“Miracle in the Mundane”

Text: Luke 2:41-52

Sermon:

As this Christmas season ends, we are going to study aspects of Jesus’ live that, I believe
is often overlooked, we are going to look at Jesus’ childhood. In all my years in the
church, I have never heard anyone preach about Jesus’ childhood. Born as a helpless
babe, Jesus grows up being human and divine, in a family, in a religion, with a life.

This is what makes it a good passage for the Christmas season: Jesus is growing in
wisdom, growing in favor (divine and human), growing as the incarnate Messiah in very
ordinary circumstances.

Jesus is so deeply connected to his heavenly Father; growing in the wisdom of God is the
desire of his heart. It reveals Jesus’ growing in wisdom and favor and recognition as
distinctly tethered to his being with the Father (in this case exemplified by his being in
his Father’s house, the Temple). Jesus’ calm reaction to his parent’s looking for him
further reveals how normal this bond with the Heavenly Father is for Jesus: it is
everything for him, his baseline and basic disposition.

This passage shows that Jesus is loyal to both homes that he belongs to. He honors his
earthy parents, but at this time in his life he is drawn to build a deeper relationship with
his heavenly father. He had no intention of frightening Mary and Joseph, but he also
needs to grow into his heavenly role.

Luke introduces Jesus as a young scholar engaging in theological discussion with the
teachers in the temple. Jesus’ age is very significant in this narrative. The twelve-year old
boy impresses skillful teachers with his knowledge; this is a symbolic story of a young
prophet and future leader.

 believe that this is because 12-year-old Jesus understood life and its spiritual source
better than the average person.

It is important for us to realize that Jesus is demonstrating something significant; we can
grow in wisdom and in truth even in the most mundane moments in our lives. When we
search for spiritual growth in the mundane, it actually helps us grow personally. It also
helps us appreciate those quiet, mundane moments.

Conclusion: Let us be people who grow in wisdom in the mundane moments.