Growing in Wisdom Luke 2:41-52

 Luke 2:41-52   Growing in Wisdom   1st Sunday after Epiphany.

The Epistle

Romans xii. 1.

I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

The Gospel

St. Luke ii. 41.

NOW his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve 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 not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 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. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

The kernal of this Gospel , the only one of the boyhood of Jesus, is His humility and reverence for God's Law.  He corrected Mary in saying His Father, or my Father in the House of God was where He was supposed to be. vs 49

1.  He submitted to His parents even though they were only human. He was growing in His humanity and of course,  His deity.  His parents, Mary and Joseph were not Divine, but Jesus had a Divine nature. 

Mary and Joseph returned to Jersusalem after not finding Jesus in the caravan the first day.  Mary asked, " Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us?  Behold thy father and I sought thee sorrowing?" And He said unto them, " How is it that ye sought me? know ye not that I must be in my Father's house?"

Jesus was fearless even as a young boy, "The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else." 

— Oswald Chambers

2.  We too should be subject unto those over us as we see Jesus being " subject unto them ( his Mother and His Father)"  .  We are one body but members of one another Romans 12 .

Of course doing God's Will takes priority in our lives and we should listen to those in our fellowship.  That does not mean total agreement with every thing , but it means a respectful living under God's eyes and in His House above all.  We too should grow in wisdom and in maturity with God and man.

That is not always so easy especially when we may think our answers are always right.  But none of us are always right.  Romans again brings us down to earth to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think.  Perhaps all of this can be summarized in this 5 Helps ....

Five Helps for the New Year given one year by Bishop Michael Ramsey to his clergy

"1. Thank God. Often and always. Thank him carefully and wonderingly for your continuing privileges and for every experience of his goodness. Thankfulness is a soil in which pride does not easily grow. 

2. Take care about confession of your sins. As time passes the habit of being critical about people and things grows more than each of us realize. ... [He then gently commends the practice of sacramental confession].

 3. Be ready to accept humiliations. They can hurt terribly but they can help to keep you humble. [Whether trivial or big, accept them he says.] All these can be so many chances to be a little nearer to our Lord. There is nothing to fear, if you are near to the Lord and in his hands.

 4. Do not worry about status. There is only one status that Our Lord bids us be concerned with, and that is our proximity to Him. "If a man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am there also shall my servant be". (John 12:26) That is our status; to be near our Lord wherever He may ask us to go with him. 

5. Use your sense of humour. Laugh at things, laugh at the absurdities of life, laugh at yourself. 

Through the year people will thank God for you. And let the reason for their thankfulness be not just that you were a person whom they liked or loved but because you made God real to them."

   In all of this in the Father's house, we are His by faith and living under the umbrella of His love.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God, not tribulations and trials, or disappointments. In all things and in all ways we are to put God's glory first in our actions , words and deeds.  

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.