I Wasn't Lost, I Was At Church

New Year’s Resolution Failure

When we look at New Year’s Day, we often see it as a fresh start, a time to begin anew. As the weeks wear on, however, it’s not uncommon to go from determined to deflated. One of the reasons 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions regarding health fall by the wayside within the first six weeks of the year is that the individual has failed to first “enhance [their] capacity to either sustain motivation or handle the inevitable stress and discomfort involved in change.” In other words, when we rush headlong into a challenge that we haven’t properly prepared or equipped ourselves for mentally or physically, we quickly burn out. This applies to our spiritual life as well as our physical life. We can have the best of intentions when it comes to serving the Lord, but if we’re not properly prepared in advance and if we’re not continually working toward our improvement through developing our relationship with Christ, then we risk facing discouragement, disillusionment, and spiritual burnout. If we are to follow in Christ’s footsteps, we must begin like him: asking questions, seeking answers, and looking for God’s hand in all things. The more we press on in this way, the easier it becomes for us to take bigger steps and greater risks that help expand the kingdom of God.

Big Idea of the Series

Many individuals want a fresh start at the beginning of the year. This series details the gospel’s power to bring us hope, renewed strength, and contentment, even in difficult times. The gospel shows us that in order to grow spiritually, we must first learn to listen and seek God’s wisdom.

Big Idea of the Message

Jesus grew and developed physically and spiritually before he began his earthly ministry, taking time to study, listen, and learn. As we read through the Gospels, we can be encouraged that God doesn’t expect us to be prepared to teach from a pulpit, serve in a ministry or mission field, or even become a martyr for his name the very moment we confess Christ as Lord. Instead, Jesus’s life encourages us to take the time to grow “in wisdom and in stature.” This is as true for the child who confesses Christ at a young age as it is for the adult who comes to Christ in the latter years of their life.

The Scripture in Context

With this account Luke ended the infancy narrative (1:5–2:52) in the temple where it began (1:5–23). Just as the previous account portrayed Jesus as having fulfilled the Jewish law by his circumcision and redemption (2:21–40), so here he is portrayed as trained in the law (2:46–47). There has been a great deal of speculation about whether 2:40 may have been the original conclusion to the infancy narrative and whether this passage was a later insertion into the account by Luke. As it now stands, however, the account concludes the infancy narrative, and in it Luke portrayed Jesus’ awareness of his unique relationship to the Father. Because of that relationship, Jesus must be in his Father’s house. Later in 9:51–19:28, Jesus would again go to Jerusalem, and again it would be at a Passover. The form of this account is that of a pronouncement story in that its goal and culmination come in the concluding statement or pronouncement by Jesus in 2:49. This is the first such story in the Gospel.

The existence of other stories concerning the unusual abilities of great men in their youth says nothing about the historicity of such stories but only of the fact that there exists a natural interest in information concerning the childhood and youth of famous people. Today historians are often interested in the early years of famous people in order to understand how and why they developed into the people they became. What were the childhood experiences that caused them to become the kind of people they were? Luke had no such purpose in mind. He sought rather to show that Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, was already aware of his being Christ and Lord, or better yet the Son of God, when he was twelve.

When we think of the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s life, we tend to focus on his birth, death, and resurrection. What we don’t look at is the process and preparation he went through on his journey to the cross. God did not send his Son to earth to save the world in a single day. Instead, Jesus spent thirty-three years growing and preparing to complete the Father’s work by being mindful of what was most important to God and being fully present in each of his interactions with others. As we look at the record of Jesus’s life, we can take hope and encouragement as we allow God to work in and through both the good and the difficult seasons of life to complete the good work he has begun in each of us (Phil 1:6).

In the Gospel of Luke we read that by the time he was twelve, Jesus had enough knowledge of Scripture to be considered an equal by teachers at the temple (Luke 2:41–52). Yet rather than lording his wisdom over them, he sought to further his understanding by asking questions and listening to the answers he received. At the same time, those who were conversing with him also had a desire to learn by listening and discussing God’s Word. The point here is not that Jesus was an expert among experts, but that young and old were in community together, learning from one another. And in spending time with these men who were in different stages of life and levels of understanding, Luke writes that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (v. 52). In other words, Jesus developed mentally and spiritually, as well as physically, between the time he was born and the time he went to the cross.

