A Glimpse into the Silent Years

Wisdom from the Holy Family

December 28, 1997

Samuel; Psalm 148; Colossians; Luke

Between the Birth of Jesus and his public ministry there is a period of thirty years. In all these thirty years, while the Baby became a boy and then a man, we have just one brief opportunity to look in on the life of the Holy Family. When Jesus turned twelve the scriptures take us along as Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem, where he was admitted to the status of manhood. In modern terms we might understand that this was his bar mitzvah. Perhaps Jesus had been along on other trips to Jerusalem during the High Holy Days, but this was different. He would read from Torah, and prove he understood what he had read.

Certainly there could never be a better mother or father-figure than Mary and Joseph. Scriptures tell us Joseph was a devout man, and we know that he was a man who obeyed God's clear will. And Mary— well, she was Mary! Most highly favored of all the women of the earth, certainly she was a perfect mother. And yet, amazingly, the holy family had problems. It ought to make us all feel better that if Mary and Joseph could get 'bent out of shape' on occasion, maybe there is hope for us all.

I. Jesus is Missing

You know the story— in the holiday/Holy Day crush in Jerusalem the caravan back to Galilee got started, and Mary assumed Joseph knew where Jesus was, perhaps with cousins— and Joseph presumed that Jesus had told Mary where he would be, and so they went the whole day without either of them seeing him. That night as they got ready to sleep they realized their wonderful son was not with them. They panicked! Jesus was "lost!"

The key word here for us is "presumed." They "took for granted." No, it was not a fatal blunder. Yes, it turned out all right. And certainly, if the holy family did it we do worse, on occasion. But is always dangerous to "take for granted," which is not the same thing as living by trust and faith. We do assume some things because we trust the integrity of another's covenant promise. But to "assume" that loved ones always know what we mean, or why we do what we do, or take for granted they know we love them without ever telling them— to "presume" that they will be all right even if we miss an important event— there is a danger here.

Which brings us to the next key word; the story goes on to say that they "sought, anxiously." Their love sprang into action right here. Joseph and Mary were willing to expend any energy in order to restore normal family fellowship. They spent an anxious day on the road back to Jerusalem, and then at least part of a third day in the city looking, asking, searching. Finally they found him in the last place they looked, of course: in the Temple where he had gone in the first place. he was not just answering rudimentary questions now; Jesus was both listening and asking astounding questions of the doctors of philosophy and religion.

Every parent ever living has known something of this searching and this anxiety. When our children are young the searching is more literal and physical. Maybe as they get older we need to try to see where their questions are coming from, and find where they are in a spiritual sense.

[Our own Stephen (now 40 with children of his own) got lost in the Museum of Natural History; we were on a 'family safari;' I suppose Steve was about nine; we all six of us by the saber-tooth tiger display and then I suppose we 'presumed;' Steve cam up missing and we spent half an Hour of the most desperate searching imaginable there in one of the largest museums in the world. We 'sought anxiously;' and when we found the little fellow siting in the sub-basement train station wiping his eye with his sleeve, we certainly asked each other "why?" Actually Steve's first words were "Where were you!" !!]

Finally, a very revealing word came from Mary's lips: "Son, why?" If Mary the mother of Jesus couldn't understand her Son's behavior, then God have mercy on us all!! Was there some sort of 'generation gap' manifesting itself here? Every last parent with teens and near-teens in the whole world has asked this question in one way or many. It is almost a "given" that generations need a lot of mutual understanding and love!

II. Three Wondrous Gifts/Resources

...for extending the LOVE in our Families (from the Colossian text:) The "given" is love. [[ Love, the other-centered, indefinable glue that sticks families together— in danger of being fragmented by so many shouting voices, attractive games, selfish vices— etc.]]

The three Resources to strengthen any family love are: the peace of God, the Word of God, the Name of the Lord Jesus. They are practical gifts, and here is how you open them and use them:

[I'll take them in reverse order— as it were I'm working from the ground up—:]

The foundation is the name of Jesus. We are Christians. Christ-ones. So let it be foundational to all we are and do that we live in relationship to Him. "Do all that you do in Jesus' name!" Anything and everything that you cannot do with the approval of Jesus must be discarded. (Where that leaves games of killing and mayhem, well...I leave that to you just now... I know we have come a long way from strict guides of conduct—) Jesus will not discard you when you fail him. But . . . .

The house on the foundation is the Word of God. "Let the Word of God dwell in you richly." The way we know Jesus is through the Bible. The way we understand God's will is to read the Bible, and to think seriously about how the Bible speaks to your situation and mine.

The way we live in that house is the Peace of God. "Let the Peace of God rule!"

When we are "operating on all cylinders" in our walk with God we have (*Romans 14:16 "Love, peace, and JOY in the Holy Ghost.) Then when there is any sort of backsliding they seem to depart in that same reverese order: first the JOY goes— then the PEACE.

When the PEACE of God is disturbed, there is a reason that must be sought out!

III. You can't have the peace of God apart from the God of peace.

Wherever you are on your spiritual journey you can stop and invite the God of Peace to enter your situation and begin to bring His peace to bear on your relationships, beginning with you, yourself.

God's peace does not come from theory or doctrine— but from BEING RIGHT WITH GOD! God HIMSELF is the Source of Peace! He wants to be your Friend— and He IS— if you will

Prayer

Father, help us to live as the holy family, united in respect and love.

Bring us to the joy and peace of Your eternal home. Grant Your blessing to all families everywhere so that they may enter into the Christmas joy that came down to us through Christ's birth. We ask this in Jesus Name. Amen.

#97 Be Still, My Soul

Prayer of the Day: Almighty God, you have made yourself known in your Son, Jesus, and redeemer of the world. We pray that his birth as a human child will set us free from the old slavery of our sin; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.