Dear Friends in Christ, grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Every mother and father knows how important it is to choose the perfect name for their baby. You have to choose carefully for a name often foretells what a child will become. You have to consider what words rhyme with their new name. You don’t want to choose a name that is going to be a constant source of torture on the playground. Traditional biblical names are nice. Mary, David, Jacob, Caleb, Leah and Hannah are all still popular. But you might be less inclined to name your child Boaz or Jezebel. You simply can’t be certain of what your child will become. After all, we grow into our names and they become part of who we are.
Of course, names aren’t the only indicators of what a child will become. The foreshadowing may be the day of the week they were born, their birth order in a family, the economic where with all of their parents, their place of birth or even a sign in the sky. For adoptive parents, the question is often more complicated. Is a child’s future a question of nature or nurture? Regardless, for every child that is placed in your arms, whether as a parent, grandparent, godparent, aunt or uncle or friend, there is a question that undoubtedly is being pondered, “What will this child become?” And we all play a role in that story.
Remarkably, the devout and aged Simeon knew the future of the child Mary and Joseph carried in their arms. He knew what he would become – even before he knew his name Jesus- the one who saves. Throughout his life, Simeon had been comforted with the Lord’s promise that he would not see death until he had seen the long awaited Messiah. Day after day, he returned to the Temple to hear God’s words and to offer his prayer. He meditated upon the mysteries of God’s love and mercy faithfully seeking God’s consolation and comfort. No doubt, he was growing tired, his gait was slowly and his eyes were fading. Then, one day, when Mary and Joseph entered the Temple with the child to present him to the Lord, the Holy Spirt whispered into his heart, This is the one. This is the Messiah,” and Simeon took the child into his arms and praised God. So certain was he of who this child was and what he would become, that he turned to heaven and declared to God, “Now Lord, I can die. I can depart in peace. My own eyes have the salvation which centuries of my people have waiting to see” Simeon knew what this child Jesus would become- a light to lighten the Gentiles and glory to his own people Israel.
For me, this is one of the most comforting passages in scripture, not because it points me towards God’s salvation, but because it offers the promise of God’s ongoing presence. Simeon’s song of praise is a quiet and comforting confession that in this child’s hand- all will be well.
Today’s sermon may be intended for the families celebrating the gift of baptism for their child, but it really is a lesson for each one of us. The message, you see, is simple. A child needs the voices of parents, grandparents and godparents in order to be strengthened for the challenges ahead. You and I need words of inspiration that keep us focused when the world seems to be going off in a host of directions. And we need the voices of devout, aged believers to remind us that life is worth living and that God’s salvation is more wondrous still. So God puts these aged believers in our pathway to speak his truth to us. For no person can grow in faith, alone.
So where do you as parents begin in nurturing you child in faith? First, begin by to telling then the stories from the Bible… better yet, use the Bible with the colorful pictures that a doting aunt gave at your child’s baptism. Read it often to your son or daughter. Children learn truth through stories, and God’s word, told in stories and parables, is the ultimate source of truth. It brings hope and light to the darkness.
Second, remember to talk about Jesus. His name should not be the name never mentioned in your home. Remind your children that you love them you so much, and that Jesus loves them too. It is perhaps one of the two most important lessons we can teach small children. One, that God made everything, and two, that God loves them. Somehow we believe as parents that our love alone should be enough, and so we deny our children God’s strength and grace. Give your little ones a hug, bless them, and tell them, how much you love them, and that God love them even more. You may need the support of the aged Simeons and to underscore that lesson as well
Third, consider the importance of worshipping together as a family in God’s house. If Mary and Joseph, who had only 40 days earlier been greeted by shepherds worshiping their child wrapped in swaddling, clothes and lying and in a manger, needed a word of encouragement by going to the Temple, than so do you and I. God invites us to meet him in the places where his people gather. It is no surprise that Mary and Joseph found encouragement in the words of Simeon, and that he was there. That is where God promises his Holy Spirit to be present.
Finally, be honest about your doubts, your struggles and your own spiritual journey. Your child needs to see your real faith, and that Jesus is the Light of your world. Real faith can be messy, and it may not always seem rock solid. There may be times that you feel guilty after losing your temper, and then talking to your child about God’s love, or times when you speak about trusting God alone and yet and being worried about tomorrow’s expenses. Real faith wanders during the day and may even forget to give thanks to the giver of all good gifts.
Nurturing a faith, like parenting a child never ends. It is more than giving them the right name, the right experiences, the right gifts and education. Indeed, many have discovered that, “The joy of parenthood is what you experience when all the children have gone to bed.” The same may true of their growing in faith. Your child’s spiritual faith may only be seen later in life, but telling the story of Jesus must begin now. Your child is dependent upon you now, just as throughout life, you will discover that you have grown dependent upon them.
A dear friend Betty Westrom Skold wrote a poem of Simeon which I have grown to cherish, “Lord, You are Light.” It reminds me of all of the wisdom that Simeon embodied and I that would like to share with my sons and grandchildren.
Lord, you are light.
The Light of the world, yes, but, Lord, you are my light, too.
You are candlelight, bathing this room with beauty.
You are sunlight, strengthening sunlight.
You are my trouble light when something needs repair,
my night light, comforting your child,
my searchlight, sweeping across darkness.
And one day, Lord, you will be my porch light, welcoming me home.
The name that you give to your child, may seem like the most important, well intended gift you give to your child, but giving the name of Jesus is even more important if he is to be the light of their world. Amen.
May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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Minneapolis, MN 55405
(612) 377-5095