The First Sunday after the Epiphany, 2022

 

The First Sunday after the Epiphany, 2022

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

 

The Hymn #537      Every Morning Mercies New                         

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne: high and lifted up.

And I heard the voice of a great multitude, saying, 

Alleluia: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.

Psalm. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands: 

serve the Lord with gladness.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

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 fulfill the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual             Romans 12:1-5

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things: and blessed be His glorious name forever.

V. The mountains shall bring peace to Thy people: 

and the hills righteousness. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands: serve the Lord with gladness. Hallelujah!

The Gospel                                 Luke 2:41-52   
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #73    Lift Up Your Heads (3rd tune)

The King of Kings Is Drawing Near

The Hymn #196         I Am Content

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #651        Be Still My Soul

Prayers and Announcements

• The Bible Book, Second Edition, is nearing completion.
• Eye surgery, tomorrow and next Monday, Pastor Jackson.
• In treatment - Doc Lito, Pastor K, Pastor Shrader, Chris Shrader, Callie and C, and the three boys - Aaron and their Mom especially.
• Randy Anderson is doing very well after his surgery.
• A vastly improved Logitech camera will arrive tomorrow, and various platforms other than Vimeo will be explored. You may see various tests on the Ichabod blog. Do not be alarmed. 
• Note that KJV precedes Scripture citations most of the time. Several pointed out that it is a good way to distinguish the Majority Text and Translation, both of which are abandoned by the denominations, colleges, and seminaries, all the way down to ELDONA.

KJV Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

KJV Luke 2:41 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.

The King of Kings Is Drawing Near

KJV Luke 2:41 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.

Background:

These two introductory verses should not be overlooked or taken for granted. Luke was mocked by the rationalists for not being accurate, making up titles, and therefore questionable facts.

Where facts can be examined (since most of history is buried), Luke is exactly correct. An example is "ethnarch" - which was supposedly invented by Luke. But it turns out that the title was used in the city where he used it. 

More importantly, the little details about Jesus are especially noteworthy, and we should not rush past them to get to the famous verses. He parents went to Jerusalem every year, bringing Jesus. Mary did not have to attend, but it was expected of men who could make the journey for Passover. 

Luke was a close companion to Paul and praised for his work and his faithfulness to the apostle. Luke was with Paul when the apostle was executed.

We have an important detail about Jesus in the opening. He was with Joseph and Mary on these trips (which explains how they went back without Him) and He was 12 years old. Routine trips do not have the same anxiety level that a first-time visit has. That was especially true with traveling with the extended family and friends. 

Another detail is the irony of the King of Kings being there so many times. There were three great disturbances to announce His coming as the Messiah:

1. The Star of Bethlehem.
2. His Presentation at the Temple
3. Talking with the elders.

As He taught in the parable of the yeast in bread dough, the Gospel leaven began early and was offered in various ways, so Israel could receive her King.

Jesus was 12 years old, a young man, old enough to have questions about the Scriptures and to discuss them. But this was far beyond what anyone could expect.

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. 

The opening gives us the reason why the parents left without Jesus. Everything was normal and expected, and the entire group headed back home together. But Jesus stayed behind. The parents were not anxious about Him because boys that age like to travel and talk together, comparing experiences, just as parents do. My family belonged to a club that had a little shack on the shore of the Mississippi River. We could take out rowboats (with permission), walk along the shore, pretend to fish, even swim sometimes as a group. Adults sat around the fire and cooked food for the meals. I was "lost" once because no one knew where I was. A cat adopted me and stayed on the dock with me, some distance away, to be petted. My mother found me in a stage of great excitement and said they had been looking for me a long time. Their fears were a crippling accident, a water episode, or perhaps the Ransom of Red Chief. 

These things develop from lack of fear, and they are just as common today as they were in ancient times. 

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. 

We should note how much is said in a few words. Joseph and Mary were not anxious about Jesus because they assumed, based on experience, that He was with friends and relatives. That would have been normal, not exception. They turned back when they realized their assumption was wrong.

How many parents can say they had the same experience? One pastor's wife was moving into the parsonage when their little girl became lost. Her mother ran up and down the neighborhood looking. She said, "What an introduction to my new neighbors!" I said, "They will always remember you as the mother with her hair on fire." She laughed and laughed.

So now the anxiety was completely fired up. Joseph and Mary headed back, fearing and hoping at the same time. 

46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found [eureka] him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 

Those three days were torture, because hope turns to fear and dread when a search must be continued. Worse, the journey from Jerusalem - built on the side of a mountain - was going back uphill all the way, an arduous journey anyway but worse when frightened. Relief and anger were bound to be combined - with anger first.

Jesus was sitting there, oblivious to His parents concern, listening to the professors and asking them questions. His calm at seeing them was polar opposite to their emotions.

47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

As Lenski has written, He was not teaching the elders, but answering and asking questions. That alone had a great impact. As we were taught in sales, questions determine the conversation. The right question would open the teachers up to their own Scriptures. His responses showed they were in agreement.

It takes unusual comprehension to answer and ask questions and astonish these men. In rabbinic lore, asking and answering questions was basic to teaching. 

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. 

The miraculous nature of this meeting between Jesus and the teachers is ignored in grief and anger of Mary. This is not saying the parents burst into the conversation but said this when there was a chance, most likely away from the teachers.

There are three errors pointed out by Mary -

1 - You have ignored our feelings.

2 - We have been looking for you, and it is clear Jesus would know how long this took.

3 - We were full of sorrow the entire time.

The build up of anxiety seemed to make the parents forget His divine nature. There are many examples in the Gospels where the individuals either had the right idea (the woman with the flow, who touched His robe) or the wrong idea (the disciples telling Jesus to dismiss the Canaanite woman). Also - the disciples - we have no food (boat) and there is no way to feed the multitude in the dessert! (No?)

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. 

They could not grasp that Jesus had to take the opportunity to begin the leaven of the Gospel in the Temple itself, among the most influential men in the nation. That eventually stirred up murderous intent but also faithful following (Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea). 

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.

We are often like Joseph and Mary, wondering in anxiety how things could be so difficult. Parents have this issue. So do all those who look at this nation and its rejection of basic law and the U. S. Constitution. The Savior is not oblivious. His wisdom and power are so far beyond ours that we must pay attention to Him and not to the soothsayers of our world.