Sermon: Circumcision and Name of Jesus - 2020

1 January 2020

Text: Luke 2:21 (Num 6:22-27, Gal 3:23-29)

In the name of + Jesus.  Amen.

In the Old Covenant, circumcision was the equivalent of Baptism.  It brought a man or boy – typically a baby eight days old – into the Church; the people of God.  It also signified that his wife and children were also part of the covenant.

This was a minor shedding of blood that is a reminder of the shedding of blood required to forgive sins.  And in ancient times, a covenant wasn’t signed on paper, but rather a covenant was “cut” – as the bodies of sacrificed animals were split in two, and those making the covenant would walk between the bloody pieces as a sign of their agreement.

This was also the official naming of the child.  We do the same today in Holy Baptism, as we actually pronounce two names over the person being brought into the covenant: his or her name, and the name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Circumcision as a sign of the covenant reached its fulfillment in Christ.  For it was truly a minor shedding of blood in his flesh that would be a preview of His sacrificial offering in the New Testament in His blood: on the cross and in the cup.  The covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is brought to its fulfillment in Christ, and the New Covenant is offered to all of the baptized – whether they are biological children of Abraham or not: “for in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God through faith.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek.”  In baptism, we have put on the circumcised and crucified Christ.  And just as we are all adopted as children of Abraham, we are all adopted as “sons” of God.  For in Christ, all of the baptized: men, women, boys, and girls enjoy the legal privilege of being sons, that is, heirs.  And the biological Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, gives us all a share in His Sonship “by faith.”

And when we are baptized, the name of Jesus, the name of God – the name of the Most Holy Trinity in His fullness: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is placed upon us, even as Aaron and his sons were authorized to speak the triune benediction upon the people, invoking the Lord three times.  

Jesus was baptized on His eighth day after His birth in accordance with the Law – which He keeps for us.  The eighth day is a reminder that in Baptism, which is to say, in Christ, we enter into a new week of creation.  The Most Holy Trinity created the universe in six days, and then rested on the seventh.  And we are in the first day of the new creation, dear friends!  In Christ, we are in the eighth day – even as we remember the eight people saved from sin and death through water, safe in the ark.

And like baptism, circumcision provided the opportunity to place a name on the child.  Our Lord is known by many descriptive names: “Lord” (which refers to the holy name of God), “Immanuel” (which means “God with us”), the Word Made Flesh (being the divine Word that brought creation into being), and the Messiah or Christ (which means “the anointed one” who is Prophet, Priest, and King prophesied in Scripture).  But His personal name is the most extraordinary of all, dear friends: “Jesus.”  This is the name that is above every name, the name before which “every knee shall bow” and “every tongue confess” that “Jesus Christ is Lord.”  The name “Jesus” is the Greek version of the Hebrew name “Joshua.” 

Joshua was a common name for boys and men – but this Joshua, though He lives among us common men, is unique and holy, for He is the fulfillment of what the name means: “God saves.”

The most well-known Joshua in the Old Testament took over leadership of the people of God from Moses, after his death and his own coming up short of leading the people to the Promised Land.  Moses was a truly great prophet.  He gave the law.  He spoke with God face to face.  But Moses did not complete the work of the Lord to bring the people fully out of slavery into their Promised Land.  That work was completed by his successor: Joshua, the great general and leader of the people, who crossed the Jordan River, and led the church to her home.

There was another Joshua in the Old Testament, who was the high priest – the priest who offered sacrifice for all of the people and stood in the very presence of God in the temple.

Jesus fulfills both of these Joshuas.  For He is the new and greater prophet Moses who leads us out of slavery to sin and death.  But where Moses only gave the Law, Jesus fulfills it.  Jesus gives us the Gospel.  And Jesus is also the new and greater general Joshua who leads us to the Promised Land.  But where Joshua only defeated flesh and blood enemies, the flesh and blood Jesus conquers the devil, and He leads the Church to the Promised Land of everlasting life: by His blood, in His name, and by faith!

And whereas the high priest Joshua could only offer sacrifices and stand in God’s presence, our Lord Jesus Christ is the new and greater high priest Joshua who offers the once-for-all sacrifice – which is Himself!  For He is both priest and victim, and His blood atones for the sins of the whole world.  And whereas Joshua could only stand in the presence of God, Jesus is God.  Jesus is the presence.  And Jesus has caused the curtain of the temple to be torn in two, and we now stand in God’s presence based upon Jesus’ holiness.  For His blood, His sacrifice, His righteousness makes us worthy of the presence of God that requires no temple and no priestly sacrifice.

The holy name of Jesus describes Him simply and perfectly: “God saves.”  The name of Jesus is a complete sentence: a subject and a verb.  His name tells us who He is (“God”) and what He does (“saves”).  This chosen personal name of Jesus makes it clear that whereas the other Joshuas only pointed to God, our Lord, as fulfillment of all of the Old Covenant, is God.  And what did He come to earth to do, dear friends?  Why did He take flesh: flesh that can be circumcised and even crucified?  He came to save!  For the name Jesus does not emphasize His divine worthiness, righteousness, power, might, eternity, or His Sonship within the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.  For though these are all true, the name “Jesus” emphasizes the revelation that is wrapped up in His name, His circumcision, His incarnation, His death, and His resurrection: the fact that God saves.  

Jesus is our Savior, our Rescuer, the One whose blood is the new covenant, the One who leads us to the Promised Land and brings us into the presence of the Lord, whose name is holy and above every name.

Let us ponder His holy name, dear friends, and let us rejoice that His name and His blood have been placed upon us.  Let us sing His praises for saving us.  Let us joyfully remember our baptism with the sign of the holy cross, even as we continue to receive the Lord’s blessing:

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you + peace.”  Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.