In today’s passage, we see some important details about what it means to be a child of God, and the importance of our ministry to our children.
The story now jumps ahead from Jesus’s infancy to his life as a 12 year old. Jesus, Mary and Joseph had traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover as they would normally do each year. But this time, they forget to bring Jesus home. They had assumed he was somewhere in the caravan. They return to Jerusalem in a panic, and after a few days, find Jesus sitting in the temple having a discussion with the teachers.
We see at the end of this passage two remarkable statements. First, when Mary asked how Jesus could do such a thing to his parents, he responded by asking why they bothered coming back for him at all! He would have been perfectly fine staying at the temple, focusing on his Father’s business.
The second remarkable statement is in verse 51 – it says that Jesus was subject to his parents. Imagine that…the perfect, holy son of God became obedient to his imperfect parents. His holiness required it
But we also see a larger point being made here in verse 49. There’s a line of thinking in spiritual groups today that says, “Yes, Jesus is the son of God, because we’re all children of God!”
Jesus challenges this idea in John 8:31-47, and explains that there is a difference between the servants of sin and the children of God. He says some are children of their father the devil. Ultimately, it goes back to the same point Jesus makes in verse 49 – the sons and daughters of God are the ones who are about the Father’s business.
This whole story reminds me how critical it is to raise our children to follow Jesus. There are many competing worldviews out there, which one will they adopt? I pray that our children will know that every person is created in the image of God, falls short of the glory of God, and is freely offered the grace of God through Jesus Christ.
I also pray for all the mothers and grandmothers, the fathers and grandfathers, who are fervently praying for their adult children. I know many of them are facing tremendous challenges, and it feels like all you can do sometimes is pray.
Keep praying and demonstrating a godly life! Our enemy does not fight fair, but ultimately the battle belongs to the Lord…the Lord who created them, loved them, and died for them. Keep the faith!