Dedication at the Temple: Luke 2:22-38

Even when you're participating in what is good, it's not always going to feel good.

This week we looked at an often-overlooked moment in the Christmas story. Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple for dedication—and they could only afford the cheapest offering: two pigeons. Think about that. God left His throne in heaven to enter the world through a family that couldn't afford better. That's how much He humbled Himself to save you.

But here's where it gets intense. At the temple, a man named Simeon—so in tune with the Holy Spirit that he knew things no one else understood—picked up baby Jesus and proclaimed Him as the Messiah. Then he looked at Mary and delivered devastating news: "A sword will pierce through your own soul." Just 40ish days after Jesus was born, Mary was already told about the pain she would endure watching her son die.

Jesus' birth was always about His sacrifice. The manger was always about the cross.

Here's what we need to understand: Following Jesus means participating in what is ultimately good, but it won't always feel good. We sacrifice temporary pleasures for eternal purpose. We endure hardship because He has overcome the world.

Simeon had the Holy Spirit guiding him before Pentecost, before the resurrection, before universal access to God. And he understood things that people who walked with Jesus for three years missed. We live on the other side of the resurrection with direct access to God through Christ—yet are we as in tune with Him as Simeon was?

When Jesus enters your life, it should change you forever. Whether in loud spiritual moments or quiet, unexpected ones—encountering Christ demands transformation. The question is: are we listening?