Prayers of Approach
Lord, as we approach the beginning of a new year we remember: the places we have seen – we place them in God’s hands; the challenges we have faced – we place them in God’s hands; the people we have been – we place them in God’s hands.
As a new year beckons us forward. We, too, want to be made new in you, our Lord God. We are called as Christians. We are followers of Christ.God our Saviour, as Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple to present him before you, we, too, come just as we are, with praise and thanksgiving in our hearts, to offer our lives to you, our gracious God. We come with awe and thanksgiving in our hearts. God, who spoke to Simeon and Anna, speak to us today. We’re listening, Lord.
Jesus, our Saviour: we worship you. Jesus, our Redeemer: we worship you. Jesus, our Brother: we worship you. Jesus, our Friend: we worship you. Jesus, name above all names: we worship you. Amen.
Hymn Hark the herald angels sing (R&S 159)
Readings: Isaiah 61:10 – 62:3
Luke 2:21-40
Introduction
On the first Sunday after Christmas we read about the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, which marks the end of Luke’s nativity story, and see how Simeon and Anna affirm the identity of Jesus, foretold by the angel at the annunciation. We may assume that Simeon was a priest at the Temple, but we know nothing else about him, nor about Anna. Simeon intuitively recognised Jesus as the Christ/Messiah and felt that his life was now complete, and the old prophetess Anna too recognised Jesus as the redeemer of Jerusalem.
Hymn Unto us a boy is born (R&S 169)
Sermon
Throughout the Bible the giving of a new name marks the beginning of a new relationship with God and in Luke’s Gospel, Mary is told to name her son Jesus. This is a Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, meaning ‘he (God) saves’ and in the Temple, Simeon identifies him as God’s ‘salvation’, recognising him as the glorified Israel of Isaiah’s prophecy, a light to the nations. Anna, a daughter of Abraham whose father and tribe are named here, also sees him in terms of the Isaiah reading, as ‘the redemption of Jerusalem’.
Back in 2000 I went to see the National Gallery’s Millennium exhibition Seeing Salvation, featuring portrayals of Christ, from a Roman statue of The Good Shepherd to Salvador Dali’s crucifixion, Christ of St. John of the Cross. It was an absolutely stunning experience, and the gallery was overwhelmed by the numbers who turned out to see the exhibition, which just goes to show how a longing for salvation still haunts us. The names by which we identify Jesus, the one through whom salvation is offered, help us to reflect on how it may come.
Today our names, our identity, give access to the means to live: a national insurance number and access to employment, a passport and the right to travel, a school place, a bank account. Paradoxically however this focus on identity and having the right documents to ‘prove’ who we are can lead to a sense of isolation and anonymity, which may have given rise to the current interest in family history: a family name and a sense of one’s antecedents can restore a sense of significance and pride in identity.
In the 1960’s TV series ‘The Prisoner’ features Number Six, an unnamed British intelligence agent who, after abruptly and angrily resigning from his highly sensitive government job, prepares to go on a trip. While packing his luggage, he is rendered unconscious by knockout gas piped into his home in Westminster. Upon waking, he finds himself in a re-creation of the interior of his home, located in a mysterious coastal settlement known simply as “the Village” whose residents do not use names, but have been assigned numbers which mostly give no clue as to their status within the Village. While most are captives some are guards and prisoners, therefore, have no idea whom they can and cannot trust. It is a situation which depersonalises and robs people of their identities. Number Six, however, refuses to accept this declaring, “I am not a number! I am a free man!.”
Characters that we encounter around Jesus in the gospels are often nameless. Naming Simeon and Anna, who appear only once, raises their significance, increasing our identity with them. We are given a nutshell family history for Anna – her father, her tribe – credentials for this significant role in recognising the Saviour. Calling people by name is affirming and confers value and dignity.
Throughout the Bible, names provide clues. People are given new names by God, growing into the characteristics and attributes they suggest. A name may have layers of meaning and significance. Not only does it represent the current identifier of an individual but it may link them to layers of history in various ways. The names given to Jesus not only tell us who he is but show his role in God’s plans of salvation, placing him firmly within God’s promises to Israel, and even more, to all humankind. Jesus is not only Saviour, Prince of Peace, Lord of Lords and King of Kings, he is Emmanuel, God with us!
In the Bible, name meant family. Today people perhaps have other reasons for choosing names. They may want to name a child after a family member, but it might be somebody they admire, possibly a pop star, sports personality or film star; they might choose a name which they hope the child will grow to be like; or maybe they just choose something they like the sound of. Some names though can be hard to live up to. The Puritans in the 17th century often gave their children names which embodied their parents’ beliefs or ideals. Some were quite simple names such as Faith, others a little strange to us like Endeavour (which we discovered was Inspector Morse’s name) but others were very odd. One child was even called, ‘If Christ had not died for thee, thou wouldst have been damned’ Barebones.
Just imagine if you had been called ‘Braveheart’ for example. What expectations would people have of you? Could you live up to such a name? Jesus had a lot to live up to but fortunately for us he more than fulfilled expectations – Saviour, Emmanuel, God with us. Whoever you are though it is important to have a name, and we too have a name to live up to – Christian! What name would you like to be known by?
Hymn Born in the night, Mary’s child (R&S 188)
Prayers of Intercession
Lord, at the beginning of a new year we pray for our troubled world, and all who work for peace. May your heavenly light shine upon them, and give them strength.
We pray for the Church throughout the world, and especially our fellowship here. May your heavenly light shine upon us, and bless us richly.
We pray for all those who are sick, in body, mind, or spirit, and all those who care for them. May your heavenly light shine upon them, and bring them hope.
We pray for those who are bereaved, that you will comfort and strengthen them in their dark days. May your heavenly light shine upon them, and grant them peace. Amen.
Hymn It came upon the midnight clear (R&S 144)
Blessing
Lord, we know just how important our names are. As we go into a new and busy week, may we take time to give people the lovely gift of calling them by their name and may we know that you bless us using ours. Amen.
Prayers and other material (adapted) © Roots for Churches Ltd. Used by permission.
