Lessons from the Life of Our Lord

When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? See, your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.”

He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be taking care of my Father’s business?”

They did not understand what he was telling them.

He went down with them and came to Nazareth. He was always obedient to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.

You may be seated.

In this fascinating

& fact-filled passage

Luke takes us

on a journey

thru the early life

of Jesus.

& as we go on

this journey w/ Luke

we’ll learn

at least 4 lessons

frm the life

of the Lord Jesus.

We’ll learn some truths

abt how Jesus lived

His earthly life.

& How we

thru His grace

can imitate Him.

PRAYER

Let’s pray.

Father, as always

We thank you

for Your precious Word.

We ask you

to open our eyes

to see the truth.

Open our ears

to hear & receive

the truth.

& give us the will

& ability

to obey the truth.

In Jesus name.

Amen.

[Transition: The 1st

lesson we learn

Frm the Lord’s Life is...]

Jesus shared our HUMANITY. (2:40, 52)

At this point

in Luke’s narrative:

Jesus has been born

& Jesus

Joseph

& Mary

have moved back

to Galilee;

Back to

the city of Nazareth

where Jesus

was brought up.

In Luke 2:40

Luke tells us

what happened

while they were there.

He says:

Luke 2:40 (EHV)

The child grew and became strong.

Luke has spent

most of his gospel

focused on the deity

of God’s Son.

He wants us

to know

This child born frm Mary

is no ordinary child.

Jesus is

fully God.

But He’s also

fully human.

So, Luke now

turns His attention

to the humanity

of Jesus.

W/o ceasing

to be God

God’s Son became

a human being.

He took on

human nature;

& when he took on

human nature

Jesus took

on human weakness

& frailty.

It think we

get the idea that

Jesus was born

a 30-year-old man.

That wld’ve been

pretty painful

for Mary.

Jesus did not

come out of the womb

walking

talking

& working miracles.

No.

Like all of us

Jesus came into

the world

as a helpless baby.

So, like

every other baby

Jesus got hungry.

Jesus got tired.

Jesus cried.

Jesus had

to grow.

He had to learn:

To walk;

To talk;

He needed someone

to teach Him

How to

feed Himself.

The One

who was all powerful

as God

Had to grow

& become strong

as a human being.

He truly shared in

our humanity.

In the 2nd part

of Luke 2:40

Luke goes on to say

that Jesus

Luke 2:40 (EHV)

...was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.

The word “filled” here

is a present tense verb

in Greek.

& it communicates

the idea

that Jesus was

continually being filled

w/ wisdom.

He was continually

learning to be wise.

Luke expresses

this same truth again

In Luke 2:52

when he says:

Luke 2:52 (EHV)

Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.

Just like

every one of us

Jesus had to grow

in wisdom

& in stature.

But at the same time

Jesus also had

supernatural wisdom.

Jesus grew as

a human being.

But did not grow

as God.

How all of this works out

I won’t even pretend

to know.

How the One

who is Wisdom

also grew in wisdom

I don’t know.

How the One who is God

can grow in favor

w/ God

I don’t know.

But this is

what the Scriptures

teach us

abt Jesus.

Jesus really does

share in

our humanity.

But He is also

really God.

The 2nd Person

of the Divine Trinity

really did

become one of us.

The Son of God

really is

truly human.

But why did

the Son of God

become human?

Paul tells us in

Hebrews 2:14–17 (NIV)

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—

and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.

For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

Notice those words:

Jesus shared

in our humanity;

& He had to

be made like us—

His brothers

& sisters.

Like humanity—

in every way.

Why?

So that thru

His death

He cld destroy

the devil.

& so that

Jesus cld become

a merciful

& faithful High Priest

in all things

that pertain to God.

& in Hebrews 4:15

Paul continues

w/ these encouraging words

Hebrews 4:15 (EHV)

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin.

Sometimes we feel like:

Nobody understands us.

Nobody understands

our troubles.

No one has ever

faced the same trials

or been tested

or tempted

like we are.

But that’s just

not true.

Jesus faced

them all.

All of our

weaknesses.

All of our trials

troubles

& temptations.

Jesus faced

them all.

Bcs He shares

in our humanity.

Jesus knows

what it’s like

To be despised

& rejected by others.

Jesus was a

man of sorrows

& acquainted w/ grief.

Jesus mourned

w/ those who mourn.

Jesus wept

w/those who wept.

Jesus truly understands

Everything

we face as humans.

He was tempted

in every way

as we are.

But something

Jesus never did.

Jesus never sinned.

& this shows us

an important truth

abt human nature.

Sin is not

a part of

human nature.

