Sharing Jesus

Advent 2011 Day 22

This is the last week of Advent. I'm going to change things around a little with the blog format for this week.
This week is the week of the Angel candle, and it is about the love that God shared with us when he sent his son into the world. The "co-theme" of the week is sharing. Not sharing, like sharing your toys, but instead, sharing the good news we have been given.
If you look at the people who saw Jesus, they didn't just see him, and hide him in their hearts, and keep him as a private thing. They shared him with those that they came in contact with.
I mentioned the shepherds in an earlier blog, but then there was Anna and Simeon, who saw Jesus when he was first taken to the temple.

Luke 2:25-38
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
And he came by the spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For my eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him.
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Obviously, if Anna heard the things that Simeon said to Mary and Joseph, he had not drug them over to a corner and whispered the things that he said about Jesus.
It's interesting to try to imagine how this all happened. I mean, was the temple crazy busy that day? Were there tons of people there, hearing what Simeon said? Did most people just ignore what was said? Or was it fairly empty that day, and only Anna and Simeon were there? Most likely, considering that there were so many people in town because of the census, there would have been a decent number of people there. But did they hear? Or did they just ignore? Why are Simeon and Anna the only ones mentioned? Is it because they were the ones who shared what they knew about the baby?
Simeon prophesied about Jesus; then Anna, after hearing what Simeon said, told anyone that was looking for redemption in Jerusalem. She was not about to keep this to herself. She had devoted most of her life to serving God in the temple. She knew the joy that came from belonging to God, and she wanted to share with everyone that was willing to hear.
If you know how it is to belong to God, you should share with everyone that is looking. If you hear someone sharing about God, share that with someone else (so long as you're sure it's accurate). It's like paying it forward. Fill the world with Christians who share instead of becoming cross that someone else originally got the prophecy. Work together to share Jesus.