Untitled Sermon (3)

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A Texas dad (who did not want to offer his name) had some unexpected excitement on his family vacation. After the man and his family spent the night at a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, they stopped to eat and fill up their gas tank. That's when the trip got really interesting. When the family hit the road, they left dad behind at the gas station.

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The father explained what happened: "Somebody had been sleeping all night in the back and they were going to drive, and I was going to get in the back and sleep. I went inside to get my change for the gas, and they thought I was already loaded up and closed all the doors and took off."

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The dad tried to call his own cell phone, which was still in the van, but nobody answered it. He said, "Six different cell phones and nobody answers, and my phone is in there because it's on the charger and nobody answers it and then it starts going straight to voicemail. I mean, that's odd."

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The father called the police, but it was social media that saved the day. The frantic dad borrowed a computer from a local motel and got in touch with his family through Facebook. The van was about 100 miles away by the time he finally reached his family. The story had a happy ending: the family turned around, picked up dad, and continued their vacation. The dad indicated to reporters that he's confident the entire incident was just a huge mistake.

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We hear this story this morning, and fortunately … the dad was at fault. So, this “unexpected excitement” as it’s referred to… was forgiven. It’s an accident. The family moved on with their vacation…

But let me ask you a question for a moment… Mom, dad, suppose this same situation happened to you today. Only this time, you’re traveling down the road… not an hour or two away, but a whole day away from your child, and you realized how would you feel? Now let me up the ante a little bit, suppose your child, little johnny we’ll call him… wasn’t a day’s journey away by accident, but had actually stayed behind, on purpose… How would you feel when you met up with him again? What would you want to ask him?

You see, Funny enough, we actually have a story like this in the bible, only in this time… it’s no ordinary child… In this case, it’s Jesus.

Then the question becomes what is Jesus doing, here in these moments when he’s found, and what can we learn from him to apply in our own lives this morning?

You see for some of us this morning, we come here needing Guidance… we’re dealing with a problem that we’re looking to sort out. We have a mountain in front of us that seems too high to climb. For others of us, we’re dealing with a struggle with sin, or perhaps another area of our lives… it’s like we can’t move past it. And finally for others, maybe it seems like things just never seem to go our way… Like life is constantly difficult.

If you have your bibles, turn with me to Luke 2. And if you were here 2 weeks ago, we talked about this idea of the magi searching for Jesus… and we determined that as we search for him, we’ll find the 1. King of kings. 2. Joy (in our lives) and should lead to worship 3. Worship well this morning, we’re continuing with this idea of searching or for Jesus and I want us to see… That as we looking to Jesus leads to: 1. wisdom, 2. Growth and 3. favor.

1. Looking to Jesus leads to Wisdom

41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival 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 man.

As we stop and consider the scripture for a moment, there are several things that jump out. First, we’re told in verses 41-43 that: 41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.

Which makes sense, afterall, we’re told of Mary and Jospeh that they are righteous and devote. And so, on an annual basis, they would make the journey to Jerusalem. With hundreds of thousands of other Jews to observe the daylongcelebration of the Passover, followed by a weeklong feast of unleavened bread. Which in time, came to be known just as Passover. And we’re told:

42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.

Now I want us to notice 2 things. First of all, after the Passover has concluded. Mary and Joseph along with their family members are making the arduous journey back to Nazareth which is roughly 80 miles away. Or a 3-4 dayjourney. And while they are leaving, 12-year-old Jesus has stayed behind… Mom and dad are gone, and Jesus is back in Jerusalem.

Now we aren’t offered the details, on this, but my mind starts to go into the details of this trip… I mean Jesus is 12, at the time… He’s a little older than my daughter Taylor. And for 3 days, while his family is away… Jesus stays behind, and you wonder, what did Jesus eat? Where did he stay? Was their any kind of concern from some of these Rabbi’s as to his parent’s whereabouts.

We continue 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.

Now just so we realize, for today’s society it would be crazy to misplace a child… but at the community, the Jewish community was much stronger… the sense of community was completely different for their culture than it is for ours. And the fact that Jesus was left behind, although we think it Is unthinkable this morning… wasn’t that huge of a shock likely to Mary and Joseph, because again… there is this strong sense of community and family dynamic.

But after traveling on the road for a day. They realize he’s not with them, and they head back to Jerusalem, where on the third day… he’s found in the temple.

And here’s what I want us to catch: 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.

You see When we look to Jesus, He’s listening, he’s asking questions, and there is amazing understanding

ON finding Him, his parents are naturally frustrated we’re told: 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.”

And no doubt, there are many emotions going through Mary and josephs head. There’s anxiety, probably confusion, and questions. But here’s the key. when we look to Jesus, He’s in his father’s house. Growing, learning, listening and understanding. There was a desire to increase in wisdom.

I came across an article that explains: The Bookseller magazine runs a competition to find the book with the oddest title of the year. Competition rules stipulate that the work had to be of serious intent and non-fiction. One year, the winner was “Highlights in the History of Concrete.” Runners up included “The Illustrated History of Metal Lunchboxes,” and “The Development of Brain and Behavior in the Chicken.” Special mention was given to “Soviet Bus Stops,” and “Butchering Livestock at Home.”

The article goes on to explain… It’s amazing what interests people enough to spend the time and energy to write a book! Why should people be passionate about metal lunchboxes? As Christians, we should be passionate about what God has done for us and are we passionate enough to pass it on to others?

