"MY FATHER'S BUSINESS"
Luke 2:41-52
March 9, 2003

Lenten Sermon Series
The Seven First Words of Jesus

David W. Hull, Pastor
First Baptist Church
Huntsville, Alabama

A stranger visited a small town and went to the local café. A little boy in the café pulled up beside him and began talking to the stranger. They were chatting about the town when the stranger said to the little boy, "Any famous people ever born here?" "Nope," said the boy, "only tiny babies!"

Even the most famous people start out as tiny babies before they grow into prominence. The same was true with Jesus. The Christmas story reminds us that God did not drop a fully-grown Savior into the world to perform instant miracles and wonders. Instead, he sent his Son as a tiny baby to grow like the rest of us. Today, I want us to think about what it means to grow.

How do you measure growth? I know how we did it at our house. As our children grew older, we made marks on the doorway that led into the kitchen. Little marks and dates allowed us to track the progress of the children. So what do you do when you move away from this house to come to Huntsville? My wife had the brilliant idea of taking apart the door frame and bringing the marked piece of wood with us. At first I thought that sounded crazy, but the more I thought about it I realized the importance of keeping this family measuring stick. Now the growth marks can find their way into our new home. Perhaps you had someone mark your growth in a similar way.

The Gospel of Luke provides growth marks for Jesus. You can almost imagine that these marks were made on the walls of the temple in Jerusalem. Luke tells that Jesus visited the temple on three occasions. The first visit to the temple is recorded in Luke 2:21-39. Jesus was a tiny baby who was being brought to the temple as an act of dedication before God. The next time we see Jesus in the temple he is twelve years old. Obvious growth and change has occurred in his life as he returns to the temple in this story that is described in the text. His family visit for the celebration of Passover was a pivotal mark of growth in Jesus' life. The final visit to the temple occurs during the last week of our Lord's earthly ministry. Beginning in Luke 19:45 we read about Jesus cleansing the temple and teaching in such a way that the scribes and Chief Priests were threatened by him but the crowds who heard him hung upon every word that he said. These visits to the temple clearly demonstrate how Jesus grew from the tiny baby to the man who provided a whole new meaning for the temple itself. How did he grow from being such a small infant into a man of tremendous power and influence? The clues for understanding the growth of Jesus can be found during his second trip to the temple. At age twelve he demonstrated certain qualities that allowed him to grow to the point of transforming the temple in later life.

I read somewhere that "change is a given, but growth is a choice." There is great wisdom to these words. None of us can stop change from happening in our own lives, or in the world itself. It is a given. However, we can make choices which will enable us to grow through the changes. Jesus made some clear choices early in his life which allowed him to grow. This morning we will examine some of these choices and consider ways that they will help us to grow.

Look how the story begins. In verse 41 we read, "Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival." The event in the Jerusalem temple was a result of the tradition that nurtured the life of Jesus. Born into a Jewish family, he was steeped in the traditions of his people and his faith. His parents had the custom of going to Jerusalem every year for the celebration of Passover. This holy celebration had been a part of Jewish life for hundreds of years as they remembered how God had set the Hebrews free from bondage in Egypt. Throughout his ministry Jesus affirmed the traditions of his youth. He often quoted from the Old Testament that he would have learned as a boy. He observed the Jewish holy days and insisted that his ministry was first to his own people who shared his tradition. Jesus was able to affirm the best out of the past.

At the same time, our Lord was not afraid of innovation. This trip to Jerusalem was steeped in tradition but it also provided an opportunity for him to try something new. Rather than maintaining the regular schedule of the Passover journey, Jesus chose to stay in Jerusalem in order to learn more from the teachers in the temple. For the young boy, Passover was not only an exciting trip to the big city, it was a chance to learn and grow and experience new ideas. Jesus' trip to Jerusalem was a result of the time-honored tradition of Passover. His visit to the temple was clearly an innovation of an eager young mind who wanted to do something different.

Throughout his ministry, Jesus continued this blend of tradition and innovation. One example is found on the last night of his earthly ministry. He gathered his followers in an upper room to celebrate Passover. Once again he was affirming the great Jewish tradition. However, as he broke the bread and poured from the cup he gave new meaning to these age-old symbols. The old became new as he symbolized how his death on the cross would set us all free from the bondage of sin. Jesus was able to have that perfect blend of tradition and innovation which allowed him to grow throughout his ministry.

We can learn from our Lord at this point. We stunt our growth when we forget the traditions of our past. Sometimes we grow ashamed of our families, our church background, the culture which nurtured us, and in the name of freedom and independence, we sever ties with the past. While we may think that this new adventure in freedom turns us loose to grow, we have actually hampered our growth by truncating our own roots.

On the other hand, we stunt growth when we hold too tightly to the past. Many of us live in yesterday rather than experiencing the bright hope of tomorrow. The failures of the past, or the grief, or the guilt, or even the joys of yesterday are magnified at the expense of growth in the present. This is something like the story of a newlywed couple and one of their experiences in the kitchen. The new wife was cooking her first ham for her husband. He noticed that she cut off both ends of the ham and threw them away before she cooked the meat. He was confused by this waste of good meat and so he asked her why she performed this operation before cooking. She admitted that she did not really know, but was simply cooking as she had seen her mother do. The young man later carefully asked his mother-in-law about her technique for cooking ham. She also did not know why she cut the ham at both ends, but attributed it to the way her mother had always cooked ham. Finally, the new groom reached the source and asked the grandmother why she cut both ends of the ham before she cooked it. Her reply, "Because I did not have a pan big enough!"

