Rev Gav

Priorities

Luke 2:48-52

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. ⁴² When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. ⁴³ After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, ⁴⁴ because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.

⁴⁵ When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. ⁴⁶ Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. ⁴⁷ All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

⁴⁸ His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”

⁴⁹ “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰ But they didn’t understand what he meant.

⁵¹ Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.

⁵² Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

Reflect

Joseph and Mary, Jesus’ parents, found Jesus in the temple and he was teaching the teachers! Mary, quite rightly, sounded a bit cross. How would you have felt? She must have been flooded with relief that Jesus was safe and sound, however, Jesus responded to his mum’s question with a strange answer — literally, “I’m here doing my Father God’s business.” Ouch. That must have hurt Joseph. But even though his ministry had not officially started, Jesus was moving from the dependence and authority of his parents, to assuming his God-given authority. He was putting God first. It is also worth remembering that Jesus was now twelve years old, and traditionally this was the age in Judaism when boys moved from childhood to adulthood.

To be a Christian is a way of life and Christians try to put God first — above everything else — and it is not easy! To put God first means to put ourselves, our families, our jobs or careers, our personal wants and dreams second — and this is counter-cultural. In other words it is not something people generally do in our culture, and like Jesus, people will think we are a bit odd. They might even, like Mary, get a bit cross with us.

Do

In what order do you put these things in your life: family, work/study, self, God, and church? Is there a correct order and if so, what is it?

Pray

Holy God
I choose to put you first over everything;
my relationships, my vocation, my belongings and myself.
I want to orientate my life around you,
and to trust and follow your Son, Jesus Christ.
You are God and know what’s best for me
and so I place my life in your hands.
This day and for ever.
Amen.

Think

What is the correct order for these things in our lives: family, work/study, self, God, and church?

In this Bible story, why do you think Mary does all the talking and not Joseph?