You see I’m reminded of Solomen in 1 kings 3.

In this scripture, the Lord appears to Solomen in a dream. And tells Solomon to ask for whatever he would like, and the Lord would give it to him. And while he could have asked for riches, or fame or anything else… what does he ask for? Right, wisdom. We’re told:

7 “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

And as we know, Solomen would have his request answer. God would give him this wisdom. This amazing understanding and discerning heart. As it so happens, the bible also tells us that Solomon was given riches and honor as well…. But friends, it started with Solomen asking for wisdom.

What about us? What about you… wherever you are this morning, whatever season or situation you are in… are we going to our Father. Are we going to God and asking Him for wisdom, for understanding, for direction? Church may we be encouraged to do that today.

2. Looking to Jesus leads to Growth

As we continue with the scripture, Luke 2:48-50 tells us: 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.

As we continue with the scripture. We notice the frustration and sense of anxiety from Mary. 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.”

And as we’ve discussed, this is a natural response from a concerning parent.

But here’s what I want us to notice for a brief moment… if we go back to verse 49-51, we’re told: 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.

Now in verse 51, we see that Jesus goes with Mary and Joseph back to Nazareth. We see that he is obedient to them as his earthly parents.

But the main thing I want us to hone in on is verse 49. For Jesus would say: 49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

Here in this verse, there are some important details that we can miss if we don’t take the time to think and meditate on what’s being said…. But here’s the point. Although God would see fit to use Mary and Joseph to be the earthly Parents of Jesus. His true father, is God the father.

You see here in this scripture there’s a pivotal moment that we can miss. The reality is, this particular Passover is significant for Jesus, because Jewish boys became accountable to the Law of God at 13. (a practice still in place today by the Jewish community known as the bar mitzvah) But the last couple of Passovers before a boy turned 13 were important because they’re preparing a Jewish boy for his responsibilities to the law.

You see as we observe this scripture. Jesus is in the temple, there are certainly many prominent teachers in Jerusalem at the time because it’s the Passover… and Jesus is learning, He’s growing.

The bible says at the end of Luke 2 (and we’ll come back to this verse in a moment...) but we’re told: 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

You see often times, when we think of Jesus. In our minds, we tend to think of him as a baby… Much as we did during Christmas… We think of him through the gospels in his earthly ministry. Where around the age of 30-33… he’s performing miracles, he’s eating with his disciples and others, he’s showing compassion… and of course at the end of this earthly ministry, it’s marked by his death, burial and resurrection. We may think of him from the modern reality, which according to the bible, he is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven…

But oftentimes, we don’t really imagine him as an adolescent. We may from time-to-time wonder what his life and years were like during after being an infant, all the way through young adulthood… but aside from this scripture, the bible doesn’t give us a whole lot of details on what Jesus what like as a boy…

He wasn’t born with an instant ability to walk, speak, or build furniture. There’s a time of Growth and preparation.

You see John 1:14 explains: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Friends, Jesus came born as a baby. We don’t know his exact weight when he was born, or many other details… but much like an infant would today, there is growth that takes place in the body. Theirs is growth in his stature (stature meaning, growing older and physically growing) and there is growth in his favor. Again… 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

I came across a story this week that explains: David Ayres was just sitting in the stands with his wife, enjoying a hockey game, when he saw the goalie go down. At 42 years old, and 15 years removed from a kidney transplant, his dreams of playing professional hockey were long gone. The closest he came to professional ice was driving the Zamboni on the practice rink and serving as an on-call emergency goaltender, in the extremely rare event that both goalies were injured during the game. Usually, that just means a free ticket to the game and dinner for David and his wife.

After the first goalie went down, David left his seat to get half-dressed in his hockey gear. Then his phone started blowing up with text messages: another collision had occurred, and the backup goalie was injured too. It was David’s turn to step into the spotlight. He said later, “I’ve been on this ice many times without fans. Put fans in the mix and it’s a whole different game, obviously. But hey, once in a lifetime, I’ll take it.”

Things didn’t start well when the first two shots he faced went right into the back of the net, but a teammate encouraged him: “Just have fun. We don’t care if you let ten goals in.” David said that was a turning point. He stopped the next eight shots to secure the win. The Hurricanes’ coach said, “He just gave us an incredible memory.” David goes down in history as the oldest goalie in NHL history to win his debut. David said, “I’d love to see somebody else in the league get the same opportunity. So would every fan.”

Church, David wasn’t expecting to go in the game that day… but when the call came in, it was his time to gear up. He answered the call. He was ready!

We transition then to ourselves this morning. And the question is, are we ready?

2 Timothy 4:2 explains: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Church, are we ready this morning?

3. Looking to Jesus leads to Favor

Luke 2:51-52 explains: 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 man.

We won’t spend a ton of time on this last point this morning. But as we look again to verse 52. We’re told not only did Jesus grow in wisdom, and stature he also grew in favor with God and man.

That word Favorby the way means: that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech.

So, these are all qualities and characteristics of Christ. This joy, and pleasure, delight and sweetness. And certainly, as we look to him this morning, all of these characteristics are true.

But in the same way, as we look to ourselves this morning and imitate our Lord. I’m reminded of the words of Proverbs 3:3-4 which tell us:

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

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