{"id":1470,"date":"2015-12-27T11:00:19","date_gmt":"2015-12-27T17:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/?p=1470"},"modified":"2015-12-27T10:48:11","modified_gmt":"2015-12-27T16:48:11","slug":"where-is-jesus-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2015\/12\/27\/where-is-jesus-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Where is Jesus?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sunday, December 27, 2015 | Christmas<\/span>
\nFirst Sunday after Christmas:\u00a0 Holy Family<\/span>
\nYear C<\/span><\/p>\n

Old Testament<\/em> \u00a0\u00a0 1 Samuel 2:18\u201320, 26<\/span>
\nNew Testament<\/em> Colossians 3:12\u201317<\/span>
\nGospel<\/em> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Luke 2:41\u201352<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On Christmas Eve, I asked the question, \u201cWhere is the Messiah?\u201d\u00a0 Just where is Jesus in this world around us.\u00a0 Even when Jesus was a boy, his parents could not find Jesus.\u00a0 They were asking where Jesus is.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I remember a story that my mom would tell my sister and I.\u00a0 I am not sure if she told us because it was funny or if it was as a warning.\u00a0 When my mom was very young, she and her parents would go on driving trips or vacations.\u00a0 I don\u2019t recall which it was, but the place of the story takes place a long way from home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When my mom would get back into the car after stopping for meals, potty stop or from the rest area, she would pretend that she was not in the car.\u00a0 My mom would find a blanket or something to hide under, and her parents would pretend along with her, that she was not in the car.\u00a0 They would put on fake worry and all sorts of little jabs at their daughter.\u00a0 Then all of a sudden she would appear.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One day while on one of these trips, her parents got back in the car, and pretended not to see her and continued with the jabs.\u00a0 As I recall, it was about 30 minutes before they realized that my mom really was not in the car.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Obviously they found her okay, otherwise I would not be standing here today.\u00a0 Can you imagine the panic they must have had when they realized their child was missing?\u00a0 My mom was just where she was to be, she had not got in the car, so she was just where she had been left.\u00a0 It was not a matter that her parents did not care, it had become their norm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mary and Joseph travel to Jerusalem with Jesus, to celebrate the Passover and partake in the festival while in Jerusalem.\u00a0 Let me set the stage a little bit further.\u00a0 The Passover and festival would have attracted a lot of people.\u00a0 Kind of like a county fair would attract many people.\u00a0 During Jesus\u2019 time, travel for such occasions as the Passover, would have been done with others.\u00a0 Most likely there was many relatives and friends that travel with.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kind of how you might attend the county fair.\u00a0 You might not go just solo but take some family and friends, so you could share in the experience.\u00a0 You have people to talk with on the ride to the fair.\u00a0 You have people to experience the fair with and eat food with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Also, let’s face it, there is safety in numbers.\u00a0 The same would have been true during Jesus\u2019 time.\u00a0 Besides, it might be\u00a0more fun than just sticking with your immediate family.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 With all the relatives and friends around, Jesus most likely did not hang out with mom and dad all of the time.\u00a0 I know at 12, I did not want to hang out with my parents.\u00a0 Come on, my aunts and uncles and even my grand parents would have been more fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The festival and Passover is over and Mary and Joseph head back home.\u00a0 They again travel in their group, with the family and friends.\u00a0 I suspect there is an assumption on their part, that Jesus was traveling with someone else in the caravan.\u00a0 When they noticed Jesus is not with anyone of the caravan, Mary and Joseph return to Jerusalem.\u00a0 They search for three days before finding Jesus.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It may seem a little snarky on Jesus\u2019 part when He says to his parents, when they do find him, \u201cWhy were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father\u2019s house?\u201d[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Mary and Joseph don\u2019t get it, but we have the benefit of time and the Bible.\u00a0 Yes, of course Jesus was in the Temple.\u00a0 He is the Son of God after all.\u00a0 What more perfect place to wait for Mary and Joseph to show up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jesus is twelve, not just yet of age for the Bar Mitzvah. It is at the age of 13 that Jewish boys participate in their Bar Mitzvah.\u00a0 This is when they become obligated to observe the commandments.\u00a0 Prior to this age they are instructed in the commandments and encouraged to follow but not obligated.\u00a0 The bar mitzvah ceremony formally, publicly marks the assumption of that obligation, along with the corresponding right to take part in leading religious services, to count in a minyan (the minimum number of people needed to perform certain parts of religious services), to form binding contracts, to testify before religious courts and to marry.[2]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 The Bar Mitzvah marks the time of becoming an adult, much like the Christian Confirmation does in the church.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jesus, at twelve, is sitting around with the teachers asking and answering questions to such a degree, that all were amazed.\u00a0 Jesus was with His people, the Jews, since he was Jewish but even more than that, he was with God\u2019s people in the Father\u2019s house, Jesus\u2019 house.\u00a0 Jesus was among the people and with the people.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Have you lost Jesus?\u00a0 Are you afraid that you may not be able to find Him?\u00a0 Do you know someone who seems to have lost Jesus?\u00a0 Maybe they know it and just cannot seem to find Jesus today.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Where is Jesus today?\u00a0 If you were here on Christmas Eve, raise your hand.\u00a0 If you know where Jesus is, keep your hand up.\u00a0 If you still have your hand up, on the count of 3, I want you to speak loudly and tell everyone where Jesus is.\u00a0 Exactly, Jesus is inside of each and everyone of us, Jesus is present here and now.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We do not need to search three days to find Jesus.\u00a0 Just look to your neighbor, Jesus is there.\u00a0 Now that you know where Jesus is, do not hide Him.\u00a0 Let His light shine.\u00a0 Reach out to everyone, proclaim the good news, be the light to the nations and show and tell people where Jesus is and what Jesus does for all people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We have the responsibility, either through our confirmation or by virtue of our age and faith, to be the light to the nations. \u00a0This is our calling. \u00a0There is so much darkness in the world and we need to be part of Jesus\u2019 light to the world to spread the gospel to all we encounter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Light has come into the world, go tell the good news to all.\u00a0 Jesus Christ has been born! \u00a0Hallelujah!<\/span><\/p>\n

Amen<\/span><\/p>\n

[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Lk 2:49.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> Douglas Dill, Bible Reading<\/em>. Sermons 2014.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sunday, December 27, 2015 | Christmas First Sunday after Christmas:\u00a0 Holy Family Year C Old Testament \u00a0\u00a0 1 Samuel 2:18\u201320, 26 New Testament Colossians 3:12\u201317 Gospel \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Luke 2:41\u201352   On Christmas Eve, I asked the question, \u201cWhere is the Messiah?\u201d\u00a0 Just where is Jesus in this world around us.\u00a0 Even when Jesus was a … [Read more…]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[87,29,72,21,13,78,10,79,83],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"post-1470","6":"format-standard","7":"category-christ","8":"category-community","9":"category-evangelism","10":"category-faith","11":"category-family","12":"category-gospel","13":"category-jesus","14":"category-light","15":"category-sermon"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2m6h5-nI","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1990,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2018\/01\/06\/traditions-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":1470,"position":0},"title":"Traditions","author":"Douglas 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