(Luke) 09 - Results of His Coming — Ed Miller

Being Audio-taped and Lillian that's my wife over there in the red and she keeps tracking tapes. If you would like any of the tapes from previous lessons, just see her. There's no charge for that and she'll be glad to give you all of the lessons that you've missed once again, I'll try to every lesson.

It's my intention that every lesson will stand on its own two feet. In other words there is connection. Obviously, and we hope that there is some Lucid Building from lesson to lesson. But if you miss lesson one two, five seven or whatever and you come in the middle you you shouldn't be lost.

Because we're focusing on the Lord and every lesson stands on its own two feet. So we welcome you and we just pray that it'll be a blessing to your heart. Now, let me just review a little bit what we've been looking at.

Luke Presents Jesus as the Son of All Mankind

The gospel of Luke is a unique gospel and it presents our Lord Jesus as the Son of all Mankind. More than any other place in the Bible you have in Luke that wonderful title. That's an interesting title because nobody Ever said that of Jesus nobody said there's the Son of Man.

The only one that ever said that was Jesus himself. He called himself the Son of Man and he called himself the Son of Man about 80 times. So I take that to be his favorite title for himself that he just loved to be the son of everybody.

And Luke just calls attention to that. He was a Gentile writer you know the only one in all the books of the Bible and He wrote the book of Luke in order to tell us that Jesus was the son of everybody the poor and the rich and the down-and-outer and the up-and-outer and and he was just a son of Everybody and Luke develops that.

The Greatness of Christ’s Coming in Luke 2

We've been looking for the past several weeks at Luke chapter 2. We've come a little far to review everything but Luke chapter 2. Just by glancing at it. You'd recognize it as the Christmas chapter. Because in it there are these four stories Connected with the early life of our Lord Jesus his birth in Bethlehem the appearance of the angels to the shepherds.

When they announced the coming of the Lord Jesus the Lord Jesus when he was a little baby in the temple and was circumcised and Then finally when he was 12 years old and in the temple and so what we've been trying to do not Ignore it as a Christmas chapter because it is a Christmas chapter.

But we're trying to read it not as a Christmas chapter but as the introduction to the gospel of Luke. Luke wrote this book put that in there as an introduction and We've just sort of summarized Luke chapter 2 in these words the greatness of the coming of the Son of Man and For those who like logical connection, we've divided it up this way in three ways.

Luke chapter 2 shows how great Jesus was in his coming. First of all He was great in how he came and we took a whole lesson to show that he came humbly in a Condescending way down down down down until he became the son of all mankind.

Last time we spent our session talking about those For whom he came you say well, he came for the Gentile. That's true. Say he came for the Jew. That's true say he came for everybody. That's true. But the point that Luke makes is He came for the humble Illustrated by the shepherds and he came for the seeker Illustrated by Simeon and Anna.

He comes for everybody. But all he comes to the humble and he comes to those that seek him. The part we're going to look at this morning has to do with the greatness of the Lord illustrated by the results of his coming.

He's great in how he came. He's great in those for whom he came and he's certainly great in the results of his come. Now before we begin that third section that third look at Luke chapter 2 I want to pick up a couple of facts from the Simeon story just to Make it clear and and settle a couple of things that could be controversial we sort of left them hanging last time if you look at chapter 2 begin at verse 21, please and When eight days were completed before his circumcision.

His name was then called Jesus the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed. They brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the law and then if you'll drop down to verse 39, please.

When they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord. They returned to Galilee their own city of Nazareth. Now if you just look at verse 21 and 22 It would look like these things happened in quick succession number one they circumcised in.

Number two, they dedicated him and then verse 39. They went home and that's true. But it's a little more complicated than that. On the eighth day they circumcised him. In verse 22, it says that the the days of purification According to the law were fulfilled.

Well, what were the days of purification? According to the law and the answer is found in Leviticus 12. And I'll just give it to you as a fact ask you to trust me on it and check it in your own time. The days of purification According to Leviticus 12 were 40 days.

They had to wait for 40 days and there were certain ceremonies they did during that 40 days and. Then after that verse 39, it says they went back to Nazareth. Now There are a couple of possibilities. You realize don't you that the wise men?

Did not come to the manger. It was about two years later When the wise men finally came and the Bible says they came to the house. We know they were in Bethlehem when the wise men came. And we think it was about two years later because you remember Herod when he was trying to find out who the Messiah was.

He had babies under to kill and so it was about two years later when the wise men came. We know he's in Bethlehem. Well verse 39 seems to say That after they circumcised him on the eighth day they had a 40-day ceremony and after that they went home.

