01.05.25 Jesus at Temple, ‘’Knowing/Knowing”, Luke 2:41-52
Pre/Post Worship Music – Spotify – Open and Close, Rick lights Christ candle/Billy softly plays first song
Songs Here I Am To Worship CCLI Song # 3266032 Billy/Linda
Living Hope CCLI Song # 7106807
Passage/Prayer Luke 2:41-52 Mitch
Song Lord I Need You CCLI Song # 5925687 Billy/Linda
Impact/Message Knowing/Knowing Rick
Song Living Hope CCLI Song # 7106807 Billy/Linda
Community/Closing Peace Rick
Closing Music Show Me Your Ways CCLI Song # 1675024 Billy/Linda
- Record message on memory card – leave space above Speaker’s head
Music (Slides) Lynn/Linda
Here I Am To Worship CCLI Song # 3266032
Verse 1
Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes let me see
Beauty that made
This heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You
Chorus
So here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You’re my God
And You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
Verse 2
King of all days
Oh so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth You created
All for love’s sake became poor
Chorus (X?)
So here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You’re my God
And You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
Living Hope CCLI Song # 7106807
Verse 1
How great the chasm that lay between us
How high the mountain I could not climb
In desperation I turned to heaven
And spoke Your name into the night
Then through the darkness Your loving-kindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished the end is written
Jesus Christ my living hope
Verse 2
Who could imagine so great a mercy
What heart could fathom such boundless grace
The God of ages stepped down from glory
To wear my sin and bear my shame
The cross has spoken I am forgiven
The King of kings calls me His own
Beautiful Savior I’m Yours forever
Jesus Christ my living hope
Chorus
Hallelujah praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ my living hope
Verse 3
Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
(X2?)
Chorus (X2?)
Hallelujah praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ my living hop
Passage (Slides) Luke 2:41-52 Mitch
Jesus’ parents, Joseph and Mary, went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast;
After they had spent the full number of days required they headed home. However, they were unaware that their son, Jesus, had stayed behind in Jerusalem.
Jesus’ parents assumed that he was somewhere in the caravan. After a day’s journey they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him.
After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. All who heard Jesus were amazed at His understanding and His answers.
When Joseph and Mary saw Him, they were bewildered; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You!”
Jesus said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in my Father’s house?” Mary and Joesph did not understand the statement which Jesus made to them.
Jesus went down with his parents to Nazareth, and he continued to be subject to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
Jesus continued to increase in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people.
Join me in the prayer of Jesus,
Our Father who art in Heaven hallowed be your name.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our trespasses, while we forgive those who trespass against us.
And, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Music (Slides) Lynn/Linda
Lord I Need You CCLI Song # 5925687
Verse 1
Lord I come I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
And without You I fall apart
You’re the one that guides my heart
Chorus 1
Lord I need You oh I need You
Ev’ry hour I need You
My one defense my righteousness
Oh God how I need You
Verse 2
Where sin runs deep Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are Lord I am free
Holiness is Christ in me
Where You are Lord I am free
Holiness is Christ in me
Chorus 2
Lord I need You oh I need You
Ev’ry hour I need You
My one defense my righteousness
Oh God how I need You
My one defense my righteousness
Oh God how I need You
Message Draft Rick [Screen Share until close]
[Series Title Slide – Screen share entire message until prayer] New Series “Live Your Life Like Jesus Lived Life” Not WWJD.
[Title Slide] A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that Jesus did not arrive at the stable preprogrammed to know everything there was to know. Just like each of us, the Son of God was born a blank slate, ready to consume and consider every nugget of truth and fact about God and human reality. Jesus came to humanity, to us, with a passion which was ready to be fed and nourished. Just like us. A passion that, as we grow and recognize this in ourselves, we have the option to feed this passion to know truth, to know God, or we can ignore it let it harden and shrivel up and die.
As we look at the temple story we find an adolescent whom we have not heard from since his parents quickly packed him up and moved him to Egypt to protect Jesus from murder.
You may disagree with my ‘blank slate’ understanding of Jesus. That is okay, in fact it is more than okay as long as you do something with that disagreement. You, yourself, consider it, meditate on it, take your time and think on it, pray about it. Let this, and other questions, become your journey.
This is the crux of this story. Jesus at the temple, possibly for the first time, at least this is the first time Jesus in a significant way, engages. He listens to what is being said, he seriously considers what is taught, and, with what he has learned so far in life, he asks questions.
Eventually Jesus reunites with his parents taking his questions and the answers he was given to those questions, and adds that to quest for truth, his quest to not just Know Of God, but his determined journey to Know God
[Slide] We must ask a ‘WHY’ question. Why did Luke, as he wrote the Gospel of Luke, choose to tell this story in a depth we see no where else? Why did Luke find it necessary to tell this story of Jesus as an adolescent when we do not see the other gospel writers feel a need to share this, or anything about Jesus after the nativity and before Jesus’ baptism?
[Slide] Ronald J. Allen attempts to answer this question saying, “Luke’s story of Jesus in the temple at the age of 12 is the only time in the gospels about the life of Jesus between infancy and the beginning of his ministry. Luke’s theological purposes for recalling Jesus’ growth in this frame of reference is twofold — to assure the listener, [us], that Jesus fully understands the depths and heights of the [our] human experience and to use Jesus’ growth/understanding as a template.”
Ronald J. Allen, Professor Emeritus of Preaching/Gospels/Letters, Christian Theological Seminary
Cecil Frances Alexander, David Willcocks, & Henry Gauntletthe wrote the Christmas hymn, “Once in David’s Royal City,” confirming this learning process of Jesus,
Jesus is our children’ s pattern,
Day by day like us he grew.
