Realization!

By the way, the 39 volumes of the Old Testament God is only referred to his father. 14.and rather impersonally in reference to the nation, God is referred to in the Old Testament is Abraham's father, but Abraham never spoke that way, but from this moment on here, Jesus will nearly always address God as his father and he will use this expression more than 61 biblical story of Jesus life for that entire period of time for that 27 year.

We have only one story, the gospel writer Luke is the only person to tell that story. He tells it at the end of Luke two here on wisdom for the heart.

Stephen Davey is moving through Luke one through three in a series called good news of great joy, open your Bible to Luke to enjoin Stephen as he explores this remarkable story when Jesus discovered his true identity to take a copy of Luke's gospel turn where we left off for now. Chapter 2 number told in verse 39 and 40 that Jesus grows up in Nazareth and is drying up is growing in wisdom and grace. If you look down for just a moment in verse 52 were told that Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. That is, he grew intellectually. He grew physically.

He grew spiritually. He grew socially with verse 52 is referring to the growing increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. Outlook highlights here.

That is, Jesus grows up as his life is demonstrating wisdom and graciousness toward those around him. Had you met Jesus as a little boy as a teenager. As a young adult male, you would have been struck by his gracious demeanor is wisdom beyond his years, you would've left his company saying to yourself something like you know there's really something different about that young man or something pure and unique about him.

Now that is as a backdrop, let's get into the event where Luke happens by the way, to be the only gospel writer to include this event. The were given during the boyhood of Jesus.

It happens. If you're all that I motivate you probably know, when he was 12 years of age and it's it's loaded with truth about who he is looking verse 41. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover and when he was 12 years old, they went up according to custom know me just stop here for a moment and point out the spiritual devotion of Joseph and Mary that we know from the Old Testament that every male was required to attend three festivals or at least one of the three held in Jerusalem from the time their 13 through their adulthood as a 13-year-old boy. Jesus would have become officially what they call us some novel law or assignment of the commandment, he would've been inducted as a full member into his local synagogue, the mission, which is a collection of of love of laws, oral traditions and commentary. It encouraged fathers to take their sons to Jerusalem a year or two before they turn 13. In order to sort of inspire them by celebrating these festivals in Jerusalem. By the time Jesus was born. However, any Jewish male living more than 15 miles away from Jerusalem wasn't required to attend the festivals in Jerusalem.

It would be a lengthy and costly journey they could celebrate Passover back in their own home village of Nazareth is 65 miles away from Jerusalem. So in a sense, Joseph has a free pass.

He doesn't have to go in enough to take two weeks off from work. But notice here, there, determined to go to Jerusalem.

Verse 42 says this was their custom. They go every year all the way to Jerusalem. One more thing to add here women were not required to go at all. In fact, in this culture, they would typically remain behind to care for the household. More than likely to care for other children. So for a woman to go along. This reveals her own devotion her own commitment around determination to take this tremendous effort in organizing the homestead and there absence to make preparations for the.

The entire family to take up difficult and even a dangerous journey through unfriendly territory known for highway robbers. This was why they typically traveled in in caravans so when you read here in verse 41. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year. That's a mouthful stone is a lot about Mary and Joseph. They're not going just because Jesus is going to turn 13, and you know this to be a great year to go along and take them with as though there is this poor peasant couple was deeply devoted to God and thankful for his redemption and they want to be right in the middle of this grand celebration taking place in in Jerusalem that when they got to Jerusalem, like the sort of set the scene for your phone when historians of Toles, the streets would have been packed. Historians tell us the nearly 1 million people by the first century were cramming into Jerusalem to celebrate the high moment that would be Passover streets and alleys would be aligned with merchants selling their supplies their wares.

The most intense activity would've been at the sheep stalls where the pilgrims are bartering for. She to sacrifice at the Temple historians record for us that by this time, more than 200,000 sheep are being herded into Jerusalem for Passover, they would be guided by shepherds on the Temple payroll. These were sheep destined for this annual sacrifice and they arrived from all around the region, including the fields of Bethlehem that only makes me wonder if some of these shepherds driving sheep in the Jerusalem were the same one was 12 years earlier. The angel and announced the Savior. Each family would choose a lamb offer the priesthood take its live splatter some of its blood in the base of the altar give it back to the family they would roasted and then eat it together as a family. That evening, remembering their deliverance from Egypt centuries earlier that this was the high point for Israel of celebration and joy. Delegate verse 43 when the feast was ended as they were returning the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it but supposed him to be in the minivan well caravan group same same idea that not typically the women and children traveled in the front of the caravan and the men brought up the rear.

