Sermon Tone Analysis

*Intro* -- Col 3:3-4: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

So, is Christ your life?

Is your life hidden such that when people see you they are really seeing Christ, and not you?

Even in your secular career, is your life about Christ?

That’s a lofty goal.

And, it’s where believing parents point their children.

Toward a life where me and my goals are subordinate to Christ and His goals.

Have we taught our kids that God has a mission for them?

I’m not talking about full-time Christian work – I’m talking about a life hidden with Christ whatever their career.

Russell Moore says this verse is about “finding your life and mission in Jesus’ own, not in fitting him into the kingdom you design for yourself.

For too long, we've called unbelievers to ‘invite Jesus into your life."

Jesus doesn't want to be in your life.

Your life's a wreck.

Jesus calls you into his life.

And his life isn't boring or purposeless or static.

It's wild and exhilarating and unpredictable.’”

Are you living that exhilarating life?

How do you point your kids there?

Well, how about modeling the parents of Jesus?

Last week we saw Luke 2:39-52 is the only glimpse we have of Jesus between His birth and the beginning of His ministry at age 30.

This is it.

And it is given for a specific purpose that we will examine in detail next week.

But it is also reveals valuable parenting principles from the lives of Mary and Joseph – principles for creating a purpose-charged environment to challenge our kids toward God’s purposes rather than their own.

I want us to see 5 principles.

*I.

Balanced in Approach*

Lu 2:52: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”

This emphasizes the human development of the Lord.

He experienced His earthly life through His human nature.

Thus, He made progress physically, socially, mentally and spiritually.

Similarly as parents we are responsible to cover all the bases needed to instill confidence and inspire success in God’s plans for that life.

Balance is needed.

*II.

Exemplified in Life*

Lu 2:41-43: “ Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.

42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.

43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.”

Mary and Joseph were faithful attenders at the 8-day festival which included Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

It drew hundreds of thousands of people to Jerusalem each year.

In Lu 2:39, Luke says “performed everything according to the Law of the Lord” with regard to the birth of Christ.

Now he shows us their continued obedience to the Law.

These people lived by the Book.

Obedient hearts led to obedient actions, though it wasn’t easy to make this 90 mile trip every year as the family grew.

They were, as their son James would one day write “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (Jas 1:22).

They exemplify that no training a parent can give to a child is stronger than -- example.

They lived what they believed, and Jesus follows their example.

Jesus is in the last year before he would become, at age 13, a “son of the law” -- meaning he would be responsible to God directly – no longer through his parents.

At age 12, study intensified in anticipation of that coming date.

This is still Jewish practice in the ceremony of the Bar Mitzpah (which literally means Son of the commandment).

Clearly, the example set by His parents that had a profound effect on Him.

Example!

Tommy Bolt was a professional golfer known as Terrible Tommy for his awful temper.

Once after lipping out six straight putts, he shook his fist at the heavens and shouted, “Why don’t you come down and fight like a man!”

He was giving a clinic one time with his 14-year-old son.

After explaining a certain ball-striking technique, he said to the boy, “Now, son, please show the nice folks what I taught you.”

With that, the boy obediently hurled the 9-iron he was holding as high into the sky as he could.

Example!

Contrast that with Howard Hendricks’s comments about 2 boys from the same family at DTS where he teaches, “If I had to pick two men from our alumni who are making an impact for the Savior, I would choose these products of a humble peach-farm home in California.”

He asked once what they most remembered about Dad: "Two things – and interestingly enough, they appear to be contradictory.

I used to have a paper route, and I had to get up at 4 AM.

I go by my father's room and the door would be cracked, and I would see him on his knees in prayer.

That made a profound impression on me.

The second thing I remember is my father rolling on the floor with the skids of laughter."

What an invincible combination – prayer and laughter!

Makes us wonder, what will our kids remember us for?

Want your kids to have a fulfilling, purposeful Christian life.

Then you must have one yourself.

Want them to put God first – then you’ll have to do the same.

Want them to have a rich devotional life.

They must see it in you.

One mother decided she wanted her daughter to know more of the Bible, so she announced one night that they would read some.

She retrieved her Bible, but the little girl said, “Mommy, can’t we use Grandpa’s Bible?”

The mother asked why.

“Well,” the little girl replied, “I just think Grandpa’s must be more interesting.”

“Why would you think that?” asked the mother.

“Well, he reads his a lot more than you do,” replied the daughter.

See, it’s not who you are on the outside, and it’s not what you say – it’s what you are inside that your children will emulate.

They see you as no one else sees you.

Their x-ray vision goes straight the heart.

Want to know how they’ll turn out?

Just look at who you are when no one else is around.

Look hard.

That’s who they are going to be.

To have Godly children, we have to live a godly life.

*III.

Loving in Character*

Lu 2:43-45, “And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.

His parents did not know it, 44 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, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.”

How would you like to have that on your resume?

Lost the Messiah.

So, were Mary and Joseph negligent?

No.

When they went to Jerusalem, they didn’t just go load up the SUV, scoot down I-25 for a couple of days and then back.

They walked!

And not alone.

See that word “group” in Lu 2:44?

It is translated “caravan” elsewhere.

They were part of a whole contingent from Nazareth who went together.

That provided security, companionship for the journey and a holiday atmosphere.

Extended family members, cousins, other friends and acquaintances were part of the contingent.