He was little, weak & helpless,
Tears and smiles like us he knew.
Thus he feels for all our sadness,
And he shares in all our gladness.
Cecil F. Alexander, CCLI Song # 4756015
[Slide] Later, the apostle Paul added to this explanation in his letter to the Hebrews, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
(Hebrews 4:15-16)
[Slide] Jesus learned from his imperfect parents and imperfect family and imperfect community, the imperfect rabbis and priests, the imperfect teachers, and the imperfect world leaders. He learned the same way that we learn – a lifetime process of learning all things only with an increasing depth and understanding, as we, at the same time, take into account the complicated realities of reality, earth, relationships, and eternity.
[Slide] We consider the story of the 12 year old Jesus at the moment when Jesus’ brain, just like our brains, was ready to process all that had been learned. He adds to his learning journey with questioning, filtering out the imperfections and grasping the holy perfections. Along the way, Jesus begins applying that truth to every step of the lifetime journey into his behaviors, responses, engagements, relationships, disagreements, actions of love, acceptance, rejection, forgiveness, and grief.
[Title Slide]
Ill – My story of arriving at that point in doubting, questions, and learning. ‘I need to be asking questions.’
Historical aspect of the time period of Luke’s writing. Conflict between Luke’s Jesus believers congregation and the Jewish institution. Luke points out the moments when Joseph and Mary observe the practices of their faith. Circumcision, Purification, Education, and we will see next Sunday – Baptism.
This journey to Jerusalem when Jesus is 12 and about to turn 13, the age when there would have been a recognition of Jesus reaching the age of Bar Mitzvah. Jewish religious ritual and family celebration commemorating the religious adulthood. The Jewish tradition was to declare that child responsible for knowing God at 13.
[Slide] So, we return to the ‘WHY’ question. Why did Luke, as he wrote the Gospel of Luke, choose to tell this story in a depth we see no where else?
[Slide] So We Will Learn A Lesson About
Jesus is stating, at this age of 12, that he is, and has, taken on the responsibility of his own faith. He is now declaring that he is, not only going to discover truth, but that he will also, now, be questioning what is and is not truth. Jesus is not immersing himself in Knowing God. Next Sunday we will see Jesus declare that He is immersing himself into God’s calling on him. He has reached the life moment, like us, when we take responsibility (different ages).
[Slide] So, We Will learn a lesson about Jesus’ understanding of God the Father.
This word Father, in the greek is a somewhat generic word, a title. In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of “father” carried significant weight, including multiple roles of authority, provision, and leadership within the family unit. The father was seen as the head of the household, responsible for the welfare and education of his children. In Jewish culture, the term also held deep spiritual connotations, as God was often referred to as the Father of Israel, highlighting a covenantal relationship. But, the word ‘Father’ never has a universal connotation in the old or the new testament. The use of the title of God as Father is not the same as our mythical referral to creation as being ‘Mother Nature.” God is the creator, the father, but is not boundarired in that definition. Being father is a role for God, not the definition. We pray, ‘Our Heavenly Father’, but this is a role, a sacred and personal role, but not a definition. God is too big, and all in compassing, to have a title that in any way limits God.
So, we do not really know Jesus’ understanding of Father in regard to himself (Jesus) – possible he did not fully grapes this as well. Did he know it was different when he said ‘father’ than when others say father? We cannot say for sure, but we can be sure that, either way, Jesus, just like us, will grow into a deeper and more personal understanding.
[Slide] So We Will learn a lesson about Intentionality in our Faith
Jesus makes a gut choice about staying in the temple. It was not an act of disobedience but instinct. He followed his thirst that had obviously been nurtured up to this point. His determination and intentionality about taking advantage of this opportunity in the temple is a presentation of his decision to follow up on his education. Even though he was just 12 years old, he recognized this moment as an opportunity he needed to take advantage of.
[Slide] So That We will Recognize that Jesus learned a lesson about Being Human and Being Subject
Following up on his intentionality, he also learned a lesson about being human. Even though he stayed for a noble and holy cause, he learned a lesson of being subject to another, to recognize his position in regard to his parents, Mary and Joseph.
[Title Slide]
Pray.
Music Slides Billy/Linda
Living Hope CCLI Song # 7106807
Verse 1
How great the chasm that lay between us
How high the mountain I could not climb
In desperation I turned to heaven
And spoke Your name into the night
Then through the darkness Your loving-kindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished the end is written
Jesus Christ my living hope
Verse 2
Who could imagine so great a mercy
What heart could fathom such boundless grace
The God of ages stepped down from glory
To wear my sin and bear my shame
The cross has spoken I am forgiven
The King of kings calls me His own
Beautiful Savior I’m Yours forever
Jesus Christ my living hope
Chorus
Hallelujah praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ my living hope
Verse 3
Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
(REPEAT)
Chorus
Hallelujah praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ my living hope
Community (Slides) Rick
- New Series ‘Live Like Jesus” Continues Next Sunday,
- 01.12.25 Stepping In, Jesus’ Baptism, Luke 3:1-22
- Bible Study Interest Survey next 2 Sundays
Closing Peace (Slides) Rick (Slides)
Leader: May the peace of the Lord go with you.
Response: And also with you.
Closing Music Billy/Linda
Show Me Your Ways CCLI Song # 1675024
Verse
Show me Your ways
That I may walk with You
Show me Your ways
I put my hope in You
Chorus
The cry of my heart
Is to love You more
To live with the touch
Of Your hand
Stronger each day
Show me Your ways
Order, Words, & Voices 