First Sunday after Christmas Day
Spiritual Growth and Maturity
During the first century in Israel, a child would begin to attain adulthood at the age of twelve. And Jesus, having attained that status, was taken to the Passover festival in Jerusalem, in compliance with God’s law recorded in Exodus 23, which required all males to attend Passover.
Traditionally, the mode of travel was walking, and it was customary for women and children to travel at the front of the convoy, with the men following behind. A twelve-year-old boy could have been with the women in front or behind with the men. But after a day’s travel, Mary and Joseph discovered that Jesus was not in the convoy, so they hastily returned to Jerusalem and found him in the temple among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
As a mother, Mary was worried that their son had gone missing. And when they found him, the typical parental scolding could be detected in her question to Jesus, “Why have you done this to us?” She explained to Jesus that they had been frantically searching for him since he turned up missing.
But instead of saying he was sorry for causing them panic, his response was, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49).
I don’t believe Jesus wanted to cause his parents anguish when he stayed behind, but he had a duty to be in his Father’s house, taking care of his Father’s business.
It is imperative to note that Jesus went home with his parents, remained obedient to them, and increased in wisdom as he grew. Like Jesus, we too must grow in wisdom as we move from the infancy of our spiritual lives into spiritual maturity.
Lloyd Gooden, pastor, Sharon Moravian Church
New Philadelphia, Ohio