Missing Jesus

St. Paul’s Church in Bergen, Jersey City NJ

January 5, 2014

The Second Sunday after Christmas

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Psalm 84

Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-19a

Luke 2:41-52

Missing Jesus

            Merry Christmas!

            Yes, here in church it’s still Christmas but we’re winding down. Tomorrow is the Feast of the Epiphany – the day that we remember the visit of the Magi – the wise men – to the newborn Jesus.

            It’s a wonderful story. And Epiphany is a big day on the church calendar – a principal feast that marks the end of the Christmas Season. We’ll celebrate this big day here tomorrow evening at 7:30. I hope you’ll join us.

            The word “epiphany” means “manifestation.” And “manifestation” means “revelation” – in this case revelation about Jesus’ identity, ministry and mission.

            Much is revealed about Jesus in the story of the wise men’s visit. Most especially the visit of strangers from afar reveals that the Good News of Jesus is for the whole world.

            Israel’s newborn king is God’s greatest gift for all of us.

            But, the visit of the Magi is just one of many epiphanies. In fact, Monday evening marks the start of a whole season of epiphanies leading up Ash Wednesday and Lent. And there are all the epiphanies – all the manifestations of Christ that we experience in our own lives – all the manifestations of Christ that we experience together, and especially here in this place.

            Today’s gospel lesson, the story of the boy Jesus in the Temple, offers a whole lot of epiphanies about Jesus – manifestations, revelations - of Jesus’ identity, ministry and mission.

            The story of the boy Jesus in the Temple is also a deeply human story.  It’s a story that I’m sure touches parents especially, but also touches all of us who as children or maybe even as adults have wandered away from our parents and families.

            How many of us can remember getting separated from our parents in some public place? I think I’ve told you before that I remember when I was little getting separated from my mother at Two Guys. I remember being so embarrassed when the store employee got on the PA: “Mrs. Murphy, come pick up your son at the Courtesy counter.”

            It’s funny now, but not so amusing at the time.

            And we know only too well that in our broken world sometimes children get separated from their parents and never find their way back home.

            They remain “missing persons.”

            The story of the missing Jesus in the Temple is found only in the Gospel of Luke. And, actually, it’s the only story about Jesus’ childhood in the four gospels.           
            Luke tells the story of Jesus’ family making the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover. Since it wasn’t an easy trip from Nazareth to Jerusalem, we learn that the people who are raising Jesus take their religious obligations very seriously.

            And we learn that the twelve year-old Jesus shares in these religious responsibilities.

            Days later, after Passover, travelers streamed out of the capital city heading back to their homes. Mary and Joseph would have traveled with a large crowd of relatives and neighbors from Nazareth. They traveled together for safety and for companionship.

            So, it’s no surprise that they didn’t begin to look for their boy until the end of the first day.

            I’m sure every parent in the room can feel in their stomachs some of the panic felt by Mary and Joseph. And we can all feel some of the horrible weight of parental responsibility that they must have felt as the truth sank in: Jesus is missing.

            Jesus is missing.

            They return to Jerusalem and after three days they finally find him in the Temple where, Luke tells us, Jesus was “sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.”

            Jesus’ parents – in probably a somewhat cleaned up version of what might have really been said – express to him their understandable displeasure.

            And Jesus replies, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

            Luke tells us that Joseph and Mary did not understand.

            And I suspect we don’t understand either.

            At first glance, the story makes Jesus seem a bit like a brat, doesn’t it?

            But, actually, a better translation of Jesus’ reply would be, “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?”

            Luke then concludes this story with some reassuring language: “then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.”

            So there are several important epiphanies about Jesus in this story.

            Jesus the boy knows the Scriptures but seeks a deeper understanding.

            Jesus feels right at home in the Temple.

            Jesus calls God “his Father.”

            And, yes, Jesus obeys his parents.

            But, what does this old, rich, and wonderful story have to do with us here today?

            Well, I bet, at one time or another, that all of us have felt like we’ve lost Jesus.

            Sometimes it feels like Jesus is missing.

            Sometimes it feels like Jesus is missing because something bad has happened in our lives – a job is lost, bills can’t be paid, a relationship gets broken, an illness strikes, a beloved family member or friend dies.

            Sometimes it feels like Jesus is missing because we go weeks, months, or years without praying. Or when we try to pray we feel nothing; we hear only our own thoughts echoing back to us.

            Sometimes it feels like Jesus is missing because when we come to church we find ourselves just going through the motions – saying the words by rote, bowing, kneeling and all the rest without any feeling or meaning.

            Sometimes it feels like Jesus is missing because the world is a mess. There’s so much violence and poverty – so many missing children – so much suffering.

            I bet, at one time or another, all of us have felt like we’ve lost Jesus.

            Jesus is missing.

            But, you know, and this isn’t a criticism of Mary and Joseph, but thanks to all of the epiphanies that occurred during Jesus’ earthly lifetime – and thanks to all the epiphanies that have happened over the course of Christian history – and thanks to all of the epiphanies that happen right here – we actually know Jesus better than his own parents knew him.

            According to the story, it took them three days before they found Jesus in the Temple doing his Father’s business.

            But, now, even when it feels like Jesus is missing, we know that Jesus is doing his Father’s business. And we know where to find Jesus.

            Jesus is doing his Father’s business – Jesus is found - right here at St. Paul’s when we gather together to retell these old stories, when we sing our songs, when we ask forgiveness, when we reach out our hands in peace - and especially when we take the Body and Blood of Christ into our bodies and into our hearts.

            Jesus is doing his Father’s business – Jesus is found – when we gather here in this special place – all of us – those of us who feel Jesus this close supporting - holding up - those of us who feel nothing, who feel like Jesus is missing.

            Jesus is doing his Father’s business – Jesus is found – when we reach out and help the people closest to his heart, the poorest of the poor, the people searching for shelter in the bitter cold, the people the world rejects as broken, useless and unlovable.

            Finally, we have another big advantage over Mary and Joseph.

            In the story, Jesus seems unconcerned about his parents. Maybe he knew that they would come looking for him and eventually find him. Maybe he wanted to be found in the Temple. Or maybe at some point Jesus would have left the Temple and gone back home to his family in Nazareth.

            I don’t know.

            But, I do know that the Jesus who sometimes feels like he’s missing is always searching for us, determined that we’ll be reunited, eager to find us and invite us to the Temple, to the table, and to life together forever.

            So, like Mary and Joseph, together let’s search for Jesus – let’s search for Jesus who is always about his Father’s business – let’s search for Jesus who is always searching for us.

            Amen.