoice (v. 10). Christmas is a merry time, but are we
happy for the right reason? Christmas can be the most miserable
time of the year if we are happy for the wrong reason. If we can
have a happy Christmas only because we received gifts we wanted
or because we had family and friends with us, we missed the true
cause of gladness. Christians rejoice at Christmas not primarily
because of gifts or friends, but because we "greatly rejoice in
the Lord" who came on earth as a human being to reveal to us
God's grace and truth. We rejoice in having a God so good and
wonderful. Accordingly, people who are dirt-poor, depressed and
discriminated against can have a happy Christmas if they have
Christ as their Lord.
2. Garments (v. 10). At the beginning God made garments for
Adam and Eve. Here the people of Israel rejoice that God has
clothed them with the festal clothes of righteousness and
salvation. By faith a Christian puts on Christ's robe of
righteousness and is thus saved from judgment. At Christmas the
Word comes to us clothed in human flesh. He also wears the God-
given garments of righteousness and salvation.
3. Spring (v. 11). When the seed is sown and the spring rains
come, the plant springs up into life. This is an analogy of God's
people. When the seed of God's Word is sown, God causes the seed
to break forth into new life. The Christian springs up in terms
of praise, thanksgiving and a new life of consecrated service to
God and man. The Word of God has creative power to ever renew
life.

4. New name (v. 2). A name describes and defines the nature of
a person. To be given a new name means the person has become new.
Abram becomes Abraham after God's visitation. Simon is changed to
Peter. Saul becomes Paul after the Damascus Road experience. At
Christian baptism we receive a new name, a Christian name, which
applies to the new person created by the Spirit.

Lesson 2: Galatians 4:4-7
1. Time (v. 4). There is always a right and a wrong time. As
Ecclesiastes says, "There is a time for every matter under
heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die." In his wisdom God
knew the right time for Jesus to come to the world. Through the
sages, prophets, priests and acts of history, God said all he
could say, but now was the time to give his final word in the
person of his Son. The Jews were intensely longing for a Messiah.
The nation was in bondage to Rome. The religions of the world no
longer held the loyalty of the people. There was the Pax Romana,
a common language, and Roman highways that made it possible for
the world to hear the gospel.
2. Born (v. 4). Jesus was not born into a first-time
existence. Jesus lived from eternity; he existed in heaven.
"Born" refers to Jesus' coming to the world -- "God sent forth
his Son." Therefore, Jesus is for yesterday, today and forever.
To be born into the world meant to be fully a human. The Infinite
became an infant. His humanity is expressed by his being born of
a "woman" and "under the law." Why was he born in the world: to
redeem those enslaved by the Law. Here is the reason and meaning
of Christmas. Jesus became one of us to make us like himself,
sons (children) of God.
3. Adoption (v. 5). Because Christ came to redeem us, we are
able to be adopted by God as his sons (children) just as Jesus is
the Son of God. Unlike Jesus, we are not by nature children of
God. To be human is not necessarily to be a child of God. Because
of sin, we are slaves of Satan living under his dominance. To be
a child of God calls for God's adoption which is possible only by
the grace of God expressed in Jesus' death for our redemption. To
be adopted means to repent, believe in Christ and to accept
Christ as redeemer. Adoption takes place at the time of baptism
when God adopts the repentant and believing one as his very own
child. Why should God do this? Because of the sacrifice of the
Messiah for the sins of the world.
4. Spirit (v. 6). At the time of adoption, the Spirit is
given. The Spirit is God in the heart of the believer. His
presence confirms the fact that God has made us his children and
witnesses to the fact that we are accepted, forgiven and certain
of heaven.

PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
Need: On the first Sunday after Christmas, is it over for
another year? Will Christmas get thrown out like we throw out the
Christmas tree for garbage collectors? Christmas is meant not for
a day or even a season, but for all times and seasons. The
abiding nature of Christmas is its spiritual significance. In
this sermon we can show how Christmas can be a reality throughout
the coming year.
Outline: The Lord has come!
a. Recognize him! -- Gospel (2:27-30).
b. Realize your present status -- Lesson 2 (4:5).
c. Rejoice! -- Lesson 1 (61:10).