If Jesus took on

human nature

& shared in

our humanity

yet Jesus

did not sin

then sin cannot

be a part of

human nature.

Human nature

has become corrupt

& taken captive

by Sin & Satan.

Jesus had to be

fully human

in every way

So, He cld

fully redeem humanity

frm Sin & Satan

in every way

thru His death.

So, Jesus not only

experienced:

All of our

human weaknesses

He also overcame

all of our

human weakness.

So that

thru our union

w/ Him

we can now overcome

human weaknesses

thru His grace.

Jesus became

like us

in every way

so that we cld

become like Him.

He shared

our human nature

so that we

cld share in

His divine nature.

& I keep saying this

week after week

Bcs this is

the Christianity

that has

been there

all along.

But this truth

has not been

the focus

of the modern Church.

Jesus became

one of us

to restore humanity

to God’s

glorious image.

Jesus came to earth

to become

the firstborn

Among many

brothers & sisters.

Jesus became like us

so that thru His grace

we can become

like Him.

APPLICATION

& this is

God’s promise

to His children.

We can approach

God’s throne of grace

w/ confidence

knowing we have

a High Priest

who knows

our weaknesses

& who ever lives

to make intercession

for us.

We can approach

God’s throne

of grace w/

confidence

bcs one of us

is seated

at God’s right hand.

We can

cry out to Him

to strengthen us;

& He will give

us grace

to help us

in our time of need.

Those voices we hear

Voices that say:

“You’re all alone.”

“Nobody understands

“your problems.”

“Nobody cares

“abt your problems.”

Those are

demonic voices.

Saints

don’t blv the lies

of demons.

Blv the truth

of God’s Word.

When we’re

children of God

we’re never alone.

Jesus understands

our problems.

& Jesus cares

abt our problems.

Jesus knows exactly

what it’s like

to face any difficulty

You or I

cld ever face.

& Jesus promises

to be w/ us

& to strengthen us

to overcome

those difficulties.

APPLICATION

As long as

we’re on this earth

We will face:

Temptations

Trials

& Troubles

as children of God.

& we cannot

fight those battles

w/ human strength.

We need Someone stronger

than us

to help us.

Someone who has

fought our same battles

Who has fought

our same enemies

& defeated

them all.

Jesus also knows how

To overcome

all of those things

Thru God’s grace.

& Jesus will help

us overcome

the world

Thru God’s grace

just like He did.

It was not only

bcs Jesus is

God in the flesh

that He was able

to overcome the world

It was also bcs He

stayed filled

w/ God’s grace

that He overcame

the world.

& we

who are God’s children

we can

overcome everything

we face in this world

Thru the power

of the One

Who has overcome

the world.

We can approach Jesus

w/ complete confidence

w/ our weaknesses

Our temptations &

troubles

& ask for His help.

& He will not

turn us away.

All of this

is possible

bcs Jesus became

truly human.

[Transition:

& that brings us to

The 2nd lesson

we learn

Frm the Life

of the Lord…]

Jesus obeyed the Lord’s LAW. (2:41)

In Luke 2:41-42

Luke continues

our journey

Thru the early life

of Jesus.

He says:

Luke 2:41–42 (EHV)

Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.

When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the Festival.

The Passover Festival

was an annual

celebration

to remember how God

delivered His ppl

frm bondage in Egypt.

In obedience

to God’s command

every male Jew

was obligated

to take this annual

trip to appear

bfr God

at the Temple

in Jerusalem.

Luke mentions

that Joseph & Mary

Went to

the Passover Festival

every year.

He does this

to emphasize

their strict obedience

to the Law

of the Lord.

Luke wants us

to know

Joseph & Mary

loved God’s Law

& they taught Jesus

to do the same.

So, when Jesus

was 12 years old:

Joseph & Mary

went up to Jerusalem

for the Passover

as they usually did.

& Luke says

Jesus went w/ them

according to

the custom.

Luke gives us

all these details

to show us

Jesus was

brought up in

In the training

& instruction

of the Lord.

He was taught

to love

the Law of the Lord

& to demonstrate

that love

thru simple obedience.

& we all

need to learn

to do

the same.

Now

In Luke 2:43

Luke tells us

Luke 2:43–45 (EHV)

When the days had ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it.

Since they thought he was in their group, they went a day’s journey. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and friends.

When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.

Joseph & Mary

Their family & friends

were heading home

after the

Passover festival.

They’ve spent

7 days celebrating

Israel’s redemption

frm bondage.

They travel

for a whole day—

Probably abt 15 miles

or so—

on foot.

& everyone

is still in good spirits

after the celebration.

[LONG PAUSE]

But suddenly

their celebration

turns sour.

