      |
 | ||||
| Sunday Services | Special Services | Drama | Kingdom Kids | Sermons |
|
|
| ||
 | |||||
| |||||
| |||||
Rev. Dawn Haeger, Church of the Cross, Hoffman Estates, IL, December 31, 2006 I would guess that most of us have seen the John Hughes film, Home Alone in which young Kevin McAlister wakes up one morning and discovers his extended family has departed for their winter vacation to Europe and left him behind. His mother does not make note of this error until the plane is wheels-up, bound for Paris. Young Kevin is resourceful and not only able to care for himself, but also outwits the bid guys who are attempting to rob some of the neighborhood homes. While the events in the film make for some pretty funny scenes rife with slapstick humor, no parent I know thinks losing one of their children is amusing. I remember once when James was around four we went to visit the local library. He was standing right next to me when he decided to play, “Let’s hide from mommy.” Unfortunately, he didn’t clue me in that we were playing a game. All I knew is one moment he was there, and the next, he was gone. After frantically calling James’ name, searching for him and sending one of the library assistants into the men’s restroom to look for him, James was no where to be found. I was sure someone had taken him. The local police station was right across the parking lot and seeing a patrol car in front of the library, I headed out to get the officer’s assistance. I never did reach the police officer. James, seeing me head out of the library, got scared and came running for me. I was never so happy to see my young son. When I discovered he had left my side to hide from me intentionally, I became very irritated. Of course being a young child, James had no idea of the worry he put me through. In today’s gospel lesson, we discover that Jesus and his family have journeyed to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration, as was their custom. Imagine the scene, if you will, the city is jammed with pilgrims from around the known world. Passover is one of the three festivals adult Jewish males are obligated to come and worship in the Jerusalem temple. There are a multitude of languages being spoken, the sounds and scents of livestock to be sacrificed and the majesty of the fifteen story temple made of white marble and decorated with gold leaf. One author described it as, “the World Series, and the Super Bowl and the World’s Fair all rolled into one.” This must have been quite an experience for a twelve year old from backwoods Galilee. Our text this morning is the only account of Jesus as an adolescent. We have the birth in a stable, the visit from the magi when he was a toddler, this text and then nothing until he is baptized as an adult. For Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, there were plenty of clues that their son was someone special. The visit from the angel Gabriel, Elizabeth’s comments when Mary goes to see her, the shepherds and the wise men from the east all point to divine favor, but I have often wondered when Jesus himself began to develop awareness of his unique status. Our creeds tell us that Jesus was fully human and fully divine, but often his divinity is emphasized and his humanity excluded. Many believers assume that Jesus sprang forth from Mary’s womb perfectly and omnisciently divine. We see art images of the infant Jesus blessing his worshipers and sing songs with lyrics, “The little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.” With such a conception of Jesus, it would be difficult to imagine him spilling his food, scraping his knee or tearing his clothes as every active child does. I’ve always wondered how Jesus got along with his siblings. Which ones did he play with, read to, or hum a lullaby? What’s clear from the gospels is that Jesus’ siblings did not understand him to be divine and neither did the people from his own hometown. When did Jesus begin to realize he was special? Australian minister and author, Rev. Bruce Prewer, writes that “Jesus, like the rest of us, came to be fully what he was through the process of life, with its ups and downs. In his life he had to grow, to learn, and to mature.” I believe we see this process in action in today’s Scripture reading. Here we have 12 year-old Jesus, a young man on the threshold of adulthood. At 13 he would make his Bar Mitzvah and be responsible for all the requirements of first century Judaism. Something happens to young Jesus that has not happened before. The text informs us that the family “went up as usual for the festival” (2:42). This was not Jesus’ first time at the Passover celebration; he knew when it was over the family would head for home. Why then, did he stay behind? Luke describes for us Mary and Joseph’s desperate search for their oldest child. Having my own son disappear for several minutes caused such anxiety in me that I cannot imagine the pain and terror Mary and Joseph must have experienced after several days. Thankfully, they find their son in the temple speaking with and asking questions of the teachers who were astonished at his questions and