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Infinite Never-ending Trinity Everlasting Lord Excellent Christ Savior

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Attention

Luke 2: “47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”  [1]

I.   Astonished

     A. Awareness

     B. Answers

II. Amazed

     A. father

     B. Frightened

III. About

     A. Father

     B. Following


Introduction:  As we are now in the season of advent, we see the trees all decorated with lights and stars and all sorts of things that make us understand that it is Christmas season.  Advent means that it is the beginning of something that is about to arrive.  As we get closer and closer to the day, more and more things are taking our attention, which for a large part are taking our attention away from the real advent.  The arrival of our Lord is the greatest event or advent in all of humanity.  How did we get so far away from the true celebration and meaning of Christmas?  What will He say about this when we see Him at His judgement seat?

Today we will concentrate on something that is obscure in the scriptures.  Much is written concerning His coming as a child king.  His three and a half year ministry is inexhaustibly written about.  There will never be enough words to say all that He did during those years.  John’s gospel more concentrates on the last week of the life of Jesus prior to His resurrection.  Very little is found in the Bible about the formative years of Jesus as a youngster.

Can you imagine anyone losing Jesus?  Several years ago we were in Disney World with our four little girls.  People were milling about and the crowd was amazed at all there was to see.  Everybody was looking at whatever they wanted to concentrate on.  A woman came through the crowd shrieking at the top of her lungs, “Where is my baby?”  When that woman sounded out, the crowd all turned their attention to that lady with the lost child and I’m sure we all were thinking the same thing?  What if that was me?  What would I do if I lost my child in this mob?

I looked at my kids.  Rachael and I locked our eyes on our children.  Everybody forgot about Disney World.  We all felt that mother’s anguish.

Scripture:  The scripture is Luke 2:47 - 49.  When you have found it please rise to your feet for the reading of God’s written word.

Prayer: Please be seated

Message:  At this time of year, we read and hear from this second chapter of Luke’s account of the gospel of the attention that was given to this spectacular event in history.  His story!  Verses one through twenty-four finds the infant Jesus delivered and taking refuge in a place where animals take refuge.  Shepherds were brought to attention by an angel who informed them of the birth and then the shepherds saw a host of heavenly creatures saying Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Those shepherds left their flocks, went to Jesus, and then proclaimed the good news.  The Gospel!  Those shepherds turned their attention from keeping their flocks to the greatest advent.  Jesus had come to earth.  Mary kept all this hidden in her heart because she knew more.  She had been schooled in what her Child would go through from the ancient prophecies.  Much attention had been given to this, Mary’s most precious child.

In the verses starting at twenty-five we read of this elderly man, Simeon, who had been given the gift of long life waiting to hold Jesus before Simeon died.  Simeon picked Jesus up and held Him and blessed God.

Verses thirty-nine and forty simply say, “39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.” [2]

Jesus was small enough for that aging man Simeon to pick Him up.  What happened to the other eight or nine years before he was twelve?  In verse forty-two it says Jesus is twelve years old!  Verse forty-one simply begins with the word “Now.”

So that’s the stage that is set.  Jesus is in the temple in Jerusalem by Himself because His family somehow forgot Him!  Notice there in verse forty-four, it sounds like they went about a day before they realized Jesus was not with them.

When they went back and found Jesus in the middle of that bunch of folks listening, it says the crowd was astonished at Jesus’ understanding or awareness of all things.  He had the answers to whatever questions those people had.

I am frankly astonished that His family lost Jesus, but really I am not surprised.  Frankly it’s astonishing that after 2019 years most people have not found him yet!  How can anyone look at this world, read the Bible, and not be aware?  Those with Jesus that day were very much aware of that very special twelve year old King.

When Mary and Joseph and the others in Jesus’ family saw him, then they were amazed.  I can only imagine that they were.

Many years ago we were up visiting my sister Jane and her family in Maryland.  The women and kids went down to West Virginia to a big shopping mall.  Jamie started running through the mall and Rachael couldn’t catch her.  Have y’all with more than one kid ever gotten confused with their names?  My dad used to call us five the same two names.  Jack and I were both boy.  Carol, Janice and Jane were all girl.  Anyway back to the mall, Rachael starting hollering STOP but somehow she couldn’t say Jamie.  She called stop about three times and then she screamed SNOOPY STOP!  Snoopy was our beagle hound.  He wasn’t there but that’s apparently the only name Rachael could come up with at the time.

Notice there in verse forty eight of the KJV, Mary said that she and Jesus’ father (lower case “f”) searched everywhere and were frantic.  I’m paraphrasing.  I’m sure that they thought the worst.  How could anyone lose their Son?  How could anyone who knows Jesus misplace Him?  How in this world?

The translator was careful there to refer to Joseph as father with a lower case “f”.  Mary and Joseph were frightened and probably were nearly in shock after at least a full day and probably more.  Jesus was sitting there pretty much unconcerned that anyone might worry about Him.

We parents go through a lot of stuff.  When we are children we wonder why anybody might get upset when we’re not where they think we should be at the time they think we’re supposed to be.  We go through adolescence into adulthood and continue to be aggravated when our parents act worried.  Mom’s especially worry.  Dads get aggravated.  Mommas generally cry a lot.  Dads get aggravated.  Did I already say that?

Some of us look back after we’re grown and finally begin to understand what our parents went through.  For me; it wasn’t until after I lost my parents that I finally truly understood some of the things that I put them through.  I pray that everybody has a mom and dad who care where they are in life.  Not all do and that is a shame. 

Jesus is God!  He got to do something that none of us can do.  He chose His mother.  It seems here that even Jesus didn’t get it at twelve years old that Mary might be concerned when she misplaced Him.  Maybe the lesson is that we parents should not be so critical to lash out when our young ones don’t quite get it yet.

What comes next is something that I find some humor with.  It seems that Jesus was still unconcerned when they found Him after all that time.  “How is it that ye sought me?” [3]  Mary and Joseph must have been very patient parents.  If that had been me with my parents, I’d have probably had a hard time sitting down after a remark like that.  I expect Daddy would have explained really hard how come he was looking for me.  Momma would have watched on and probably thrown “I told you so” in there a few times.

But there is Jesus using few profound words to bring back to Mary and Joseph the truth of what He was about.  He was not about being a disobedient child.  He was all about whatever His Father, with a capital “F” had for Him to do.

It was not Jesus’ purpose to follow others and for that reason He often was found alone by Himself.  It is and always has been about His creation following our Creator.

Prayer: 

Invitation:  Are you confused about what this season is about?  Many are.  Most people are.  They don’t realize that it is Jesus who has all the answers to their questions.  They see signs posted around about peace, joy, but they have no idea where to find what they say they seek.

If you are truly a Christian, a little Christ, then you know where to find Him because where He is, that is where you should and can be.  Are you about The Father’s business or are you after what the world says you should be about?

As you leave here today, I pray that you leave here having found that which Mary and Joseph were looking for.  I pray that you find Jesus and take the Gift that He is with you wherever you go.

If you do then you can lay that burden down right here right now.  Don’t be like those in the shopping malls carrying all those packages.  Be like Jesus.  Be about The Father’s business.  Consider and come to Him as we sing…



[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (1995). (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., Lk 2:47–49). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[2] ibid., Lk 2:39–40
[3] ibid., Lk 2:49