Jesus Presented

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,   29  “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,and for glory to your people Israel.” 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” 36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:22-38

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Jesus Presented at the Temple
The Holy Spirit never takes a rest. He is working to show the world Jesus. He never comes and talks about himself. The Heavenly Father would never let him talk very long about anything, but Jesus. When the Living God wants to show you who he is, he shows you Jesus. He told Simeon that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Then he beheld him with his own eyes and held him in his own hands. You and I don’t get to hold him in our hands and behold him with our eyes. We behold him with the eyes of faith. Once a student asked me if I had seen Jesus. I answered, “Yes, I see him with my ears.” In order to save you, the Holy Spirit sends the preached Word into your ears. He lets you see Jesus, behold him, and then he wraps you with him in the preached Word and the Sacraments. We “see” him with our ears and we behold him with our lips as he comes to you in bread and wine. This is the work of the Holy Spirit for you, like Simeon and Anna. He delivers him to you. Now you are prepared for anything, even death. You have seen the Salvation of the world and you have tasted that the Lord is good. Thanks be to God.
  [1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 2:22–38.