"Why Was Jesus Circumcised?" Luke 2:21 January 1, 2012

Sermon on Luke 2:21 Mt. Olive Lutheran January 1, 2012 Pastor Joel B. Schroeder "Why Was Jesus Circumcised?" 1. It Assures Me of My Salvation 2. It Was a Forerunner of Baptism

Jesus was circumcised the 8th day of his life. When we celebrate Jesus' birth December 25, that puts the circumcision of Jesus January 1. January 1 is called "the Feast of the Circumcision" or "Feast of the Holy Name." When churches worship New Year's Day, instead of preaching on Jesus' circumcision every year, pastors often preach God is giving us another year to use his Word and Sacraments, or God will continue to be faithful. Does that mean the circumcision of Jesus isn't important--something the ancient church celebrated annually, but we can ignore? The circumcision and naming of Jesus are very important. When Luther preached on this single verse, he told his congregation it was a short Gospel so he'd make a short sermon--then preached for 10 pages! Circumcision may be surprising topic, startling in fact. But it's in the Bible, and was written for our learning. So may we learn today "Why Jesus Was Circumcised." It Assures Me of My Salvation 2. It Was a Forerunner of Baptism.

The ancient church once battled a heresy called "Docetism." Some claimed Jesus only seemed to be a real man, but didn't have a real body. Can you see why a yearly emphasis on the Circumcision of Christ was a good idea in those days? You can't circumcise a spirit, or a "pretend" body. When Jesus was circumcised, that proved he truly shared our flesh and was one of us in every way, except he had no sin.

Many Gentiles circumcise male babies. For Gentiles, it has no spiritual significance. Some do so because the dad was circumcised or because it's easier to keep the circumcised penis clean and thus avoid some diseases. But circumcision had a long history before it became the common choice for American parents.

Circumcision was around before God told Abraham to be circumcised and circumcise his sons and male servants. We don't know where or why it started. Some suggest since the foreskin is very sensitive, some cultures began circumcising their males to please their false gods by trying to avoid or give up some sexual pleasure. This makes sense. Natural man, feeling his guilt, often tries to get back in God's good graces by giving up some pleasure. Touch not. Taste not. Handle not. Some think they'll gain God's favor by not marrying, fasting, giving up wealth, or something for Lent.

No matter how circumcision started, God used it for spiritual good. He sanctified a custom that may have had pagan origins. He told Abraham in Genesis 17:12: "...every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring."  This command was put in the Law of Moses in Leviticus 12:3: "On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised." To this day, Jews, the physical descendants of Abraham, celebrate the "bris,"--the covenant--by circumcising male babies one week after birth. In ancient times the operation was done by the boy's father, often in the presence of relatives present celebrating the birth for a whole week. Joseph probably circumcised Jesus at the home they were staying in Bethlehem.

For Abraham and his descendants, circumcision did several things. It was the ceremony by which a child or adult was formally taken from the enemies of God and became part of God's chosen people. If someone refused to be circumcised, they were considered an unbeliever, not part of the church. God considered circumcision to be important. God almost killed Moses for not circumcising his two sons, due to the objections of his Egyptian wife.  At Gilgal after they'd crossed the Jordan God commanded Joshua to circumcise all males who hadn't been circumcised during the 40 years in the Wilderness. Circumcision was a pre-requisite for eating the Passover. Adult converts were circumcised as adults. Circumcision was a matter of identity and pride for Jews, but opened them up to derision and persecution from non-Jews.

Luther asked why circumcision was done on the 8th day. He suggested two possible reasons. It allowed the boy to grow stronger so the operation wouldn't hurt or kill him.  It was done before outward sins became evident. This is important! The sin we inherit from Adam, original sin, transmitted in the normal birth process through the father,  Luther calls our "greater sin." Not that one sin is more damning than another. But this sin is the root of all other sins. Our faults don't just lie in the acts we do, but in our fallen nature, our essence, what all humans have been like since the fall into sin. Except one, the one born of a virgin. And that's why God gave this ceremony for males--since sin was passed through the males.

Luther suggests that's why God chose the unusual body part to be removed, and not a hand, eye, ear, or  foot. He said those parts are involved in our outward works. It's not our outward works that can save or that start to damn us. The deepest failing or fault is our corrupt nature. If this didn't exist, if we'd somehow not been born from a sinful father, we'd never commit actual sins. But the sin of our very nature is so heinous, it can be removed by no law, no works, no punishment against us--even if there were 1,000 hells. The law doesn't produce outward sins. It only makes them obvious.

So law was preached by every Jewish circumcision, every time someone saw a circumcised husband, father, son, brother. We're all sinners from our conception from a sinful father. We can do nothing to change that as we can't choose to be born. But wonderful gospel was also preached by every circumcision. God told Abraham he would send an heir from his own body who would be a blessing to all nations. That was God's covenant with Abraham; the Messiah would come from the Jews.  A circumcised Jew's body reminded him and his family God made an unbreakable promise to send the Savior. The removal of sin and guilt would be bloody; it would require suffering and death. By circumcising their males, Jewish parents confessed and taught that truth. They were showing their saving faith. Jewish girls and women shared in the faith about the Savior though they weren't circumcised. But like Christmas celebrations today, many ethnic Jews didn't believe in a Savior to come, but continued to circumcise male babies.