Mary looks

at Joseph & asks:

“Joseph

“have you seen Jesus?”

Joseph says.

“I thought

He was w/ you.”

Mary says:

“I thought

He was w/ you.”

So, they check w/

their friends.

& they haven’t

seen Jesus.

They check w/

their family;

& they haven’t

seen Jesus.

Somehow

Joseph & Mary

have lost sight

of the Lord Jesus.

& Luke tells us

After Joseph & Mary

Checked w/

their friends & family

& did not find Jesus

They took

the day long trip

back to Jerusalem

to look for Him.

So, it’s been

two days

since they’ve seen Jesus.

& the spend

another day

in Jerusalem

anxiously searching

for Jesus

for another day.

& that’s a long time

to worry abt

what happened to Jesus.

There were

probably still a lot of ppl

In Jerusalem

after the Passover.

& I’m sure

as Joseph & Mary

anxiously searched

for Jesus

some of these thoughts

start to flood their minds:

What if someone

has kidnapped Him?

What if He’s hurt?

What if we never

see Him again?

Joseph & Mary

were panicky

as they anxiously

searched

for the Son of God.

& when they

finally find Jesus

He’s in a place

they were not

expecting to find.

They go into

the Temple in Jerusalem

& there

they see Jesus.

& He’s sitting among

the religious teachers.

& He was not

just listening to

the religious teachers.

He was asking

them questions

& answering

their questions.

& as Luke says

in Luke 2:47

Luke 2:47 (EHV)

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

Jesus sat among

The religious experts—

Men whose whole lives

Were dedicated

to studying

& interpreting

God’s Word.

Jesus sat among them

at twelve years old

& amazed them.

They saw

something special

In Jesus’ understanding

of the Scriptures.

Those teachers

did not

know it.

But they were

talking to

The Author

of the Scriptures.

& the One

the Scriptures

were written abt.

30 years later

Jesus wld say

to some of these

in John 5:39-40.

John 5:39–40 (EHV)

You search the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them. They testify about me!

And yet you do not want to come to me in order to have life.

Jesus not only

knew the

Scriptures.

He’s the One Whom

the Scriptures

Testify abt.

The Prophet

Whom Moses

promised wld come

& lead God’s ppl.

So, even at

12 years old

Jesus’

understanding

& answers

brought amazement

to everyone

who heard Him.

& as Luke says

in Luke 2:48

Luke 2:48 (EHV)

When his parents saw him, they were astonished.

Why were

Joseph & Mary

astonished?

Well they

did not expect

to find Jesus

in the Temple;

Much less

in the Temple

among the teachers.

But as Mary

remembers

The last two days

She & Joseph

have endured

anxiously searching

for Jesus

Her astonishment

turns to anger.

& she asks Jesus

Luke 2:48 (EHV)

“Son, why have you treated us this way? See, your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.”

The Greek behind

the word “anxiously”

Means:

“To be in

“extreme pain”

Or “To be in

great anguish.”

Luke’s telling us

Those days

where they

Lost sight of Jesus

Had caused

Mary & Joseph

extreme pain.

or Great grief.

& there’s an

important spiritual truth

We can learn

frm this

historical event.

What happens

when we

lose sight of Jesus?

It causes us

to become anxious.

It causes

extreme pain.

Great grief.

We lose

our peace.

Our joy.

Our hope.

Bcs it’s only

as we keep our

eyes on Jesus

& stay where

Jesus is

That we can have

True Peace.

Joy.

& Hope.

Our lives

are just not right

When we

lose sight of Jesus.

So, thru this story

Luke reminds us

we need to keep

our eyes on Jesus.

We must never

lose sight

of the Son of God.

So, Joseph & Mary

find Jesus

in the temple.

& they were astonished

to find them there.

But Jesus seems

astonished also.

He seems astonished

that they wld

look for Him

anywhere else.

Notice how

Jesus answers

Mary’s question.

He answers

her question

w/ His own questions.

This was a tactic

Jesus often used

to get ppl to think.

In Luke 2:49

Jesus asks Mary

& Joseph...

Luke 2:49 (EHV)

“Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be taking care of my Father’s business?”

Why did Jesus

stay in Jerusalem?

He had to

take care of

His Father’s business.

Other translations say:

He had to be

in His Father’s house.

Either one

of those translations

is possible.

& either one

gets us to

Jesus’ meaning.

Jesus is asking His

earthly parents:

“Why wld you

search for me

anywhere else?

“This shld’ve been

“the 1st place

“you looked.

“I’m God’s Son.

“So didn’t you know

“I wld be

“taking care of

“My Father’s business?

“Didn’t you know

“My business is in

“my Father’s House?”