Well, if they went home they went back to Nazareth. We know they're in Bethlehem two years later when the wise men come so either Luke left out something and there's a big gap of time there and they actually stayed in Bethlehem for two years or.

Or. They moved a lot in the first two years. Here's what it looks like to me. Because of the taxation they came down from Nazareth to Bethlehem after the 40 days. They went back to Nazareth sometime. In that next two years they moved again to Bethlehem when the wise men came.

Then God came in a dream and said go to Egypt. So they went from Bethlehem to Egypt then God came in a dream and said alright Herod's dead. You can go back and so they went back from Egypt all the way to Nazareth and that's probably how it happened.

The reason I call attention to it is that Luke calls attention to a circumcision 40 days later and then the parents presented him to God. Why is that important? It's important because of the way Luke writes.

Luke is the only one that tells us about the ascension of our Lord Jesus in other words After he died and rose then he ascended into heaven. You know how many days it was between the resurrection and the ascension.

The answer is 40 days, that's right you see what Luke is doing is he's picturing right at the beginning a circumcision and Then 40 days later presented to the father. The picture of circumcision is separation from the flesh.

He was cut off from the flesh and 40 days later presented to the father. Luke is going to develop that throughout the gospel and we're going to see another time at the cross. Where he's cut off from the flesh and then 40 days later He ascends and he's presented to his Holy Father God a Luke does that all the way through the Bible?

He's going to continually show us How the Lord Jesus identifies with sinners? You see this circumcision had to do with identification with sin. We know he personally Didn't need circumcision or that which it picture.

Remember when God ordained circumcision the idea was Separate the body from a little foreskin a piece of flesh and that separation of the person from the flesh. Became God's picture in the heart of separation from the flesh so that Jeremiah 4 4 says Circumcised the foreskins of your heart and this idea that the heart needs to be separated from the foreskin.

So why was Jesus? Circumcised you say well, it was commanded and his parents had to do it. Yes, that's part of it. And I don't doubt either that he did it to endorse the age-old institution and to take a stand with that and Probably he did it to shut the mouths of those who would say Messiah cannot be a son of Abraham unless he's been circumcised and so by being circumcised and submitting He shut the mouths of those that would be against him, but I think primarily He did it to identify With sinners.

He's the son of all mankind. Luke's going to develop this you see Man matter of fact in the next chapter Jesus stands in the waters of baptism. Everybody's confessing their sin. He has no sins to confess.

What's he doing in those waters? In fact, John makes a point of that I have need to be baptized by you. Why are you standing in these waters and he said to fulfill all righteousness to identify? With sinners and all the way through in his Circumcision in his baptism in his temptation in his ministry on the cross numbered with the transgressors.

Always identifying with us and no gospel writer does it like Luke? He presents Jesus as the son of all mankind and when you go through the book of Luke Your heart just leaps out and you said he's for me.

He's on my side. He's one of us and he identified with us and we see it right here at the beginning. Illustrated in this wonderful circumcision 40 days presentation to God I'm going to ask you to look again at Luke chapter 2 and let's look at his greatness as it's illustrated by the results of his coming.

Joy as the First Result of Christ’s Coming

There are four groups or people mentioned in this chapter a number one the angels and the shepherds. Number two Simeon. Number three Mary. Number four Anna. And I think if you just take those groups. The shepherds and the angels together illustrate one of the results of his coming.

Simeon illustrates another result of his calling. Mary illustrates another result of his coming in addition to how we looked in chapter 1 at Mary as The first picture in the New Testament of the church that aside from that she pictures again The result of his coming.

And finally dear old Anna one of my favorite people in the New Testament Pictures the result of his coming. Let me just get that before you in simple principle chapter 2 verse 10 and 11. And the angel said to them do not be afraid.

Behold I bring good news of great joy. Which shall be for all the people. For today in the city of David There has been born for you a savior who is Christ the Lord. Good news. It's not good news of joy.

It's not good news of good joy. It's good news of great joy. Unto you is born a savior. And then chapter 2 verse 13 suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and Saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men.

With whom he's pleased and suddenly they burst out in this spontaneous pray. Now glance at verse 20 and you see it in the shepherds and the shepherds went back glorifying and Praising God for all that they'd seen and heard as it had been told that the first result of the coming of Christ is Joy.

Supernatural joy seen in the angels seen in the shepherd good news joy. Great joy glorifying God praising God. Heaven and earth are filled with his praises. Some have pointed out from Luke Luke 2 13. It says and the heavenly host said Glory to God in high.

They didn't sing. They said I've had some folks come to me say now, you know the but the angels don't say. Not once in the Bible does it say that the angels sing. They always say Glory to God in the highest or they say holy holy holy.

