Where Jesus Can Be Found
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Searching for Jesus where He can be found-- in His Father's House, about His Father's business.
Text: Luke 2:39-52
Date: 06/27/2021, the Combined service.
Series: "Luke: Thy Kingdom Come" Part 25
Description:
Luke alone among the Gospel writers gives us a glimpse into the early life of Jesus. First, with His initial trip to the Temple as an infant, and then again as a 12-year old adolescent. In this familiar story, His parents start home to Nazareth, not realizing Jesus has been left behind. After a frantic search they find Him in the Temple, conferring with the learned rabbis, and amazing everyone with His understanding. Besides being a delightful story, this gives us valuable insight into the development of our Lord and His dual natures. We will focus on the changing relationship between Jesus, His earthly parents, and His heavenly Father, and try to sort out the relationship between Jesus the developing human and Jesus the divine Son of God. Ultimately, we will analyze the misunderstanding that leads Mary to chastise Jesus and apply the lessons learned to our own understanding. In the process we will affirm that Jesus is the ONLY path to salvation and that unlike Joseph and Mary, we must look for Him where He can be found!
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I. Introduction, Luke 2:30, Jer. 29:13, Psa. 14:2-3, John 14:6, Luke 19:10.
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 2:39-52.
A. Context
B. Finding Jesus in the Temple.
1. The aborted return to Nazareth, vs. 39.
a. Fulfilling all righteousness, Luke 2:21-24.
b. Turning the page.
c. Luke's omission, John 21:25.
2. The growing, learning Jesus, vs. 40.
a. The nature of Christ's development.
i. Ignoring the Gnostics.
ii. Developing with a dual emphasis.
• A normal physical growth.
• A supernatural spiritual growth, James 3:17.
b. Analyzing the meaning of grace.
i. Created grace, Gen. 1:31.
ii. Undeserved grace.
iii. Deserved grace, Luke 3:22, Heb. 4:15.
3. Going up to the Feast, vs. 41.
4. Taking Jesus along, vs. 42.
5. Jesus left behind, vs. 43.
a. Another sign of devotion.
b. Jesus "slips away".
6. Jesus' absence discovered, vs. 44.
7. Returning to Jerusalem, vs. 45.
8. Found at last, vs. 46.
a. Counting the days.
b. Found in the Temple.
c. In the midst of the teachers.
9. Amazing all who heard Him, vs. 47, Matt. 7:28-29.
10. Mary's reprimand, vs. 48.
11. The response of the adolescent Christ, vs. 49.
a. Words of distinction.
i. The first words.
ii. The first reference to "My Father".
b. A change in perspective.
i. Redefining who His Father is.
ii. Plentiful affirmation.
iii. Zeal for His Father's house, John 2:14-17.
c. The obvious understanding of who He was.
12. Continued misunderstanding, vs. 50.
13. Back to Nazareth, vs. 51.
14. Continued growth, vs. 52.
C. Interpretation
III. Application
A. Trusting in our affirmation.
B. Looking for Jesus where He can be found.
IV. Conclusion