Luke tells us in verse 44 that they traveled one day before realizing Jesus wasn't among them. In other words, when they stopped to make camp. Joseph thought Mary, I Jesus had Mary thought Joseph had Jesus and they realize neither one of and I Jesus so verse 44 implies the racing around the caravan hollering for none of his relatives or friends at scene. Amen they finally realize what you've left him back in Jerusalem. This is terribly encouraging, by the way, never let your child somewhere. You know you know from church of the maulers school in your one kid short and the decision any kid here so just imagine you got this hubbub.

You have a million people packed in around here yet this large caravan now heading. This is understandable, but were laughing that we know the end of the story was about to give it. This is terrifying for them. Verse 46 says. After three days they found in the temple, sitting among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding his answers. According to Jewish custom during Passover, leading teachers, even members of the Sanhedrin Israel supreme court would come out into the public into the Temple and mill around sit around with the people all of this was their annual opportunity to ask questions and this is an opportunity to get direction would be welcomed by Israel and and and look says here notice that Jesus is sitting among them, giving his own insights, asking his own questions and were told here. They are amazed at his understanding and answers were amazed. Woodley translated means to be removed from oneself.

We would say they were out of their minds, their minds were completely blown away by his insight there stunned by this 12-year-old kid who had a grasp on Scripture like they have never seen before and into the scene. Here they are in the temple see that Jesus is seated around them in our Supreme Court justices, and in this scene comes Mary and Joseph after traveling one day out. They travel another day back and in the third day is what this means they find him surrounded by these leading men were sitting here with Jesus and you never mind all that. I love this marries a typical mother look in the middle part of verse 48 and his mother said to them, son. Why have you treated us so a whole lot your father and I've been searching for you and great distress. He just Jesus got away's right in the middle of these vendors know you know excuse me, Your Honor.

I'm sorry your Eminence is Jesus.

One of the world are you thinking you will put your father and I through terrible language I am or how you put the Messiah in timeout, but she was headed there sexually assigns them sinful actions which is typical, he's not doing things sinful.

She assumes he's disrespectful but what you did to us to good reminder by the way it is.

Parents not to discipline our children for being children.

Jesus is fully God fully human. He's growing in his awareness of his divinity, by virtue of the Holy Spirit. It is a mystery to our mind, the spirit is been guiding him, protecting him from sin. Watching him, Jesus is still 12 years old. He is will will think about. Is it possible to be naïve and sinless is it.

Is it possible to be immature and sinless. Is it possible to do something dangerous. I think I can jump from here to there.

That sin, it's an immature young boy he sees. Frankly, I thought about that. He is like a kid who got left behind at the state fair and that's fine with him. I mean he gets to do whatever he wants to do and that's where it gets interesting because for him it wasn't you know more rides, cotton candy, look at what he wants to do. By the way, in the 39 volumes of the Old Testament God is only referred to his father 14 times and rather impersonally in reference to the nation, God is referred to in the Old Testament is Abraham's father, but Abraham never spoke that way, but from this moment on here, Jesus will nearly always address God as his father and he will use this expression more than 60 time nobody talk like this and this is where the religions of the world. By the way, stumble over the deity.

The person of Christ was source take a few minutes and do this I want to deal I think this is the preventative when you hear the terms father and son you think of biology you think of a biological relationship of father having or begetting children on the father of four children died begat them which means I existed before they did right.

I was here first I was around here before you were on.

I reminded them of that. Periodically, so if God is the father and Jesus is the son that means God the father was here first before God the son, you read a verse by Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 or verse 17 that says Jesus was before all things, and existed prior to creation.

But Jesus came into existence. 2000 years ago when he was born and he he did not exist prior to creation. While a big part of the problem is that we don't understand this terminology of father and and son so follow me here in the New Testament there are many times where son does not refer to biology but priority it refers to nature or personality or essence and on your mind. If you're erasing okay.

Where might that be, well, Barnabas was called the son of what encouragement that doesn't mean his father was encouragement. It meant that was his disposition. His personality acts 436 James and John were called the sons of thunder. That's because they were bombastic in their personality and they were given the nickname Mark chapter 3 verse 17 Jesus described unbelievers as sons of hell. The apostle Paul called unbelievers sons of disobedience. Ephesians 22. Luke will call believers sons of light. The term son does not necessarily refer to origin or chronology. But to essence and nature.

So as the son of God, that expression means he is of the same essence and of the nature of God the father and let me tell you, beloved, the Jewish leaders understood this concept they got it they knew it back when they demanded later on, that Pilate crucify him.

And Pilate wanted to know why will they knew what he was claiming that their response to Pilate in John 19 verse seven is this, according to the law. He, Jesus ought to die because he made himself out to be the son of God. He was claiming to be equal in essence with God. That's blasphemy.

They knew that Jesus was claiming fully quality with God think that God Paul would tell the Philippians in chapter 2 that Jesus didn't grasp. He didn't hang onto be quality.

The father willing to humbly set that divine prerogative aside and become a man another two passages that the world of religions like to use. Maybe they have brought this up to you before. In this regard, to cause doubt someone will address them very quickly. The first text is John 316. You know that one by heart. You might turn there. Write out a word into the margin hereby will be added for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. I was many begat him. He was here before Jesus was so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. If Jesus was begotten, it it seems to imply that the father existed before the sun and that the father biologically produced Jesus that's Mormonism. By the way, the Elohim, God the father had a sexual relationship with Mary, and begat Jesus that's how he he got his physical form.

By the way, makes God the father in adulterer because she was betrothed to Joseph, but that's another another sermon determined begotten monotonous means one-of-a-kind.

It means unique. It means the only one like him. God sent the only one like Jesus to die so that those who believe them on a person would have everlasting life with giving another verse most often used by religions calls to deny the Jesus is eternally preexistent equally. But that's the text in Colossians 1, you might turn there. Colossians 1 verse 15 is one of the favorite texts brought up says that Jesus is the first born of all creation, the firstborn of all creation. That means he had a beginning and was sometime before the rest of creation will firstborn is not necessarily referring to biology or chronology that the original word translated firstborn frittata costs literally refers to first place.

Proto-first place and we use it as an expression to mean supremacy or preeminence so you can write that word in the margin.

That's what it means he is the preeminent one over all that is creation effect in in in the Old Testament Israel wasn't the first nation on the planet. And yet God calls them and exit the chapter 4 verse 22 his firstborn son or the firstborn nation. King David is called the firstborn son of Jesse, even though we know he's the last born the same expression to mean that David is the preeminent son of Jesse, that Israel is the preeminent nation, especially called, chosen nation to my right in the margin.

Your Bible Colossians 115. The word preeminent Jesus wasn't the first created creature back. All you have to do is keep reading in Colossians 1. The next verse he is the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth. All things were created through him and for him.

This means Jesus is over all of creation with the divine right to rule over all of creation because he actually created everything to take that back to Genesis chapter 1 over told God said, let there be lights. We now know because of Colossians that it was actually God the son doing the speaking.

He is the word he was the one saying on behalf of the triune God, let there be light. He spoke it into existence are now back here in Luke chapter 2 we know how much God the spirit revealed to the young hearts and mind of of this 12-year-old lad, but he now knew that he was eternally God the son related to God as father, born through Mary in time to die and I love verse 51 it's actually surprising verse and he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them.

I would expected to read this way and he went down with them and came to Nazareth and they were submissive to him. No, for the next 18 years we don't even have a whisper of what happened other than the fact that Jesus will submit to them as an obedient son kind, honest sure, growing more and more in his understanding of this nature, and his work and his his life's mission. There's 18 years between that verse and the first verse of chapter 3, where he is introduced to this is the uniqueness of biblical Christianity to the rest of the world religions is more than a compassionate, nonviolent, enlightened, wise, revered teacher profit leader Theophilus I want you to have certainty concerning the identity of Jesus, who is Jesus that that's that's still the question when the matters so you answer that question is Jesus you thanks for joining us today as we've explored the reality that Jesus Christ is God incarnate. This is wisdom for the heart are Bible teacher is Stephen Devi and he's in a series from Luke one through three, called good news of great joy.

We post each and every message to our website so you can always get caught up. Our website is wisdom online.org. Stephen has been faithfully teaching God's word for 35 years. The archive of all those messages are posted to the website and you can listen on demand to any of them.

In addition, you can read the printed manuscript for each message that allows you to either follow along as you listen or use it as a resource for teaching a class or Bible study. All of this is available in our archives@wisdomonline.org. It's such a joy for us to hear from you, and learn how God uses the teaching of his word to encourage you in your faith. If you have a story to share about what God is doing in your life. We'd love to hear and write to us at wisdom for the heart PO Box 37297, Raleigh, NC 27627. Thanks again for joining us today. Stephen will continue through this series.

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