“FINDING GOD IN THE QUE SERA SERA”

LUKE 2:22-35

[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 that 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, looking 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 should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
[27] And inspired by the Spirit he came 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 lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
according to thy word;
[30] for mine eyes have seen thy salvation
[31] which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,
[32] a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to thy 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 set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against
[35] (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."

It won’t be long now.  In just a few hours we’ll ring the New Year in and begin another chapter in the book of life.  If you’re wondering what the New Year is going to bring then you might want to check out the latest edition of the SUN.  According to that popular tabloid 2007 is going to be an amazing year. How do they know that?  They know it because of a letter that was written by one of the early Fathers of the Church. That recently discovered letter claims that there were some biblical prophesies for 2007 that were so controversial that they were left out of the Book of Revelation. So what can you expect in the coming year? First of all the War in Iraq is going to come to an end next year and all our troops are going to come home. Doctors at Harvard University’s School of Medicine are also going to discover a cure for cancer.  While they’re doing that scientists at Stanford University are going to invent a new and improved solar panel that will make it possible for you to heat your home and power your car for just pennies a day. There’s also going to be a war between India and China, a bird flu epidemic that will kill millions around the world and another Great Depression. Some good will come out of that Great Depression though.  For one thing it’s going to prompt Congress to double the Social Security payments that everyone receives. It’s also going to trigger a huge religious revival. That religious revival is going to be led by an evangelist from Florida who will prove that she’s receiving message directly from God. Oh and here’s a real shocker for you. In the midst of that religious revival the pope is going to move the Vatican to Atlanta, Georgia. He’s going to do that after he has a vision that proves that America really is God’s Chosen Land.  Now if all of this isn’t enough excitement for you, before the year is over there’s going to be a catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helen’s. That eruption will signal the beginning of the Apocalypse and the return of Jesus Christ.

So what do you think? If all of this sounds a little far fetched, then you might want to look at a book that’s being advertised in that same edition of the Sun. According to the ad this book will help you predict the future for yourself.  For only $19.95 author Echo Bodine will show you how to connect with your inner self and unlock your psychic abilities.

Okay, I’ll admit it.  I don’t believe any of this myself.  When it comes to predicting the future it’s probably best to heed the words from that old Doris Day song. “Que sera sera. Whatever will be will be.  The future’s not ours to see. Que sera sera.”

No one knows what’s going to happen in the coming year.  All you can really do is hope that there will be lots of moments that will leave you feeling the same way Howard Carter did one day back in 1922.  Howard Carter was the archeologist who discovered King Tut’s tomb.  After searching for 15 years he finally saw his dream become a reality.  After they found the tomb Carter made a small hole in the wall of the burial chamber. He then stuck a candle into the hole so he could see inside. As his eyes adapted to the shadows in the burial chamber a worker behind him asked impatiently, “Do you see anything?”  That’s when Carter uttered his famous reply. “Yes,” he said, “wonderful things!”

I hope that you, too, will see a lot of wonderful things in the coming year.  Of course, we do have to be realistic. There will be some woe mixed in with those wonderful things.  Unless you live a totally charmed life you’re also going to see a few trials, temptations and tribulations.

So here’s a question for you.  When it comes to the future does all of this make you a little apprehensive?  Does it make you a little anxious? Or does it fill you with excitement and anticipation? When it comes to dealing with the future you might want to take a look at Simeon.  Simeon came face to face with the future that day in the Temple. It happened when he saw Mary and Joseph and their new born baby.  As Simeon stood there holding the baby Jesus it was a moment that was full of wonder.  There was also a little woe there as well.  You see Simeon knew that he was holding the long awaited messiah.  He also knew that because he was holding the long awaited messiah the time had also come for him to die. That’s why he prayed these words as he stood there in the middle of the Temple. “Lord,” he said, “now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for mine eyes have seen you salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Sounds pretty calm for a man who just realized that he might die now at any moment.  Wouldn’t you agree?

Some people find it hard to do what Simeon did that day.  Instead of accepting the future they’re afraid of it. Instead of being at peace with the future they try to avoid it.. Maybe that’s they way you feel about your future right now. Maybe you’re afraid of the future because you know that this may be the year that you or someone you love might have to go to a nursing home.  Or maybe you’re afraid of the future because you know that a relationship that you value might have to come to an end.  Or maybe you’re afraid of the future because things haven’t been going very well at work and you’ve heard that people are going to be laid off.

Some people try to avoid the future because they’re afraid of what might be waiting for them there. Others try to avoid the future because they don’t want to let go of the past.  That often happens when someone you love dies.  That’s not the only reason why people try to hold onto the past though. Consider if you will the situation that the football coach at Northwestern University’s had to deal with back in 1996.  Gary Barnett’s team had gone to the Rose Bowl the previous year for the first time in 48 years. So, when they gathered for their first team meeting to begin the new year he started the meeting by handing out some awards.  He called the players forward and gave them small plaques that listed their achievements from the previous year.  After all those plaque had been handed out one of the coaches gave Barnett a plaque for being named coach of the year. As soon as the applause died down Barnett took his plaque over to a trashcan with a sign on it that read 1995. Then after looking at the plaque one last time he tossed it into the trash can.  The message was clear.  You can’t let the past get in the way of the future.

Simeon didn’t do that. He wasn’t afraid of the future even though death was now staring him in the face.  It was his faith, of course, that made it possible for Simeon to be at peace with the future. Don’t forget that Luke says that he was a righteous and devout man. Because he went to the Temple, because prayed, because he read the Scriptures his faith was strong.  His relationship with God was strong.

When your faith is strong it helps make the wonderful times better and the woe a little easier to bear.  So, with that in mind here’s a New Year’s resolution that will bring you closer to God and help you deal with all those que sera sera moments in the coming year.  You can call this New Year’s resolution the 7 Ups.  It goes like this.

WAKE UP and rejoice in the day that the Lord has made.

DRESS UP by putting a smile on your face. That will help you share God’s love others.

STAND UP for what you believe is right so that God’s will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.

LOOK UP and see the beauty that God has created all around you.

REACH UP and spend some time with God in prayer. 

HUSH UP and listen to what God may be trying to say to you.  And finally,

LIFT UP by helping those who are sick and suffering and full of sorrow.

There you have it.  If you follow those 7 Ups you probably won’t end up singing Que sera sera like Doris Day, but you will end up being at peace with the future no matter what it brings.  You will end up being at peace with the future the way Simeon was that day in the Temple.  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

December 31, 2006