Peter Misselbrook's Blog

Jan 5 2020 - Luke 2:36-52 – About the Father’s business

Of all the gospel writers, Luke alone tells us anything of Jesus’ childhood. Year by year, Joseph and Mary went up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. When Jesus was twelve years old he went up with them. When they left to return to Nazareth, Jesus was not with them. Among the crowds of pilgrims they did not notice his absence until nightfall. They then had to return to Jerusalem to search for him. Eventually they found him in the Temple, talking with the Jewish teachers and asking them questions which astonished all who heard him.

What was Jesus talking about with the teachers in Jerusalem? Luke does not tell us, but it might not be entirely fanciful to imagine that he was talking about the Passover. This is the festival he had come up to Jerusalem to observe and this would have been the subject on the lips of many in Jerusalem at this time. Was he seeking to tease out from these teachers something of their understanding of the significance of the Passover? Did he prompt them with questions of how God might again rescue his people from slavery and captivity? Luke tells us that “Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Luke 2:47). Was he speaking to the teachers and the listening crowd of the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world?

Now that Jesus had been found, days of anxiety turned to relief and a measure of anger as Mary scolded Jesus, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you” (2:48). Jesus’ puzzling reply was, “Didn’t you know I had to be about my Father’s business?” (2:49). [An alternative reading with substantially the same meaning says, “... I had to be in my Father’s house”.] Mary speaks of the anxiety shared by her and Joseph, the child’s father. Jesus speaks of his true Father, the one whose will he had come into the world to obey.

In the first century, a son would commonly learn his trade from his father and would first help in his father’s business and then succeed to his business. Jesus himself learned from Joseph the craft of being a carpenter (see Mark 6:3). But he was also beginning to learn the business of his heavenly Father. This was the business that would dominate his life and shape its course. This would not be the last time that Jesus would be found in the temple, conversing with the leaders of Israel and astonishing all who heard him.

Jesus came into the world to accomplish the purposes of his heavenly Father. Even when it came to facing the horror of the cross, a horror from which he longed to be delivered, Jesus’ prayer was “Not my will but your will be done.” But already we see that the sword has begun to pierce Mary’s soul.

And Jesus calls us to follow him. He calls us to put the Father’s business of bringing heaven to earth before our own plans – even before our own family and friends. Not that the latter are to be neglected, for in this also Jesus sets an example for us to follow for we read, “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them… And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (2:51-52).

Lord Jesus, help me to learn of you and to follow you. Help me to be about the Father’s business today. Help me to grow in wisdom and in every good quality I see so clearly displayed in you. So help me to bring blessing into the lives of those around me that they might praise your name.

Jan 5 2019 - Genesis 3:1-7 – The anatomy of sin

The man and the woman had been given a paradise garden to live in and to enjoy. There were countless varieties of fruits to eat and sights to see. There was just one thing that was forbidden them; they were not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. We do not really know why they were told not to eat this fruit, though many have suggested that this was to act as a test of their obedience. Were they prepared to enter gladly into the enjoyment of what God had given or would they be dissatisfied and want the one thing he had withheld?

The man and the woman had been given dominion over every living thing. Yet the Tempter appeared to them in the form of a serpent, one of the creatures over whom they were to exercise god-like rule. But now everything is turned upside down; the serpent exerts his dominion over the woman and the woman leads the man in disobedience to God.

The Tempter suggests that God had been unreasonable and ungenerous. Why should this particular fruit be forbidden them? See how good it appears. Why don't you just pick it and feel it and smell it. Why not take a bite, surely a little taste would do no harm. Indeed, it will do you good; you will know what it is like and you will demonstrate that you are capable of making your own decisions rather than taking orders from someone else. Go on, give it a try. And while you're at it, give some to your husband – you don't want to take this step on your own.

Did you notice the Tempter's lie? "You will be like God", he says. Yet they have been created in the image of God; God has already made them to be like him. Turning their backs on him cannot secure this privilege, it can only lead to loss.

So effective is this toxic seed of discontent that it is sown again and again by the Tempter. It is vital that we are not ignorant of his tactics. He comes often to us with the suggestion that God has treated us badly: he has deprived us of the things that should have been ours; he has forbidden things that would bring us pleasure. We need to cut the apron strings of dependency and grow up. It's about time we set our own course in life – humanity needs to "come of age". Reach out and grab the things you want and to hell with the consequences.

James the Lord's brother talks of the way that sin gains its foothold within us: "Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death" (James 1:14-15). You can see this happening in the passage that we have read this morning and, sadly, you can see it happening in our own lives and the lives of people around us today.

We need to learn to recognise the voice of the Tempter who uses his age-old tactics to stir up discontentment with God. We need to refuse to listen to his deadly lies.

Loving Father, help me to see clearly the wealth of good things that you in love have lavished upon me. Help me to recognise the source of resentful and angry feelings and refuse to entertain them. Enable me to send them and the Tempter packing. You gave your Son for us; will you not with him freely give us all things? May I always trust you and never doubt your unfailing goodness. Teach me the happy secret of contentment.

Peter Misselbrook