Time with Jesus - Friday, 31 August
2012
Hi all,
The story of Joseph, Mary and Jesus going to the temple
in Jerusalem has puzzled people for many years. For today’s meditation, I’ve
put the entire story into perspective and explained the circumstances
surrounding this. Jesus the boy went to Jerusalem for His Bar Mitzvah where He
would officially change from boyhood into manhood. It’s a fascinating story.
Blessings
Jim
& Phyllida Strickland
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Friday, 31 August 2012
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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MY FATHER’S BUSINESS
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Apart
from His birth in Bethlehem, we know almost nothing about Jesus as a child
and growing up. The one incident we know was the trip to Jerusalem He took
with Mary and Joseph. The occasion was, in all probability, for His Bar
Mitzvah. After this ceremony a boy was considered a man. The man would
automatically become a part of his father’s business. I can think of no other
reason why they would all have gone from Nazareth to Jerusalem. Which means
Jesus was ±12 years old and was about to become a man!
It was a long journey of about 150km; about 3 or 4
days on foot. In those days, the custom was for the women and children to
leave first. They would get to the place where they would spend the night.
There, the women would pitch the tents and get everything ready for the
evening meal. The men would arrive in time for supper with them all. Until
His Bar Mitzvah, Jesus would have been regarded as a child and would have
travelled with the women. After His
Bar mitzvah the same thing would be repeated on the return to Nazareth.
Mary must have left with the women and children,
leaving Jesus to return with Joseph. When it was time for the men to leave,
Joseph would assume that, since Jesus was not there, He must have been with
Mary! It would be late in the day before they realised He was not with either
of them! They would have to go back to Jerusalem to find Him. But where would
they look? When in Jerusalem, they hunted everywhere without success. Finally,
they went to the temple. There they found Jesus! He was talking to the
priests. The Priests would not chat with a child, so they were talking to Him
as a man. In their discussions with Jesus, they were astonished at His
knowledge. It would have been normal back then for every young boy to memorise
the Torah! (Genesis to end of Deuteronomy) So Jesus must have known far more
than that to astonish the priests. But Jesus had more or less “written” all
of it before coming to earth. So it’s not surprising He had all the answers
to their questions. The apostle Peter put it this way: 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were
carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter
1:21 TNIV
The amazing part of all of this was that His parents
couldn’t find Him. After all, He was about His Father’s business! Since His
real Father was God, where else should they have been looking for Him? Note,
Jesus stated God was His Father at this young age! I’ve often wondered at
what age He knew for certain who He was. Did He know it when He was born? You
tell me!
Jim
& Phyllida Strickland
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13
Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them
ten pounds of silver, saying, 'Invest this for me
while I am gone.'
Luke 19:13 NLT
34
"The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated
by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each
of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the
gatekeeper to watch for his return.
Mark 13:34 NLT
15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver
to another and one bag of silver to the last--dividing it in proportion to
their abilities. He then left on his trip.
Matthew 25:15 NLT
4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who
sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
John 9:4 TNIV
49
Jesus said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you realize that I had to be in my Father's
house?"
Luke 2:49 GW
21 This
is the kind of life you've been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would
know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
1 Peter 2:21 MSG
2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time
is favourable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people
with good teaching.
2 Timothy 4:2 NLT
13 But each person's work will be shown for what it is.
On judgment day it will be brought to light.
It will be put through fire. The fire will test how good everyone's work is.
1 Corinthians 3:13 NIrV
58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and
immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that
nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
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For every Jewish boy, before gets to
be a man,
There is a ceremony, which long ago
began.
They call it the Bar Mitzvah, where he
reads from the law.
He is the child no longer, he used to
be before.
This very special date and in a very
special place,
The youngster had to go and look his
manhood in the face.
We know when Jesus did it; we know the
place He went.
The temple in Jerusalem. We’ve heard
of the event.
They went up for this purpose. The
women went ahead,
To set up camp and pitch the tents and
make the daily bread.
Jesus went with Mary, for He was still
a kid.
The men arrived much later, as usually
they did.
There within the Temple He did what
was desired.
It was His “rite of passage” as Jewish
law required.
From this day on in history, He wasn’t
just a lad,
But working as “partner”, in the
business of His Dad!
All this was very normal, until they
left for home.
His mother with the women and children
on their own.
The menfolk followed later. Eventually
they met.
“Where’s Jesus?” Mary asked him. “Did you perhaps forget,
That He would travel with the men; I
thought He was with you?
We’ll have to go and look for Him.
It’s all that we can do.”
They set off very early and went back
to the town.
Even if they had to turn the whole
place upside down,
They had to keep on looking and
searching with their eyes.
Then in the Temple precincts, they got
a big surprise.
There was Jesus talking, with many
gathered priests,
About the Jewish Torah and of their
many feasts.
He seemed to be so young to know so
much about the Law.
They wondered how He got it and what
He got it for.
Then Joseph said to Jesus, “Tell me please my son,
Why you didn’t come with us? We’ve
both been on the run.
Both of us were worried. We thought
you’d come to harm.
But Jesus looked at both of them and
with a voice so calm,
He said, “Did you forget that I have now become a man?
I must look and see the way His “business”
has been ran.
Surely this is what My Father’s wanting
now of Me.
For in My Father’s business is where I
have to be.”
Jim Strickland
Written 31st August 2012 |
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