Men, if you were Abraham, do you think you might have asked God a few questions before fetching the flint knife? Is there any other way, Lord? Can we come up with body part? My earlobe, maybe part of my finger or toe? Will this cutting idea will be good for outreach, Lord?  But God doesn't have a Divine Suggestion Box to determine his plan of salvation. God was teaching his people and us to take reason captive to his will. When we're suffering and our mind tells us he's far from us. Or he gives us painful spiritual medicine and we think it's poison. When he's teaching patience and we think he's punishing us. When in baptism he tells us to put drops of water on our heads--it just looks like we got a little wet or our hair mussed--but he says he's given us forgiveness. When he tells us to eat his body and drink his blood for our forgiveness, and our brain wants to ask, "Really?"

Jews had faith created or strengthened by circumcision as law and gospel were proclaimed. What about Jesus? If he had no actual or original sin (because he was born of a virgin), why was he circumcised?

Jesus was identifying himself as a true son of Abraham. Already born the perfect Second Adam, he was going to take the place of unfaithful Israel and serve God perfectly in their place. Where Israel proved unworthy and unbelieving, he'd be faithful, believing, obedient Israel, the one who prevailed before God.

Another  reason was Jesus' active obedience: he put himself under the whole law. He put himself under the 10 Commandments voluntarily by being born a human. He submitted to God's plan and put himself willingly under the burden of the law of Moses. Galatians 5:3 says if anyone is circumcised to be saved, he obligates himself to keep all the Mosaic law. Jesus did perfectly. He was circumcised the 8th day. His parents sacrificed to redeem him since he was their firstborn. He kept the Sabbath rest laws and attended the synagogue each Sabbath. He went to Jerusalem on required festivals. He made every sacrifice God commanded. He didn't only keep the Law of Moses outwardly; he trusted these shadows pointed to his work as the Redeemer of Israel. If he'd left a single law unkept, such as circumcision, our salvation would have been lost. Gal 4:4 says Jesus, the Divine Lawmaker "...was made of a woman, made under law, to redeem those who were under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons."

Notice the role his faithful parents played. They did the action by which he kept the law of circumcision. They sacrificed so he was redeemed as the firstborn. And we are blessed with godly parents who take us to church, teach us to pray, give us coins to drop in the offering, and teach us to give, share toys, be polite, say we're sorry. What a gift of God to Jesus Joseph and Mary were. What a gift to us godly parents are.

But surely you see in his circumcision Jesus shed the first drops of blood to pay for the sins of the world. He suffered pain the 8th day of his life. Poverty didn't just mean being born in a stable, lying in a manger, and being raised by poor parents. Ga 3:13 says Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law becoming a curse for us. Shedding drops of blood was the first installment of taking our curse on himself, so we don't  have to bear it. Not bulls' or goats' or lambs' blood. His blood. The blood of God's Son. God's blood.

Jesus wasn't named after Joseph, Mary's father Eli, or Joseph's father Jacob. He was given the name the angel told Mary to call him before Jesus was conceived. What a blessed name! We looked at that name in Advent. His name's the same as Joshua, the conquer, Joshua, the High Priest crowned as ruler, Hosea, the prophet told to marry his unfaithful bride. "Jesus" comes from two Hebrew words: "The LORD" and  "saves." His circumcision showed this would cost him dearly. His name indicated what he would do: save people from their sins. Call him Jesus--for he, the Lord, shall save his people from their sins. His name's above every name, precious to our ears, because it's the only name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. And because we trust this name, we get a wonderful new name: child of God.

Circumcision was a forerunner of baptism. Colossians 2:11–12 "In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead."

When Jesus died and rose, he'd completed his active and passive obedience. It was finished. All obedience required to satisfy God's demands for holiness and justice were paid. We're no longer under the Mosaic Law. We don't have to be circumcised to be part of God's chosen people. Because Jesus fully kept the 10 Commandments for us, we don't have to keep them to merit salvation--though we still want to obey God and are given the power to do so by faith.

But God requires "circumcision of the heart," a "circumcision without hands," a non-physical setting apart and cleansing. That's what the Bible calls baptism. Jesus was baptized at age 30, not because he was sinful, but "to fulfill all righteousness." He was baptized because God wants all baptized. He was taking the place of every believer unable to be baptized. He was showing the importance of baptism for all nations.

Do you see the similarities between circumcision and baptism?

• Both were commanded by God do be done to all: all Jews, all nations
• Both were ceremonies used in religious ceremonies God sanctified for his believers
• Both were done by parents early in a child's life to mark them as a forgiven child of God
• Both could be used later in life when an adult came to faith
• Both got power to forgive and save because they are gospel--they point to the Messiah, Jesus
• Both give power to lead a godly life because they strengthen faith in Jesus

Don't put off baptism for your children or grandchildren. Don't despise this wonderful gift of baptism. Think often of what your baptism means and derive comfort and power to live a godly life from it.

What's Jesus' circumcision got do with the New Year? Jesus' circumcision and naming show he did all he needed to accomplish your forgiveness and salvation. He's given you baptism to forgive your sins, and strengthen you. As you look back, take comfort your 2011 sins are wiped clean from God's slate. As you enter 2012, go as baptized children of God, with his comfort, and the power to serve him. Remember his marvelous name: Jesus, the Lord saves. The Lord saves ME. AMEN.