03-19-17 Parents, make sure Jesus is with you!

Scripture  Luke 2:41-52

          Social Media and children. As I have talked about Social Media being the language of younger generations – let me make it clear that for most of the things we are talking about we are primarily referring to teenagers and young adults. A child must be 13 or older to legally have a Facebook account. However, Facebook removes 20,000 underage users a day. That tells us that parents need to do a better job of deciding when their children can use social media and what is appropriate. There are special sites designed for children 12 and under that come with all kinds of parental controls and predetermined words that can and cannot be used to prevent profanity and bullying. Most of them are designed as online games or even educational sites. They can help teach a young person how to use social media responsibly. It also tells us that Social Media is the place where kids want to be, and better to use it to communicate the good news of Jesus – the alternative is one more tool for the devil if the church isn’t the one working on the front lines.

          Therefore, when we talk about using current social media as a means of communicating the gospel we are talking about it primarily for the 13 to 50-year old’s, realizing that today’s 12-year-old will be 13 next year.

          With that in mind, and in light of our 2017 theme, God’s Social Network: The Bible, let’s look at some social networking from one amazing 12-year-old and how his parents were not watching his social media usage at all.

Luke 2:41-52

Every year his (Jesus) parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.

(MAP SLIDE The route from Galilee to Jerusalem via Samaria was the shortest and easiest route, a journey that took only three days. Pilgrims from Galilee passed through the Herodian royal estates in the Jezreel Valley to Ginae, spending the night in the last city in Jewish territory. The next day they walked across the rolling hills and valleys of Samaria to Anuathu Borcaeus, the first Jewish city of Judea,  or further if daylight and weather permitted. The third day was spent walking along the ridge route of the mountains of Judea up to Jerusalem. The direct route through Samaria was not the only way. It was also possible to follow the Jordan River to Jericho, then ascend the Jericho road to Jerusalem. This route was not only 23 miles longer, but also considerably hotter, with a steeper ascent to Jersualem. The bulk of the 3,400-foot change in elevation—Jericho lies 812 feet below sea level and Jerusalem towers 2,600 feet above sea level—occurs within a distance of 15 miles. The steep road winds through a desolate wasteland of barren rock with twisted canyons and cliffs. Pilgrims went up to Jerusalem for the three required feasts: Unleavened Bread/Passover, Weeks/Pentecost, and Tabernacles/Booths. Jesus also went to Jerusalem during Hanukkah/the Feast of Dedication, even though there was no commandment to go to Jerusalem for the celebration. So, for 11 years previous Jesus went from Nazareth to Jerusalem for at least 3 feasts a year) 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. 43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, (They were in a large caravan of people traveling together – you can imagine a group of 12 year old boys – without social media – running around and playing games on the way home and within view of someone’s parents…unless one is just not there even though you assume they are) the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. (What was Jesus thinking at night?...Home Alone) 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then (that night when families came together) they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. (They were mad) 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." (in other words…how did you not know where I would be?)  "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" (Jesus was beginning to test the religious social networks)  50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

          A fascinating glimpse into the childhood of Jesus and the person he was becoming. Who wrote this? Who was Luke? How did he get this information? Notice the phrase his mother treasured all these things in her heart. Where have you heard that before?...Who wrote it? Where did Luke get the info about Jesus birth that no one else wrote about and the story of Jesus in the temple at age 12 that no one else wrote about? FROM MARY, Joseph died at some point between this event and the beginning of Jesus public ministry.

          Can you imagine the special care that God the Father took in protecting His son? Got them out of Bethlehem – sent them to Egypt – sent them back to Nazareth. And how pleased the Father must have been when at age 12 Jesus knew who he was – that he had to be in His Father’s house!

          The Jewish synagogue in Jesus’ day was no place for children. Children and women were not to worry themselves with the study of torah – the law. That was for the men. Some may have seen the movie Yentle when at the turn of the past century there was a young woman who wanted to study the Torah but was forbidden. She had such a passion for the word of God that she cut her hair and pretended to be a boy so she could go to the Yeshiva – Jewish seminary and learn the Torah.

          Personal study of scripture for men, women and children is still a relatively new thing. Until the printing press a little over 500 years ago, few average people ever read the scriptures unless it was at church, and then it was in Latin. Why do we place such emphasis on it and why for children? Because it is no longer about keeping rules and regulations that the father can just make the children follow. The Christian life is about a relationship = a Social Network. The place we learn about it outside of the church is in the Bible. It is better to aquaint a person with Jesus as early as possible and using the unchanging social media of scripture is the best way to do that. So, yes parents and grandparents – absolutely teach scripture to children from infancy Hmmm… 2 Tim 3:14-15 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

          What did Jesus say about children? 3 passages from Matthew will tell us:

Matthew 18:1-6

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone MILLSTONE SLIDE hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

Matthew 19:13-15

Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Matthew 21:15-16

But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?"

SCREEN GO UP REVEALING THE CROSS

          I have always dreamed of having a church facility that children walk into and know that God loves them by the very nature of the building. Not the entire building but a good portion of it. STORY Nathan as a little child at Cedar Point. He found a place JUST for him. STORY Care Bear’s replacement for God.

A Group Of Believers

                  A group of believers gathered in a church.

                  They believed in one God, God Almighty, who made the world and everything in it.

                  They believed in God the Creator.

                  And they believed that God the Creator sent the Son, Jesus Christ, to save the world.

                  They believed these things and they said them every Sunday at ten o’clock.

                  They were very busy and did the things most churches do.  They had church dinners and they inquired about each other’s families.

                  And they read the Bible and they sent a check to missions every year, And at Thanksgiving they

                  collected canned goods for the poor.

                  And on Sunday mornings things were done decently and in order.

                  They were good church people.

                  But one Sunday morning during the service of worship, a little boy came running in the church door, ran right down the center aisle, and stood under the cross screaming, “Help me!”

                  He was a thin child with dark, sunken eyes. The clothes he wore were no more than rags.

                  His feet were bare and he shivered and then, with a cry, fell – under the cross.

                  Everything was quiet – and then a voice yelled: Get him out of here!         And another said: We don’t want to get involved with his kind. And a third said: He’s interrupting our worship.

                  But the rest of the congregation arose quietly, in unison, and walked as if they were in step until they, too, stood under the cross. They bent and lifted the child gently and ministered to him.

                  And then, as if for the first time, they noticed each other.

                  They smiled and their hands reached out to one another and they began to dance.

                  Some people laughed, and said: They’re drunk! But others asked: What does this mean?

                  And the people answered: The Lord’s Spirit has been poured out upon us. The Lord has anointed us to care for God’s children everywhere who are crying, “Help me!”

                  And now this church is decorated in the bright colors of joy. The people wear robs of caring and commitment. The call to worship is: “Help them!” Then entire congregation dances together.

SCREEN COME BACK DOWN

INVITATION: Come and pray for children.