As the passage begins today, we need to understand that according to God’s law, every male was required to go to Jerusalem three times a year for the great festivals (Exodus 23:14-17; Deuteronomy 16:16). In the spring, the Passover was celebrated, followed immediately by the week-long Festival of Unleavened Bread. Passover commemorated the night of the Jews’ escape from Egypt when God had killed the Egyptian firstborn but had passed over Israelite homes (Exodus 12:21-36).
Every year, along with other Jewish families, Jesus and his parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. Again there is attention to the law—Jesus grew up in a home where God’s laws were obeyed and annual festivals observed. So, the year when Jesus was twelve years old was no different, and the family set off for the festival as usual.
Those who attended the festivals usually traveled in caravans for protection from robbers along the Palestine roads. It was customary for the women and children to travel at the front of the caravan, with the men bringing up the rear. A twelve-year-old boy conceivably could have been in either group, and both Mary and Joseph assumed Jesus was with the other one. Their caravan probably included a large number of people. So it was not until they were ready to strike camp that Mary and Joseph checked for Jesus among the other travelers, only to discover that he was not in the crowd but had stayed behind in Jerusalem.
When Mary and Joseph discovered that Jesus was not among the travelers, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him. The three days that elapsed probably refers to one day in travel away from the city, one day for them to return, then finding him on the third day. Certainly to their great relief, they found him in the Temple. And what was Jesus doing in the Temple?
He was teaching, and the depth of his wisdom, amazed the other teachers that assembled.
While Jesus undoubtedly felt bad that he had caused his parents distress, it made perfect sense to him that he would be in his Father’s house, that is, in the Temple.
Jesus was making a distinction between his earthly father and his heavenly Father. Jesus understood his identity with God, but also was not yet supposed to go about his earthly ministry (that did not happen until he was thirty years old). In the meantime, Jesus lived a human life, obeying his parents, growing up, studying, and learning. As she had with the words of the shepherds at Jesus’ birth, Mary stored all these things in her heart.
While the Bible does not record any events of the next eighteen years of Jesus’ life, Jesus undoubtedly was learning and maturing. He grew physically (in height) and mentally (in wisdom), he related to other people (loved by all who knew him), and he was loved by God. A full human life is balanced. It was important to Jesus—and it should be important to all believers—to develop fully in each of these key areas: physical, mental, social, and spiritual.
As chapter 3 begins, we see Luke, once again, gave his Roman audience a historical context for his narrative. Tiberius, the Roman emperor, ruled from a.d. 14–37. Pilate was the Roman governor responsible for the province of Judea from a.d. 26–36. Originally, Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, had been assigned this portion to rule after his father died, but he ruled so poorly that his subjects petitioned for him to be removed. The Romans installed a governor in a.d. 6 and eventually Pilate held this post.
It was during this time that a message from God came to John. There had not been a prophet in Israel for more than four hundred years. It was widely believed that when the Messiah would come, prophecy would reappear (Joel 2:28-29; Malachi 3:1; 4:5). With the arrival of John, prophecy returned to Israel, and this was a sign to the people. God gave John his message, and from that point, John brought that message to the people.
News that a prophet had burst onto the scene excited the people. There was a sense that God was doing a work. The prophet Isaiah called his people to repentance. The second half of the book of Isaiah focuses on the promise of salvation—the coming of the Messiah and the arrival of a man who would announce this coming (Isaiah 40:3).
John the Baptist was, in fact, that voice shouting in the wilderness, announcing the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist called all humankind to prepare to meet Jesus. John's preaching can sounds harsh at times, but his astonishing frankness made him popular with the people but unpopular with the religious establishment. His message was simple; confession of sins and a changed life are inseparable. Faith without deeds is dead. Those who believe must also truly turn from sin, proving by the way they live that they have really turned from their sin and turned to God.
God’s message hasn’t changed since the Old Testament—people will be judged for their unproductive lives. Just as a fruit tree is expected to bear fruit, God’s people should produce a crop of good deeds. John said that people who claim to believe God but don’t live for God are like unproductive trees that will be cut down. The ax of God’s judgment is poised and ready to do its work, cutting down those trees that do not bear good fruit (Psalm 74:5-6; Jeremiah 46:22). Not only will the trees be chopped down, but they will be thrown into the fire, signifying complete destruction.
God’s message hasn’t changed since the Old Testament—people will be judged for their unproductive lives. Just as a fruit tree is expected to bear fruit, God’s people should produce a crop of good deeds. John said that people who claim to believe God but don’t live for God are like unproductive trees that will be cut down. The ax of God’s judgment is poised and ready to do its work, cutting down those trees that do not bear good fruit (Psalm 74:5-6; Jeremiah 46:22). Not only will the trees be chopped down, but they will be thrown into the fire, signifying complete destruction.
John’s powerful message even reached soldiers. And when the soldiers asked what they should do, John told them to quit some of their activities—such as extorting money from people and accusing people of things they didn’t do. As with the tax collectors, they were told to control their greed by being content with their pay. Again, his message was simple - your walk must match your talk.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
So many things from today. Jesus at 12 years old - a junior Higher - teaching in the temple. The obedience of Mary and Joseph to raise Jesus in a godly home. But for me today, the message of John and a call to repentance - a call to live your values and live out your faith. Well, that message so resonates with my soul. Lord, I long to be your man. I know how often I fail and fall short. I am intimately familiar with my sin and hypocrisy. Yet, I want my life to match the message. I know you have called me to set the pace and example.
Forgive me Lord when I fall short. Thank you for your grace and mercy and forgiveness. Help me God to be Your man today. Help me boldly and lovingly proclaim Your message. Lord, bring people to COV to hear the Good News. Prepare their hearts to receive the message and Lord give them courage to respond to that message.
"But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." John 12:32 (NIV)
Lord, we will lift You up at COV. Draw people to you.
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