Tag Archives: Luke

Jesus is the Son of Man

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on December 27, 2015
Tags: , Luke   

It Was A Three-Day-Tour — Rev. David J. Schreffler

Image result for pictures of Jesus in the temple

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 27, 2015
Sunday

“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. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search 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. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.” Luke 2:41 – 52

“Joseph and Mary search for Jesus for “three days.” When an early Christian heard the phrase “for three days,” one of their first associations would have been to think “resurrection.” Jesus had been raised from the dead after “three days.” Virtually every first century Christian would have made this association automatically. This would indicate that the story should be understood and seen in light of the resurrection.

“In the resurrection, the new family of God supersedes one’s earthly family. In the resurrection, Jesus’ conversation and dialog “in the midst” of the teachers in the Temple is a portrayal of life in the new world of God wherein the hallowed place of tradition–the Temple–is transformed into a place where Jesus is now in the center. From that position, he is in dialog with the tradition, yet with new and astonishing understanding, so much so that the teachers of the tradition look upon him with respect and astonishment. In these opening chapters of Luke, Joseph and Mary are portrayed as especially devout and righteous. They observe the rituals and devotional practices of their people. They have just had Jesus circumcised (2:21) following which they are said to have acted “according to the law” three times. With this accent on the family’s religious devotion, Luke is saying that Jesus’ family life was oriented toward the purposes of God, and that the Jewish boy Jesus grew up in a thoroughly Jewish world.” (Progressive Involvement webpage, December 26, 2012, Christmas 1: Luke 2: 41-52, by John Petty)

Joseph and Mary are searching for Jesus for three days. When Jesus is crucified, he lay in the tomb three days, when his followers come to search for him. Oh they are not initially searching for him, but once they find the tomb empty, the search is on. His parents find Jesus in the Temple where, he tells them, he should be – this is where they should have expected to find him – this is where the search should have begun.

In his early life, Jesus is telling his family that their search for him should begin in G-d’s house. Today, we believe the same. The search initially begins in G-d’s house, but once found, we learn that Jesus is, in fact, everywhere. We are taught to find him in the presence of believers, in the word, in the sacrament, in the Holy Spirit that blows throughout this world. Jesus is found in the face of suffering, in the homes of the oppressed, in the struggle of poverty, in the cries of the despairing. And, we hope, Jesus is found in the worship centers around the world. We still go to church expecting to meet Jesus – but we do not leave Jesus there. Jesus cannot be shut up in a church, or a box of theological principles, or in our minds.

My friends, there are many people in this world who feel like the parents of Jesus, searching and searching everywhere to find him. They are afraid to go to church to find him, because they think they will find all kinds of other things, and people, but they will not find Jesus. It should not take people three days, three years, or three decades to find Jesus – we should all expect to see Jesus, well, everywhere. When you and I are the hands and feet of Christ, we bear the image of Christ to others – and, hopefully, help others to find Jesus.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on December 24, 2015
Tags: Kairos Moment, Luke   

Christmas Eve – The Wait is Almost Over — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

December 24, 2015

“In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” Luke 2:1 – 7

There was no place in the Inn, but that does not mean that Mary and Joseph were relegated to a cave, or someplace out in the barren lands outside of town as contemporary art would suggest. Joseph was returning to his hometown region. He would have been known by the people. Mary was “heavy with child” – a pregnant woman was not someone the locals would have abandoned to a lonely birth, without assistance, in a cave. Most likely Mary and Joseph were ushered into an adjacent room in someone’s home. There were adjacent rooms used by animals when the winter time came. The animals were not relegated to the outdoors, they were moved inside so they could help with warmth, and where they were protected from the elements, and from predators. Why would we assume that if the animals were treated with care, that Mary and Joseph were not also treated with care? And knowing this does not make the birth story any less amazing. Jesus was still born surrounded by animals, away from their home, born into the earthy, human condition we are all born into.

No matter the situation in which Jesus was born, the spectacular event is marked in time and celebrated once a year – the spectacular event of G-d coming to be with humans, in the human condition. He did not come in the manner of a king, or a prince, or like some other royalty – he was born into ever day life, to every day parents, to live an every day life.

Take time tomorrow, in the midst of the world saying “Thank you Santa Claus”, to thank G-d for the blessings you have, for the challenges you face, and the people who need your love and grace modeled on the grace of G-d.

Pastor Dave