The day after Christmas is an interesting day. There has been so much build up leading up to the great event of Jesus' birth and Santa's big bag of gifts. Then all of the sudden within seconds the gifts are revealed and as evening hits on the 25th Jesus' birth has been shared and celebrated. The next day comes and it seems strange to continue with carols, the tree seems more dim, and what do you say about Jesus now.
Jesus came as a baby and we celebrate his coming and anticipate his return. Today we speak of one who would not come into his ministry for 30 more years. What happened during all that time? We know of one story, the story where Jesus seems to go AWOL and pursue kingdom topics in the Temple. But beyond that we don't get a true glimpse of him again until he is 30. It makes me ponder about his childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Surely the only reason we have the story of Jesus at the temple is because he told it to his followers or a really good investigative reporter got it from his parents or siblings. Maybe Jesus was reminiscing about his dad, since we have so few of those stories too! The fact is we aren't sure what went on with Jesus for the first 30 years of his life. We meet him again right before he comes into his ministry and we see glimpses of his best three years to the cross!
If I had to guess what the first 30 years of Jesus' life were about, I would probably say that Jesus was learning what it meant to be human and just being. We all know that those last 3 years were more about doing. Maybe he spent 30 years of being so he could go non-stop for 3. And in all reality I'm not sure how much my first thirty years are worth in words.
There is no reason, though, to feel a void from the "big day" on the day after. After all Jesus is still savior! He is still King! He is still Lord! And we are still on the journey with him!
Jesus came as a baby and we celebrate his coming and anticipate his return. Today we speak of one who would not come into his ministry for 30 more years. What happened during all that time? We know of one story, the story where Jesus seems to go AWOL and pursue kingdom topics in the Temple. But beyond that we don't get a true glimpse of him again until he is 30. It makes me ponder about his childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Surely the only reason we have the story of Jesus at the temple is because he told it to his followers or a really good investigative reporter got it from his parents or siblings. Maybe Jesus was reminiscing about his dad, since we have so few of those stories too! The fact is we aren't sure what went on with Jesus for the first 30 years of his life. We meet him again right before he comes into his ministry and we see glimpses of his best three years to the cross!
If I had to guess what the first 30 years of Jesus' life were about, I would probably say that Jesus was learning what it meant to be human and just being. We all know that those last 3 years were more about doing. Maybe he spent 30 years of being so he could go non-stop for 3. And in all reality I'm not sure how much my first thirty years are worth in words.
There is no reason, though, to feel a void from the "big day" on the day after. After all Jesus is still savior! He is still King! He is still Lord! And we are still on the journey with him!
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