“When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.” Luke 2:42-43 (NIV) Can you imagine what it would have been like to parent the Messiah? How would you embrace the responsibility of parenting the Son of God? Joseph and Mary were devoted to God and faithful to the task. Jesus was unique in that He was the Son of God and was born of a virgin. It is important also to remember that Joseph and Mary had other children (Mt. 13:55-56). If you have ever been separated from your children by accident, you know the terror of the experience. Your heart drops to your feet and your mind begins racing. You frantically search for your child until he or she is found. Your terror cascades into refreshing comfort. The restoration of your valued possession brings instant relief. Jesus was left behind. As the massive caravan moved a day’s journey away from Jerusalem, Joseph and Mary realized that Jesus was not in their company. Luke tells us, “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions”(Luke 2:46 NIV). That must have been the longest three days of their lives up to that point. Your parenting is not always going to be flawless. You will make mistakes along the way. You may experience some delays and detours along the way. However, you must position your parenting for impact. Ask God for wisdom to make decisions that will benefit your children and add value to their upbringing. Depend on God’s provision of grace to fill in the gaps where you may fall short. Only God can provide the way for you to parent your children His way! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
Category: Messiah
“It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” Luke 2:26 (NIV) The Holy Spirit is not an object, but rather the third Person of the Trinity. God the Father created us. God the Son redeemed us. God the Holy Spirit sealed us. As one of my pastor friends likes to say in reference to salvation, “God thought it, Jesus bought it, and the Holy Spirit wrought it.” Simeon received revelation from God by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had personally seen the Lord’s Christ. God the Holy Spirit communicated this truth to Simeon. “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor 2:14 (NIV) “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” Jude 1:20 (NIV) The Holy Spirit points us to Christ. As followers of Jesus, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and enabled to discern the things that come from the Spirit of God. Our role, as Simeon demonstrated, is to be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Sprit. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
Anticipation
“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.” Luke 2:25 (NIV) Simeon was a religious man. He was righteous and devoted to God. The Holy Spirit was upon him. He lived with a strong sense of anticipation of the consolation of Israel. Simeon believed that the Messiah would come to restore Israel. He believed firmly in the promises of God. Do you live each day expecting God to do what He said He would do? Is your life marked by the anticipation of God accomplishing His plans? You do not exist to just take up space on this planet. God wants to do a great work in your life so that He can do a great work through your life. Anticipate His activity. God is working to bring people into a growing relationship with Jesus. Anticipate God’s invitation for you to join Him in His redemptive activity. There is a place for you on God’s team. Simeon lived with such a passion to see the Christ. He anticipated the fulfillment of God’s promise. He was waiting with expectancy for the consolation of Israel. What moves you? What makes you come alive to the things of God? Recapture your passion to join God in His redemptive activity. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor