C, Christmas 1 - Luke 2:41-52 "In the Father's House"

Luke 2:41–52 (ESV) Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.  And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.  And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,  but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances,  and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.  After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  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 he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”  And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.  And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.  And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man.

Losing a child would have to be one of the scariest things a parent could experience.  Even if a child is lost for a short length of time, it can make a parent fear the worst.  Imagine losing a child for a number of days and how the mind would race over all the evil possibilities.  Think of families who have lost children mysteriously, never to see them again.  And to the relief of those who take their child back into their arms after being missing and feared dead.

Picture Mary and Joseph racing around in confusion after realising they had lost Jesus.  And after returning to Jerusalem, looking for three days before they found him.  They, like any parent, would have been fearing the worst while Jesus was missing.

But Jesus was not missing, and he adds to his parents’ confusion when they find him sitting amongst the teachers in the temple.   For three days they were taunted and tortured, churning in a wish wash of emotions, then they find him completely at peace.  Mary and Joseph were beside themselves in distress and astonishment. 

How would you react having lost your child only to find them completely unconcerned by the three-day separation?

We might try to attribute blame to Mary and Joseph for not providing a safe place for Jesus. Especially, since they had gone a day’s journey and not noticed he was missing.  Despite not knowing exactly what had occurred, it was custom for travellers to move in a group, and somehow Jesus was overlooked amongst their family and friends.  Nevertheless, Jesus was in the safest of places, in his Heavenly Father’s presence. 

Rewind back to the Garden of Eden, where God is walking in the cool of the evening, looking for Adam and Eve.  This is a very different picture; God is neither confused nor distressed.  However, Adam and Eve, unlike Jesus were distressed and afraid and hid themselves from God.

Two very different images; one, of a boy happily at rest in God’s presence, and the other, a couple guiltily hiding and covering themselves in shame.  One, parents frantically looking for a son, and the other, the Father of Creation walking in the cool of the evening looking for his first-created son and daughter.

Jesus Christ is the new Adam, born into humanity as the son of man and as the Son of God.  There was no guilt in him when he was found.  He responds to Mary’s distress and rebuke, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49 ESV)

Literally, Jesus says, why were you seeking me?  Why were you worshipping me with worry?  I was in the things of my Father!  Unlike Adam and Eve acting like two guilty kids caught in the act, Jesus was not into mischief with his Father’s things.  He was not hiding from them, nor was he turning his back on his Father, as did Adam and Eve when tempted by the devil, and left cowering in naked shame when God came looking for them.   

There are two different outcomes from these two events.  Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden and lived under the curse of sin in the productivity of their environment and humanity’s reproduction.  But Jesus went back to the destitute village of Nazareth in full submission to his parents.

We hear, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man.” (Luke 2:52 ESV)

As Jesus grew up, he increased in wisdom and in favour as the Son of God and as the son of man.  He not only grew in favour with God, but he also grew in favour as the Son of God.  Here we can picture Jesus’ submission in a whole different light than that of our human submission.  

We best get an understanding of his submission when we consider how we react when we are treated without respect or if we are treated like children or as inferior.  When we perceive we are being treated with contempt, we want to snap back at the condescender, to regain our position.  Jesus too would have been sinned against as a youth and as a young man by his family and friends.

But, as Jesus grew in wisdom, of humanity’s sin and his divinity, his wisdom grew in levels of generosity and steadfast love towards both God the Father, and compassion and steadfast love towards the sinfulness of his Father Joseph and his family.  And indeed, all of his brothers and sisters in the family of Adam.

This is the man from Nazareth who returned to Jerusalem in full submission to God and man as Son of God and Son of Man.  Jesus’ wisdom and favour seemed to be dashed at Jerusalem when on returning on Palm Sunday in victory riding on a donkey, within the week was cursed by the crowd and hung on the cross.

For Jesus’ wisdom we can be truly thankful.  As God’s children we are called into the wisdom and stature of Jesus Christ.  As we grow, we are called to a deeper understanding of our sin and our need for forgiveness and the need to forgive others.

We are called to be like the growing Jesus of Nazareth as we learn of our Sonship though our adoption as God’s children.  Because Jesus grew in wisdom, we are free to grow in his holy chosen and beloved character. 

Because we are saved sinner we can put on love, that is; put on Christ Jesus.  We are free to put on compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.  Just as Jesus was all these things in wisdom as he carried your sin to the cross with the sin of the world.

When you struggle to put on Jesus, pray for the Holy Spirit to clothe you in Jesus Christ.  Pray for deliverance into holiness, being led from temptation into God’s Kingdom, and the will to forgive as God has forgiven you.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you Jesus as your daily bread, giving you the hunger to worship in your Father’s house.

We no longer have to hide in fear of God, like Adam and Eve.  Nor, like Joseph and Mary, do we have to go searching for him in great distress.  As forgiven sinners, God now temples in us, now we are free to clothe ourselves in him.  Amen.

Come Lord Jesus and be our guest, you are our holy bread, and we pray that through your Word and your church, the world may be clothed and fed.  Amen.