The
First Sunday after The Epiphany.
The
Collect.
O
|
LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to
receive the prayers of thy people who call upon thee; and grant that they may
both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace
and power faithfully to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epiphany, or the Manifestation of Christ
to the Gentiles.
[January 6.]
The Collect.
O
|
GOD, who by the leading of a star
didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant that we,
who know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy
glorious Godhead; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
¶ This Collect is to be said daily throughout the Octave
Have
you ever been very close to Christ and suddenly, through your complacency and
neglect, found that you are separated, by a vast expanse, from your Lord? Is it
even possible for one who is intimate with Christ to become separated? Have you
omitted the Daily Bread that sustains you? I am afraid that it is the most
common occurrence rather than the exceptional one. Peter once became
separated from Christ in the Garden at Gethsemane and lost all courage during
the separation. The circumstances may even, at times, be reversed. For example:
the men on the road to Emmaus believed that they had been forever separated
from Christ while he walked at their very side. Separation from Christ, either
actual or perceived, is a failure of faith.
We
learn in today's Gospel text that even the mother, and supposed father (for God
was His true Father), of Jesus became separated from their son for three days
or more:
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem
every year at the feast of the passover. 42 And when he was twelve years
old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. 43 And when
they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind
in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 44 But they,
supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they
sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45 And when they found
him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46 And it came
to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the
midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47 And
all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him,
Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought
thee sorrowing. 49 And he said unto them, How
is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto
them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus
increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. (Luke 2:41-52)
There are a few salient points brought out in this text that are worthy of
emulation or note:
1)
Jesus attended to his religious
responsibilities in going up to Jerusalem every Passover. His parents even set
the example for Jesus had He needed an example. It is very important that the
young children of the church sit with their parents during worship rather than
being separated to a period of silly play-church. When children observe their
parents doing their Christian duty, a powerful impression is made – and a
lasting one. Jesus and His parents observe the good order, reverence, and
customs of the established feasts.
2)
Note the relationship of Mary
and Joseph to Jesus. In the KJV (Received Text) they are referred to as
Joseph and His MOTHER. In the modern versions, BOTH are
called His parents which blur the distinction of Christ as Son of
God! I.e. ESV, NIV & New American Standard Version: His
parents did not know it .
3)
Jesus was a model of obedience
and discretion, therefore Joseph and His mother Mary were taken by surprise
that He did not follow the company back to Nazareth. Jesus was ALWAYS obedient
to them, but now a higher obedience was required. It was an isolated instance
of His Father's desire to expose His only Begotten Son before the Temple elders
and doctors. Though Jesus was an obedient child to Joseph and Mary, the time
would come when He must obey the Higher Law of His Father. I am disgusted at
clergy who advise their charges to obey the secular law when that law
contradicts the Higher Law of God.
4)
Joseph and Mary were accustomed
to the ordinary expectation that Jesus would follow them. They were wrong. When
religious liturgy of practice becomes too ordinary, we may become complacent in
its observance. We may have studied so very industriously for many years from
God's Holy Word, and then decide, "Ah, I have studied enough. I can take a
sabbatical from studying the Daily Bread of Life. But now, you are in danger of
being separated from Christ. Is it worth the risk?
5)
Joseph and Mary sought for
Christ among their kinfolk and acquaintances. Need I remind you that no kinfolk,
no acquaintance, nor even any ministers, bear any monopoly on Christ. We gain
no spiritual favor with God owing to our faith of our family. No one can
"bring Christ to us." We must find Him ourselves. We can show the
Chart and Compass to our friends, but they must take the tools in hand to seek
His face personally.
6)
Christ has an engaging manner of
teaching. He hears our inquiries and claims, and then He asks us questions that
none other can conceive to ask. He is an excellent listener, and His inquiries
fathom the depths of the heart of men and women.
7)
46 And it came to
pass, that after three days they found him in the temple. There were courageous and loving women who
also sought Christ after three days, and found Him in the Temple of His
Resurrected Body. If we earnestly seek Him, we shall find Him.
8)
All men were forever astonished
at the words of Christ – even His mortal enemies. How often did He put the
Pharisees, rulers, and Scribes to shame with His excellent and deliberative
teaching.
9)
I am sorry to say that I believe
Mary's memory of the great Angel Gabriel's counsel to her while she was yet a
virgin may have lost some of its meaning and luster in her memory. She refers
to Joseph as His father even though she knows full well that he is not, or
perhaps she merely did so to appease social pressures. She was most often
absent during the teaching and preaching of Christ. It may be that Mary did not
come to full realization of who her Son was until after the resurrection.
10) Mary feels offended by the presumed one-time
failure of Jesus to obediently follow them. One thing Mary did that was right
when she learned of her separation from Jesus – she sought Him sorrowing. Every
soul that finds itself separated from Jesus must seek Him, not in the pride of
familiarity, but sorrowing.
11) One great reason that we need Christ, not
only as redeemer and Savior, is that we do not know God the Father well. He
does! 49 And he said unto them, How is
it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. The
reason for Jesus' lingering behind in the Temple was as clear as the Sun to
Jesus, but Mary and Jesus could not have discerned the cause. They failed to
understand His explanation, but our failure to understand all that Christ has
spoken to us is no reason to reject His saving invitation.
12) Though He would become the Savior of His
people and the Light of the World, Jesus was an obedient Son and remained
subject to His mother and to Joseph. I pray that young people today would be
subject to their parents even if their parents are only a carpenter and a
keeper at home! Even if the child aspires to some high calling, he should never
exalt himself above his parents. If Jesus was subject to Joseph and His Mother,
how much more should we be? 51 And he went down with them, and came
to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings
in her heart. There was something mysterious about this occasion to
Mary. She did not fully understand, nonetheless, she kept all in her heart.
13) Jesus continued to grow. When we cease to
grow and learn, then we cease to live. His wisdom, too, increased with his
physical stature, and He grew in favor and knowledge of God His Father. If we
take our eyes off Christ, we may lose Him or be separated from Him for a time.
Better to be staid on Christ constantly, than to be constantly returning from
our human endeavors to seek Him out anew.
CONCLUSION: It would seem that this incident in the life of
Christ, points us to our own responsibilities, in coming of age, to come to
Christ! Twelve years old is a traditional and fitting age for a young person to
be confirmed into the Church and to begin to grow more vibrantly into greater
stature and wisdom. It represents the midline of youth when a fork in the road
begins to appear in the distance – a fork which will begin to lead him more
directly to the government of God in his life or, au contraire, further away if
the wrong path is chosen. Jesus dutifully was brought to the Temple on
the eighth day following His birth to be circumcised (a custom that parallels
baptism in the New Testament economy). And when of a knowing age (twelve years)
He again comes to the Temple to be examined by the doctors thereof. This is
fairly consistent with the Church practice of Confirmation at a knowing age.
If we continue faithfully and prayerfully in following after Christ, we
shall not lose Him.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.