Gospel: Luke 2:22-40 (C, RC); Luke 2:25-40 (L)
1. Would you recognize Christ if you saw him? 2:25-29
Need: What is one baby among so many? Don't they all look
alike? If nobody told you who the baby was or who the parents
were, would you know the child? Here is the marvel and miracle of
Simeon. The baby Jesus is only 40 days old. Simeon never met the
baby's parents. Yet, in this baby Simeon recognized the Messiah.
How many see Jesus as the

Christ, the Son of God, the Savior? What does one have to have to
recognize the Christ in the child Jesus?
Outline: To recognize the Christ in Jesus --
a. Look for him in hope -- v. 25.
b. Live close to God -- "righteous and devout" -- v. 25.
c. Be led by the Spirit -- v. 27.
2. What an old man saw in a baby. 2:25-35
Need: One sign of growing old is failing eyesight. At a
certain age eyeglasses are needed. Bifocals go with seniority in
age. Simeon was old and next to death. Yet, his spiritual
eyesight was excellent. He saw what few others saw in Jesus. Age
is no criterion for insight even though insight comes with age
and life's experiences. Simeon had spiritual eyes to see. In the
text we find what he can show us.
Outline: What Simeon saw in the Christ-child --
a. The Messiah who brought salvation -- vv. 28, 30.
b. Salvation for all people -- v. 32.
c. Suffering and death on a cross -- vv. 34-35.
3. When would you be content to die? 2:25-30
Need: Is anyone ever ready to die -- really? In the modern
study of death, it was discovered that at one stage of dying
there is acceptance. A promising businessman in his 40s was
stricken with cancer. For many months he fought death, but
finally late one night he told his wife that he guessed he would
have to let go. The next day he died. Simeon, in our gospel, did
not want to die, for he wanted to see the Messiah. When he did,
he accepted death -- "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart
in peace." Can anyone die willingly and peacefully unless he has
seen and known Christ?
Outline: When would you be content to die?
a. When you have fulfilled your life's ambition -- v. 26.
b. When you have seen the Savior -- v. 28.
c. When you have received salvation -- v. 30.

Lesson 1: Isaiah 61:10--62:3
1. All dressed up and nowhere to go? 61:10
Need: Clothing, they say, makes a man or woman. Clothing says
something about the character of a person. Nudity is not the
normal thing since the time of Adam and Eve. After their sin,
they felt the need of covering. In a touching scene, God makes
clothes for his first couple. Even God never appears to us in the
nude. He wears masks and people. He came to earth clothed in the
flesh of Jesus. Our nakedness of sin calls for our being clothed.
In this passage, God's people are decked in the festal garments
of a wedding. The text tells us what the best-dressed Christian
will wear.
Outline: Deck yourself with God's clothing.
a. The garment of salvation -- v. 10.
b. The robe of righteousness -- v. 10.
2. A new life awaits you! 61:11; 62:2
Need: On Christmas new life came into the world. A baby was
born. It happens also to each of us, but as we get older life may
turn sour. Life may be a burden of cares and sorrows. It can get
to the point where we consider life not worth the effort. At this
point, we need new life -- life that is renewed and refreshed.
This is what Christ can do for your old, tired, frustrated life.
You can live again!
Outline: What Christ can do for you --
a. Make new life spring up -- 61:11.
b. Give you a new name for a new life -- 62:2.

Lesson 2: Galatians 4:4-7
1. When is the right time? Galatians 4:4
Need: There is always the right time to say things or to take
action. When our timing is off, we fail or we make things worse
than they were. When is the right time to make a financial
investment, to buy or sell real estate, to switch jobs or to get
married? When is the right time for Christ to come into your
world, into your heart? In the text God knew just the right time
to send Jesus for the salvation of the world: "When the time had
fully come ..."
Outline: The right time for Jesus to come into your life --
a. Time of despair -- when you are desperate and
discouraged.
b. Time of loneliness -- when you feel "Nobody cares about
me."
c. Time of guilt -- when you need forgiveness.
2. How God makes babies. 4:4-7
Need: Children are usually curious about how babies are made
and come into the world. This calls for parental sex education.
In today's Lesson 2 we are called "sons" (children) of God. With
a similar curiosity, we may ask, "How does God make his
children?" In our text Paul answers the question.
Outline: Steps to becoming God's children --
a. Step No. 1 -- God sends his Son (Incarnation) -- v. 4.
b. Step No. 2 -- God's Son redeems his people (Atonement) --
v. 5.
c. Step No. 3 -- God adopts people to be his children
(Baptism) -- v. 5.
d. Step No. 4 -- Through the Holy Spirit, God assures people
of their being his own (Assurance) -- v. 6.