It's the fourth day of Christmas, and if you remember the song, this is the day that the true love gives four calling birds. As we go through the 12 days of Christmas, the gifts and the song stay pretty upbeat. Everything is cheery and happy. Joy, sharing and gift-giving.

Yet, not all is as it appears. Christmas is much more than what meets the eye, as the saying goes. We have been given a commercialized picture of Christmas. You have to admit, it's better for business that way. And I confess, I like it that way. Most of us do.

But the Church is not afraid to let Christmas be what it is. The Church's celebration reflects more of what real life is like. For a lot of people, Christmas is fine if we keep it light and cheery but would think you are ruining it, if you let it be anything else. If this is so, the Church has ruined Christmas. Which is a funny statement, if you think about it, because Christmas can't be Christmas if it weren't for the Church, that is the people who are believers.

So, despite Christmas being the celebration of God's greatest gift, it's more than what meets the eye. In fact, at times it can be kind of dark. Today is an excellent example of that darkness. Today, Dec. 28th, the 4th day of Christmas, we remember the innocent boys of Bethlehem who were slaughtered.

It should be no surprise that there would be these dark times. We were told in the reading on Christmas Day, the light came into the world, but the darkness did not understand it. It's a fancy way of saying, sinners prefer not to know the truth of their condition, but Jesus' light forces them to see it. If you don't like what you see, you can always put out the light. That is exactly what happened, with His death. It is exactly what happens today when people don't want to hear the Law that condemns them-basically the same action-put out the light.

What leads up to that light being put out is what Simeon is prophesying in our text today.

You know who Simeon is. You sing his song just about every time we have communion, or at least when we use the 3rd setting of the Divine Service. Here's a little liturgy lesson to keep tucked away for future reference. This song or canticle is called the Nunc Dimittis, which simply is "Now, dismiss." You will recognize it starting with, "Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace."

Think about what Simeon has said and you regularly sing. "Lord, I can die now. You told me I would see the Promised One, the light of the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. I have seen Him, now I can die." We say, "Lord, I have tasted your richest gifts, the body and blood of my redeemer. What more could I want? I have all I need. If you should like, you can take my life now."

Talk about more than what meets the eye. This thought would meet our eyes, if we looked at the words, more than just reading or singing them. The words are clear, but most of us probably never thought about what they were saying. "I'm ready to die now." Yes, what a great thing for faith to learn to say. "Lord, I am content with whatever you do. If I should live on, fine. If I am to die, fine. My life is in your hands." Challenging statement, though, isn't it? Whoever thought going through the Divine Service could be such a challenge? Think about it next time you sing it.

Mary and Joseph are struck by the song. They aren't shocked that Simeon came up and chanted it, but they do wonder at it. Nor does it mean they are wondering what this could mean. No, 40 days before, when Jesus was born, shepherds came to them reporting they had heard about their son's birth from angels. Mary and Joseph both had been visited by angels. And then there's the whole issue of the virgin birth. No, Jesus' mother and His stepfather, aren't shocked, but instead in humble faith take it in. They say, "Let it be to me, Lord, as you would have it," and they ponder what this all means."

Then Simeon drops the bomb. He is appointed for a sign that will be opposed, and a sword will pierce your soul also.

Now, what parent wants to hear news like that? What kind of things do you say to new parents? He's got his mother's eyes. She's got her father's nose. Oh, isn't he beautiful? Not, "your child is destined to be great and will be killed when he's about 30 years old." Parents would be horrified. But Jesus is more than what meets the eye, and so the little pleasantries may not be so pleasant.

He is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel and its going to get you too, Mary. Who is to fall? Who is to rise? Another song or canticle answers that. Mary already knew the answer, because she had sung about it shortly after she conceived Jesus. We sing it in the evening prayer service of Vespers. "He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away." The older children learned it for the Christmas program. If you didn't recognize it before, you will now. "The proud he scatters, their rule He shatters-Sing the greatness of the Lord! Oppression halted, the meek exalted. Full are the hungry; Empty the wealthy-O sing the greatness of God the Lord."

