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Looking in All the Wrong Places

December 31, 2006         (Click the date to see the bulletin)

by Rev. J. Rodgers Spencer

There are no more Advent candles to light. "The Jesse Tree" has been sung for the last time. Carols no long blare at us in the malls. Parking places near the store can once again be found. Yet I’m not ready to leave Christmas. So much time and energy when into last week’s celebration that I want to linger at the manger. Yet the lectionary text assigned for today does not allow us to linger.

Last Sunday evening, Christmas Eve, as we read Luke’s gospel, we left Mary pondering all these things in hear heart, and the shepherds returning, glorifying God for all they had heard and seen. That scene I want to hold on to, that vision I want to cherish. In addition, I want to hear again old Simeon say, after taking the child in his arms, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace…for my eyes have seen the salvation of Israel."

And Yes, I want to bring in Matthew with the Magi, even to hear of Herod’s anger, and then to see the holy family safely off to Egypt.

The words of the Shepherds Farewell express in Berlioz’s The Flight into Egypt, which the TOC so beautifully sang a week or so ago, capture the mood I want for today:

Thou must leave thy lowly dwelling, the humble crib, the stable bare

Babe, of all mortal babes excelling, Content our earthly lot to share

Loving father, loving mother, shelter thee with tender care!

And the last verse goes:

Blest are ye beyond all measure, Thou happy father, mother mild!

Guard ye well your Heav’nly Treasure, The Prince of Peace, the Holy Child!

God go with you, God protect you, guide you safely through the wild!

Yes, there some thing in me that wants, in my minds eye, to stand on a hill outside of Bethlehem, and watch the holy family escape the wrath of Herod and sing " God go with you, God protect you, guide you safely through the wild".

But Luke does not allow for such sentiment. Luke hits the fast forward button and says ‘the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom and the favor of God was upon him" and twelve years have passed. (And you thought your kids grew up too fast).

Now we see him and his parents going to Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Passover. And Luke adds, as was the custom. In those days, those who lived with certain radius of Jerusalem, 60 miles, were expected once in four years to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. The full celebration lasted for 8 days. So with travel time the observance of this feast could take as much as two weeks for this family. (And we complain if our service is 15 minutes too long.) Luke implies that they did it every year, a good pious Jewish family observing the law and traditions.

In this brief sentence Luke sketches that Mary and Joseph took seriously their responsibility in raising Jesus within the tradition. They are a model for all parents. While Luke makes no mention of this, I can also imagine Joseph taking Jesus to the synagogue on a regular basis for we later see Jesus being familiar and comfortable with the synagogue when he was asked to read a passage for the day. Luke hints that Jesus was raised in the proper manner so much so that a little later we read the teachers in the Temple were amazed at his understanding.

This story of Jesus at the Temple is so familiar to us, or should be, that it is hard to see something new it. We know that story. But this year something struck me in rereading it.

The commentaries all tell us the Jerusalem was a crowded city during the Passover. And we gather that the family had been there regularly over the years so that the lad had a general idea of the lay of land. Years before when Jesus was much younger I’m sure he stayed close by his parents. But now he is 12 – need I say more? He knew where they were going, he knew what was expected. But the pre-teen was not staying glued to his parents. He is exploring the world on his own. Familiar ring to it? After a week the celebrations are over and they are returning home – the pilgrims traveled in caravans, the men in one group, women in another, and older children usually together. Now let your imagination develop the scene.

Time mid morning- Mary speaking: Joseph I haven’t seen Jesus since breakfast. Do you know where he is?

Joseph: No. I don’t know. He’s around somewhere. He knows the way home. I bet by lunch time he will show up saying what’s to eat.

A little later: "Joseph, its lunch time and where is he?

Joseph: Knowing him, he probably found something good to eat with one of our cousins. They’ll take care of him.  He’ll show up by supper time.

Early-afternoon: Mary: "Joseph, I’m getting concerned."

Joseph: "Quit worrying – he's a big boy now."

Mid-afternoon: Mary: "I just talked to Cousin Ruth and they haven’t seen him either."

Joseph: " So?"

Mary:  "Well , I’m really worried. What if something has happened to him?"

Joseph: "Nothing has happened."

Mary: "How can you be so sure?"

Joseph: "Well, he’s quite capable."

Mary: "I know, but what if?"

Joseph: "What if what?"

Mary: "You know – maybe?"

Joseph: "We have walked all day – do you want to turn around and walk back to Jerusalem at this hour?"

Mary: "I think we should, don’t you?"

Joseph: "No!"

Mary: "But I Do!"

Joseph: "OK"

So they go back to Jerusalem. And my guess is that Joseph knew those places in which a 12 year old would find interesting. But he wasn’t in any of those places.

Today, after a disaster, we have seen the anxiety on faces of those looking for lost loved ones. By now Mary’s face was getting that look of anxiety. Joseph was also showing signs of concern. This was not like their son. Any parent can imagine the range of feelings experienced by Joseph and Mary. They must have been frightened and angry –– alternating between "Please, dear God!" and "Wait till I get my hands on him!" The slow journey back to Jerusalem and the search in the city must be sheer torture.

After checking all the logical places, they tried the temple.

And there he was. And Mary burst out: ‘Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have looking for you anxiously."

Let’s pause here for a moment and hold this scene in your mind’s eye.

What does Jesus promise: - peace, love, security, wholeness, happiness,

Last week, with all the stuff we got and all the stuff we gave – do all those things give us a lasting peace, a love that abides, a security for the future, a wholeness that the world the never provide, a happiness that knows no end?

We endue long lines, snared traffic, crowded stores, 24 hour shopping frenzy, and January’s maxed out credit cards for what?

Like Mary and Joseph we have looking in all the wrong places. The good news for them is that they wasted only three days. How many hours, how many days, how many years have we wasted looking in all the wrong places for the gifts that only Jesus can give?

How simple was Jesus response: "Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?" Now note this: In verse 39 – "your father and I have been looking for you; now in the next verse, verse 40 – " I must be in my Father’s house"

From our prospective we understand the play on the word ‘father.’ But they did not understand…"but Mary kept all these things in her heart."

When you don’t have a refrigerator on which to save your child’s creation, you save those things in your heart.

I leave you with two questions, one for the year ending, and one for the New Year coming?

1- What are the wrong places were we have been looking for Jesus?

2- What are the sayings of Jesus we are saving in our hearts?

Mary and Joseph, for all practical purpose now drop out of the story and Luke says that Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God’ Let me paraphrase that by saying - So may we, as we enter a new year, increase in wisdom, and in favor with God.

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