Text: Luke 2:40-52
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?”
In November of 2013 my father passed away and over the next 6 months I spent quite a bit of time with my brother in my father’s house. Much of my time was spent clearing out and cleaning the house with my brother Ron. Many memories were rekindled by things in the house or areas of the house which brought back thoughts of days long past that my brother and I shared together.
On one such day I got to the house a bit earlier than my brother and had a chance to just walk through, sit by myself and think of my relationship with my father, what he had taught me and how much I missed him and how comforting it was for me to … be in my father’s house.
So too the reading for our gospel lesson today. Jesus desires to be in his Father’s house. But also:
Christ desires to be in the Father’s house with you!
40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
As was the custom of the family, Mary, Joseph and Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Passover. And on the occasion of this visit when Jesus was twelve years of age 43 [that] when the feast [had] ended, as they were returning, the boy 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.
Mary and Joseph did not know [Jesus was missing], 44 but supposing him to be in the group, so they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
So you can understand as a parent Mary’s frustration at Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem. Here he is in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
Jesus was no ordinary 12 year old.
48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.”
And Jesus reminds Mary and Joseph, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?”
The time had gone by so quickly. Jesus, this child born of a virgin is now in our lesson twelve. It is amazing how much some children learn and can do at such a young age.
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 of fall victim to their early success never able to attain that level of accomplishment again. Some of these polished 12 year old kids even signed up and took lessons from my friend Rob where his years of wisdom could bring out the best in them.
This Jesus was different! As has been said, Jesus was no ordinary 12 year old.
… in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
Those who heard him were amazed. This was no ordinary 12 year old. It is something we all need to be reminded of. This child born of Mary on Christmas day is God in the flesh. This Tuesday January 6th, we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. It is the day that Jesus is 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 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, but as one who was and is the source of that wisdom from God on high.
The house of God, the Temple where Jesus sat and taught, is also here at Peace where the true word of God is proclaimed by word and sacrament and also it is you who are His Temple where God indwells all believers by His Spirit pointing you and me to the finished work of Christ. By his Spirit you see Jesus for who he is … the savior of the world … and that by faith you can 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.
Christ desires to be in the Father’s house with you!
Jesus is the one who make the way for you and for me. He is the one that the magi’s 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 says:
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 he will be pointed out as the Lamb of God who take 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 … It is finished he will proclaim.
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 - the Messiah – Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, which means God with us.
52 And Jesus [ as he continued to grow] increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Christ desires to be in the Father’s house with you!
Just as I desired to be in my earthly Father’s house, to be among the things of his and to be reminded of all he did with me and for me so too Jesus desired to be in His Father’s house and he too desires you to be in his house as his child and so that he has prepared a place for you and for all who will believe – to whom the Lord God will call to himself – to be in his father’s house forever.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
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