A Sermon preached on Epiphany V, Feb. 6, 2022, at St. Augustine’s and St. Christoph
(Candlemass: Luke 2:22-40,) Isaiah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Luke 5:1-11
When do we recognise God, however God appears to us, and how do we react when we do so? Those seem to be two common themes of our readings today, beginning with the passage we read before our Candlemas procession, about the Presentation.
Jesus is just 40 days old and yet both Simeon and Anna recognise him as the Lord’s Messiah, the one who would be a “light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel” and who is good news “to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:32, 38) They recognised him not because an angel told them – as the shepherds had been told – nor by the appearance of a star - but because they were waiting for him, and because God helped them see. Simeon had been told by the Holy Spirit “that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah,” (2:26) and that same Spirit moved him to go to the Temple on the day Jesus was brought for his Presentation. Simeon, described as righteous and devout, believed firmly in God’s promise of a saviour and he saw the clear need for one for his people! And so, he was both willing and able to see God in that child. Both he – and Anna, who clearly had a similar experience – react with thanks and praise to God and by speaking openly about the child, and his mission and destiny.
It would be very difficult for Isaiah not to recognise God in the OT passage we heard: Sitting on a throne, with the hem of his robe filling the temple, Seraphs – fiery angelic beings - in attendance, an earthquake shakes the building and the house fills with smoke. (Isaiah 6:1-2, 4) He got the message. This is God!
For Peter and his friends on the other hand, the picture is not as clear. By this time – we have fast forwarded 30 years from the Presentation - Jesus is already well known, otherwise the crowd would not be pressing in on him to hear the word of God. And the fishermen recognise him as a person with authority: after all, they let him requisition their boat as a podium. And then when Jesus tells them to “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch,” they do it. Now fishing nets are big and heavy, not like a little net on a stick. You must be really convinced before you set off out into the lake again and throw the nets you have been busy cleaning overboard! But still they did not yet recognise God or God’s messenger in him, at least not until they “caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break … and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.” Luke 5:6-7) Now they’re sure he’s someone very special!
Isaiah’s and Peter’s initial reaction is fear, fear for their lives. Isaiah says: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips.” (Is. 6:5) Peter falls down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ (Luke 5:8) Both of them also express a sense of inadequacy, as does Paul in the Epistle passage that we did not hear this morning, when he remembers his reaction to Jesus’ appearance: “For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:9)
I am not up to it, they all say. I am not good enough, they all think. This reaction is understandable, but it is not what God wants. Yes, humility is appropriate, after all the incarnation is a sign of Christ’s own willingness to humble or empty himself, (Philippians 2:7) and he came not to be served, but to serve. (Matthew 20:28) But not self-doubt, not a loss of hope, and certainly not a sense of futility. And that’s why God’s reaction, Jesus’ reaction is to take away the fear, to lift up, and to empower. The seraph tells Isaiah, “Your guilt has departed, and your sin is blotted out,” (Is. 6:7) As a result when Isaiah hears the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ his response is ‘Here am I; send me!’ Now he feels empowered, encouraged and inspired.
Paul also felt empowered, encouraged and inspired: “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:10) And when Jesus tells Peter: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people,” (Luke 5:11) he and his companions felt so inspired and empowered that they immediately left everything and followed him.
This is Christ’s mission to the whole world, to bring freedom from fear, to bring forgiveness for all our sins and to empower each and every one of us to carry on his mission of reconciliation and to bring the good news of God’s love in Christ to all people.
We would be very bad fishers of people, and very bad messengers if we were afraid and full of guilt and doubt. God does not want us to win over people with threats and fear, but with confidence and joy. And we can’t be a light to the world and show God’s glory if we hide it out of fear, if we do not feel worthy to be beacons of light.
So, as we are celebrating Candlemas, a festival of light today, and in joyful recognition of our Lord and saviour let’s relight our candles and finish with a song:
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Ev’ry where I go, I’m gonna let it shine,
Ev’ry where I go, I’m gonna let it shine,
Ev’ry where I go, I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine,
Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine,
Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Amen.