And say well, what about Luke 15? When when somebody comes to the Lord says there's more joy in heaven in the presence of the angels. And they say yeah in the presence of the angels. It's not the angels who are singing.

It's God in their presence or glorified saints in their presence or something. Reason I bring this up is so that you'll have an answer when they come to you with that. Give them Job 38 7. Job 38 7 we've got them.

Job 38 7 talks about when God created the universe and it says the morning stars Sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Those are angels. So the angels do sing and Job 38 7 proves it. Say what when if he said if the angels sang when God created the universe.

I Got an idea. There was some wing-waving when Our Lord Jesus was born and they say and even if they just said they're saying it has to be more Beautiful than any song any man or woman has ever saw. When I introduced Luke I told you how one of the chief Characteristics of this wonderful gospel was joy all the way through this is the happiest gospel happier than Matthew or Mark or John just that the happy gospel and you're only two chapters deep and Already, you've got the five greatest songs of church history.

You've got the Ave Maria. You've got the Magnificat the Benedictus the Gloria in Excelsior and the numptamus and If you know anything about the church, Caroline, you'll understand those Latin words. All it means is Hail Mary God be exalted blessed be the Lord.

Glory to God and now dismiss me and that's all that it means. The first result is praise. Glory to God. Rejoicing good news the way God wrote this the Christmas story. It seems like all his works praised his name.

Joseph illustrates men. Mary illustrates women. The Shepherd illustrates poor people. The animals illustrate the animal kingdom. The gold Illustrates the earth. The frankincense and myrrh illustrates the plant kingdom.

The star illustrates the heaven. Everything was praising God when The Lord Jesus came into the world. So that's the first result of his coming. Illustrated by the shepherds and by the angel this joy joy unspeakable joy.

Simeon’s Contentment in Life and Peace in Death

The second result is illustrated by Simeon and I'll only mention it since we've already Discussed sin, but I will mention it again verse 28. And when he took him into his arms He blessed God and said now Lord thou dost let thy bonds servant Depart in peace according to thy word.

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou has prepared in the presence of all people a light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel the second result of his coming. It's sort of twofold Contentment in life and Tranquility in death and it's illustrated by Simeon.

Simeon held the baby Jesus Looked into his eyes and said my eyes have seen thy salvation. Salvation is not a plan. It's a person and they he looked into the eyes of this baby and said I've seen salvation.

I am now content and I'm ready to die and I'm ready to die in peace. Well, that's one of the results of His coming to come to bring us to the place where like Simeon we can cling to the Savior find salvation purpose in life.

And we'll be able to be dismissed into eternity in death. When we discuss Simeon several weeks ago I reminded you of the promise that God gave him that he would not die Until he saw the Lord's cry. You say what a precious promise for that priest.

No, that's a precious promise for every seeker. Nobody will die who seeks the Lord. Until they've held the Lord's cross and God has just given that unconditional promise. So the second result of his coming not only joy Unspeakable but contentment in life that's where your purpose is.

Mary and the Pain of Identification with a Rejected Savior

When you find the Lord you find the purpose for living and Finally, you're able to say no good to me this now dismiss me into eternity in peace. There's a third result of his coming. Illustrated by Mary and as I said, this is in addition to the full picture of Mary as the church in chapter 1 verse 33.

And his father and his mother were amazed about the things which were being said about him and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother behold, this child is appointed for the fall and the rise of many in Israel and for a sign to be opposed a Sword will pierce your own soul to the end that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.

Verse 34 first it says that Christ is appointed for the fall and rise of many. Some take that to be because of Christ. Some will fall. Others will rise. Some say no, it's not two groups of people. It's not some will fall others will rise.

It's the same group. Some will fall and then rise and it says in Israel, so they say that's a prophecy of the Jews. You see when a Christ first came they rejected the Messiah. But someday they will receive the Messiah.

Now that's true. I'm not dead. Sure if Luke 2 34 teaches it, but the Bible teaches it. The principle holds true no matter which position you hold. A glance at verse 35, please. A sword will pierce your soul.

What did Simeon mean when he told Mary a sword will pierce through your soul? Some teach that a sword passed Through Mary's soul when she was personally seized with doubts about who her son was and what his mission was.

Well, you won't find that in the Bible now. I know she was concerned on one occasion that he had a busy schedule and She was concerned because there were so many people around he couldn't eat. And she was so concerned mark 3 and verse 21 says she called him mad.

And so Mary called her son mad because of his schedule, but I don't think she ever doubted who he was or what he came to do. Most teach that when Mary stood at the cross and Saw her son as any mother who would see their child suffering.

