Luke 2:41-45

Luke chapter 2 and verses 41 to 45. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was 12 years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind. in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother knew it not. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey. And they sought him among their kinfolks and acquaintance. And when they found him not, he turned back to Jerusalem, seeking him. God bless to us his sacred and holy holy. word this morning. Recently I had a front walk poured. It was break the concrete was breaking up and I had to have the landing of the walk report. And pouring concrete is difficult work. And when it’s poured, it has to be shaped and they have to work on it for quite a while. They have to get it shaped because once the cement sets, you can’t shape it more. You got to break it all up with a jackhammer and start all over again. Raising children is like pouring concrete. You only have so much time to shape their lives before they’re set in their ways. And sometimes, you know, if you want to affect change, you have to get it in because it comes much more difficult as they grow older. In our text, you learn something here. of the way in which Christ was raised by his parents. And while Christ was special, he is the sinless son of God. He does not have a fallen nature like you and I have. Still, it behooves us the way carefully, I think, the things that are related to his childhood. And God has seen fit out of the many things he could have told us about his childhood to relate this particular incident. concerning Christ and the Passover feast. It must be important, and it took place when he was 12 years of age. Let’s study it with interest that we might learn something and benefit from it as we consider it. We see Christ here attending the Passover feast in verses 41 and 42. Now, as parents went to Jerusalem. every year at the Feast of the Passover, and when he was 12 years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. Let me draw a thought here from this. If you love the Lord, you will regularly attend the worship services of the church. Every year we see them going up. It was the country. constant practice of Joseph and Mary to attend the Passover feast each year. Though the law only required the male Israelites to attend a three major feast each year, devout women and family members often went up to the feast as well. Remember Alcana in the book of Samuel, had two wives, Hannah, Hannah, and family members, and Penina. And they all went up to the feast as well as Panina’s children, which she had several of them, her sons and daughters. So they all attended the feast. Christ’s parents, you notice it’s in the plural here, did so every year. They were dedicated to worshiping the Lord according to what the scripture says. Public worship services must not be. neglected by those who profess to be God’s children. The scripture tells us in the New Testament, we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. Why is church attendance taken so lightly today? Why is it blown off as something indifferent? as if we could participate at our own whim when God commands us to worship him and to gather together for worship. Can you worship God alone and forsake the public worship altogether? I’ve actually run into people who claimed to be believers, but seem to think in this manner. They think they can forsake the public worship altogether. public worship as unnecessary and still maintain a right relationship with the Lord. I remind you of the teaching of Psalm 87 and verse 2, where we read, The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Judah. Now, what does that verse mean? Well, it’s true. that God loves the genuine Israelites who worship and serve him in their own dwellings. No question about it. No question at all. But he delights in a godly worship of him, a public worship of him, more than the private worship of him, more. dwelling and worship. Yes, the family worship of true believers God is pleased with. But there’s something special about the temple worship, about the gathering together at Zion to worship the Lord God. So when the people of God are gathered together, it supersedes the private worship that they have in their own families and so forth. When the people of God are gathered for public worship, it’s special. It’s special. There’s a union of heart and mind in public worship that takes place. The gathered church provides a public testimony about the truth that it holds. In other words, it’s like a unified statement that we all believe these truths, which we sing and which are proclaimed from. on the pulpit. Christ’s special presence is promised when his people are gathered together. The church is where the ordinance of the Lord’s supper is to take place. When the church is gathered together, I don’t think it’s right to go, let’s say, if somebody’s in a hospital and take communion to them privately, is for the public church. If I had somebody that was stuck at home and couldn’t do it, I’d bring the church to them. If we wanted to work something out like that, that’s the way I would do it. But it seems like you should have a public assembly to have this ordinance in joy. So if public worship is better or more superior than just private worship, why is it that God here and his preferences are not given the priority by Christians today? Why is that? What purpose did God choose the gates of Zion to place his name there? Why did he do that? If he could just be worshipped at home? Why is it that so many people’s thinking is contrary to