Happy Christmas week to all of you. We have an exciting week with the all-church dinner after church today, the Children’
s program tonight, Christmas eve service on Thursday and then, of course, Christmas day with our loved ones and friends.
As we go through this week, let’s remember that even though it’s busy and hectic, the reason we followers of Jesus
celebrate is because He came to bring salvation to the whole world. And the whole world needs to know that He came.
Let’s remember to include Him in our conversations and actions.
Today we will be in the last part of Luke 2. We are in a series called A REAL Human Life in the Gospel of Luke. We are
going to see even more proof today that Jesus lived life as a human being. Knowing this should help us as we go through
our human lives. And today we are going to look at a time period of His life that we have a lot of questions about, but we
also will get some great insights on – His youth.
If you are between the ages of 12 and 20, I am really glad you’re here today (I’m glad everyone is here, but especially
these young people). You may often feel like church doesn’t relate to you or that you’re only here because your parents
make you come.
If church doesn’t relate to you, I am sorry. In my preparations, I seek to surround my desk with our church family and try
to find connection points with all of us. If you feel like it doesn’t relate, one thing that means is I need to do a better job.
Another thing it might mean is that you may need to put forth more effort to listen. If your parents make you come, I can’t
do much about that – but I’m actually glad they do! Sorry.
God has life-changing, world-changing stuff for all of us today in what we’re going to look at – no matter how old or young
we are. As we get started, let’s ask God the Spirit for His help. PRAY
At what age do you think human beings are really able to connect with God deeply? Is there a certain age that we can find
where we know people are able to comprehend some of the beginnings of the things of God? That’s a hard question –
there really isn’t anything in God’s Word that tells us “by this age, a person will be able to get it.”
I think we can fill up the digits on our hands and feet of people who OUGHT to know better, but don’t get it. As an elder
in a church of people who claim to want to follow Jesus, I want to help us be the people who ARE getting it as much as we
know how – no matter how old we are.
Turn to Luke 2:39,40. READ. This is back at where we left off last Sunday – Jesus was a baby and Joseph and Mary
took Him to the temple to dedicate Him to the Lord as their firstborn Son. When that was completed, it says, they
returned to Galilee and their town of Nazareth. We will see on Thursday night at the Christmas Eve service that at some
point within the first 2 years of Jesus’ life, they fled to Egypt to escape King Herod. Luke doesn’t mention that part of the
story – Matthew does.
But when they eventually got back to Nazareth, Jesus grew up there and it says in verse 40 that He became strong, He was
filled with wisdom and that the grace of God was upon Him. We are going to see statements in our passage today that
really reinforce the truth that Jesus lived a totally human life. Here in verse 40 – “the grace of God was upon Him.” A
powerful indication that He was a true human being. If He lived His life on earth utilizing His God abilities, not only would
the grace of God be upon Him, it would BE Him.
We have very little specific information about Jesus from the age of 12 until the age of 30. God has good reasons for not
giving us that information. The things we CAN know, though, help us in our lives. We know that He grew up. He grew
taller, He grew stronger, He grew in wisdom. Verse 52 says that He grew in favor with God and men. That is a strong
statement about His humanity. If Jesus lived human life and utilized His God powers, there is no way He could have
GROWN in favor with God. God is perfect and complete.
Jesus learned as He grew up. He learned His faith, He learned scholastic things, He learned a trade – carpentry – from His
earthly father, Joseph. Consequently, Jesus started working as a carpenter. During His growing up years, Jesus faced
temptations that young people face. Youth – mention a temptation you deal with, and Jesus faced the same thing.
Verse 51 says that Jesus was subject to or obedient to His earthly parents during His growing up years. If you look at
Romans 1:30 and 2 Timothy 3:2, it is noticeable that obedience to parents is a big deal in God’s view of life. Jesus WAS
obedient to His parents. We human beings can learn from Him.
And one other thing to consider of Jesus’ growing up years – do you think He did any miracles as a young person? We
know for certain that He did not. In John 2:1-11, we have the account of His first miracle – the changing of water into wine
at a wedding in the town of Cana. John tells us in verse 11 that this is the beginning of His miracles. Jesus was a human
being totally for His whole life on earth. He never pulled out His God abilities to make it through situations. He did it like
we have to do it – in the state of humanity. But He did it God’s way – fully trusting in and relying on the Father.
Jesus was and is and always will be God. When He was born in Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth and lived in Israel,
He laid aside or emptied Himself of His God powers. Doing that did not change who He WAS. But He lived life the way
we have to – as human beings. Jesus did it to show us that it CAN be done God’s way. And that started from the
moment of His birth. So if you and I want to see how to live, we need to look at every moment of the life of the Lord
Jesus. Young people, He was once your age and He did life the way God wanted it done.
