In My Father’s House
Luke 2:41–52
Now [Jesus’] 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.
Prayer
I pray Thee, dear Lord Jesus, my heart to keep and train.
That I Thy holy temple from youth to age remain.
Turn Thou my thoughts forever from worldly wisdom’s lore;
If I but learn to know Thee, I shall not want for more. Amen.
Dear Fellow Redeemed,
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Besides the typical greetings we receive on a day-to-day basis, this must be up there with the most asked question in our early years. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s interesting to think about what this question subtly, or maybe overtly, teaches—your future job will be your future identity.
As parents and grandparents, uncles and aunts, we think about what our children, grandchildren, or nieces and nephews will do when they grow up. We want our children or family members to be happy when they grow up. Many parents I talk to say, “I just want them to be happy” or something along those lines.
In our culture, to be happy means to have a good job, be good at sports, or to be well educated. Of course, none of these things are bad in and of themselves. In fact, all of these are blessings from God. But the question is—is that the most important thing you want for your life or the life of your children? American Christians have drunk the Kool-Aid of our times. From an early age we have been teaching our children that their future job is the most important thing. Should we wonder why so many have left the church when God-fearing parents value what our ungodly culture values rather than what God values?
Our lesson for this morning is the only event recorded during our Lord’s childhood. The Holy Spirit considered this sole account to be significant for our learning. We will not hear about Jesus for another eighteen years. Our lesson sheds some light onto the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up” and how we might want to answer or even rephrase the question.
The lesson begins by telling us that Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were headed to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. It was about ninety miles from Nazareth to Jerusalem, but without modern transportation, this was a long journey. The Jews would travel in caravans, with many neighbors and relatives, as we see in our lesson.
The Passover Feast was one of the three pilgrimages that God commanded the Jews to observe yearly in Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph followed this command and dutifully raised Jesus bringing him along to observe the Passover feast. During the Passover Feast the Israelites recalled how God had delivered them from the Egyptians that first Passover. God’s deliverance from the Egyptians foreshadowed God’s greater deliverance for all people from our enemies: sin, death, and the devil.
The Passover, along with the other pilgrimage feasts, taught God’s people about who God is and what he has done. Not only did the Lord have Moses instruct the people to daily teach their children about God’s Word, talking to them “when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:7), but he also instituted these special feasts as extended time of worship, prayer, and sacrifice. Through these means, parents were raising the next generation to learn about the One True God. So, Jesus’s parents brought him, the Son of God, to Jerusalem and his Father’s house.
On their return journey to Nazareth, Mary and Joseph couldn’t find Jesus. They naturally thought that he would be among his relatives, but when they didn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem. Can you imagine this? Mary and Joseph hadn’t seen Jesus for three whole days! Finally, after searching amongst friends and throughout Jerusalem, they found Jesus in the Temple.
She chides her divine Son, “Son, why have You treated us so? Behold, Your father and I have been searching for You in great distress.” Notice how Mary referred to Joseph as “your father.” In response, Jesus referred to God the Father as “my father.” Jesus was explaining to his mother that he was obeying the will of his divine Father. “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?” They didn’t understand. Jesus placed his obedience to God the Father first and foremost by obeying the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods.” Yet, by obeying God and studying His Word, Jesus was honoring his parents and keeping the fourth commandment.
This lesson reveals to us that Jesus was no ordinary boy from Nazareth. Jesus understood his mission and purpose. Jesus is true God and true man, but in his humiliation, he did not make full use of all his divine powers. He grew, studied, and learned like any other 12-year-old boy, except without sin. He was to be in his Father’s house. Why? Jesus was fulfilling for us our faithful duty to God the Father. He placed love for God’s Word, his promises, his truth, above everything else in this world. This is why all Christians hold on to Jesus. Where we have failed to do this, Jesus did it perfectly for you. He kept God’s Law for you so that he could serve as our perfect sacrifice—holy and pleasing to God. For his sake, death and judgement pass over us that we might live under God’s grace.
There is much to learn from our lesson this morning. One of the central teachings we see is that God finds it important for us to be in his house. If Jesus, the perfect and holy Son of God needed to be there, how much more so should we, who are sinful and in need of mercy! God wants us to be in church because that is where we find Jesus. Mary and Joseph searched everywhere—amongst relatives, friends, and throughout Jerusalem without success. They only found Jesus in the Temple—in God’s house. The same is true for us. We find Jesus in our Father’s house. We hear him speak to us through the Word of Scripture. We hear his voice of absolution and forgiveness through the pastor. We receive the forgiveness of our sin in the Lord’s Supper. We come to church because that is where we find Jesus.