answers. Mary and Joseph were astonished also, and Mary asks her son, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety” (v. 48b). The next verse has often been interpreted as Jesus rebuking his mother, but biblical scholar, John Nolland, argues that Jesus is not speaking reproachfully, but is actually puzzled as to his mother’s concern. “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (v.49) Jesus declares in this text, the first time he speaks in Luke’s gospel, “I must be in my Father’s house.” Mary is speaking of Joseph as Jesus’ father, but Jesus is aware that God is his father. Jesus had every intention of obeying his earthly father, Joseph, but he also has a responsibility to God, his heavenly father. Jesus intends to honor both of his sonships, Nolland argues. We understand this to be true because the following verses declare that Jesus “went down with them to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favor” (vv 51-52). We see in this visit to Jerusalem a growing awareness in Jesus. He has two fathers: Joseph and God and he has obligations to both of them. It is the same for us. We have both an earthly and a heavenly father. This is a wonderfully freeing gift. Some of us were fortunate to have wonderful earthly fathers, the type who took time to read stories, play games and tell you how much he loved you, but others have not been so fortunate. Some have had fathers who were absent, unkind, unloving or worse. But, like Jesus, we have a heavenly father who loves us and cares for us. This love is powerful; it has the ability to radically change lives. Fred Craddock is a name that most preachers know; he is one of the nation’s foremost preachers and teaches others how to preach. Several years ago, Craddock was invited to deliver a series of lectures at Yale. In one of his lectures, Craddock describes an event from his life. While on vacation with his wife in the Smokey Mountains, an old man walked up to Craddock and his wife while they were out for dinner. The old man greeted them and asked if they were on vacation. “We are,” said Craddock. “Enjoying yourself?” the old man asked. Craddock said they were. Then the man asked Craddock where he and his wife were from to which he replied, “Oklahoma.” “Oklahoma! I’ve never been to Oklahoma,” said the old man. At this point Craddock was becoming annoyed at the intrusion. The man asked Craddock what he did for a living and Craddock said that he taught at a seminary. “Oh, you teach preachers” was the man’s response. “I’ve got a story about a preacher” said the old man and he pulled up a chair. The man started by saying he had been born in these mountains. His mother wasn’t married to his father and everyone knew it. They also never let him forget it. The kids at school could be particularly cruel, so during recess he would hide in the weeds so he didn’t have to hear their terrible names for him. The old man said that when he was in seventh or eighth grade, he decided to go to church. The preacher looked stern and he frightened that young boy, yet he was attracted to the church so he went anyway. The boy was always afraid of what people would think and say about him going to church, so he would enter late and slip out before the service was over. But then one Sunday, he found the pew blocked and he couldn’t get out. He broke out in a sweat and figured he was in trouble. All of a sudden there was a hand on his shoulder and the preacher was standing over him. The young boy cowered and waited for the humiliation he was sure was forthcoming. Sure enough, the preacher made some comment about whose child he was, but then he said, “Well, boy, you’re a child of, ah….You’re a child of, ah…Ah, wait! You’re a child of God. I see the striking resemblance!” And he swatted the boy on the behind and said, “Go claim your inheritance!” In the end Craddock was happy to have heard this story about a preacher and he asked the man what his name was. “Ben Hooper,” was the reply. Then Craddock remembered a story his father had told him about the state of Tennessee electing what was once called an “illegitimate child” to the office of governor and his name was Ben Hooper. There was a turning point in young Ben Hooper’s life, an occasion where he was no longer ashamed of who he was. He no longer had to hide in the weeds or slip in and out of church covertly. It was the day the preacher declared he was a child of God. Ben Hooper became a new person when he realized he had a father, a heavenly father who loved him. This is Jesus’ message to his followers. He teaches us to pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven.” and tells us the story of the forgiving father who welcomes home the prodigal. Jesus wants us to understand that God loves us, not because we are good or holy, but because God is our father. So my friends, just as that preacher told young Ben Hooper, I would tell you, “Well, boys and girls, you’re a child of, ah….You’re a child of, ah…Ah, wait! You’re a child of God. I see the striking resemblance! Go claim your inheritance!” To God alone be all honor and glory. Amen. | |||||
| Church of the
Cross |
|||||