Honoring: Intergenerational Discipleship | Luke 2:25-52
This message was preached at Sherwood Community Friends Church on Sunday, March 19, 2023. You can watch the video in full by clicking below.
Last week, Bob kicked off our 3-message sermon on Honoring, the 4th word of our Vision here at Sherwood Community Friends Church. What are the four words that represent who we are at Sherwood Community Friends Church?
What’s going on? You’ll notice on your bulletin today there are some puzzles for you. We started off with some kids songs. Our kids area is getting bigger…and our launch date we are hoping for for our kid’s ministry during the service is coming up on April 16th. And you have probably noticed the chairs behind me. At the end of the message, we’ll be doing a short panel discussion with Brayden and Craig. This is open, so please be thinking if there are questions you would like to ask them.
Today we are going to be talking about Honoring in an intergenerational way - Intergenerational Discipleship. So what does that mean? Discipleship is bringing others closer to God’s presence.
Intergenerational is not the same as multigenerational. What we will be talking about today is more than co-existing within a community or space as different generations, the question isn’t can we tolerate people who are different ages than us. The challenge is: can we approach a multigeneration community, like our church, and experience mutual discipleship from each other.
Today we’ll be in Luke chapter 2. While you are turning in your Bibles, let me provide some context.
Luke is the third book in the New Testament and it’s one of the biographies of Jesus. Each biography, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, communicates who Jesus is, what Jesus did, and his teachings from slightly different perspectives for slightly different audiences. Luke’s gospel is the only place where we find any documentation of Jesus between being born in a manger and the start of his ministry when he’s 30, and this makes sense when we look at Luke’s interest. Luke’s gospel was written for both a Jewish and non-Jewish, that is, Gentile, audiences. And Luke’s gospel takes a more historical approach, noting a “carefully ordered account” as indicated in 1:3.
Luke’s goal is to communicate that Jesus is the exemplary, divine savior of the world through his historical account. Additionally, the Gentile audience would not have been aware of or engaged with the Jewish customs, practices, or beliefs as say Matthew’s audience would have been. Luke takes the opportunity to note some normal events with unique twists in the life of Jesus as a child for the purpose of demonstrating his humanness and diveneness and why Jesus coming to earth was truly transformative.
The purpose today is not to dive so much into Jesus, although there will be some of that, as it is to look at the people who engaged with him during his childhood. What can we learn from these interactions as we learn to both receive ministry from and extend ministry to others in different age brackets?
Let’s pick up our text today in Luke 2, verse 25.
There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said,
Now, Master,
you can dismiss your servant in peace,
as you promised.
For my eyes have seen your salvation.
You have prepared it
in the presence of all peoples
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory to your people Israel.
His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and told his mother Mary, “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed—35 and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and was a widow for eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers. 38 At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Feel the weight of these interactions. Simeon and Anna, those who were dedicated to the Lord, who stayed near to God’s temple because they knew there was no other place they would rather be than to be near to the presence of God, they desperately wanted their people to have freedom. They longed for the promised Messiah, the Christ - which means anointed one to redeem their people.
This is the same people who experienced oppression from Pharoah in Egypt for 400 years and were freed by the hand of God by crossing the Red Sea on dry ground. This is the same people who, after that freedom was gained, grumbled against God, leading them into 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. They had no home. They were in a desert and could only rely on the presence of God that led them by a pillar of fire by day and a pillar of cloud by night. And then, years later, the people asked God for an earthly king! They wanted someone to lead them because they saw how other countries were run. They looked to their enemies, and they wanted what they had because they thought that would bring them security! Instead, after the pinnacle of King David’s reign, it spiraled into division, self-indulgence, and idolization. Eventually, they were taken into Exile, put again under the oppression of another kingdom. This Exile was in 597 BC.
Fast forward 600 years. Israel was living in yet another wilderness. Generations had come and gone. Kingdoms came and went. Now they were living under the oppression of the Roman Government. No promised Messiah. No Savior in view. No Christ. No hope of freedom. Lost in the wilderness.