Luke 2:41-50. READ. There were several feasts and celebrations that Jews were “required” to attend in Jerusalem. A lot
of times, since it took several days and time off work, the people would choose one feast to attend. And many people
chose the Passover. So it could have been that many people in the extended family would travel together and sometimes
whole villages would travel together. This is likely the way it happened here.
Joseph and Mary and their family traveled with many other people from Nazareth and probably some of their relatives.
The women and young children would lead the procession while the men and older children would follow behind at the
pace of the women and children. As older children do, they would race ahead, lag behind, depart from the path, catch up
with other people and walk with them.
As the feast and celebration ended, Joseph and Mary would have done what they had done for years – settled into the
usual groups and place in the crowd. They would be generally aware of where their children were and who they were
with. They would probably have met at a certain place with everyone and then started out on the 80 or 90 mile trip back
to Nazareth. It could have been that Jesus was even there at the beginning of the journey, but left the group as they were
getting started. We don’t know.
We DO know that Joseph and Mary figured He was somewhere traveling in the crowd. They didn’t really think about it –
probably until nightfall. A day’s journey on foot could be as much as 20 miles or as few as 12 miles. How many 12 year
olds are with us right now? Stand up if you are 12 – we’re not going to embarrass you or make you do anything. If you
are 12 and you knew your parents were over in Louisville or up in Bellevue and they had walked there and would have to
walk back, how would you feel?
If you are a parent and your 12 year old was not with you and you had walked 15 or 20 miles and would have to walk
back to get them – and you didn’t even really know where the child was, how would you feel? The child could be hiding
very near you. He could be off at the side of the road at any point between here and where you started from – injured.
And Jerusalem is a large city – where would you start looking for him in that town?
Pretty upsetting, I would say. Maybe fun for the 12 year old – at least for a while. But at a certain point, many 12 year
olds would begin to become a little frantic – at least in my world. I’m not sure – but I figure – Joseph and Mary probably
turned around at that moment and started back for Jerusalem. I would have. And they had that whole “day’s journey” to
go to get back there. It may not have taken them as long to get back, but we do see that it took them at least parts of 3
day to find Jesus.
They found Him in the temple – in the court of the temple where anyone can come and sit, beg, hang out, pray. In the
temple at this time were teachers – perhaps Jewish teachers who sat and taught pupils who had been assigned to them or
maybe just anyone who would listen. Mary and Joseph perhaps heard from people outside the temple that a boy had been
seen sitting with some of the teachers in the temple. That’s where they found their 6th grade aged Son listening to these
teachers, asking questions.
Many of us might think that Jesus – God in the flesh – would have been asking really deep, hard questions. And He may
have been asking questions like that. But He lived a totally human life. Verse 47 says that the people who heard His
questions and even any answers He gave were astonished at His understanding and His answers. But He did not pull out
His God abilities. Even here, He lived the perfect HUMAN life. His questions and answers reflected a life fully devoted to
the Father as much as He knew how – even at 12 years old.
There are children who ask really hard questions and have extremely insightful thinking. Sometimes we older people
dismiss that thinking and maybe we shouldn’t. Young people, if you see something or you wonder about something and
you want to share it or ask about it, don’t allow yourself to be automatically dismissed. Keep trying to explain that thinking
and find people who will listen and investigate things from God’s Word. And realize too – you’re not Jesus. Some ideas
ARE flaky. That doesn’t make you a flake, it just means you may have a flaky idea.
I seem to remember later in life Jesus made the statement, “Unless you have faith like a child, you cannot enter the
Kingdom of Heaven” (Mark 10:15). We can learn from the simplicity of the faith of children. Jesus uses the faith of
children as a MODEL for true faith. So, adults, let’s not be too quick to dismiss the thinking of children as it regards faith.
They may see it more clearly than we older people do in a lot of ways.
Joseph and Mary found Jesus in the temple with the teachers and verse 48 says that they were amazed. The Greek word
means literally “to be beaten up.” Parents, have we not all been frightened about our children being missing and then when
they show up, even though we are relieved, we give them a stern talking to? Or worse? I think that is the attitude of
Joseph and Mary when they find Jesus. And Mary – although many commentators attribute her question to Jesus with a
calm, loving demeanor – spouts off the stern question – “Why did You do this to us? We’ve been going crazy for 3 days!”
Youth, just a recommendation – no parent is really interested in explanations at this point. Your best response would be, “I’
m sorry – I should have called.” or something along those lines. The explanations can come later – the questions are more
an expression of frustration along with love and relief than they are of trying to find out answers. Parents – we too can
remember this and examine our feelings at this point. It’s hard not to, but don’t ask questions you’re not really interested in
hearing answers to. Focus on the relief and the love. Deal with the frustration a little later. There will still be time for that.