God’s thinking? Ah, you don’t have to go up to the feast of the, you know, of the Passover. You can just stay at home and worship it, worship at home. No, no, they’re going to be there. see here. If you love the Lord, you will regularly attend the worship services of the church. Notice something else here. You should train your children in the duty of public worship. He was 12 years old here, and he was at the assembly. Now, the scripture doesn’t say that this was the first time that Christ went to the Passover feast. Since Mary’s mother, regular, did so previously, as verse one indicates to us, that would seem to indicate to me that Jesus was taken with her when she went up. So that he was going up with her all this time in the past. However, this incident that’s recorded is when he was 12 years old because something’s going to happen here. He’s going to spend time at the temple. he’s old enough now to ask and answer questions with the teachers, the religious leaders of the Jews. But previously as a devout child, in the company with his godly parents, he went to the feast and he kept his thoughts to himself. However, you can be assured that his thoughts were those of the psalmist. I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. I don’t think there was any question about that. So it should be carefully noted here that God expects children to worship him. In Psalm 148, and we’ve referenced this Psalm, it talks about all creation praising the Lord. It’s a wonderful song. And it talks about the sun and the moon and the stars giving praise to the Lord. about the earth and the animal kingdom and then it talks about all the peoples of the earth just the dragons of the deep and so forth or the cattle or whatever now we’re getting down to the people of the earth and he talks about all the people from the kings the royalty all the way down to the children the young people are mentioned the saints of God in particular according to verse 14 of that chapter are the one worship the Lord. So when we think about worshipping God, we should see here that God’s command from Psalm 148 is even children are to worship God. Children are found in the company of the rest of the worshippers. If they’re royalty, whether they be distinguished people like the judges or they be adults, notice they’re not whisk away to children’s church. It seems like they’re all together in assembly, worshiping the Lord God at the temple. Children are called upon to praise the Lord, according to verse 13 of that song. Unite their voices with the rest of the assembly. As I thought about that, I also thought about Christ’s triumphal entry. Do you remember when he was coming to Jerusalem and the one of the last days, children, along with the multitudes, were Christ’s triumphal entry. You remember when he was coming to Jerusalem in the last days, children, children, out Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord in Matthew 21. Scripture records when the people were shouting this, evidently the children picked up at least the phrase of Hosanna to the son of David. They at least got that much figured out. Because the chief priest and the scribes demanded that Christ stopped the children from crying out these words. And what did Jesus say? Yea, have you never read out of the mouth of babes and sucklings? Thou hast perfected praise. Yeah, they ought to be praising the Lord. He’s not going to hinder their praise. Christ was not ashamed to have children in their own way praising the Lord. Children are in their own way. Children accepted according to whatever. ability they have to praise God. But they all, from the greatest to the least, among the children of men, ought to be praising God. So parents ought to bring their children early to the house of God, and I think it a useless thing. I think it’s important for all parents to get children accustomed to attending the public worship services so that it becomes a habit. Parents need, though, however, to sit. the example. There are those that would be gladly send their children off to church, well, they stay at home. Well, if you don’t make it important in your life, they’re not going to make it important theirs either. So you should train your children in the duty of public worship. Notice something else here. You should attend the worship service despite the inconvenience and the difficulty. We read here they went up to Jerusalem. They had to go all the way from Nazareth. down to the south and then up the hill, the mountainside, to get to Jerusalem. It was a three-day journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem. Distance, expense, and fatigue didn’t deter them, did it? Imagine the planning and effort in involving uprooting your family, traveling that distance, and staying a week. in Jerusalem for the Passover feast. How excuseless are those today who will not drive comfortably in a heated car or an air-conditioned car to go to church for 30 minutes in the car to get to church? Doesn’t it reveal much about religion? Your religion? If it’s just easy and convenient and effortless? What does that? say about you? People will look for any excuse to neglect God’s worship as if any strain, any effort on their part, well, it’s just too much to ask. You know, when King David numbered the people of Israel in the Old Testament, he sinned against the Lord. God said a plague, 70,000 Jews were put to death. The angel the Lord came with a sword and he was putting them to death. In order to placate God’s wrath, and stop the death angel slaughter, Gad told David he had to go to Arana’s threshing floor