1^st Sunday after Christmas – December 27, 2009

Luke 2:⁴¹ Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. ⁴³ After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴ Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” ⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand what he was saying to them. ⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

It isn’t, perhaps, in our way of thinking as astounding as hearing “Suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:13,14). It might not hold our attention in the same way that the events of Jesus death do. It might not even fill us with the same sense of awe that we feel when we hear, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:5,6). In fact, at first glance this account of Jesus’ going to Jerusalem with his parents might seem rather bland. But what God inspired his writer Luke to record is anything but bland. In fact it holds some beautiful examples for us while also setting forth timeless truths. My prayer this morning is that as we study these words under the theme, “He Did What,” God would help us to take these examples to heart and be strengthened in our faith by the truths he sets forth.

Right off the bat we come across something meaningful: “Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.” He did what? Jesus went with Joseph and Mary to celebrate the Passover. But maybe you ask, what’s so meaningful about that? Well, it isn’t so much what Jesus did, but about what his parents did for him – they took him to church. And what makes this even more significant is that this was not a convenient thing for them to do. Nazareth was about 70 miles from Jerusalem, a good four or five day trip, and in order to make this trip Joseph would have had to close his carpentry business. Luke also adds another noteworthy word: Every. This wasn’t just something Joseph and Mary decided to do because now Jesus had reached an impressionable age; it was something they did every year. They took seriously God’s command to hear his Word and celebrate the Passover.

If only more parents were like Joseph and Mary. Seriously! I can’t imagine that as Joseph and Mary were getting ready to travel to Jerusalem that they said to Jesus, “We’re headed up to Jerusalem for the Passover, would you like to come along? It’s your choice.” Yet, is this what sometimes goes on in our own homes? It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall to see if the reason children aren’t in Sunday School or confirmation classes is because parents are asking, “Do you want to go or not?” What is the reason that some children aren’t in church when the rest of the family is? Is it really the case that they are always sick, or were some given an option?

If only more parents were like Joseph and Mary. Seriously! The fact that Joseph and Mary would inconvenience themselves by traveling 70 miles and closing up shop just to celebrate the Passover was common place. Is that how the study of God’s Word and the following of God’s commands are perceived in our own homes? Or are we willing to study God’s Word on Sundays and take time out for family devotions just so long as it isn’t an inconvenience? Does our obedience to God’s commands depend on whether or not they fit with what we want to do? There is reason to be concerned that a generation of children is being raised to look at God’s Word and his commands as an option because they have been watching mom and dad treat them as an option too! Christian parents today need to see what an honor it is for them to follow the example of Joseph and Mary! To be able to bring their children to the Lord’s house of worship, to have daily family devotions, to pray with their children, to teach them about their Savior, Jesus Christ - these are all tasks Christian parents carry out gladly. God’s Word says, “Train a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6) and “bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). To do otherwise is to disobey the will of the Lord.

But before any of you think, “way to get ‘em pastor, this is what’s wrong with society and our church today,” take note that Jesus has left an example for all of us, not just parents. “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions…When his parents saw him…His mother said to him, “Son…Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” ⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” He did what? He was in the Word! He was seeking to learn more of the Word! He had to be in his Father’s house! He had to be about his Father’s business!

The way we need to look at the Word of God is demonstrated for us by that perfect boy Jesus. We too are to make our heavenly Father’s Word and work our first concern. This is true, not just for preachers and teachers, but for all Christians, young and old alike. Parents, we cannot expect that our children, who are born in sin, are going to have the same love for the Word as did Jesus, who was sinless. Therefore it is necessary to expose youngsters to the Bible. The way to do this is through regular church attendance, Sunday school, daily devotions, and where it is possible, a Christian grade-school and high-school education. Adults, we cannot expect that our faith will remain strong, or even alive, if we are not constantly and consistently feeding from the once source of nourishment – the Bible.

It should tell us something when we see Jesus, the perfect Son of God, asking questions. Doesn’t that blow your mind? We must admit the full meaning of these words is something our puny little minds are not going to completely comprehend. But if being in the Word was good for Jesus, it has to mean it’s good for us. If seeking to learn more about the Word was good for Jesus, it has to mean it is good for us. We need to rid ourselves of this mindset that what we learned in confirmation is all we need to know! Why not Sunday Bible Class? Why not Midweek Bible Class? Why not special worship services? Do we really think 52 hours, the total number of hours we would be in church for the year if we went every Sunday, is a good percentage of time in the Word when one considers that there are 8,736 hours in a year. Where are our priorities? How many of us spend more time than that watching TV in a year? Our perfect Savior’s lively interest in God’s Word is to be an example for us. Only by continued exposure to the Word of God will anyone, young or old, grow closer to their Savior, who himself showed a deep love for the Bible. Only the Bible is able to show us the way to heaven through faith in Jesus Christ.

So, Mary and Joseph as an example; Jesus as an example; is that all there is for us to see in this text? No! If that is all we saw we would miss seeing Jesus live as our perfect substitute. He did what? That’s right, in these words we see Jesus living as our perfect substitute, even at the young age of 12. Listen once more: “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions…I had to be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand what he was saying to them. ⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.” Did you catch it? While Jesus waited for his parents to return to get him, he was faithfully fulfilling God’s commandment in regard to the hearing and learning of God’s Word. Then, after they found him we hear he went down to Nazareth with them and continued to be obedient to them. Isn’t that amazing? Even though he was perfect and Mary and Joseph were not, he still subjected himself to his earthly parents. He was perfectly keeping the 3^rd and 4^th Commandment for us as our substitute.

Oh the joy this timeless truth teaches us! What we fail so miserably and shamefully to do, Jesus did for us. Oh the joy these preserved words present us! That little boy, when he had grown up, went to the cross an offered a perfectly sinless life as payment for our sins. That’s right; these words too shed light on that greatest event for mankind – Jesus death. Again and again we hear that Jesus had to be true man to be under the law and true God to obey that law. Here we see it put on display. Again and again we hear that it had to be the holy, innocent blood of Jesus that had to be shed for our sins. Here is evidence. Here is the assurance. We are forgiven. The child whose birth we celebrated just 2 days ago won our salvation. The sins of our rebellious youth are washed clean by the perfect blood of Christ. The guilt we bring upon ourselves because of the sometimes apathetic, sometimes optional, sometimes only if convenient approach to the Word; paid for by the sinless sacrifice of Christ’s.

It is true – the greatest exchange in the history of mankind really took place. It happened just like God said it would. He really did punish Jesus for our sins and really has declared the world not guilty on account of the sacrifice of Jesus. He really has credited to our account the holiness of Jesus. Our sins really are forgiven. It is really offered and given to us through faith. It is ours. Now cherish it. Now love it. Now live in it. Here is the motivation to follow - willingly, gladly, and eagerly - the examples of Mary and Joseph, of Jesus to make the Word our first love, our constant companion, the “must” of our life!

In just five days the New Year will be upon us. The buzz of Christmas will be fading if not already faded. It will be back to the same old routine. But let’s break that routine if it was one that didn’t display the love for God and Word he desires. Let’s tear down that routine if it included infrequent use of the Word at church and in our homes. Instead, in this New Year follow the examples of Mary and Joseph and of Jesus, spurred on by knowing that that baby in the manger is your Savior, come for you, to live for you, to die for you, to save you, to give you life. Let this year be one which is said of us that we grew in wisdom and favor with God. Amen.