It was then that a sword passed through her own heart. I had no doubt that a sword passed through Mary's heart when she stood at the cross. We've had six children and it doesn't take a cross and Undeserved suffering to make a sword pass through a parent's heart.

Let them have a toothache or let it be sick in any way and a sword will pass through your heart. But I believe it's more all-inclusive than that. You see Simeon told Mary That because of her identification with Christ.

He would be opposed and because she was identified with him. A sword would pass through her heart as well. And I think that's really the principle. You see Mary pictures the church in chapter 1. She also pictures the church in chapter 2.

You say because Jesus came they'll be joy. Oh, there will and the joy bells will ring in your heart. You say because Jesus came there'd be contentment and Peace. Yes indeed. Here's the other side. Because Jesus came there'll be rejection.

You identify with Christ the sword will pass through your heart. If I identify with Christ a sword will pass through my heart. Sometime it grieves us to think that we can love the Lord so much and then see so many stand against.

When anyone stands against the Lord a sword passes through the heart of those who are Identified with Christ. That's one of the results of his coming and it's one of the greatest pains you'll have as a believer.

Anna’s Overflowing Testimony and Hope

You'll be identified with him outside the camp and you those of you who have known the Lord, you know. That he's a rejected Savior and you identify with him and a sword passes through your heart. One more illustration verse 36 to 38 this Anna.

There was a prophetess Anna daughter of Faneuil of the tribe of Asher. And by the way, I won't develop it now, but that's the rich tribe. She was advanced in years having lived with a husband seven years after her marriage.

Then as a widow to the age of 84. She never left the temple serving night and day with fastings and prayers at that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God and Continued to speak of him to all who are looking for redemption of Jerusalem a glance at verse 37.

We're not dead. Sure if she was 84. You see there's a couple of ways to read that in the original language. It might be that she was just all added together. She was 84. That's a possibility or it might be.

She was 84 plus. The seven years she was married. That's 91. How old was she when she got married? Well, the Jewish law says they couldn't get married before 12 the ripe old age of 12. And that makes her at least a hundred three.

That's why I love this one. She's a dear saint of a hundred and three and full of hope. That's so thrilling to me to see someone who's elderly. Still filled with hope that's Anna filled with hope and You say what's the picture of Anna here?

Did you notice when Christ came in? It's she went around hundred and three at least she went around. Speaking of him to everyone. Overflow. There's your mission. There's your soul winning. There's your testimony and You say what's the greatness of Christ in this chapter see look pulled it all together.

Luke says when Christ comes there's going to be joy. When Christ comes there's going to be contentment. What Christ comes there's going to be peace. When Christ comes there's going to be rejection. And when Christ comes there's going to be overflow.

There's going to be testimony. There's going to be witness. Luke writes in such a way, you're going to see these things repeated over and over and over again in the different historical events that he selects to communicate Christ the Son of all mankind.

Jesus at Twelve: The Temple, His Father’s House, and His Obscure Years

Now there's several things we could say about that, but I want to introduce to you this story of the Lord Jesus when he was 12 years old. Follow along, let's read the text and then I want to make a couple of comments.

Verse 41, please, his parents used to go up to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of Passover. And when he became 12, they went up there according to the custom of the fields. And as they were returning after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.

His parents were unaware of it. Supposing him to be in the caravan, they went a day in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. All who heard them were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

And when they saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I have been anxiously looking for you. And he said to them, why is it that you were looking for me?

Did you not know I had to be in my father's house? They did not understand the statement which he had made to them. And he went down with them, came to Nazareth. He continued in subjection to them. And his mother treasured all these things in her heart.

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. Before I give you the principle, let me make a couple of observations so that you can get a feel for some of these facts.

Verse 41, it says that they went to the Passover. As I told you last time, this is one of the three annual vacations that was commanded by the Lord, a glorious thing to be commanded to take vacation at least three times a year.

And they went to the Passover, the Passover, the Feast of Pentecost, and Tabernacle. The Passover, if you stayed the full length of time, was eight days. And we know that they stayed the full length of time.

In verse 41 to 52, this is the only record in the Bible we have that touches on what has been called the obscure years. In other words, from the time Jesus was born until he was 30 years old. The only record we have of those 30 years is this one record when he was 12 years old.

Now, there are some books that didn't make it into the Bible called Apocryphal Gospel. And they have stories of the boyhood life of Christ. I'll give you a couple of examples of that. They say when Jesus was in the carpenter's shop, one day Joseph didn't listen to Perot, measured twice and cut once, and he cut it wrong.

