Every parent has experienced that moment of panic. A young son or daughter wanders and cannot be found. We Rainers have lost kids at the grocery store, mall, and Disney. Mary and Joseph lost Jesus once. Take a moment and read Luke 2:39-52. We will cover this text on Sunday. Jesus is portrayed in Luke’s text as a child who grew intellectually, physically, and spiritually. He would have had a similar childhood as other kids. Mary and Joseph were pious people, so they traveled to Jerusalem yearly. Jesus is twelve years old. The following year, He would enter the
community of Jewish men.
After realizing Jesus is not with them, Mary and Joseph frantically search for Him for three whole days. Finally, they find him in the temple. What’s impressive is Jesus—at the age of twelve—is participating with other teachers who are astonished at his abilities. Mary and Joseph
share this astonishment. Imagine the agony of losing your child for three days. After finding Jesus, what did they say? What any parent would say! “Why have you done this to us?” Jesus offers an unexpected perspective. He acknowledges their search but says He has been seeking His Father.
To make a complete sacrifice—full atonement on the cross—Jesus had to make a total commitment to humanity. And the only way to do that is to come as a baby. Then grow in wisdom and stature. This growth astounded Mary and Joseph, even though they had an understanding of His divine nature. Jesus learned carpentry, working for a living just like everyone else. His neighbors questioned His claims of divinity because “He’s just the
carpenter’s son.”
But Jesus is fully God and fully human. God had to come in the flesh to do the work to save you. Jesus didn’t give up being God when He came to us, but He did suspend the privileges of being God. The irony of the first Christmas is that Heaven knew who it was sending, but Earth did not know who it was receiving. Today, we know. I hope you believe. Merry Christmas!