The Living Classroom
Luke 2:42-51
For the last couple of weeks we have been looking at Jesus early years. Today I want to move the timetable forward as we see Jesus as an adolescent.
So far we have learned that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, escaped to Egypt till he was about 4 or 6 years of age and settled in Nazareth. By the time Jesus was six years old he had lived in two different countries and three different towns. He ended up in a very, very small place on the side of a hill called Nazareth.
The people there were farmers mostly, shepherds, keepers of livestock. I guess we could compare it to Turnerville down the road. It is large enough to have its own name but it is so small that anyone else in Canada would have a hard time picturing what it is like.
The village of Nazareth was kind of like that. It did not have a public school or post office or even a general store. It sat in the north part of Israel just about 35 kilometers west from the Sea of Galilee and about 40 kilometers east of the Mediterranean Sea. It sat on a lush plain that was extremely fertile. There were lots of trees growing on the hills and mountains.
Nazareth sat in a kind of bowl with hills and mountains all around it. At the foot of Nazareth was the valley of Megiddo. It was a famous historical battle ground and will one day be the place of the last great battle of Armageddon.
Looking up to the South Jesus could see several famous mountains from his front door.
He could see Mt. Tabor 1,929 feet high just 5 kilometers away. It was where Deborah the prophetess and only woman Judge of Israel had summoned Barak to attack and vanquished Sisera and the Canaanites. These events took place about 1470 years before Jesus birth. You might remember Sisera from Judges Chapter 6 he was the one who had a tent peg nailed through his temple by a woman named Jael, Heber's wife, when he was fleeing the Israelites.
Just a little past Mt. Tabor Jesus could see Mt. Moreh which is often referred to as a hill rise to 1,800 feet. It is here that Abraham met God in Genesis Chapter 12:6, 7. Abraham stopped in the land of Canaan on his journey from Haran (Gen 12:4). Here Abraham saw God and built an altar (Gen 12:7). This was also the place where Moses announced the divine blessing and curse on the eve of their entry into the Promised Land in Deut 11:26.
Mount Gilboa sat 1,692 feet to the Southwest about half way to Jerusalem. At the foot of the mountain to the north is the spring of Harod, where Gideon camped before his night attack on the Midianites. It was on the slopes of Mount Gilboa that Saul and his three sons met their deaths while fighting against the Philistines.
Almost directly west of Nazareth sat Mt. Carmel near the Mediterranean Sea coast. It is here that Elijah challenged 450 prophets of Baal to a contest of fire to prove that the God of Israel was the true and living God.
Jesus hometown was surrounded by the physical places of historical significance to the Jewish people. He didn’t need books with photographs or films he had a living classroom. He did have to climb up the mountains from the valley below in order to view it all.
Jesus would have been educated at home mostly by his mother and at 12 or 13 it would be time for him to learn a trade from his step-father Joseph. Mary and Joseph had other children during this time as well. It was a busy household full of activity and Jesus was the oldest child. The bible tells us who Jesus brothers were in Matthew 13:55
Is not this the carpenter's son is not his mother called Mary and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
In Mark chapter 6 we learn that Jesus had sisters too. Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, the Brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon and are not his sisters here with us? Unfortunately we do not know Jesus sisters names, they were not recorded. So by my count Jesus had at least four brothers and two sisters.
Being the eldest Jesus would have been at Joseph side helping in the carpentry shop. Mary would have had a one room classroom so to speak as she home schooled the children during their chores. This would involve explaining the Jewish Holy days and rituals and by pointing to the mountains and hills she could share Old Testament stories.
Nazareth was large enough to have its own Synagogue and every Friday night at sun down the Sabbath would begin and the family would make its way to worship in the morning.
For Jesus Nazareth was a living classroom of important Jewish history. But I wonder what different perspective did it hold for him as the Son of Man? Jesus knew all this history without having to have it told to him. He was God he put this history into motion long ago.
Yet here he was a young man possessing a human form and knowing its frailty and limitations. I wonder how Jesus might have empathized with all those famous historical characters of his nation.
Our Heavenly Father has given you and me a living classroom as well. All around you sit the Saints of God in this church. I will not ask them to stand up but you may know of whom I speak. They have experienced much in their walk with God.
There are those who could tell you how to mend a troubled marriage, there are those who have climbed the mountains of adversity facing cancer, or heart disease. There are those who have known the loss of loved ones in battle and in service to the Lord. There are those who have wrestled with raising teenagers and who have faced the loss of a job or the family farm.
Yes you know who you are. Your life lessons are to be for us all a spiritual encyclopedia. Romans 15:14 I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
Jesus had mountains of stone to tell the story of Israel and we have living stones right here in our church. 1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Our Heavenly Father has much to teach us and in His wisdom He has given us the Bible, His Son, His Holy Spirit and our shared experiences as Christians to help us grow in Christ.
When Jesus was 12 years old the family made the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. It is here that Jesus goes missing from Mary and Joseph. It was kind of like in the movie Home Alone. Each parent thought that Jesus was with some other relative or had gone on ahead. With Mary and Joseph having other children you can probably relate to how it is sometimes easy to lose sight of one now and then.
As a boy of 12 Jesus came to a place of self realization. While among the great theological minds of Jerusalem Jesus found it necessary to explain the scriptures to them. They in turn were amazed at his answers. Jesus was missing for three days separated from his earthly parents. It would not be the last time that Jesus was separated from them for three days.
In time there would be a tomb and three more days of separation. But what a glorious day that third day would be. Jesus said he had to be in His father's house when Mary explained the concern she and Joseph shared.
Jesus took the occasion to identify himself with His Heavenly Father. Jesus knew he had a great earthly mission to complete.
Friend you too have a great earthly mission to complete if you call yourself His. You may not know the details that God is calling you to live out but you must be faithful.
Even if you find yourself separated from us for a time we will know that you are seeking to obey your Heavenly Fathers call. We only ask that you share it with us here at church in this living classroom so that we all might learn and praise God for what you have been taught.
Have you come to a self realization? Do you now know what God is calling you to? If you have heard the Fathers voice you must obey and trust where He is leading you. If you have no idea as to your mission in life you may need to spend more time in your Fathers house learning in this living classroom.
Be patient and open your heart to God in faith. Hebrews 11:6 (New King James Version)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a re-warder of those who diligently seek Him.
Let Jesus lead you to the Father.
