A Lesson From The First Family

A Lesson from the First Family

1. Possible, even probable, people see you in several different ways.

May see as patient, some as hot-head. Only you know truth. Why

don’t we recognize true nature of other people? Maybe simply

forgetting. Mary upset with Jesus for staying behind. Angrily says

“Wait til your father Joseph hears about this.” Jesus replies

“Didn’t you know I would be in MY Father’s house.”

2. Bill Cosby spoof - Lone Ranger/Tonto. What mean WE, white

man?

3. Subtle shift between Mary’s “your father” & Jesus’ “My Father”

When going gets tough, Tonto ain’t no white man & when it comes

to Jesus purpose in life, he’s no carpenter’s son.

4. today, based on this story of Lord & his family, I’d like us to

reflect together on being child, parent, & family relationships.

5. We’d like to know more about Jesus’ childhood & growing up.

Most parents like to know what it’s like to raise perfect, sinless

child. No terrible 2’s, no tantrums, no back talk. Teenagers want to

know-Did he have pimples? Kind of music did he listen to? Was he

like “really religious”?

6. Luke gives us bare facts. Born in manger, circumcised & named

on eighth day according to custom of his time, brought into Temple

at 40 days as OT law req’d., missing for 3 days & found with

teachers at Temple. If we needed to know more, Luke would’ve

said.

Otherwise can assume he grew up like any other child, playing,

helping out at home, learning the family business.

7. Mary not blinded by son’s behavior. Scolded, then bewildered &

amazed that he’s sitting learning & in dialogue.

8. Luke says “She treasured all these things in her heart.” She’s

upset but sees something meaningful in his actions. 2 well-known

pictures called “The Shadow of the Cross” Holeman Hunt - boy

Jesus at work in carpenter shop, stretches, arms cast shadow of

cross on wall. 2nd depicts boy Jesus running with outstretched

arms to his mother, shadow of cross cast on ground by outstretched

arms.

9. Underlying message is true. If we read Gospels as they are, clear

death of Jesus is in view almost from the outset of his life. Very

early we have a hint of the cross.

10. For 3 days Mary felt loss of her son when he had to be about his

Father’s business. Later, she lost him again for 3 days to death &

the grave. Because he had to be about His Father’s business.

11. Moses got 10 commandments, 2 tablets. Tablet #1 starts with a

foundational commandment “Honor God as heavenly father.

Tablet #2 starts with “Honor earthly father & mother.

12. This is the “Honoring Call” Involves respecting authority. 1st

taste of authority child has is parents. To become healthy adult we

must pass through 3 stages of authority. Early childhood - enforced

obedience, Youth - willful obedience, Adulthood - mutual obed.

13. Jesus obviously went through enforced obed. Jesus was now 12,

he was Bar-Mitzvah, meaning he had become a man. Transition

from enforced to willful obed. Parents had more trouble with this

transition period. Angry because he didn’t come home with them.

14. Jesus surprised by their reaction cause he was supposed to be in

2nd stage. To both his Heavenly Father(as his earthly father had

taught him) and his earthly father. Dad, you taught me to honor

Heavenly Father, now I’m a man, doing what you taught me.

15. Paul in Eph. 6:1 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord,

for this is right.”

16. Do your children ever astonish you? Cody does. Sometimes with

his intelligence & kindness. Sometimes with something quite the

opposite. Our children will not always be or do what we expect, but

that is a good thing. What we want for our children in terms of a

career or interests may not be what they pursue. But maybe what

they do pursue is better for them.

17. I try to tell Cody that it doesn’t matter what he does or what he

has in this life, as long as he serves and loves God. I have to back

that message up by my actions.

18. Follow the 5th commandment of honoring our earthly parents

but conversely we must be honorable parents. Then, and only then,

is it possible to say, “ The only thing that parents can take to

heaven is their children.”