Stein, R. H. (1992). Luke (Vol. 24, pp. 120–121). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Different Crowd with a Different conversation

At the age of thirteen a Jewish boy became obligated to observe the law, and in more recent years has begun to be called a “son of the covenant—Bar Mitzvah” Luke did not tell us whether this was intentional or unintentional on Jesus’ part, and this was ultimately irrelevant for his purpose.

The third day they found him in the temple, in some of the apartments belonging to the temple, where the doctors of the law kept, not their courts, but their conferences rather, or their schools for disputation; and there they found him sitting in the midst of them (v. 46), not standing as a catechumen to be examined or instructed by them, for he had discovered such measures of knowledge and wisdom that they admitted him to sit among them as a fellow or member of their society. This is an instance, not only that he was filled with wisdom (v. 40), but that he had both a desire to increase it and a readiness to communicate it; and herein he is an example to children and young people, who should learn of Christ to delight in the company of those they may get good by, and choose to sit in the midst of the doctors rather than in the midst of the players. Let them begin at twelve years old, and sooner, to enquire after knowledge, and to associate with those that are able to instruct them; it is a hopeful and promising presage in youth to be desirous of instruction. Many a youth at Christ’s age now would have been playing with the children in the temple, but he was sitting with the doctors in the temple. (1.) He heard them. Those that would learn must be swift to hear. (2.) He asked them questions; whether, as a teacher (he had authority so to ask) or as a learner (he had humility so to ask) I know not, or whether as an associate, or joint-searcher after truth, which must be found out by mutual amicable disquisitions. (3.) He returned answers to them, which were very surprising and satisfactory, v. 47. And his wisdom and understanding appeared as much in the questions he asked as in the answers he gave, so that all who heard him were astonished: they never heard one so young, no indeed any of their greatest doctors, talk sense at the rate that he did; like David, he had more understanding than all his teachers, yea, than the ancients, Ps. 119:99, 100. Now Christ showed forth some rays of his glory, which were presently drawn in again. He gave them a taste (says Calvin) of his divine wisdom and knowledge. Methinks this public appearance of Christ in the temple, as a teacher, was like Moses’s early attempt to deliver Israel, which Stephen put this construction upon, that he supposed his brethren would have understood, by that, how God by his hand would deliver them, Acts 7:24, 25. They might have taken the hint, and been delivered then, but they understood not; so they here might have had Christ (for aught I know) to enter upon his work now, but they were only astonished, and understood not the indication; and therefore, like Moses, he retires into obscurity again, and they hear no more of him for many years after.

A Different Reaction

His mother talked with him privately about it. When the company broke up, she took him aside, and examined him about it with a deal of tenderness and affection, v. 48. Joseph and Mary were both amazed to find him there, and to find that he had so much respect showed him as to be admitted to sit among the doctors, and to be taken notice of. His father knew he had only the name of a father, and therefore said nothing. But, (1.) His mother told him how ill they took it: “Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Why didst thou put us into such a fright?” They were ready to say, as Jacob of Joseph, “A wild beast has devoured him; or, He is fallen into the hands of some more cruel enemy, who has at length found out that he was the young child whose life Herod had sought some years ago.” A thousand imaginations, we may suppose, they had concerning him, each more frightful than another. “Now, why hast thou given us occasion for these fears? Thy father and I have sought thee, sorrowing; not only troubled that we lost thee, but vexed at ourselves that we did not take more care of thee, to bring thee along with us.” Note, Those may have leave to complain of their losses that think they have lost Christ. But their weeping did not hinder sowing; they did not sorrow and sit down in despair, but sorrowed and sought. Note, If we would find Christ, we must seek him sorrowing, sorrowing that we have lost him, that we have provoked him to withdraw, and that we have sought him no sooner. They that thus seek him in sorrow shall find him, at length, with so much the greater joy.