But when Jesus was just less than 2 months old and brought to the temple for a Jewish ritual practice of dedication and purification for Mary, Simeon was drawn to the babe then!
Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God
Simeon knew this was the Messiah! He was guided by the Spirit. Not emotionally. Physically he was drawn into the temple. He didn’t question if this was God leading him. He felt compelled by God’s prompting to physically go into the temple, and he saw baby Jesus. Jesus’ presence was a ministry to Simeon, a man who was in a desert wilderness, along with the rest of his people, waiting for the Messiah.
Notice Joseph and Mary’s reaction.
His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and told his mother Mary, “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
They were amazed. Yes. These are the same parents who had seen angels and visions and knew Jesus was to be called Immanuel. I imagine Simeon’s words were affirmation of what they had experienced, of what they knew deep in their souls of who Jesus was to become.
Then we have Anna. Assuming Anna married when she was between 11-13, which was culturally customary, Anna was well over 100 years old. What does it say?
She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers. At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Anna was praying praying praying. She was praying and fasting. Fasting and praying. She did not leave the temple, fasting and praying day and night. As Simeon was finishing his moment with the family, she came over and thanked God because of Jesus.
This tiny 2-month-old baby who had done nothing great yet. She saw his presence worth telling others about, and she couldn’t contain herself for the delivered promise of what she’d been praying so earnestly for for years.
Simeon and Anna were living in a wilderness that their ancestors had lived through too. But Simeon & Anna saw Jesus' presence as an oasis. Jesus’ presence brought the life and hope and refreshment they were longing for! This tiny baby. His presence was life-giving.
This week at our staff meeting, we were sharing about what has been life-giving. When we got around to Rob, he pulled out his phone and he shared a video of his grandsons, Noah and Everett, they didn’t do anything other than sit on that chair, hold tight, and squeal with joy! Noah and Everett fully received the gift of their grandpa’s playfulness and presence. It’s likely not a question for us that they were the recipients of Rob’s affection.
But I believe the ministry of joy was reciprocated. How did they disciple Rob that day? How did they bring Rob closer to God? They didn’t have deep conversations with Rob. They didn’t heal Rob. They didn’t pray with Rob. But their cooperation to sit on that chair, their presence, and their laughter were a joy to Rob, when other parts of life can be draining. I bet that when Rob is having a hard day and he feels like he’s in the wildernss, this memory is an oasis of joy for him in the difficulties. For Simeon & Anna, Jesus’ presence was an oasis of refreshment and hope for them in their wilderness.
We are going to come back to verses 39 and 40 in a moment. Let’s go to verse 41.
Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival. 43 After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 Assuming he was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46 After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all those who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” 49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked them. “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he said to them.
Here we see another Jewish custom reference as the family traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival when Jesus was 12 years old. They were on their way home and after a day, they realized they couldn’t find Jesus.
How many of you have read this and judged Mary and Joseph for this? How many of you remember a time when you lost your child? Can you imagine their panic?! They leave their traveling party and return to Jerusalem. So they were a day out, now a day to get back. Then three days later, they found him. Where did they find him?
The temple. Like Simeon and Anna who found life, joy, refreshment, and God’s presence at the temple, Jesus experienced the same draw. I was talking with a local children’s pastor as I was preparing for this message today, and we were talking about this story. She pointed out what might seem obvious, but I hadn’t thought of it before: Who took care of Jesus for those 4 or 5 days? Someone surely must have clothed him, fed him, and given him a place to sleep. We see an enactment of what Bob referenced last week in James 2:16, “If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” Again, what we see is a communal way of doing life. We seek out the needs of others, and we just do it. James hadn’t been written yet at this point in Jesus’ life. The culture of the Israelites, that mishpat (justice) and tzedakah (righteousness), without the full story disclosed to us, we see the people in Jerusalem took care of the needs of Jesus.
So, on to the interactions that Jesus had with the teachers and the leaders.
After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all those who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” 49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked them. “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he said to them.
