This Sunday after Christmas brings us to the time of Mary and Joseph along with Jesus attending the festival of the Passover. When the Passover has concluded and they are making their way home, the parents discover that their son is missing. After searching for him for three days, they discover he is in the temple conversing with the teachers there. Mary and Joseph obviously are quite upset that he stayed behind; yet Jesus comes back to them with this remark:
"Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" Luke 2:49
But note how Luke comments as this story unfolds:
"But they (the parents) did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor." Luke 2:50-52
Jesus' comment that he must be about his Father's business already at his young age communicated to his parents what his mission was to be. Luke indicated that Jesus then obeyed his parents and Mary must have thought seriously about how Jesus had replied to her.
What ought to be of interest here to us is that Jesus "increased in wisdom and divine and human favor." We can translate this to us today that we also ought to continue to grow spiritually in our lives and how we relate to others. I believe we must be lifelong learners, which would involve study of Scripture and also being in continual communion with Jesus. The 'human favor' part might mean how we are living out Christ's way of life to others - such as with compassion and forgiveness in order to gain human favor.
You might want to read the full text of the Gospel which is Luke 2:41-52. May God's blessing be upon your meditation of these words and your worship this Sunday. Also, may you have a blessed Christmas celebration!
Pastor Marty
"Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" Luke 2:49
But note how Luke comments as this story unfolds:
"But they (the parents) did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor." Luke 2:50-52
Jesus' comment that he must be about his Father's business already at his young age communicated to his parents what his mission was to be. Luke indicated that Jesus then obeyed his parents and Mary must have thought seriously about how Jesus had replied to her.
What ought to be of interest here to us is that Jesus "increased in wisdom and divine and human favor." We can translate this to us today that we also ought to continue to grow spiritually in our lives and how we relate to others. I believe we must be lifelong learners, which would involve study of Scripture and also being in continual communion with Jesus. The 'human favor' part might mean how we are living out Christ's way of life to others - such as with compassion and forgiveness in order to gain human favor.
You might want to read the full text of the Gospel which is Luke 2:41-52. May God's blessing be upon your meditation of these words and your worship this Sunday. Also, may you have a blessed Christmas celebration!
Pastor Marty
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