We also learn about the vocation of father and mother. God has given the great privilege of raising children in the faith to parents. The ones who care for the child’s health and well-being, who discipline and love them, are the ones who are to teach the little lambs about their Good Shepherd and Savior. Yet, a parent can easily forget that this is their most important duty. Consider the fact that Mary, who had received a message from an angel, Simeon, and Anna about her Son, forgot, that Jesus needed to be in his Father’s house. If Mary forgot, it’s no surprise that we do as well.
We live in a culture and society that has absolutely forgotten the roles of father and mother. Parents are led into thinking that to be the greatest influence on their children they need to be their friends. The world says it is unloving to force or encourage children to do things they don’t want to do.
There are over 8 billion people in this world. There are 8 billion people with whom your child could befriend. However, God has only given your child two parents. Christian parents cannot forget that their primary duty is to bring their child to the house of their heavenly Father that they may find Jesus.
What do you want to be when you grow up? What do you want your child to be when he grows up? You want your child to be a Christian. You want them to know that there is more to this life than physical things. There is more to life than the here and now. We want them to realize that in this world of constant comparison and competition, the only thing that matters is how God sees us—and by our baptism—he sees us as his own beloved children.
For those who are parents of grown children, your job is not over. Once a parent, always a parent. Jacob continued to influence his children well into his old age. We should encourage our children to attend church, speak with them about the Gospel, and pray for them.
Maybe you don’t have children, but Christians without children have important roles too. By your attendance at church and Bible studies you are setting an example to others, especially the young, about the importance of God’s Word. By your contributions you are supporting the church so that it can share the message of the Gospel following Jesus instruction, to “feed my lambs.”
Some of you are parents, some of you aren’t, but some of you will be parents. As you think about your future, about a spouse, children, and where you will live, think about what God wants. He cares about who you marry. We should be thoughtful about the traits we look for—chief among them being that they trust in Jesus as their Savior and desire to raise children in the Christian faith. We should be thoughtful about desiring to live in an area where we can attend a faithful Confessional Lutheran Church—so that we and our children can be taught and nourished by the Word of God.
When the topic of Christian parenting comes up, there can be a lot of remorse and guilt—over failed or missed opportunities. If we were to consider Jesus just to be an example, then yes, we would have little hope. But Jesus is not just an example, he is our Savior from sin, failed opportunities, and our own blunders. No parent or child has lived up to their vocation, which is why we need Jesus. It will never hurt your children, family, or neighbors, to see you going to Jesus for the same forgiveness you encourage them to receive. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (I Timothy 1:15).
Our Lord Jesus lived a perfect life in our place from the manger to the cross. For the times we overreacted, got angry, and frustrated, Jesus remained steadfast and faithful for you. For the times we failed to lead by example or share the Gospel with those around us, Jesus obeyed God’s will and spoke the truth in love. In Jesus, we find a friend, a brother, and a Savior from sin. In Jesus, our sins are washed away. In Jesus, we are made pure and holy. In Jesus, we are made beloved children of God. In Jesus, we find rest.
We cannot save ourselves just as much as we cannot save our children. We can’t, but God can. He does it through his Word—“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17) We can’t strengthen ourselves, but God can. “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). This is why we go to church to hear the Word and receive the Sacrament for it is through these means that God forgives us and strengthens us in the faith. He also does this through our daily Bible readings, family devotions, and prayer. God gives us what we otherwise could not win ourselves—the forgiveness of sins and encouragement for our daily lives.
How should we answer the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” For ourselves and our children we should confidently answer: I want to be Christian. I want what Christ alone has to offer—the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life in heaven. With this, I will be content. My prayer is not just worldly achievements or success, but that I hear the word of God and keep it. Yet, considering our lesson, maybe we could rephrase the question. Instead of asking, “What do you want to be…” we should ask, “Where do you want to be when you grow up?” The answer is found in our lesson, “In My Father’s house.” Because that is where we find Jesus. And with Jesus there is hope, forgiveness, and eternal salvation.
Jesus loves me! See His grace!
On the cross He took my place.
There He suffered and He died,
That I might be glorified.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so. Amen!