A Day's Journey Without Jesus

A DAY’S JOURNEY WITHOUT JESUS

Luke 2:40-52

Proposition: “Fellowship with Jesus may be broken but not one’s relationship with Him.”

Objective: My purpose is to challenge people to walk with Jesus and have a joyful fellowship with the Lord Jesus.

INTRODUCTION:

On Feb. 24, 2001, a one-year old Canadian girl named Erika somehow wandered out of her mother’s bed & house & spent the entire night in the Edmonton winter. When her mother, Leyla Nordby, found her, she appeared to be totally frozen. Her legs were stiff and all signs of life appeared to be gone. Erika was treated at Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Health Center & God helped doctors & rescue workers bring her back to life. To the amazement of all, there appeared to be no sign of brain damage & doctors gave Erika a clear prognosis—she would soon be able to skip & play like other girls her age.

That blessed old song, "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing," has the revealing heart-cry of every Christian that ever found himself slipping back. It says, "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; Prone to leave the God I love!"

We see Jesus as a twelve-year-old boy. What did Jesus do during the “hidden years” at Nazareth. In many ways He was like any other twelve-year-old. But, even here, Jesus will amaze us. Not much is known about our Savior’s childhood. The Bible only records two incidents between his birth & His baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. At 8 days old, Jesus was presented in the temple. Other than this, this is the only other account of Jesus as a child recorded in Scripture. There are stories in extra biblical literature, which purport to tell us about the childhood of Jesus. For example, in the Gospel of Thomas, there is a story about a young Jesus molding sparrows out of mud on the Sabbath. When someone rebuked him for doing this on the Sabbath it is said that Jesus breathed life into the birds & they flew away. Another story tells us about Jesus & a friend of His playing on the roof of a house. The friend fell off the roof & was killed. It is said Jesus jumped off the roof & brought His friend back to life. Another legend found in the Gospel of Thomas (2nd century): "When this boy Jesus was five years old he was playing at the ford of a brook, and he gathered together into pools the water that flowed by, & made it at once clean, & commanded it by his word alone. But the son of Annas the scribe was standing there with Joseph; and he took a branch of a willow and (with it) dispersed the water which Jesus had gathered together. When Jesus saw what he had done he was enraged and said to him: ’You insolent godless dunderhead, what harm did the pools and the water do to you? See, now you also shall wither like a tree and shall bear neither leaves nor root nor fruit.’ And immediately that lad withered up completely; & Jesus departed and went into Joseph’s house. But the parents of him that was withered took him away, bewailing his youth, and brought him to Joseph and reproached him: ’What a child you have who does such things.’ After this again he went through the village, and a lad ran and knocked against his shoulder. Jesus was exasperated and said to him: ’You shall not go further on your way,’ and the child immediately fell down and died. But some, who saw what took place, said: "From where does this child spring, since every word is an accomplished deed?"’

After such stories this account seems a bit drab--and that is precisely what speaks in favor of its authenticity. It does not appear to be motivated by a desire to overplay Jesus’ uniqueness. The claim to uniqueness is much more subtle and that accords with the way Jesus acted most of the time. In addition the Greek language of the story is almost certainly a translation of the Semitic language of Palestine which means that it was not created, like many of the legends, in Greek-speaking areas far removed from the land of the eyewitnesses. On the contrary, it is Jewish in content and language and therefore probably originated in Palestine; and the most likely source for the story is Mary. There are other stories just as outlandish. However, Scripture remains virtually silent concerning the childhood of Jesus. “Lord, in love You have called me to live for your praise and glory. May I always find joy in Your presence & trust in Your grace & in Your wisdom & plan for my life.”

Let us be obedient to Jesus & not be guilty of living a day without experiencing the full presence of Christ in our daily walk. We may have a relationship in being one of His children, but not the full fellowship of His presence & blessings.