Luke 2:39-3.9

Summary
Today’s reading accounts for how Joseph and Mary returned to Galilee after they had done everything required of them. The child Jesus grew and was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was on him. On the particular festival of Passover when they went to Jerusalem Jesus didn’t return with his parents and they were unaware of this. They went back looking for him and found him in the temple courts among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions, everyone was astonished at his understanding even his parents. The parents told him they were searching for him and he replied them saying “didn’t you know I had to be in my father’s house” but didn’t understand what he was saying. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.
We read in the subsequent chapter, the story of John the Baptist who went about preaching baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and preparing the way for Jesus Christ.

Life Application
As God’s children we mustn’t forget our responsibility to God, our responsibility to God and his work must not conflict with man. Jesus makes it clear where our allegiance must lie, he was also faced with same conflict and he chose to please the Father, no matter the challenges we are faced with, we must submit to God and depend on the grace of God to succeed in life. And also share the good news of our Lord Jesus no matter what it may cost us. Jesus has already paid with his life, what can you give in exchange?

Personal Declaration
No matter the challenge I am faced with, I choose to please God rather than man.

Reading – Luke 2:39-3.9

³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. ⁴² When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³ After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴ Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”^{[a] 50} But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— ² during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.⁴ As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.
⁵ Every valley shall be filled in,
    every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
    the rough ways smooth.
⁶ And all people will see God’s salvation.’”^[b]

⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Footnotes:

1. Luke 2:49 Or be about my Father’s business
2. Luke 3:6 Isaiah 40:3-5

All scriptural passages are taken from the NIV version of the bible.