and erect an altar there, and then offer a sacrifice, and that would stop the death penalty from coming, continuing. Well, when he got there, and Arana offered, you know, to simply give David the land, and he could build the altar. He said, I’ll even, you know, I’ll give you the oxen for the sacrifice, I’ll give you the wood instrument. for threshing, for the fuel, for the fire, and I’ll give you the land. What did David say? Nay, but I will surely buy it at a price. Neither will I offer burnt offerings under the Lord, my God, of that, of that, of that, which doth cost me nothing. Where is that spirit today? You know, we always want to, you know, everybody wants a convenient, Christianity, I won’t give God something that doesn’t cost me something. That’s what David said. Now, the only holy day we have in the New Testament is the Christian Sabbath. Why is it that so few are willing to make some sacrifices in order to honor God on his day? Is it that inconvenient or difficult to honor God’s day to put first the kingdom of God? God, a gracious heart will not serve God, which that which cost him nothing. Nor will he deem that the true faith involves no sacrifice on his part. So Christ here is at the Passover feast. The second part of this section is that Christ remains behind at Jerusalem in verses 43 to 45. And when they had fulfilled the days as they returned, the child. Jesus tarred behind in Jerusalem and Joseph and his mother knew it not. But they supposing him to have been in the company went a day’s journey, and they sought him among their kin’s folk and acquaintance. Now, let me begin by saying this as we look at the second part here. You should not be eager to cut short the worship of God. Verse 43, Joseph and Mary remained for the fourth. full seven days of the feast. They fulfilled the days. Now some who went to these feasts, and many people we might say, would leave after the first few days. But Christ’s parents, being devout persons, deemate important to observe the whole feast, and they weren’t going to miss out on anything. Sadly, there are many who often chomp at the bit to be it. to get the holy days over. They can get back to whatever they wanted to do. Remember in the book of Amos we read about those who, while the Sabbath worship is going on, they’re going to win, when’s this day going to get over so I can buy and sell and cheap people out of their money and put some sawdust or put some of the chaff in with the wheat when I sell it. forth, but they just, when is it going to get over? You read about that in Amos chapter 8, verses 5 and 6. Where the cares of the world make you weary of religion. When your heart is set on worldly things, then it’s not focused on the true worship of God. Hypocrates attend worship services, but their hearts are 1,000 miles away. Their body may be in the pew, but their hearts are way, way far away. the Sabbath is a burden to cardinal hearts and they’re afraid of doing too much for God. I remember Gordon Ketty, Pastor Gordon Ketty, once visited Turkey as a tourist. He said while he was there, he was at the site of a new mosque that had opened. And it was an instable, the capital. And they arrived just as worship had been. concluded. And he said, when I, when we got there, people, a couple of these men ran out of the church door, out of those moss doors, and went out and set up tables right outside the mosque immediately after the service, as quickly as they could, and began selling lottery tickets to everybody that came out of the church. Set up their portable tables and hawk their wares. I wonder where their minds were when the, when the supposedly worship. was going on. Well, this is what was happening with regard to the Sabbath. Now, I’m afraid that it happens even today. Christians don’t have holy weeks. We have holy day. Sabbath day. But few fulfill the day. They want to cut it. There are professing Christians who leave before the worship service is over. I’ve talked to people, well, I had to get to the Steeler game, but it started at 1230, you know, and I had to leave early. to get there. Really? What kind of religion do you have? I had to get to the pirate game at 1230 start. Many modern Christians are quick to cut short the Lord’s day after attending the morning worship. Well, that’s enough for the Lord. After all the Super Bowl games on. Really? That’s your religion. That’s your faith. It’s sad when we think about it. Sunday is filled with professional and amateur sports. bustling shops being open, camping, fishing, partying. The Sabbath is trampled upon because people refuse to fulfill the day. How many are saying, when will this worship service be over so I can engage in my pleasures? What a sad thing that would be. You know what? Isaiah 58 says? we’re to call the Sabbath a delight. It’s not to be a drudgery. It’s supposed to be at the light. Are you able to say with Peter, like when he was up on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus and Elijah and Moses, it’s good for us to be here. Can you say that when it comes to the worship of God? It’s good for us to be here. It should not be eagerly cut short the worship of God. Notice something else here. You may mistakenly suppose Christ be present when he’s not. We see that in verses 44 and 45. Jesus delighted with the worship of God and having his father’s business to conduct stays behind at the temple. Evidently, he was now old enough at 12 years of age to ask questions and also to answer questions. questions. And he is eager to do so. However, Joseph and Mary were not aware of his decision to stay