Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- Do you like reading biographies?
- Looking at Jesus Christ
- 4 portraits of His life
- 3 say nothing about His childhood (though report His birth)
- Luke gives us some fascinating details
- Jesus was 12 years old
- His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover, the Celebration of Weeks
- They stayed the whole week and left in a caravan
- Jesus was not with them but was answering questions and teaching in the Temple
- In this passage - the only recorded words of the child Jesus
- "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's Business
- Overview:
- Relationship with His Parents
- Relationship with His Heavenly Father
- His Mission to the world
Relationship with His Parents
- His parents were poor so offered two turtle doves
- His parents were devout Jews
- Jesus was growing (v40)
- He came to a point where He was filled with wisdom
- After age 12 He increased in wisdom (v52)
- Speaking of His humanity
- Jesus emptied Himself - He laid aside many of His Divine attributes when He became a man
- Jesus came of age at 12
- Personal example
- In the eyes of others - He was becoming a man, becoming independent
- By staying behind He was saying that He belonged to His Heavenly Father
- That He must be about His Father's business
- His parents were not negligent
- Big families, extended families with friends - communal living
- A large caravan
- It took 3 days for them to find Him - slept the night in the wilderness, a days journey to Jerusalem, slept another night, then looking in Jerusalem
- Jesus was an obedient son (v51)
- His parents did not initially understand (v50)
- Mary treasured these things in her heart (v51)
- A relationship of love, submission, honour and respect
- His relationship with His Heavenly Father transcended the relationship with His family
- Do we honour our father and mother?
- The 5th Commandment - with promise
- Far above this - we should honour God
Relationship with His Heavenly Father
- Jesus grow as a human being - but He also grew in His relationship with His Heavenly Father
- Isa 50:4
- Jesus did the will of the Father
- Jesus had an insatiable appetite for the will and wisdom of His Father
- Why was Jesus listening to the hypocritical religious leaders?
- 'Do as they say, not as they do'
- Was He asking questions of the leaders, rather than questions to the leaders?
- Jesus was answering their questions - they were astonished at His answers (v47)
- Jesus was not a 'child prodigy'
- He was receiving wisdom from God
- He taught with wisdom - especially during His Ministry aged 30-33
- Christ spoke with authority - though the religious leaders had no authority and they sought to trip Him up
- What questions is Jesus asking us?
- What is your verdict about Jesus?
- He loved His Father's word and must be about His business and to fulfill His mission
His Mission to the world
- Jesus went up yearly to the Passover and understood the need for sacrifice/blood to make atonement
- Jesus understood the need to be the Passover Lamb Himself
- What do you think was the mission of Jesus Christ?
- Not to be a good example - to be a rescuer
- To be a follower of Jesus - your allegiance must be to Him alone
- To follow Jesus is greater than the blessing of any earthly relationship
- He was about His Father's business - are we about our Father's business?
- Are we living for Christ?