A
Augsburg1530
Guest
Luke 2:41-52: Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 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, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Bible doesn’t mention much about Jesus being a child. He was a baby, then He was twelve and then He was grown up and getting baptized by John. But the fact that St. Luke tells us this story of Jesus when He was 12 should be a great comfort to us. It means that Jesus really was like us in every way. Imagine if Jesus had just appeared one day, all grown up. But He doesn’t. He comes to us as a baby. He’s a young adult. An adult. Whatever we are, Jesus has been, be it the baby growing in His mother’s womb or the young man in the same way you are a young man or woman.
It’s a reminder that when God comes to us, He doesn’t do it in a way that is different or unreal or frightening. Baby in a manger. Teen going up to the feast. He’s one of us. The Son of God is like you, with one important exception: He was about His Father’s business.
Unlike you, who want to sleep in on Sundays because you were out late; or who like to make fun of that other person when he’s not around; or who backtalk your parents over the littlest thing. Unlike you, Jesus obeyed His parents and His heavenly Father. He never lost sight of the purpose for which He was born into the world. While you may have no idea where you want to go to college or what you want to do with your life, Jesus knew He was to be about His Father’s business of saving sinners by suffering and dying for them. And it is by that suffering and death and by that perfect obedience to His heavenly Father and earthly parents that rescues you from being a sinful person. By your Baptism into Jesus, His being the perfect teen or adult makes you into the perfect teen or adult in the Father’s sight.
Jesus doesn’t just do what He’s supposed to, in order to show everyone how great He is. No, He is like you in every way except without sin so that you will stand before God with no sins. He became what you are to rescue you from what you were and to make you a child of God in Him. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Within the Father’s house The Son has found His home, And to His temple suddenly The Lord of Life has come. (LSB 410:1)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Bible doesn’t mention much about Jesus being a child. He was a baby, then He was twelve and then He was grown up and getting baptized by John. But the fact that St. Luke tells us this story of Jesus when He was 12 should be a great comfort to us. It means that Jesus really was like us in every way. Imagine if Jesus had just appeared one day, all grown up. But He doesn’t. He comes to us as a baby. He’s a young adult. An adult. Whatever we are, Jesus has been, be it the baby growing in His mother’s womb or the young man in the same way you are a young man or woman.
It’s a reminder that when God comes to us, He doesn’t do it in a way that is different or unreal or frightening. Baby in a manger. Teen going up to the feast. He’s one of us. The Son of God is like you, with one important exception: He was about His Father’s business.
Unlike you, who want to sleep in on Sundays because you were out late; or who like to make fun of that other person when he’s not around; or who backtalk your parents over the littlest thing. Unlike you, Jesus obeyed His parents and His heavenly Father. He never lost sight of the purpose for which He was born into the world. While you may have no idea where you want to go to college or what you want to do with your life, Jesus knew He was to be about His Father’s business of saving sinners by suffering and dying for them. And it is by that suffering and death and by that perfect obedience to His heavenly Father and earthly parents that rescues you from being a sinful person. By your Baptism into Jesus, His being the perfect teen or adult makes you into the perfect teen or adult in the Father’s sight.
Jesus doesn’t just do what He’s supposed to, in order to show everyone how great He is. No, He is like you in every way except without sin so that you will stand before God with no sins. He became what you are to rescue you from what you were and to make you a child of God in Him. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Within the Father’s house The Son has found His home, And to His temple suddenly The Lord of Life has come. (LSB 410:1)