behind. It was common at that time for people to travel in groups or companies, if you would, and there may be a whole company headed north toward Nazareth. They would drop off to their different villages and towns on the way, and they were all heading north. And there may have been hundreds of people heading that direction. and they assumed that Jesus was among their kins folks or their acquaintances, maybe their neighbors or something. But at the end of the first day’s journey, they’re looking at where is he? And he’s not there. He’s gone. They couldn’t find him. What a frightening prospect it would be to lose a child, even a 12-year-old. It’s frightening. Very upsetting. Worsome. They were surprised he was missing. Supposed he was supposed. They supposed him to be among the company. It’s this point I wish to emphasize and ponder. You may suppose Christ to be present when he’s not. There are many people who go to any type of worship service and think that, suppose that God is present. Jesus will be present here. Now, he walks among his seven churches, the golden candlesticks. I don’t see him being in. in every place. But he’s with his people. He’s with the true churches. You may suppose him to be in the assembly of a supposed Christian church when he’s not. He might have not been there for a very long time. But the gospel is not preached there, and his spirit is not actively working there. Ah, but they have beautiful architecture. And perhaps they have ornate furniture. And maybe they have a ornate furniture. really eloquent speaker, it means nothing if Jesus isn’t there. In the book of Ezekiel, Ezekiel, Ezekiel has this vision where he sees the glory of God, the Shachina glory, that dwells in the temple, leave the temple. Can you imagine that? He’s seeing this vision and God, the chakina glory of God, leaves the temple. No longer going to be present. The people are apostate. He abandoned. them. Now, the worship services continued. The sacrifices went on, the singing went on, and so forth. But guess what? God wasn’t there. God wasn’t there. Kibahabod, or that assembly, that synagogue, that temple at the time. It was withdrawn. God’s presence was withdrawn. People may have assumed that God would be present, but he was not. I read in the book of Revelation, little about the Laodicean church. They thought they were spiritually healthy. They thought that God’s blessing and favor rested upon them because they were rich and increased in goods and thought they had needed nothing. But that wasn’t the case. Jesus saw them as wretched and miserable and poor and blinded and naked. He said they would look warm. He would, if they, he threatens to spew them out of their mouth unless they repent. He alludes to the Song of Solomon, chapter 5, in that chapter of revelation, where Christ knocks at the bride’s door for entrance, and she at first refuses to answer the door. And when she finally answers, you read those solemn words, my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone. Whoa. Whoa. What is Jesus telling the Laotocene in church? Behold, I stand at the door knock. If they don’t respond, if they don’t repent, he’s going to withdraw. Let us take heed to this point. Don’t automatically assume that Christ is president in a so-called worship service or church assembly. There are churches that have a name for being alive when Jesus says they’re dead. So you may mistakenly suppose Christ to be present when he’s not. Lastly, if you’ve lost a sense of Christ’s presence, you should seek him. Joseph and Mary here in verse 45, since Christ was not there among the kin’s folks and acquaintances, we better return. We better find him. And off they go to Jerusalem. A whole day’s journey back. And they traveled all day, and they began to look for Jesus in the streets and the gathering places of the city. One can only imagine. imagine how upsetting it had to be that they couldn’t find him? This account reminds you of what you read in the Song of Solomon also. I read in the Chapter 3 of the Song of Solomon that the bride, the church, discovers, that the one her soul loves is missing. And she goes out about the city, seeking him diligently. Where is he? And she can’t find him immediately. She goes to the watchman. of the city. The elders of the church concerning Christ relates what troubles her soul, that I can’t find the Savior. I can’t find my beloved. And then suddenly she finds her beloved and she’s determined not to lose him. She’s going to cling to him. From then on, you read that in chapter 3 of Song of Solomon. I don’t have time to develop that this morning. do you diligently seek your beloved? He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. The scripture tells us, those who seek him will find it. He delights in his people. He desires fellowship with him. And having lost Christ’s favorable presence and recovered it, you should cling all the more tightly to the Savior. Well, let me close. poured concrete must be carefully shaped before it sets. And the same is true would children shape them early. And we see the parents here of Jesus doing the right thing with regard to their son. You can learn something about the way Christ was raised by his parents. This early account is given to us for the purpose of pondering. Now, I’m sure that the main focus here of this section, of course, is what Christ has to say. say at the temple, and we’ll get to that. But there’s much that can be gained just from the preface to that. And I hope that we benefited from what we found already this morning. Let us close with a word of prayer.