Who are the mighty, the proud, the wealthy? Not necessarily the people you would think. It's not just people with power, talents, and money. It's those who have not been broken by the Law. They are the ones who will not admit their need; who say it but not really mean it. It is all of us, because none of us wants to admit weakness. None of us wants to be broken. We will even use God's tools designed to humble us to protect ourselves. We will hear the Law that condemns us showing what we do wrong, and hang our heads hoping it will be done soon, or a use a more active resistance and retaliate. We are tempted to shut up that condemning word, either by defending ourselves or literally try to stop the one who is speaking it.

Either way, the condemnation will happen. The crushing will come in one way or another. If the Law doesn't do its work here on earth, then it will happen eternally.

Jesus spoke the words that should have crushed many of the religious leaders, but they resisted. They stood firm. They would not be brought low. They retaliated. They first accused Him and then they killed Him. Their fall has now come. They have been crushed.

But others heard Jesus' words. They found their mark. It showed them what they were and then they appealed to God's mercy. They were lifted up. They were crushed, but they were not left that way. John the Baptist had been leading people to see their need for the Messiah. They heard they were condemned sinners, and did not avoid the sentence. They even admitted it was true.

During Advent, we have been led to do the same. On the Sundays when we could make it, which were only two not counting our Monday evening service, we have been led to see we were sinners. We have been shown we deserve judgment, but not left there. No, in God's mercy, to those who are brought down, the empty, the oppressed, the hungry, He always brought life and pardon.

Perhaps some of the descriptions I have given of the proud and mighty have hit you. You see that you have been resistant. Recognize the thoughts of your heart may be revealed, but you are not left ground into the dust. Instead, He lifts the needy and the lowly. He speaks words of peace. The words from Isaiah are spoken to you. Your price has been paid double. Your warfare is ended. Or as an earlier chapter in Isaiah puts it, "He judges and decides disputes by righteousness, His own righteousness. This means He looks at you, you who are afraid of being judged according to your own works, and looks to see the righteousness He has given you. He sees the robe of righteousness He placed on you at your baptism, and judges you based on His own holiness. He points you to the day He adopted you and assures you that you have been made truly a son, and an heir, and therefore can have the courage to call God, your Father, and say it with all boldness and confidence.

When Simeon is done proclaiming the work of the Law and the Gospel, then he steps down and Anna steps up. She doesn't say anything to Mary and Joseph, but she begins to speak to others. She begins to tell them the Messiah has come. The one who will redeem God's people by His death, is finally here.

Anna also has been waiting for this. This is a red letter day for her too. She has devoutly prayed for the Messiah to come, praying for her people. She had probably heard about Zechariah and what happened to him. After all, it isn't every day a priest sees an angel and then loses his voice until his son is born. Now, she sees the one he will precede. 84 years old, Anna, too is probably ready to die, having seen her highest dream come true.

She, too, is more than meets the eye. As Simeon proclaims, Anna responds. She praises God and then she tells others. She represents you, the hearers, and Simeon represents pastors. Pastors speak the word, and the people, like you, when they hear it, can't but respond. They will tell others. Anna did not need to be told to tell others. She simply did it. When you understand how you have been set free, how you have been lifted up, how you can call God, "Father" with all boldness and confidence because of Christ, then you too will not be able to, but respond.

Finally, Luke tells us Mary and Joseph finished all they were supposed to and then went back to Nazareth. Again, there is more than meets the eye. Luke takes us from the temple to the town where Jesus grew up and right back to the temple again. But more happened after this event in the temple. The magi arrive, Herod plans to kill Jesus, the boys of Bethlehem are slaughtered and Joseph escapes with Mary and baby Jesus down to Egypt, setting us up for next week. And that's where we will leave it until next week.

AMEN