TLIC Family. 100 Days with Jesus. Day 3: The day Jesus was blessed.

THINK TOGETHER.

Does your church do baby dedications? What happens at a baby dedication?

READ TOGETHER.

Luke 2:6-7. ²⁵Now 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. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷And 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, ²⁸he 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; ³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation

My church does something called a baby dedication. The parents of babies and young children stand up in front of the church and dedicate their child to God. It’s really more like a parent dedication. It is the parents who make promises to God to raise their child the way he would want. They promise to let God have control over their child’s life without getting in the way. Did your parents do a baby or child dedication in church when you were a baby? (If not, that’s Ok. I’m sure you’ll be fine)

When Jesus was a baby growing up in Israel, parents were required by the law of God to dedicate their firstborn son to God. The firstborn son in a family was the representative for the whole family. So to dedicate your firstborn son to God meant that the whole family was dedicated to serving God. This is why in the verses above, Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus are in Jerusalem, not Bethlehem. They are at the Temple of God where people would go to dedicate their babies make an offering to God. Mary and Joseph were poor so their offering was not a lamb or a goat like most people, it was two small birds. When the mom and dad dedicated their firstborn son to God, they were asking God to protect their child and their whole family, to use them as servants of God.

But there was something different about baby Jesus, wasn’t there? We hear it in the words of this mysterious old man that is at the Temple that day, Simeon. Simeon is filled with the Holy Spirit like a prophet. He speaks truth from God himself. What does he call baby Jesus? That’s right, he calls him God’s salvation (verse 30).

Baby Jesus didn’t need salvation, he IS salvation. You and I need God’s salvation. We need to be saved from the punishment for our sin – separation from God forever. But Jesus would never be separated from God, because he IS God. Mary and Joseph weren’t giving Jesus to God, God was giving Jesus to them. And to Simeon. And to you. And to me. And to the whole world.

Simeon blessed God because he knew that he had been blessed by God with the presence of Jesus. Have you been blessed with the presence of Jesus? Does Jesus live in your heart? If he does, then bless God! Praise God knowing that he has given us the greatest gift ever – Jesus in our hearts.  

Because of Jesus we can know God’s salvation.

With Jesus we have God with us.

DO SOMETHING TOGETHER

Bless God for his salvation through Jesus. Sing or listen to Amazing Grace together.

PRAY TOGETHER

Jesus, you are God’s salvation. We are blessed by God to have you in our hearts so that we don’t have to be afraid of punishment for our sins. Help me to thank and praise you for this greatest of gifts. Amen.