Sermon for the First Sunday of Christmas

Texts:
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26;
Colossians 3:12-17;
Luke 2:41-51.

The crowds were slowly leaving Jerusalem. The great festival of freedom was over. Wonderful Passover! Once again they’d gathered to feast at the meal of remembrance, tell the story of Israel’s escape from slavery in Egypt, and praise their God.

As the city emptied, street vendors went back to making a usual day’s supply of food. Beggars reclaimed their seats at the city gates to hope for a crust. The rabbis resumed teaching their students in the courtyard of the Jerusalem Temple.

At first no one paid attention to the extra student. He was quiet and watchful. But then the boy began to ask questions. He was respectful, but persistent. His accent told the rabbis that he was no Jerusalemite. It surprised them that a Galilean child should be so well spoken.

The other students were not so well disposed toward this boy. He reminded them of precocious Samuel serving God in his precious little Temple robe. The brightest of them felt completely outshone. The dimmest became even more mute than usual.

At the end of the first day the students left quickly, not willing to befriend their competitor. They only knew his name –Yeshua, and that he was twelve. Years younger than most of them who were studying in hopes of becoming teachers themselves one day.

The next day and the day after, the boy Yeshua was back and, if possible, even more brilliant than before. He’d begun to answer questions with the same diffident confidence as he had been asking them. He was even admonishing and teaching them! The teachers invited the boy to share their midday meal, so as to continue the conversation.

The teachers had their own secret envy. Whoever this boy’s parents were, they were obviously deeply righteous and observant people of faith. And what Galilean rabbi could possibly have educated this boy so well in Torah? It had to be someone familiar with the famous academies of both Jerusalem and Babylonia.

Surely they would have heard the name of so great a scholar? But when they asked Yeshua to name his teacher, he just shrugged and said, I’ve had many. And so the mystery remained.

Awareness slowly dawned on Miriam and Yosep that their son was missing. Their initial surprise turned to worry, and then to panic as they learned that no one else in the travelling group had seen Yeshua for some time. They turned around immediately and returned to Jerusalem.

They went together in search of their son. The streets were narrow and the walls riddled with doorways. The boy could be anywhere. Or nowhere. Had he been taken away by traders?

They asked about their missing child at the main city gate. And then at the secondary gates. They queried the street food vendors laboring at their carts. They went to the public water well.

The boy had to eat and drink something, somewhere. In their desperation they could only hope that he been taken in by kindly strangers. Each night in the city they took shelter but barely slept.

Miriam and Yosep had nearly given up when they found the boy. The Temple was the last place they thought to look. But there he was deep in conversation. Their relief was beyond expressing.

Yosep, a thoughtful, quiet man regarded Yeshua with solemn reproach. But Miriam was not so reserved. Look! What were you thinking? You gave us such a fright! You’ve got a lot of explaining to do. Where have you been? How could you be so irresponsible? See if we let you out of our sight again any time soon!

Meanwhile the boy was not only unharmed, but also unfazed. I wasn’t lost at all. I’ve been here all the time, safe as can be. See, I’m right where I’m supposed to be – dwelling with my Father.   

Miriam and Yosep did not immediately respond to what Yeshua said. At this moment both parents began to recall the day twelve years earlier when they’d brought their newborn son to this Temple. They’d been greeted by pious old Simeon who took the infant from them and blessed him saying, I see now…God’s deliverance is coming. Even the eyes of Gentiles will see it and Israel’s name will be glorified!

When Simeon leaned over to place the baby back into Miriam’s arms he had whispered in her ear. This child will bring low people high, and high people low. It’s his destiny to draw out opposing forces, and to shine a light on inner shadows. Prepare your heart to be deeply wounded. Miriam could not tell if together these things amounted to blessing or curse. She had said nothing about it to Yosep.

The old prophetess Anna had come forward too. She’d praised God, adding her testimony that God was going to restore Israel from humiliation to grace. Such words were welcome but also dangerous to speak so plainly lest Roman ears should overhear them.

Still furious with her wayward son, Miriam was struck by something else she remembered from that day. Anna the prophetess had been eighty-four. The numbers were curious. Her son was twelve now. Twelve times seven is eighty four. The sum of two holy numbers. But her heart told her that God was not summoning Yeshua to serve in the Temple. He was no Samuel.

Yet the boy was right about something: he had been safe all along. As faithful people know, God’s house is the best possible place to dwell during all the years God gives.

– For, whoever seeks to be in the presence of God, under any condition of life, will always find food for the soul, and everlasting welcome.

Hebrew “Yeshua” = English “Jesus”

“Yosep”   =               “Joseph”

“Miriam” =               “Mary”