Now

there’s a contrast here…

Btwn Mary’s words

& Jesus’ Words.

Mary calls Joseph

Jesus’ father.

& Joseph was

Jesus’ earthly father

by adoption.

But Jesus is speaking

of God the Father—

His heavenly Father.

Jesus was not

disrespecting Joseph.

Jesus was

letting Joseph

& Mary know

that Jesus knew

God was His Father.

Jesus is also

teaching us

An important principle:

His relationship

w/ His heavenly father

Took precedence

over even his closest

Earthly relationships.

He loved God

supremely.

His business

Was to be abt

His Heavenly

Father’s business.

And His

heavenly Father’s business

was in His Father’s house

at the Temple.

APPLICATION

& there is some sense

In which this applies

to all of us.

We’re all called

to love God supremely

Just like Jesus did.

The first & greatest

commmandment is

to love the Lord Your God

w/ all your hearth

mind

soul & strength.

We do that by learning

& obeying

God’s commandments.

John says

it this way

in 1 John 5:3

1 John 5:3 (EHV)

...this is love for God: that we keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome...

We love God supremely

by keeping

His commands

just like Jesus did.

& God also expects us

to be abt

our Father’s business

Just like Jesus was.

This means

We need to find out

What Gods wants

frm us.

How God wants us

to serve Him

as a kingdom of priests

in the body of Christ.

Our relationship w/ God

Must take priority

Over every

earthly relationship.

Jesus loved God supremely;

& we shld follow

in His footsteps

by obeying

God’s commands.

[Transition:

We come now

to the last lesson

we learn

Frm the life

of the Lord Jesus.]

Jesus submitted to AUTHORITY. (2:51a)

At the beginning

of Luke 2:51

Luke says:

Luke 2:51 (EHV)

He went down with them and came to Nazareth. He was always obedient to them.

Jesus was obedient

to His parents.

He was obedient

to authority.

As long as that authority

Did not conflict

w/ His relationship

w/ God

Jesus submitted Himself

to human authorities.

Remember

Jesus is God

in the flesh.

So, Jesus is

obviously a higher rank

Than either

Joseph or Mary.

Yet Jesus

submitted to

His parents

& was obedient

to them.

The Creator

Submitted to

His creatures.

He put Himself

under the authority

of ppl He’s created.

Why?

Bcs all authorities

are established

by God.

God established

the law that says

Children are to

obey their parents.

So, when

the Son of God

became flesh

& had parents

He was obedient

to that law.

Jesus submitted

to authority.

APPLICATION

No human being

can ever be

completely autonomous.

Only God is truly

Sovereign.

In every human

relationship

In the church.

In the community.

At our workplaces.

In our homes.

Authority structures

exist everywhere.

Authority structures

are good.

They keep the world

frm chaos.

Every single one of us…

Have Someone in authority over us.

& it will always

be that way.

Jesus’ parents

were His authorities

When He was

a young man.

So, He submitted

to them

He was obedient

to those

who were in

authority over Him.

& He calls us

to do the same.

APPLICATION

I often hear

ppl talk abt

How lawless

our society is becoming.

Ppl don’t seem

to want to submit

to any authority

any more.

That stems

frm a sinful desire

to be completely

independent.

We all wanna be

our own boss.

Make our

own rules.

We want to

do things our way.

& sadly

that awful attitude

Has rubbed off

on the church.

The church has embraced

this unbiblical idea

That we’re

all our own authority.

Ppl think

there shld be

no authority structure

in the church.

Or in the home.

But we need

to learn well…

This lesson

frm the life

of the Lord.

Jesus

The King of Kings

& Lord of Lords

Jesus submitted

to those

who were

in authority

over Him.

& if we’re gonna

follow Him

We need to

submit to authority.

CONCLUSION

Now, as we close:

We can learn

a lot of lessons

Frm the life

of the Lord.

Jesus is the ultimate example

Of what a

righteous life

Looks like.

Four lessons we’ve learned today are:

Jesus shared our humanity.

He became like us…

To make us like Him.

Jesus practiced His faith.

& we must practice our faith.

Jesus loved God supremely.

& we must love God supremely.

& finally…

Jesus submitted to authority…

& we shld do the same.

Let’s remember these lessons…

Frm the Life of the Lord.

& let’s keep asking God…

For the grace…

to follow in His footsteps.

PRAYER

Let’s all stand for prayer.

Father You are so good to us.

We thank You…

for sending your Son…

To become like us…

So, we can become like Him.

We ask you to help us…

To learn frmHis life.

To Live as He lived.

To love as He loved.

& To become like the Lord Jesus…

In all we say &do.

In Jesus name.

Amen.

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