Lesson 7 – The Presentation of Jesus

God’s Law requires payment for every sin. God’s Son fulfilled the Law and paid for our sin.

Opening

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

This lesson will use the Bible, the Bible Exploration Guide and the Lesson 7 Leaflet from the Student Pack. The front cover shows how the artist sees Simeon and Anna with the baby Jesus. Also paper and pencil will be needed.

The Messiah's birth was anticipated for hundreds of years. Many faithful people waited for the promised One's birth.

Watch the video, "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus".

Which Bible events did you recognize? Creation; Adam and Eve sinning: Noah's ark; Abraham and Isaac; Joseph; Moses crossing the Red Sea and with the Law; the victory at Jericho; David and Goliath; Daniel and the lions; Jonah; Mary and Gabriel; Jesus' birth; angels announcing Jesus' birth to shepherds; Wise Men visiting Jesus.

What's the video's point? Jesus is the one God promised to send His people, the Messiah (in Hebrew; Christ in Greek). Prophets spoke of Him and people throughout history waited for Him with great expectation.

In this lesson, we see how people responded to the messianic fulfillment of this expectation.

Prayer: God our Father, thank You for sending Your Son to earth as our Savior. Thank You for His work on the cross to pay for our sins. Your love goes above and beyond all expectation, Lord! Thank You! Amen.

God Speaks

The words at the top of page 2 of the lesson leaflet need to be defined:

• righteous and devout: These words describe a faithful believer in the true God who trusts God's righteousness, not his or her own.
• the consolation of Israel: Consolation means "comfort”. Israel is an alternative name for Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes. At this time, it indicated the Jewish people. Synonymous with salvation and forgiveness, this phrase indicates waiting for the comfort and hope that came with the arrival of the Messiah.
• salvation: Rescuing or saving; sometimes translated as "deliverance" or "victory." God offers salvation through the perfect life, death, and resurrection of the sinless one, Jesus Christ, who rescued and delivered us from sin, death, wickedness, and the devil.
• redemption: To buy back, ransom, deliver, save, atone for, reconcile.

Read Luke 2:21-24 and answer the questions in the middle of age 2 of the leaflet

Find three requirements of the Law in verses 21-22. Circumcision, purification, and presenting Jesus to the Lord

What did they name the baby at His circumcision? Jesus, as the angels said

Forty days after childbirth, a woman offered a sacrifice for purification. People also presented the firstborn son in the temple to redeem him. After God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, He said the firstborn sons were His. A family redeemed, or bought back, the firstborn by sacrificing a lamb in his place. This reminded them that God saved the firstborn of those with lamb's blood on their doorframes (Leviticus 12:6-8; Exodus 13:12-16).

Too poor to pay for a lamb, Mary and Joseph offered the two birds, as the Law allowed (Leviticus 12:8).

Read Luke 2:25-40 and answer the questions starting on the bottom of page 2 of the leaflet.

What does "righteous and devout" say about Simeon? For what did he wait? Simeon faithfully followed God and trusted His righteousness, not his own. He waited for the consolation of Israel, the Messiah's arrival and His comfort.

What did the Holy Spirit reveal to Simeon? Before dying, Simeon would see the Lord's Christ, the Messiah God promised to send.

Why did Simeon go to the temple? The Holy Spirit led him there.

What does it mean that Simeon "blessed God" when he held Jesus? He thanked and praised the Lord for sending the Christ and letting him see Him.

What words show Simeon believed he held the Lord's Christ? His eyes had seen salvation in the infant Jesus and he could depart in peace .

Through Christ, for whom did God prepare salvation? All people, Gentiles and Jews (Israel).

What shows that Mary and Joseph understood that Simeon's words said Jesus was the Messiah, as God's angels told them earlier? They "marveled”.

Simeon blessed the family, but what did he tell Mary to expect? People would fall or rise through Jesus. Opposition to Him would reveal many hearts. These words refer to Jesus' fulfillment of God's promises of the Old Testament. His Word, a two-edged sword of Law and Gospel, will pierce Mary's soul, her own unbelief and conversion by God's grace through faith. Mary had to answer the same question everyone must answer, "Who is Jesus?".

How does Jesus make people fall or rise? (1) Jesus' words and actions caused a great commotion, then and today. How people respond to Him shows their hearts. No one can ignore Him. If people reject Him, they fall. If people believe in Jesus, they rise with Him to new life.

 (2) In Baptism, we die and are buried (fall) and rise with Jesus (Colossians 2:12; Romans 6:3-11). (3) Those who do not believe in Jesus remain dead in sin.

How is Jesus a sign that is opposed? Most religious leaders opposed Jesus from the beginning of His ministry. He did not meet expectations of people, leaders, and even His disciples and family members. Most rejected or betrayed Him. As sinners who cannot save ourselves, we reject and betray Jesus too.

How did these things pierce Mary's soul? Mary often misunderstood Jesus’ work and purpose, as did other disciples. Jesus' rejection, humiliation, sufferings, and death caused Mary incredible grief. God's Law and Gospel pierced her soul by showing her sin and need for a Savior and God's grace through faith in Christ.

Who was Anna? What did she do each day? Anna was a prophetess and a widow, eighty-four years old. Anna did not leave the temple. She worshiped God with fasting and prayer night and day.

What did Anna do when she saw Jesus? She thanked God and told everyone who was waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem (Messiah) about Him. In this way, she served in her vocation as a prophetess of God.

Simeon saw God's salvation for Jews and Gentiles in Jesus. The Holy Spirit told Simeon he would see the Lord's Christ (Messiah) before he died. Jesus would cause the rise and fall of many in Israel and be opposed. This would pierce His mother's soul and reveal the hearts of faith or unbelief.

We Live

Like the angels in the field when Jesus was born, Simeon proclaimed the Gospel, saying Jesus would bring salvation to His people. Like the shepherds, Anna told everyone she saw about Him.

What sacrifices were acceptable for purification and redemption? A lamb, or a pair of turtledoves or pigeons (if poor).

How was Jesus, the Lamb of God, sacrificed to redeem and purify us? Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. The Sinless One redeems the sinful, forgives sins, and purifies us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-10).

On page 4 of the leaflet, red the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed and its meaning from Luther's Small Catechism.

These words summarize what we believe about Jesus. The Apostles' Creed comes from Jesus' disciples and the Early Christian Church.

In the Bible Exploration Guide, read" Jesus Fulfilled the Law" on pages 16-17 and "Jesus Fulfilled Prophecies" on pages 18-19.

Closing

Listen to the hymn "Jesus! Name of Wondrous Love".