Don’t Be Like Mary And Joseph! Keep “Christ” at the Forefront this Season!Luke 2:41-49 (The Boy Jesus at the Temple)
41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.
Does this remind you of anything? Of course it does: “CHRISTMAS!” Like the Passover was for Mary and Joseph (as well as their family ...along with the rest of the Jews), “Christmas” is a religious and festive occasion for us that commemorates a huge and divine event of the past.
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.
Mary and Joseph had their customs. In fact, they had their religious and festive routine down to a T! Every year, the same things would happen. And boy do we have our yearly customs as well! Maybe we hit a seasonal parade or two, and we get a Christmas tree, and we go mad searching for perfect gifts, and we spend time with family, and we might even make it a point to attend a Christmas Eve Candlelight service.
43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
Can you imagine?! In the hustle and bustle of the festive and religious season, Jesus’ parents leave him behind! It’s reminiscent of the “Home Alone” story when little Kevin’s parents forget all about him and leave him at home, because their minds were elsewhere. The same happened to Jesus, only it was a million times worse! While his parents were celebrating Passover, participating in the seasonal festivities with family, and keeping their customs, Jesus was left out of the picture. And, too often, this is how it goes with many of us at Christmas; we get so wrapped up in the religious and festive happenings around us that we actually forget all about Jesus Christ.
44(A) Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day.
Jesus’ parents were actually under the assumption that Jesus was in their company, and so they traveled on and conversed with family like nothing was wrong. Unfortunately, sometimes you and I falsely assume Jesus is “in our company” during our plans and events at Christmas. We set out the Nativity figurines, we read billboards that say, “Keep Christ in Christmas,” and we wear buttons that say, “Jesus is the reason for the season,” but too often, despite our assumptions, Jesus is no where to be found. Of course, Mary and Joseph probably said things to each other that falsely consoled themselves as well. “Oh, I suppose our son is with his cousins,” they may have said, but the fact remained – he wasn’t there. They wrongly assumed he was with them (pertaining to what they were up to and how they were celebrating the season), and sometimes you and I do as well.
44(B) Then they began to look for him among their relatives and friends.
Mary and Joseph finally realized they were missing something; rather some “ONE” very important. So they began to seek him out. As they already knew that Jesus was the SON of God, they knew he was more important than the EVENT they had been celebrating, and so they went seeking him! Will you “seek-out” God’s son this Christmas season? Will you ultimately take a step back from all of your Christmas festivities and “seek-out” the ONE who is most important?
45 – 48 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
When Jesus’ parents found him in the temple courts, they were frankly a bit upset! They couldn’t believe they had to “seek him out” rather than have him follow them. And the same is true of us sometimes: we get all flustered when Jesus doesn’t abide in “our” plans and follow “our” leading (pertaining to our customs and festivities at Christmas), but IF and WHEN we realize that Christ is missing from the equation, it is incumbent upon us to seek him out. And yet some of us, like Mary, ask Jesus, “Why have you treated me like this?!” haha!
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”
We see that Jesus was not following the mandate of his parent’s plans and customs; he was instead taking care of his Father’s business. Even while his family was busy with their customs, and even while his family was actually missing out on what he was doing, he was doing the work of his Father just the same! And this Christmas (and every day), Jesus is STILL taking care of his Father’s business. He’s drawing people to him. He’s forgiving people’s sin. He’s healing the sick. He’s wiping away pain. He’s releasing those who are in bondage. He’s providing for people’s needs. He’s taking care of the needy. Despite whatever it is we may be doing (as we go along with our yearly customs and falsely assume Jesus is in our company), Jesus is off taking care of his Father’s business!
Are “you” keeping to your religious and festive customs while leaving Jesus behind? Or are you seeking Jesus out this Christmas, as you refrain from expecting him to come alongside you and your plans – but you’re tapping into HIS plans?!!
Guess what! – Jesus is still taking care of his Father’s business! And just like we read in the above passage, Jesus’ favorite place to take care of business is within his Father’s temple! Fortunately, for those of us who have called upon Christ as our Savior, that “temple” is now you and me! Are the doors of your temple (heart) open for Jesus to do some of his Father's business this Christmas?
