Drawing Closer to God 1

Title: “Drawing Closer to God”

Text: Luke 2:41-52

Introduction:

1. Luke tells of a time in Jesus’ life when he was twelve years old and traveled to Jerusalem with his family to celebrate the Passover[1]. The age of 12 was a special time for a Jewish male as it wasa point in his life when he was being made ready to enter into the religious community,where he could be of service to God while learning and growing in the ways of God.

2. I’m afraid, to an extent, many groups within mainstream Christianity today have lost sight of this. So much emphasis is placed on experiencing a single moment in time when you recite a certain prayer, make a certain declaration, or do some religious thing that almost no emphasis is placed on entering into the covenant community for the purpose of servingand growing in Christ.

3. In the words of one of my favorite theologians “The goal of Christianity is not so much about heaven when you die as it is about Christlikeness right now.”Jesus’ trip to Jerusalem at twelve years old is then a picture of what it truly looks like to draw closer to God and grow in His ways, as a close and personal relationship with the Father is embraced.

Proposition: In being reconciled to God through Christ heaven is guaranteed and that’s the best thing that could ever happen to us; however, being a born again believerhere and now is about being conformed to His image, and growing in godliness so that we may walk this earth as witnesses; bearing the testimony of a risen savior.

Interrogative Sentence:It’s important to know that mere religious observances in and of themselves cannot accomplish this…so then how does this transformational process in which God has called us to undergo come to pass?

Transitional Sentence: As born-again believers - “conceived of the Holy Spirit” we are called to embrace our unique relationship with God as our Father so that we may draw closer to Him and be conformed to His image. In this account of Jesus at the age of 12, that Luke provides,we see some ways how this is done – and done by “the only begotten Son” himself at that.

- Drawing closer to God means that it is sometimes necessary to…

1. Withdraw from the Crowd (v. 41-45). Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem…”

a. Jesus did not follow the crowd.

  1. During the Passover Jews from everywhere would travel to Jerusalem in large groups consisting of family, friends, acquaintances and whole villages.
  2. This festival which included the Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted about seven days; however, travelers were only required to stay at least two days, and afterwards they would travel back home with the crowds.
  3. But Jesus did not follow the crowd back home. He did not go with the flow and limit his experience to a mere religious observance. Instead he stayed behind.

b. Jesus stayed behind.

  1. As Jesus’ father and mother had paid their annual visit to the Holy City and began to pack up and head out along with everyone else, Jesus decided that it was not time for him to go.
  2. There was still so much for young Jesus to explore, so much for him to discern in connection with his identity as God’s son in God’s house.
  3. He had such a desire for the Father that he did not want to leave his house! I wish my kids were like that; take them to the park their kicking and screaming when it’s time to go, but take them to church and they can’t wait till it’s over! But that’s kids. What’s sad is that such behavior describes many church going adults.

Drawing closer to God and embracing our unique relationship with Him as His sons and daughters to learn and grow in his ways means that sometimes we must withdraw from the crowd and stay behind so that we can…

2. Tune into Heaven and Glean from the Wisdom of God (v. 46-47).After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

- Jesus stayed behind and…

a. Jesus sought after the wisdom of God.

  1. For three days 12-year-old Jesus was not with his parents. They had traveled a whole day’s worth until they realized he was not among them (which speaks about the size of their group). So they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. As far as they were concerned the divine son in which God had given them was lost.
  2. So finally they make their way to the temple and find Jesus sitting at the feet of godly men who were learned in the ways of God – dialoging with them, asking and answering questions. He had extended his stay not just in Jerusalem but at the temple to seek after the wisdom of God.

b. Jesus knew where to find godly wisdom.

  1. This was logical on the part of young Jesus. Any other Jewish boy his age could have come to the same conclusion, which was that godly wisdom could be found among godly men whose lives were devoted to knowing and following the ways of God.
  2. The point is that Jesus had the desire to acquire such wisdom. In-fact he had such a desire thattwo days in religious observance was not enough – he wanted to continue hanging around the Temple rather than going home.
  3. How many people don’t mind hanging out after the service for a couple of days to talk about God and the Bible?

