The Feast of the Presentation this past Sunday took us back, not only to the Christmas Cycle once again, but to the Old Testament Exodus from Egypt. It recalls in particular that final plague, when the Angel of Death went through the land of Egypt slaying the firstborn males of man and beast, whereas the Lord provided the Passover Lamb in place of the firstborn sons of Israel. All those firstborn sons belonged to the Lord, and they were called holy by His Word. In exchange, the Lord took the sons of Levi to serve Him, to assist the priests and to care for the Tabernacle, and all the other firstborn sons were to be redeemed for the price of five silver shekels.
Although the little Lord Jesus is not from the tribe of Levi, St. Luke does not describe His “redemption,” but rather that He is presented to the Lord (St. Luke 2:22). He is set apart and dedicated to the Lord, not redeemed from sacrifice and service, but presented for sacrifice and service, whereby He redeems us with His Body and Life on the Cross and in His Resurrection.
Of course it is true that all of us – along with all of our children, and our children’s children – belong to the Lord by rights; for He is our Creator and Redeemer. Indeed, the earth is the Lord’s, and all the fullness thereof (Psalm 24:1). Yet, there is something to be said for the dedication or giving of some of our sons to the Lord for service in His House and in His Kingdom, in much the way that Hannah did in the case of little Samuel in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 1:21-28). One of the old General Prayers (the one for St. John the Baptist and for theological institutions of the Church, as I recall) specifically refers to this setting apart of sons for the Office of the Ministry.
When our eldest son Zachary first shared with us that he was going to apply to the seminary, my wife’s immediate reaction was that it seemed only right that we should tithe one of our children. I know my dear wife well enough to know that, while she was being beautifully clever in this remark, she wasn’t joking. She’s always had a profound sense – as perhaps all mothers do – that we are bringing up our children in the fear of the Lord to be of service to Him and to others. And popular Christmas ditties notwithstanding, I would suggest that St. Mary did know that, as well.
In meeting with the Council of Presidents this week, and meeting with the placement directors from both Seminaries – already looking ahead to the Call Services that will take place in a few months – I am reminded again of the need for pastors to serve the congregations of the Church. Actually, that is an ongoing need that the district presidents are very well aware of all year long. And that underscores the vital importance of identifying qualified and promising young men to dedicate and give themselves to be prepared for the pastoral office, Deo volente.
We need parents and pastors, in particular, to encourage and urge the young men under their care who demonstrate the requisite abilities, acumen, and attitude to prepare themselves for this good work. And how shall these sons of God in Christ be “set apart to serve,” “dedicated” to the Lord, and sanctified for the Office of the Holy Ministry? It is, of course, solely by and with the Word of God, and by and with the prayer and support of the Church (St. Matthew 9:35-38).
Significantly, our Lutheran Confessions identify “the sons of Levi” in the New Testament with the preachers and teachers of the faith (Malachi 3:3): Sons, not according to the flesh, but by the purifying Word and work of God. And the sacrifices of these true sons of Levi “are the preaching of the Gospel, and the good fruits of preaching, as Paul says, Rom. 15:16: Ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, i.e., that the Gentiles might be offerings acceptable to God by faith” (Apology XXIV.34). To that end, God grant that many sons will thus be presented and called holy to the Lord! Amen!