Second Sunday after Christmas

January 2-3, 2010

“Where Jesus is Found”

Luke 2:40-52

Grace, love, joy and peace be unto you from God our heavenly Father, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

It was during the pre-Christmas rush at a department store. The Christmas music that was playing in the background was interrupted by an announcement. “May I have your attention, please,” the voice said loudly for all to hear, “We have two lost parents in the store. Would the parents of Jamie and Susie please come to the office, so your children can find you?” We might find that amusing because of the way it was put, or because we can relate to it, having had it happen to us before. Maybe we can sympathize with the parents because we know how easily it can happen. Yet, we may not have an amused reaction to our Gospel lesson today. Mary and Joseph lost Jesus? How could they do that? How could they lose the Messiah?

St. Luke starts his gospel account in chapter one by telling us that what he has written was passed on to him by those who were eyewitnesses to the events. This means that more than likely, he heard this particular story from Mary herself, as she was most certainly an eyewitness. She and Joseph had gone to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, as they did every year. From Nazareth, it was about 65 miles to the holy city, meaning a four or five day journey. So they traveled with their extended family, and other families. There is safety in numbers, and the conversation and fellowship along the way made for a more pleasant trip. So how easy it was for Mary and Joseph to assume that Jesus was somewhere in the caravan of travelers, hanging out with His cousins and friends. But at the end of a day’s journey, He hadn’t checked in with them, which was very unusual. We can even picture the scene, as Mary asks Joseph, “Have you seen Jesus?” “No, I thought He was with you.” “Well, I thought He was with you.” And then the panic sets in.

So, in one of the great understatements of the Bible, Luke tells us, “they returned to Jerusalem, searching for Him.” Try to imagine what was going through their minds. They had to be an emotional wreck, especially considering who their child was. They must have thought, “We’re responsible for this. God entrusted us to care for this holy child. We got Him all the way to Egypt and back safely. How could this happen now?” For Mary, it had just been 12 years before that she had been singing, “All generations shall call me blessed.” But now, what else could she be thinking, except that, “All generations will call me the worst mother of all time.”

This is a situation completely unique to Mary. She is Jesus’ biological mother, and He is her biological Son. Lots of other mothers have lost their sons, but no other woman has been the mother of Jesus Christ. Even Joseph’s anguish couldn’t compare to hers at this moment. And yet, this uniqueness of Mary’s situation also makes it all too common. How many of us know the experience of losing Jesus? On Christmas Eve, we heard the announcement from the prophet Isaiah, “To us a child is born, to us a Son is given.” Jesus has been given, gifted to us by grace alone. But how often have you lost track of Him?

Sometimes, it happens suddenly; a crisis strikes, and we question how God could ever let such a thing happen to us. But often, it happens gradually. Jesus drifts slowly out of our lives as we find ourselves occupied with careers and children, sports and other activities, all the obligations of life. We didn’t even realize Jesus was missing from our lives, until we run into another church member at the store, or the pastor calls, saying, “Gee, we haven’t seen you in church for a while.” And it suddenly dawns on us that we’ve lost Jesus, and never even realized it.

There is, I think, a clear word of warning here. If Mary can lose Jesus, how much more can we? But hopefully, by now, you’ve realized that something is wrong with the way we’ve been putting this. It’s not Jesus who is lost; you and I are lost. It’s not the Christ Child who has wandered off; it’s you and I who have gone astray, “each to his own way.” This turns the whole situation as we’ve been describing it upside down. It is God who seeks out His children who have gone missing. Jesus puts the meaning of our Christmas celebration into perspective when He says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” He is the Good Shepherd who goes to look for the sheep who has gone astray, and when He finds you, He lays you on His shoulders rejoicing. He is the woman who finds the lost coin, and when He finds you, He says to all the angels in heaven, “Rejoice with me.” He has never left you, even when you have left Him. He has kept His eye on you from all eternity, and while you were still a long way off, He came to you by His Word and Spirit, embraced you in your Baptism, fed you with His body and blood, and when He has found you, He calls all heaven and earth to join in His joy, because “this my child was lost and is found.”

But back to Mary and Joseph; after three days of searching, they found Jesus at the temple. St. Luke tells us, “They found Him sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” Little did those teachers realize that this 12 year old boy was the Wisdom from on High. “And when His parents saw Him, they were astonished. And His mother said to Him,”… Now how do we read these next words? With what emotion did Mary say what comes next? With relief? With anger? With that highly volatile mixture of both that mothers have perfected over the years? “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And Jesus replied to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” These are the first words recorded of Jesus in the gospels, and we ought to listen to them carefully.

First, anyone who claims that Jesus wasn’t aware of His divinity as a child isn’t being honest, or reading the Scriptures honestly. Even at the age of 12, Jesus is clearly aware of His divinity as the Son of God, as He reminds Mary and Joseph, and us, just who His true Father is. And second, Jesus makes it quite clear where those who seek Him can find Him. “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

Now it’s true that God is present everywhere. But the question here is not, “Where is God,” but rather, “Where can you find Him?” Lots of people are looking for Jesus, but can’t seem to find Him, because they’re not looking where He promises to be found. They’ll look for Him in nature, in exciting and charismatic experiences, in church leaders, even within themselves. “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

On Christmas, the shepherds were told that they would find Jesus, not by looking anywhere that seemed right to them, but if they looked specifically for a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. Now, His holy manger has become His Father’s house. And in His Father’s house, you will find Jesus wrapped in the swaddling cloths of His Word. Wherever the Word of God is heard according to the Scriptures, you can be sure Jesus is there to be found. Likewise, wherever the Word is wrapped in the swaddling cloths of water, or bread and wine, there Jesus is present, and there you will find Him.

To think that our faith is so strong that we could never lose sight of Jesus is foolish pride. If it can happen to Mary, it can surely happen to us. Even the best sailors can lose their bearings in a heavy fog. Let Jesus’ words to His mother be for us, and let those words be like a lighthouse on the shore. Seek Him where He promises to be found. Go to where His Word is heard, and there you will be sure you have found Him because you hear His voice. Go to the altar, where His body and blood are placed into your hands and into your mouths, and there be assured that He is present with you. And when you find Him there, in Word and Sacrament, you will find Him full of grace, and forgiveness, and love for you. “And His mother treasured up all these things in her heart.” May we do the same. Amen.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep both your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.