There are times when we must learn from our parents and others who make up the rich tradition of our past. However, there are other times when we must buy a new pan! We grow when we have the proper blend between affirming what is old and accepting what is new. Jesus offered this perfect blend in his life and ministry and we would do well to follow his example.

II.

Jesus chose a perfect blend of questions and answers. Notice something that is very interesting in Luke's description of the conversation in the temple. Verse 46 tells us that Jesus was "sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions." Here you see a picture of a young student learning by asking questions of the experienced teacher. Then in the next sentence we also hear these words, "And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers." Do you see what we are told about this conversation? Jesus asked questions but he also provided answers. He listened intently after asking questions, but then we are told that his teachers were amazed at the answers he was able to give. Questions are extremely important for learning and growing. A child explores the world by asking questions. In addition, answers are also important as a means for finding some anchors of stability and foundations upon which to stand. Jesus provided the perfect blend of an inquisitive mind that asks questions and a committed mind which affirmed answers.

Some people seem to thrive on questions. Their whole existence is wrapped up in asking questions about life, faith, family, or work. They are constantly in search of themselves as they explore question after question. While questions are certainly a good way to grow, a person who is always looking for himself or herself without ever finding answers which can be affirmed will simply wander through life without significant growth. I once saw a humorous sign that said:

"I have gone to look for myself.
If I should come back while I am gone,
Please hold me here until I return."

A person who can only ask questions without ever finding answers reminds me of someone who is always lost and searching for meaning. This kind of wandering will seldom lead to significant growth.

On the other extreme is the person who has all of the answers. Maybe you know someone like this. You might have the special privilege of living with someone who knows all the answers. That sure is fun, isn't it? When someone knows all of the answers growth and learning are extremely difficult. The mind is closed and the heart is hardened to any new ideas or approaches.

The key to growth is a blend of questions and answers. Jesus set the course for his ministry early in life as he demonstrated this healthy combination during his conversation in the temple. The same can happen for you. I would hope that you could always bring your questions about faith and life and struggles to church. Our community of faith should be the kind of family where we are not afraid of asking questions. Jesus certainly questioned and listened to teachers in the temple. But church should also be a place where we affirm certain answers. This means that we are able to make decisions about our values, our hopes, our vision, our mission as individuals and as a church. Not only did Jesus raise questions, but he offered answers. A growing person, family, and church should have that proper blend in life.

A good example of this in the New Testament comes from the father who brought his convulsing son to Jesus to be healed (Mark 9:14-29). The disciples had been unable to heal the boy so the father blurted out when he was finally able to confront Jesus, "I believe, help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24) With these words he was saying, "I have both answers and questions. I do believe, and this belief is a demonstration of my faith. But I also have questions and need help with my unbelief." As he brought these words to Jesus not only was his son healed by the Miracle Worker, but I am sure that the father grew through the experience. My hope and prayer is that the right combination of questions and answers in my own life and in your life will help us to grow in the image of Christ.

III.

Jesus chose the perfect blend of family and faith. With his first words we realize a tension in the life of Jesus that we face at one point or another. His parents finally found him and approached him with a great sense of frustration. You can just see how steam was coming out of Mary's ears when she rebuked her son by saying, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." (Luke 2:48) What parent has not sensed that kind of exasperation with a child who has stepped out of line? Jesus responded by telling his mother that she should not be surprised to find him in his "Father's house." The King James Version says that he was about his "Father's business." Then we are told that Jesus went with Mary and Joseph home to Nazareth and "was obedient to them" (Vs 51).

With this exchange between parent and child, Jesus teaches us something about the relationship of family and faith. Through his obedience to his parents, he teaches us of the importance of family relationships. We need to remember that Jesus did obey his parents and went back with them to Nazareth. However, he understood that there are times when we are called to have obedience to God which will transcend our obligations to the human family. While he left with his mother and father, he made it clear that there were times when his "Father's business" took precedence over the claims of family. This was fully seen at the end of Jesus' life. His family had encouraged him to leave his ministry and return home with them, but he refused. Jesus' final obedience was to carry out his Father's business through his death on the cross. Some of the first steps by Jesus on his way to the cross were taken in the temple when he as twelve.

Finding the right blend between family and faith can be very difficult. Sometimes we are too quick to meet the needs of our families at the expense of our commitment to God. Temptations arise on many weekends that force us to make decisions. On the other hand, a rigid approach to forcing religion on our families can turn them off to the Good News of Christ. Jesus found that perfect blend of honoring family business and his "Father's business."

IV.

By now you may be asking, "How can I find this perfect blend for growth in my own life?" I can see how Jesus was able to strike just the right combination of old and new, questions and answers, obedience to God and obedience to family. But, after all, wasn't he the Son of God? How am I to do this in my own life?

The only way that you can achieve the perfect blend in your own life is to blend your heart with God. Jesus explained this to us in John 15:5 when he said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." As you let Jesus abide as Lord of your heart and blend his will with yours, and understand his way and life, Christ will become the leader to help you to grow. Just as the vine and the branches are connected to produce fruit, so you will produce the fruit of growth when you blend your life together with your Lord. Don't try to make these growth choices on your own! Jesus said, "For apart from me you can do nothing." Growing is certainly not easy, so please let Jesus help guide you along the way.

Remember, change is a given, but growth is a choice. The choice to follow Christ will begin you on a journey of growth. Let your Lord help you in blending all of the elements necessary to grow. But that must begin with your decision to allow Christ to abide with you as you blend your life together with his. Will you join your life together with Christ? Will you choose to grow? It is your choice.