Joseph and Mary decided to go to church. Actually they decided to go to the Temple in Jerusalem, which was six or seven miles away from where they were staying in Bethlehem. It would take about two hours to walk each way plus the time spent in the service. Deciding to go to church took a lot of effort.
For Joseph and Mary, the decision to go to church was not difficult. They were devout Jews and tried to follow the Law as closely as possible. The Bible says Joseph “was a righteous man.” His treatment of Mary, as recorded in Matthew 1:18–25, shows his compassion. His faithfulness to God is demonstrated by his quick obedience to all the angel commanded him in verse 24.
Mary was greeted by the angel as one “highly favored” by God. The many scriptural references to her famous song recorded in Luke 1:46–55 reveal her thorough knowledge of the sacred texts. Her acceptance of what the angel announced was about to happen shows her humble and obedient spirit.
Still Mary and Joseph were a young couple with a new baby, and both were still learning how to take care of a newborn.
This is not unlike many young Christian couples today. Each partner loves the Lord and attempts to walk faithfully before Him. The demands of a child can test one’s commitment to the Lord and His church, but like Joseph and Mary, couples still decide to go through all the hassle of getting the baby ready and going to church.
For Joseph and Mary, the decision fulfilled a requirement. Jewish law demanded that 33 days after a baby boy’s birth, his mother was to offer a sin offering as the final step of her cleansing process. For couples today, going to church is not as strict a requirement though the Bible clearly commands that Christians are not to forsake assembling together for worship (Heb. 10:25).
What did Joseph and Mary find when they got to church? And what do couples find today?
As the biblical couple entered the Temple compound, closest to them would have been a large altar attended by white-robed priests busily preparing the sacrifices and offerings made by the people. This included slaughtering the animals and placing them in the huge fire where they were burned. Sacrifices were made before the couple would divide and go to the appropriate place for prayers — Joseph to the Court of the Jews and Mary to the Court of the Women.
Today’s couples don’t find sacrificial fires when they arrive at church, but they do find clergymen and trained volunteers going through all the motions that help the church serve the needs of the people who gather there for worship.
In some places, the couple might be divided into single gender activities — today’s version of the separate courts for men and women. Increasingly, however, they are together in Bible study and worship.
Simeon was one of the people Joseph and Mary encountered at the Temple. He is described as “righteous and devout” (Luke 2:25). He held tightly to the promise of a Messiah and looked for the Promised One every day. He had a special relationship with the Lord. People could see “the Holy Spirit was upon him.”
Despite his faithfulness to the way things were done at the Temple, Simeon had a quality that set him apart from many others. Every day, he came to the Temple expecting God’s surprise. He came expecting to see the Savior.
This is not unlike some older gentlemen in churches today who hold tightly to the promise of a returning Messiah. For decades, such men have looked for the coming King and, in the meantime, have done their best to teach God’s Word to others. They have invested themselves in providing worship opportunities for those in their communities and attempted to demonstrate God’s love through ministry and Christian service to others.
Perhaps you can think of such men who have enriched your life. I can.
Blessed is the church that has Simeon-like leaders, men who are faithful to the valuable lessons of the past but always looking for God’s surprise, whatever it might be.
Joseph and Mary also met Anna. She had a hard life. She had been widowed after only seven years of marriage. In her old age (she was 84), the Temple was her whole life. Anna was the kind of woman who never left the Temple. She prayed all the time. She listened to the Scriptures as they were read. She fasted.
Actually Anna was called a prophetess. Respect for her relationship with God was widespread.
Many churches today have Anna-like members. These women love the Lord with their heart and soul, with their mind and strength. They give themselves to Bible study and prayer. They keep the church functioning and pass the faith on to the next generation.
These women understand the implication of decisions and are quick to see God’s hand when it moves among them.
Every successful pastor knows that a church has a matriarch whose support is necessary for it to function effectively. It is hoped that these matriarchs are Anna-like women.
Though Simeon and Anna came from the “old school” and practiced their faith “the old way,” both were open to God’s surprise.
Imagine Joseph and Mary’s reaction when Simeon said the purpose of his life had been fulfilled after seeing the baby Jesus. Imagine their reaction when Anna began telling everyone about their baby’s role as the One who would redeem Jerusalem. That was far more than Joseph and Mary expected the morning they decided to go to church.
The words of Simeon and Anna are like a bridge from all the people had known about God in the past to the wonderful surprise God has in store for all who will believe in Jesus.
Today’s couple may go to church expecting the experience to be similar to the week before and the week before that. We should be open, though, and even looking for the surprise God may have in store every time we go to church.
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