Title: O Come Let Us Adore Him
Scriptures: Isaiah 61:10-62:3, Luke 2:22-40
Introduction (canticles)
As we walked through the Advent and Christmas season, reading from the gospel of Luke, we heard three songs or hymns called canticles. The first is the Magnificat (Luke 1), where the virgin Mary magnifies the Lord. The second is the Benedictus, blessed is the Lord God of Israel (also in Luke 1) and is the song of Zacharius, the father of John the Baptist. And the third is from today's reading in Luke 2; the Nunc Di-mit-tis, "now dismiss" your servant, Simeon's song of departure,. All three are songs of fulfilled prophesy and adoration.
My experience
My first experience with adoration came when I was in third grade.
I grew up in a small city in Wisconsin where my family went to Church every Sunday morning. During the Christmas season, our church set-up an almost life size manger scene in the front of the church with real evergreen trees. Unfortunately, I couldn't see it! In third grade, by sight was so bad that I could not see the statues of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus. I could see close to read, but I couldn't see far away. I always set in the front row of the classroom, because I couldn't see the blackboard. I could hear an airplane flying overhead, but I couldn't see it. I sat really close to the TV, and my parents thought I was deaf, so they had my hearing tested. On Christmas Eve, the priest pointed to Jesus in the manger and said, "O come let us adore him". How could I adore him, when I couldn't even see him? And I didn't think anything was wrong with my sight, didn't everyone see what I saw?
I had my first eye test when I was in fourth grade and the technician in the school cafeteria asked me which way the "E" was pointing. I said, "What E?" I got my first pair of glasses when I was in fourth grade and my world changed. I realized all that I was missing. I could see the blackboard and the airplanes overhead. I could see baby Jesus.
In the gospel reading, one day in a temple in Jerusalem, Simeon saw baby Jesus. Simeon's world changed. He realized that he was seeing God's salvation, and responded with a beautiful prayer of adoration. In the Old Testament reading, Isaiah also saw something new. He had a vision of a future life.
Isaiah 61
What new thing did Isaiah see? Here's a little background: The Jewish people were living in Israel, but were taken captive by the Babylonians in 590 BCE. The captivity ended around 50 years later after Babylonia fell to the Persians. The Persians then gave the Jews permission to return to their homeland (Jerusalem). It is thought that Isaiah 61 was written at the end of the captivity, where Isaiah proclaims that God will make all things right and restore his people to splendor (she will "shine like the dawn", and "all kings will see her glory"). Along with this vision, there is this beautiful song of praise, "I will sing for joy in God, explode in praise from deep in my soul! He dressed me up in a suit of salvation, he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness". The prophet continues, "For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, so the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations". That's praise and adoration.
Luke 2
The feeling of overwhelming joy and praise is continued in the song of Simeon in Luke 2. Once again, the setting is in Jerusalem. BUT God has not spoken for about 400 years. Between the end of the Old Testament and the birth of Jesus was 400 years of silence; no prophets spoke the word of God. Many of the Jews had given up hope the God would fulfill the prophecies of The Old Testament. How long? How close? Who knows? But Simeon is a Jew who believed that someday a great victor would come, through the family of David and restore the glory of Israel. He lived a life of constant prayer and watchfulness until God should come.
After the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary brought baby Jesus to Jerusalem when Jesus was 40 days old, in order to make a sacrifice as required by the law of Moses (Lev 12:1-8). Mothers were required to offer lambs for a burnt offering and birds for a sin offering. We learn that Mary and Joseph were relatively poor, because they did not offer a lamb, but "a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons" (Lev 12:8). This was not only a time for the mother to offer a burnt offering, but a time of dedication for the baby. All first-borns were presented to the Lord and redeemed by a sacrifice. (It's interesting to note that Orthodox Jewish women continue this practice today. A mother will bring her baby to a priest along with a small some of money, traditionally silver coins, for the redemption of her first born son).
While in the temple, they met the old man named Simeon. Simeon was waiting for the day when God would visit his people, and God had promised Simeon through the Holy Spirit that his life would not end before he had seen God's own anointed King. The Holy Spirit led Simeon to the temple that day, and he took baby Jesus in his arms. We can picture Simeon with a baby in his arms- gazing at Jesus with tears in his eyes, or chuckling with giddy joy, or lost in thought with wonder. He holds future in his hands. He has seen it and is touched by it. He is satisfied.
He praises God in a beautiful song, "God, you can now release your servant; release me in peace as you promised. With my own eyes I've seen your salvation; it's now out in the open for everyone to see: A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations, and of glory for your people Israel".
Simeon saw the one who would bring salvation to God's people. He saw power in weakness and the glory of Israel, and he praises God.
Prayer
Theologian and author Richard Foster wrote a book (hold-up the book for all to see), called "Prayer, Finding the Heart's True Home" where he writes about twenty-one different forms of prayer! Meditation, intercession, healing, adoration.
Foster writes that "adoration is the spontaneous yearning for the heart to worship, honor magnify and bless God. Unique in that it is selfless. It is praise and thanksgiving." Adoration is both thanksgiving and praise.
Thanksgiving = give glory to God for what he has done (from our Isaiah text): For he has clothed me with garments of salvation. The salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all the people.
Praise = give glory to God for who he is in himself (from the Luke text): I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God. I will not keep silent.
Practice Thanksgiving and Praise
Sometimes, new forms of prayer must be practiced. I imagine the Simeon had been praising God for a while, but started small. We start small. Just as a runner starts with small training runs and not a marathon, we first pray simple prayers of thanksgiving. Give thanks in gratitude for what God has done. The psalms are full of songs of thanksgiving "O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for this steadfast love endures forever" (Ps.106:1). "I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart" (Ps. 9:1). Using these examples, I want us to practice thanking God for who he is, saying the words silently just where we are. Think of God's provision and give thanks to the Lord. (wait a minute)
Next we will move to praise for who God is in himself: Counselor, Shepherd, Provider, the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End. Use the psalms once again for an example. "Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long" (Ps. 146:1-2). "He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God" (Ps. 40:3). Take out a Bible and look at Psalms 145, 146, 147, 148. Let's practice praising God for who he is, saying the words silently just where we are. Use the Psalms if you need help thinking of words to say. (wait a minute).
Conclude
God loves our praise and thanksgiving, our adoration. God does not have a heart of stone. God has a tender heart, the most tender heart that could be imagined. St. Augustine said, "God thirsts to be thirsted after". God hears and responds to our small efforts of praise and thanksgiving.
Adoration (thanksgiving and praise) can be a part of your prayer life in the New Year. Words of adoration, thanksgiving and praise may not come automatically. Start small, and be encouraged. We are adoring the One who is eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God (1 Tim 1:17). Like Simeon, we recognize the hope of our salvation, and adore Him.
