A Year with Jesus

Note from Jesus

Dear Child of God,

When I began My ministry, the folks in My home town of Nazareth were shocked. They didn't expect anything of Me. In their minds, I was just another average kid from their unimportant little town. They didn't have the visits from an angel that Joseph and My mother received. They didn't hear the prophetic proclamations of Simeon and Anna as they recognized Me as Jesus, the Messiah, God's Anointed. They knew Me only as the boy down the street Who had brothers and sisters they knew well.

They also remembered the time I stayed behind in Jerusalem on our family's pilgrimage when I was twelve years old. Most folks knew I was obedient to My parents, but they considered Me to be just an ordinary son of a carpenter.

Bottom line: Despite some wild rumors that I did all sorts of miraculous stuff when I was a boy, I mostly grew up learning Torah, obeying My parents, doing chores around Joseph's carpentry shop, going to the synagogue once per week, and joining My family for the great festivals in Jerusalem. I grew up learning to be faithful to God, to obey Joseph and My mother, and to do both Joseph's business of carpentry and My Father's business of character, compassion, and service.

If you are a parent, I am reminding you that your child is on loan from the Father. He has divine plans for your child. He made your child with a plan for his or her life. He will use your child to do great things for the kingdom if you will partner with Him in training your child. Whether the folks in your community recognize the incredible value and purpose of your child, please know that the Father does! There's no such thing as "just an ordinary kid" when that kid is God's child!

Verses to Live

Here's an account that includes My visit to the Temple when I was twelve. During this trip, I revealed to those who listened and looked carefully that I was more than just a kid from Nazareth:

After fulfilling their sacred duties according to the law of the Lord [referring to Jesus' dedication as the firstborn], Mary and Joseph returned with Jesus to their own city of Nazareth in the province of Galilee. There Jesus grew up, maturing in physical strength and increasing in wisdom, and the grace of God rested on Him.

Every year during Jesus' childhood, His parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. When Jesus was 12, He made the journey with them. They spent several days there, participating in the whole celebration. When His parents left for home, Jesus stayed in Jerusalem, but Joseph and Mary were not aware. They assumed Jesus was elsewhere in the caravan that was traveling together. After they had already traveled a full day's journey toward home, they began searching for Him among their friends and relatives. When no one had seen the boy, Mary and Joseph rushed back to Jerusalem and searched for Him.

After three days of separation, they finally found Him - sitting among a group of religious teachers in the temple - asking them questions, listening to their answers. Everyone was surprised and impressed that a 12-year-old boy could have such deep understanding and could answer questions with such wisdom.

His parents, of course, had a different reaction.

Mary:
Son, why have You treated us this way? Listen, Your father and I have been sick with worry for the last three days, wondering where You were, looking everywhere for You.
Jesus:
Why did you need to look for Me? Didn't you know that I must be working for My Father?
Neither Mary nor Joseph really understood what He meant by this. Jesus went back to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. His mother continued to store these memories like treasures in her heart. And Jesus kept on growing - in wisdom, in physical stature, in favor with God, and in favor with others.
(Luke 2:39-52)

Here's the story of My visit later to Nazareth during My public ministry. The local people wouldn't believe in Me because of their familiarity with Me and their lack of expectations:

Jesus went back into His own hometown where He had grown up, and His disciples followed Him there. When the Sabbath came, He went into the synagogue in Nazareth and began to teach as He had done elsewhere, and many of those who heard Him were astonished.

Those in the Synagogue:
Where did He gain this wisdom? And what are all these stories we've been hearing about the signs and healings He's performed? Where did He get that kind of power? Isn't this Jesus, the little boy we used to see in Joseph's carpenter shop? Didn't He grow up to be a carpenter just like His father? Isn't He the son of Mary over there and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, Simon, and their sisters? Who does He think He is?
And when they had thought about it that way, they became indignant and closed themselves to His message.

Jesus (seeing this):
A prophet can find honor anywhere except in his hometown, among his own people, and in his own household.
(Mark 6:1-4)

Response in Prayer

Holy God, give me a deep appreciation of each child - especially my children and the other children in my extended family. Open my eyes to see each child as You see him or her. Please use me to help call the children to Your work in each of their lives. Give me the wisdom to know how to lead them to love and obey You. In Jesus' name, I ask for this help. Amen.