Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Sermon Jan 2-3, 2016

Title: Jesus is the wisdom and power of God!
Text: Luke 2:40-52

40 And the child [Jesus] grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Today's message may sound a bit foolish to some, or it may sound like God’s powerful truth to others – and we’ll see if wisdom will be the byproduct for any of us in my foolish preaching!

When we speak of God's power, we may understand it by his Omnipotence, as the all powerful God speaks His creation into existence or even the parting of the Red Sea, or the raising of one from death to life. We in our day certainly look for God's power don’t we, in His ability to do things for us …  in our need - such as healing our sicknesses today – right now - even as He healed those who were blind, lame, and afflicted in the stories we’ve heard from His Holy Word.

You can also understand foolishness in this life as you turn on your computers, smart phones or TV’s and see some of what graces the news stories, or even think of the foolish and stupid things in your own past that you've thought or done. I have plenty to remind me.

There is also great confidence that God will not hold our sins against us, because Christ has covered you and me with His righteousness … and I'm sure that my wife Monica could remember a few of my foolish things to share with you if you asked her!

The point is that we see in this world, foolish and powerful things every day. YouTube, facebook or reality TV is filled with the folly of this world in the acts of some, but also shows the beauty and power in the God given talent of others. There are even videos of guys on mountain bikes riding over roofs of houses and down every imaginable slope and precipice … foolish and powerful talent rolled into one!

I am thankful that I didn't have YouTube and video cameras growing up but there are still a few videos and pictures that I … wish didn’t exist.

Today’s gospel shows the power and wisdom in a 12 year old youth in the fully human Jesus who:

40 … grew and became strong, [and was] filled with wisdom. And [God’s] favor [rested] upon him.

And as was the custom of the family at this time, Mary, Joseph and Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Passover. On this occasion of their visit, unlike last week with the redeeming of the firstborn with a sacrifice,  Jesus here is twelve years of age and 43 … as they were returning [home], the [12 year old] Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.

For any of you who have been on a trip and misplaced a child … well … it can be very difficult and tenuous time to say the least. Missing sight of my own children for even a few second in a store brought concern and slight panic.

Mary and Joseph didn’t know [Jesus was missing], 44 [they thought he was] in the group, so they [went on their way home for a day], but then [looked] for him among their relatives and acquaintances, [and] 45 … they did not find him, [so they] returned to Jerusalem, [to look] for him.

You can understand as a parent Mary’s frustration at Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem. I can think of how I might have reacted if my son or daughter had done this to me … I would have been not too happy to say the least, and here is Jesus in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And we’re told:

47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

Of course they were amazed … Jesus was not your ordinary 12 year old. Twelve years on from the birth of the Christ child and Mary didn’t remember who she had carried or who she had given birth to.

She was a mother concerned only for her lost son.

Ill.

Back in the early 90’s I use to go to the Chet Atkins guitar festival in Nashville with my friend Rob. We would take our guitars and meet old and new friends who had great appreciation for Chet’s music and ability. It never ceased to amaze me how many young boys and girls who were in their early teens who could play circles around me! They had learned many of Chet’s songs and committed them to memory. They were a good imitation of the guitar style Chet had pioneered. But on closes inspection many of these child prodigies lacked a wisdom and maturity in their playing. Over time some would grow to become mature adult musicians while others would slip into obscurity or fall victim to their early success never able to attain that level of accomplishment again. Some of these polished 12 year olds even signed up to take lessons from my friend Rob where his years of wisdom and musical maturity could bring out the best in them.

This Jesus was different!  This Jesus is the wisdom and power of God!

Those who heard him were amazed. It is something we all need to be reminded of. This child born of Mary on Christmas day is God in the flesh.

This coming Wednesday January 6th, we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. It is the day that Jesus is made known and recognized as the savior of all people. It is why the wise men came to worship him and to bring him gifts.

This young boy who was recognized as the savior and who was brought gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh as a young child, is now listening and teaching at the feet of the teachers, not as one who simply copied what he had heard and was parroting it back to his teachers like those student guitarists, but as one who was and is the source of that very wisdom and knowledge from God on high.

The house of God, the Temple where Jesus sat and taught, is also here at Peace Lutheran church where the true word of God is made known through word and sacrament, and also you are His Temple where God himself indwells all believers by His Spirit pointing you and me to the finished work of Christ Jesus and by his Spirit you see Jesus for who he is … the savior of the world … and that by faith you trust his word of promise, so elegantly proclaimed in John Chapter 14 to:

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Jesus is the wisdom and power of God!

Jesus is the one who makes the way for you and for me. He is the ones that the Magi came to bring gifts to. He is the one revealed as the savior, of the nations come. He is the one who at twelve years of age was, as the writer of the book of Hebrews put it:

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

And the next time we encounter Jesus on his trip to the cross, he will be pointed out as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, who will take your place being baptized by John the Baptist with the baptism of repentance, being marked as the chief of sinners for you and then will go to Jerusalem taking your sins to the cross and nailing them there, proclaiming … It is finished.
It is true. This is no ordinary boy sitting among the teachers, teaching with wisdom and power and gently reminding his mother that he needed to be in His Father’s house.

50 And [his parents] did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.

But, in submission, this God who made the world and all things obeyed his parents …

51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother [the Blessed Virgin Mary] treasured up all these things in her heart.

She, knowing who he is and what he was appointed to do, to be the consolation of Israel and the savior of the world as Simeon last weekend held in his hands the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Emmanuel - God with us.

52 And Jesus [as he continued to grow] increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Jesus is the wisdom and power of God!

God in Christ has been made know to you. May his peace and joy fill you each day of this New Year with hope and peace in the salvation that is your in him.

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

Amen


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