A Different Response

He gently reproved their inordinate solicitude about him (v. 49): “How is it that you sought me? You might have depended upon it, I would have followed you home when I had done the business I had to do here. I could not be lost in Jerusalem. Wist ye not that I ought to be, en tois tou patros mou;—in my Father’s house?” so some read it; “where else should the Son be, who abideth in the house for ever? I ought to be,” [1.] “Under my Father’s care and protection; and therefore you should have cast the care of me upon him, and not have burdened yourselves with it.” Christ is a shaft hid in his Father’s quiver, Isa. 49:2. He takes care of his church likewise, and therefore let us never despair of its safety. [2.] “At my Father’s work” (so we take it): “I must be about my Father’s business, and therefore could not go home as soon as you might. Wist ye not? Have you not already perceived that concerning me, that I have devoted myself to the service of religion, and therefore must employ myself in the affairs of it?” Herein he hath left us an example; for it becomes the children of God, in conformity to Christ, to attend their heavenly Father’s business, and to make all other business give way to it. This word of Christ we now think we understand very well, for he hath explained it in what he hath done and said. It was his errand into the world, and his meat and drink in the world, to do his Father’s will, and finish his work: and yet at that time his parents understood not this saying, v. 50. They did not understand what business he had to do then in the temple for his Father. They believed him to be the Messiah, that should have the throne of his father David; but they thought that should rather bring him to the royal palace than to the temple. They understood not his prophetical office; and he was to do much of his work in that.

Lastly, Here is their return to Nazareth. This glimpse of his glory was to be short. It was now over, and he did not urge his parents either to come and settle at Jerusalem or to settle him there (though that was the place of improvement and preferment, and where he might have the best opportunities of showing his wisdom), but very willingly retired into his obscurity at Nazareth, where for many years he was, as it were, buried alive. Doubtless, he came up to Jerusalem, to worship at the feast, three times a year, but whether he ever went again into the temple, to dispute with the doctors there, we are not told; it is not improbable but he might. But here we are told,

1. That he was subject to his parents. Though once, to show that he was more than a man, he withdrew himself from his parents, to attend his heavenly Father’s business, yet he did not, as yet, make that his constant practice, nor for many years after, but was subject to them, observed their order, and went and came as they directed, and, as it should seem, worked with his father at the trade of a carpenter. Herein he hath given an example to children to be dutiful and obedient to their parents in the Lord. Being made of a woman, he was made under the law of the fifth commandment, to teach the seed of the faithful thus to approve themselves to him a faithful seed. Though his parents were poor and mean, though his father was only his supposed father, yet he was subject to them; though he was strong in spirit, and filled with wisdom nay though he was the Son of God, yet he was subject to his parents; how then will they answer it who, though foolish and weak, yet are disobedient to their parents?

2. That his mother, though she did not perfectly understand her son’s sayings, yet kept them in her heart, expecting that hereafter they would be explained to her, and she should fully understand them, and know how to make use of them. However we may neglect men’s sayings because they are obscure (Si non vis intelligi debes negligi—If it be not intelligible, it is not valuable), yet we must not think so of God’s sayings. That which at first is dark, so that we know not what to make of it, may afterwards become plain and easy; we should therefore lay it up for hereafter. See Jn. 2:22. We may find use for that another time which now we see not how to make useful to us. A scholar keeps those grammar rules in memory which at present he understands not the use of, because he is told that they will hereafter be of use to him; so we must do by Christ’s sayings.

3. That he improved, and came on, to admiration (v. 52): He increased in wisdom and stature. In the perfections of his divine nature there could be no increase; but this is meant of his human nature, his body increased in stature and bulk, he grew in the growing age; and his soul increased in wisdom, and in all the endowments of a human soul. Though the Eternal Word was united to the human soul from his conception, yet the divinity that dwelt in him manifested itself to his humanity by degrees, ad modum recipientis—in proportion to his capacity; as the faculties of his human soul grew more and more capable, the gifts it received from the divine nature were more and more communicated. And he increased in favour with God and man, that is, in all those graces that rendered him acceptable to God and man. Herein Christ accommodated himself to his estate of humiliation, that, as he condescended to be an infant, a child, a youth, so the image of God shone brighter in him, when he grew up to be a youth, than it did, or could, while he was an infant and a child. Note, Young people, as they grow in stature, should grow in wisdom, and then, as they grow in wisdom, they will grow in favour with God and man.