Jesus does give an answer to Mary’s question. He was not being precocious or flippant or disrespectful – He never was
those things. At this early age, Jesus was fully devoted to God as much as He knew how as a 12 year old. It’s difficult to
be the parent of a youth. Even Joseph and Mary – and they had the added pressure knowing that Jesus was the Messiah.
Talk about second guessing your approach to discipline. Joseph and Mary did not understand the response Jesus gave
them.
Did they forget that Jesus was the Messiah? Were they out of it from searching for 3 days? My guess – and that’s all we
can do – is that the adrenaline was rushing through them. They were relieved and frustrated with Jesus for doing this, so
His answer – at that particular moment – didn’t really connect with them. For 3 days that had had no contact with their 12
year old Son – and when they find Him, He is perfectly fine, but there are many unanswered questions.
Can you imagine? It WAS a different world in those days than in our days. But there were still pedophiles and crime.
There was danger like there is today. Parents will let their minds go to those bad things a lot faster than going to good
possibilities. I don’t know why – we have had circumstances where our kids were perfectly safe, but things didn’t go as
they usually do and we went right to kidnapping or abduction or a million other things. The one circumstance, a daughter
was out at Luckys talking to a friend while getting gas.
Jesus’ answer does give us a lot to think about. I must be about My Father’s business. If your version of the Bible says “I
would be in My Father’s house” that is less accurate. The Greek actually says, “I must be about My Father.” And maybe
that’s why Joseph and Mary didn’t understand what He said. A good, safe translation is, “I must be about the things of My
Father.” Here is a 12 year old who knows His mission – maybe not specifically, but generally. He knows that His mission
in life relates to God’s mission.
Do you know your mission? If you are young – do you know that your mission in life is connected with God’s mission?
You may not know exactly what you ought to do, but are you about the things of the Father? Jesus lived a human life just
like you are. He wasn’t good – He wasn’t smart – He wasn’t compliant to His parents because He was GOD. He WAS
all those things, but He was those things because He was human the way God designed humans to be.
Are you afraid to let God show Himself and His plans to you? Are you afraid to identify yourself with God’s things? If so,
is it because you are too proud or too concerned about your reputation? Or maybe it is more basic than that. Are you
connected with Him – have you put your faith in Him, really?
Jesus came to earth for everyone. He didn’t just come for OLD people. He didn’t just come for foreign people on mission
trips. He didn’t just come for weird people. Jesus came for YOU. You’re not too good for Him. You’re not too smart,
you’re not too popular – you NEED Jesus. We all need Him. If you’re anywhere from 12 to 20 years old and you know
you ought to be a different kind of person, this is a great time to step out in faith and allow Jesus to make some changes.
I am not yelling at you or trying to make you mad. I am not trying to embarrass you. But what if Jesus got a hold of YOU
and used you in the things you’re good at to draw your friends and other people to Himself? How could the lives of your
friends change if Jesus got a hold of them? Are your friends trying out alcohol? Drugs? Sex? Porn? Stealing? Bad
language? Materialism? Image? Dangerous activities?
What if their lives – what if YOUR life – could be spared the pain that comes with those issues as God used you to do His
transforming work? What if God used YOU to bring the hope and deliverance of the Good News? How would YOU
feel? How would your friends feel? How would GOD feel?
This past summer was my 30 year class reunion. I didn’t go, but I heard that one of my classmates – a guy who was
friendly and nice, a good athlete and nice looking – had shared his testimony of salvation on the Sunday morning of the
reunion. He wasn’t a believer when we were in high school. I contacted him to let him know that I really appreciated
hearing that he had shared his faith AND especially that he had become a believer.
His response to me was – “I heard what you guys – us believers – were saying in high school. I was interested back then,
but didn’t want to give up my image. God allowed some very difficult things to happen in my life after high school and
those difficulties brought me back to what you Christians were saying. I wish I would have responded back then.”
My young friends, I beg you to give yourself to Jesus as much as you know how right now. My friend who is now a
believer is bald and chubby. His image is long gone. Your image and the things you hold onto so tightly right now are not
going to last. You don’t have to believe me, but I’m telling you – all of us old people used to be just like you – good
looking, strong, witty, desirable. That stuff doesn’t last. What lasts is the Father’s business.
Look at 1 John 2:15-17. READ. Take a look at the things you see as important and see if they fall under the lust of the
flesh, the lust of the eyes or the pride of life. Or do they fall under the will of the Father? God certainly tells the truth – the
things of the world are passing away and His things will abide forever.
Older people – are we the kind of followers of Jesus who can wisely and sensitively answer questions and mentor young
people and challenge young people to pursue Jesus. Are WE about the things of the Father? If we pursue Jesus as fully as
we know how, God will show up. And when God shows up, young people will take notice. I MUST be about My Father’
s business.