Drawing closer to God and growing in a relationship with Him sometimes requires withdrawing from the crowd - staying behind to extend fellowship, prayer, and study of God and His word, which logically assumes positioning ourselves with godly people where spiritual growth is conducive. And in doing so we must not forget that the goal of it all is to be able to take what we know, what God has given to us, that is the knowledge of him and let it form our character. In other words, we must be able to…

3. Translate the Contents of God’s Word into Conduct (v. 48-50). And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came with them to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

- How did Jesus translate the contents of God’s word into conduct?

a. Jesus honored God’s word.

  1. His attitude towards his mother and his response was actually reflective of his understanding of God’s word. He was not talking back, being sarcastic or being disrespectful in any way. His words, though not fully understood, were actually comforting.
  2. Again, his attitude towards his mother and his response was reflective of his understanding of God’s word. Notice that Luke doesn’t fail to tell us that Jesus “was submissive” to his parents. Why was it important for Luke to notethat in this scene?
  3. Jesus’ decision to stay behind could have been seen as parental disobedience, which was a punishable crime according to Jewish law; however, notice the text says when they found him they were “astonished.”[2]Why? He was found with such an inclination to honor God! And of course he honors his parents too when they come and get him. Therefore…

b. Jesus was a witness to his parents.

  1. Notice after this scene takes place Mary wasn’t angry with Jesus. This wasn’t an incident she looked back on in distain. No. Luke tells us that she “treasured up all these things in her heart.”
  2. Jesus’ desire for God was pleasing to her and served as a testimony of his love for his Heavenly Father. And Jesus’ loving conduct towards her and Joseph in his “submissiveness” to them served as further affirmation of that.

When we decide that drawing closer to God is the most important thing we can do, and we tune our ears to heaven - giving attention to the things of God we are transformed by His power and presence, being made able to translate His word into conduct, which makes us a witness to others. In drawing closer to God in this manner what actually takes place is we…

4. Become More Like Christ (v. 52). And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

- Jesus became more -more the manifestation of God’s word among men as he persisted in…

a. The application of his knowledge of God.

  1. For us this does not mean knowing it all, but rather skillfully applying what is known. You can know God’s word from Genesis-Revelation, but if you lack the ability to apply it to everyday life then it’s useless to you.
  2. What’s in view here is not this one time in Jesus’ life where he was able to translate God’s word into conduct. What’s in view is his willingness to continually, habitually, consistently and faithfully do so, thus allowing him to increase in wisdom as he got older, and thus allowing him to be…

b. A light to the world.

  1. To what do we attribute his having the favor of god and man? His intellect? His knowledge of the things pertaining to God, or his reputation of living in obedience to the word of his Father?[3]
  2. Jesus not only knew the truth of God’s word, he revealed the truth of God in the most powerful way – that’s is by walking in it.
  3. Friends, we make ourselves a light to the world when we “walk in the light we have.”

To recap –drawing closer to God may require withdrawing from the world so that we can turn our attention to heaven and come to truly know the Father. In doing so we are challenged to translate our knowledge of Him and His ways into conduct in our everyday lives. This choice to honor God’s word perpetually is what allows us to bear His image and be his witnesses to a world that is perishing.

Conclusion:

1. So Christmas on our calendar has passed – the annual celebration of our Passover lamb in which God our heavenly Father has so graciously provided. And now people from everywhere who have observed the occasion will be headed back to their respective homes and back to their respective lives.

2. But who will choose to remain in the spirit of Christmas and in the presence of the God who has come to be with us and offer to us a unique relationship as his sons and daughters?

3. It’s understandable that we must get back to our jobs and back to things that demand our attention.But, let us take with us into post-Christmas – into the new year a desire to draw closer to God and a willingness to give to him our attention, allowing us to grow in love and service to Him who has given us the right to be called His children – for His glory. Amen.

[1]Passover was an important Jewish festival that the people were to observe in commemoration of their redemption from Egypt.

[2]Ekplēssomai – to be greatly astounded or amazed. The word is used in other passages to describe people’s response to Jesus’ teachings and miracles.

[3] In Near Eastern Ancient times nobility; virtue and integrity were most honorable.