Jesus Said What?!

did you know that Jesus talked back to his mother? this clearly defines him as fully divine and fully...a pre-teen. i will always wonder why the Lord included this story in the Bible?

before i go on...this story in the Bible bugs me because honestly, i cannot stand when kids are rude to their mothers. you see, my mother died about 11 years ago. she was my best friend and like a sister to me and my younger sister. so, naturally, when i see a kid being rude or disrespectful to his/her mother it bugs me because they do not know what they have.

what also bugs me is when i see mothers just taking it from their kids. why moms? teach your kids life values, manners, please! eh, oh, yeah, my mom used to uh, well, let's just say she used the rod of correction on me liberally, literally, freely, regulary, and vigorously!

here's my opinion, and please do not be offended by this. i take the Bible very seriously. i am a graduate of a univeristy that was at one time a seminary. we were required to take many Biblical and theological courses before we were allowed to graduate.

Luke tells the story perhaps with a smile on his face. Jesus was a twelve year-old boy, a tween really, (between the ages of 10 and 12). He goes on a trip with mary his mother and joseph his beloved step-father. they are traveling in a large group. they go to the temple, perform a ritual according to the high holy day called passover in the jewish tradition, they seem to be exhausted from traveling. and after the feast is over, they begin the long trip home assuming that Jesus was with them.

remember this is before suv's and the super cool transportaion that we are so privileged to uitlize today. it was the middle east during the time of Jesus, they probably used camel's or donkey's or something along those lines in addition to just walking. everything slowed down a great deal when traveling long distances.

it was a whole day's journey before mary the mother of Jesus realizes that her son, the Son of God, the Messiah is missing! they have been traveling in a large group. apparently Jesus was quite social as a tween. he was already showing signs of greatness. he is doing pre-ministerial things and getting ready for the next stage of his life. fully human, yet still fully divine...and completely a tween. symbolically and literally, he was between youth and adulthood, a lamb being prepared for sacrifice.

mary and joseph re-traced their steps and found him, the Son of God, a pre-teen, a tween sitting, no standing in the temple talking with the elders and confounding wise men with his wisdom.

mary the mother of Jesus, saw him first. she, already weary from the trip, had probably lost sleep. her eyes red from crying, her feet hurting from running.

how could i lose the Son of God? she must have been thinking. she looked everywhere. joseph must have comforted her:

"mary, he is the Son of God, God will protect him. we will find him soon."

after many hours of re-tracing their steps, they are back at the temple. mary spotted him first. she begins running. she stops. women are not allowed in this part of the temple. she slowly approaches her son. the miracle that came from her womb yet twelve years earlier. she is frantic. thinking that perhaps she has disappointed God.

"Son! My Son! Where have you been? We have been loking for you for days! we were worried sick!" mary exclaims. she cannot contain herself. the wisemen in the room turn their heads and scowl at her. no one moves. no one says anything.

but Jesus. He says to his mother something unforgettable. he talks back to his mother!

"mom! why were you looking for me? didn't you know that i must be about my Father's business?" he says to her.

fist, there is silence. the room is tense. then, the wisemen in the room begin to snicker and chortle. she let's go of his arm and backs away. she wonders what he will be like when he is a teenager? then she remembers that she was nearly his age when he was born! but she has no idea what he is saying to her. she looks at her joseph. he sighs, shrugs and says:

"come now, we must be heading back." Jesus respects his step-father. in silence, they begin the long journey home. mary the mother of Jesus cannot help stealing glances at her son, the Son of God. she hides all of these things in her heart.

what happened here? if i had talked back to my mother like that...well, i'll just leave it there, lol.

it is a wonderful thing the bond between mother and child. we see Jesus nearly 21 years later hanging on the cross. and his last order of business was to ensure that his mother was cared for once he died. fully divine, now fully grown up. as a man in his mid 30's, he took care of business, but he took care of his mother even with his last dying breath!

we read in the book of john:

'now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, mary the wife of cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. when Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, woman, behold thy son!
then saith he to the disciple, behold thy mother! and from that hour that disciple [john] took her unto his own home. after this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished...gave up the ghost.' (john 19:25-30)

questions are you between a prophecy and an unfulfilled promise right now?

read Luke 2:41-52

song in my head 'worthy is the, Lamb who was slain. holy, holy is He.'-revelations song kari jobe