And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.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.And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. – Luke 2:40-52 ESV
Warrior;
This is the last time we have record of Joseph in the Bible. Joseph is one of the unsung heroes of the Bible. At Christmas time we celebrate the coveted story of the Baby Jesus in the manger. There is Joseph and Mary with the baby Jesus in a stable with wise men, and animals and a glowing star that lit up the night sky. Like so many other stories over the years, what is thought to be, is not always the case. Returning from a trip to Jerusalem, Jesus became separated from His parents, who eventually found Him in the temple conversing with the teachers. Ironically, it was at that time—when Jesus announced that He had to be about His heavenly Father’s business—that all mention of his earthly father ceases. We celebrate the Christmas story every year, and it is such a sentimental, and celebrated occasion that we forget that for Joseph and Mary, this was anything but a joyous time. It was turbulent, it was uncomfortable, and it was NOT WHAT THEY PLANNED FOR! Mary and Joseph had plans, and they were different from God’s plans.
Leader, there is a false theology out there that says: If you are walking with God everything is going to go easy, well and you will have many people supporting you- after all it is the WILL OF GOD. FALSE! Have you considered the reality of the Christmas story? Joseph and Mary were planning their lives. Mary was most likely 12-14 years old, and Joseph was probably at least 30. Mary was planning on how many kids they were going to have, what their house that Joseph was getting ready for them to occupy would be like, how to decorate her home…. Joseph was planning a wedding and a future as a trained carpenter and building a legacy for him and his soon to be family. They were planning for their future, for their fun and for their family. Then the God of the universe interrupted their simple lives with a GREAT PLAN. This is what God means when He told the prophet Jeremiah- and all of us who came after the weeping prophet, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope”. (Jeremiah 29:11) For we are HIS workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”, (Ephesians 2:10)
Conduit, the Psalmist says, “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings. (Psalms 5:21) We think we know so much, but we KNOW LITTLE compared to the Lord of Hosts! Consider Mary the blessed Mother. Some have made her a saint, a demigod, some has assigned DEITY TO HER, but to God, she had one purpose to carry Jesus through the BIRTHING process that He had created many millions to go through before Himself. That was Her purpose, but man, must believe He knows more than God. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (Acts 1:12-14) This is the last time Mary is mentioned in the Bible. She had nothing to do with the building of the church, or the advancement of the Gospel. Man did to Mary what they did to the Nehushtan. That was the bronze image of a serpent on a pole that Moses constructed in Numbers. He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it. The bronze serpent was called Nehushtan. (2 Kings 18:4) Worshipping something that God used for an occasion. In this same section of Acts chapter 1, the Apostles cast lots to replace Judas with Matthias- something else God NEVER commanded the disciples to do, but they did it anyway. They replaced the 12th with Matthias, who is never mentioned again in the Bible- BUT GOD had Saul of Tarsus coming! This Holiday season we need to ask ourselves whose WILL AM I DOING? Am I doing what I think God wants me to do, or am I seeking and fulfilling the will of God for me and my life? It is written; “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of the King. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing King Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain the King and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in the King, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” (Philippians 3:7-9) This is the focus, and the outcome Daddy wants for our lives!