Teachers & Leaders saw Jesus’ presence as astonishing. They didn’t tell him to be quiet. They created space for him in their conversations. Again, this speaks to the history of the Israelites. In Deuteronomy 4:9, which was referenced by Bob last week as a part of the Shema, it says, “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”
In Joshua 4, as the Israelites are about to cross through the Jordan River with the Ark of the Covanent, it says, “So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.”
In Joel 2, we see in the prophecy of the Day of the Lord this, “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
The culture Jesus was raised in created space for his questions and his responses. And they allowed themselves to be astonished by Jesus. Jesus received from them. He asked questions and was in their presence willingly. But they received him! They didn’t shun him because he didn’t have their same number of years or education, but they allowed themselves to receive from him.
Can you receive God’s Word from someone who’s younger than you by 20, 30, 50, 70, 80 years? A few weeks ago, I shared some rather depressing statistics of Christianity in America, that by 2070, less than half of Americans will claim to be Christian. But if you have been feeling hopeless about the future faith of our children, our teenagers, and our college students, I can assure you the warriors are out there. The truth-tellers aren’t consumed with the darkness that is plaguing this world. They are out there, studying God’s word, learning how to seek his face, and they are doing it boldly on Instagram and TikTok. They aren’t afraid to go where the world is because they know that it’s the sick that need the miracle, not the well. It’s those that don’t know that need a teacher. They are the ones in the trenches and we need to know they know the truth. Who is the one you are discipling that’s under the age of 20 so that they are ready to go into the world wielding the Sword of the Spirit and carrying with their feet the Gospel of Peace? Who are you helping to put on their Belt of Truth? Who are you teaching to defend themselves against the fiery arrows of the enemy with their Helmet of Salvation, their Shield of Faith, and their Breastplate of Righteousness? Who are you teaching to PRAY and stand firm?
Last week, we brought up the Asbury Revival. If you haven’t seen any part of it, here’s a short”
This was at a college. A part of their regular chapel service. The message given by the speaker that day was mediocre (his words!). Yet these college students are ready to receive what God has been waiting to pour out for a long time. And their worship ministered to the world, giving us all, no matter our age, the hope of the future of our faith.
Let’s read through the remaining verses of our passage for today.
39 When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on him.
51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.
Mary & Joseph saw Jesus’ presence worth treasuring. Growth is a team effort. In the first 2 verses, we see Jesus growing from infancy up to 12. He grew strong, filled with wisdom, and had God’s grace on him. It’s easy to look at children as they grow so fast in those first years and relish in how God turns these incapable babies into strong and smart tiny humans. This is God’s doing, and part of that doing was by entrusting Mary and Joseph with Jesus’ growth.
In the second two verses, this is when he was after they returned from the Passover celebration. Here we see in verse 51, “Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them.” Jesus, as a middle school-aged boy, made the decision to keep himself under the protection of his parents. How many of you know this is a miracle in itself?
This brought joy to Mary and she held this close into her heart, as mothers do. Jesus’ continued growth in wisdom, stature, and favor was the result of a joint partnership between Mary and Joseph together with Jesus. This is why they treasured Jesus’ presence, because they were just as invested in Jesus becoming the fully-human man he needed to be as he stepped into his ministry.
We are know going to go into a panel discussion, so I hope you’ve been thinking of some questions. I’d like to invite Craig and Brayden up to the stage.
Panel discussion:
How have you been influenced or discipled by someone in a different age group then you?
How do you currently challenge others outside of your age group to be closer to Jesus?
What’s your next step after today’s message?
Each person here, from the youngest to the oldest, has a role to play in the discipleship of each other. By putting myself in a place to receive the ministry of another, no matter if you are 9 or 90 or anywhere in between, is an acknowledgment that I still have room to grow in my faith, my ability to love, my humility, my joy, my peace, and so on. I don’t think it’s a surprise to any of you, but I don’t know it all! Jesus is still working in me and on me, and he will continue until the day of completion when I meet Jesus face to face. As long as I’m on this earth, I have something more to learn about His character, which might be demonstrated through you.