And so the board was the wrong length. So little boy Jesus took the board and made it the right length, just stretched it out. They got those kind of stories. Another time, one of his friends was picking on another one of his friends and he turned them into a frog.

That story's in there. Does that sound like the Jesus that you know? Another time they were walking together and Joseph said, I'm awfully tired. I wish I was home. Well guess what? They were home. When he went to school to learn his alphabet, the teacher said, say Alph, and Jesus said Alph.

And then they said, say Beth, and he says, not until you tell me what Alph means. And so the teacher raised up an arm to strike him and then Jesus paralyzed his arm. And there are dozens of stories like that.

Now, how do we know 100 true that those things are not Bible and that they're not true? And the answer is from John chapter 2, verse 11. John chapter 2, 11, talking about turning the water into wine, calls it the first miracle Jesus did.

So we know he was 30 years old before he ever did any miracle. So all of those stories about, the only thing we need to know is right here, when he was 12 years old. Now why did Luke give us this particular event?

We know that he submitted to his holy father, God, and was about his business, and we know he submitted to his parents. Do you realize that's the two tables of the law? Being rightly related to God, being rightly related to man?

That's one thing we need to know. What about those 30 years? I know this, he was rightly related to God during those 30 years. And he was rightly related to man during those 30 years. Verse 49, it says, why is it that you were looking for me?

Did you not know that I must be about my father's business, house, interest? It's amazing, you read the different commentaries. How come one says business and one says house, one says interest? Because in the original language, it's blank.

Did you not know that I must be about my father's? And so the translators gasp, and say it must be business. Some say, well no, he found the temple, it must be house. And so they just filled it in. You'll notice in most translations that it's in italics.

And when it's in italics, that means that it's not in the original language, and that's how you know. But he was just saying, do you not know that I must be about my father's, my father's everything? My father's will, my father's business, my father's house, my father's people, my father's everything, that which concerns my father.

And so all we really need to know about the first 30 years is that he was perfect. Rightly related to God, rightly related to man, and his heart was set on his father's glory, business, interest, house, people, everything concerning the father.

Some say, when you read Luke chapter 2, this 12-year-old Jesus, that you've got to remember that these are the first recorded words of Messiah. Think about that. First thing Jesus ever said, I must be about my father's, technically that's not true.

Can you remember when he spoke before this? It's recorded in Hebrews chapter 10, strange verse. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 5. It says, when he came into the world, he said, you mean Jesus said something when he came into the world as a little baby?

According to the Bible he did. Hebrews 10, verses 5 -7, when he came into the world he said, now listen to what he said. Sacrifice and offering, thou didst not desire, but a body thou hast prepared for me.

In the volume of the book it's written of me, I come to do thy will, O God. That's the first thing he said. Say, did Mary hear him say that? I don't think so. Did Joseph hear him say that? I doubt it.

I don't think the shepherds heard it. I don't think the wise men heard it, but I know he said it. At least that's the transcript of his heart that God gives us. When he came into the world, he said, a body thou hast prepared for me.

I come to do thy will, O God. And now at 12 years old, he just says it again. I'm concerned about my fathers, about his business, and about his will. Now why did Luke, after he gives this great chapter on the greatness of the coming of the Son of Man, great in his coming, great in those to whom he came, great in the results of his coming, why did he end with this story about the Lord Jesus?

Do Not Lose the Sense of Christ’s Presence

I think the answer is this. He comes humbly. He comes to the humble and to the seeker. He comes to bring joy, and to bring contentment, and to bring peace, and to identify us with a rejected Savior, and to bring overflow.

And I think he ends with this because it's warning. Say, what's he warning us? Jesus comes. And I think the message at the end here is when the Son of Man comes, be careful that you don't lose him. Be careful that you don't leave him behind.

And he gives this great story. I think the saddest verse in Luke chapter 2, I don't suggest you go around looking for the saddest verse in every chapter, but in Luke chapter 2, verse 44, oh, this has touched my heart.

It says, they supposed him to be in the caravan. They went a day's journey thinking Jesus was with them. And I thought in my own heart, I wonder how many days' journey I've been thinking he was with me when he really wasn't.

It's such an easy thing to do. One of the things that makes this thing so subtle is where did they lose Jesus? And the answer is they lost him at Passover. They lost him at one of the most religious holidays or series of holidays of the entire Jewish year.

Passover was a time of worship. They tell us that they would sing the Psalms of ascent during Passover. That's Psalm 120 to 134. It was a time of worship. And because everybody was commanded to go, it was a time of fellowship.

And reunion. A couple of weeks ago, I was away and I asked you to pray for me as we had our Bible conference. We had about 150 people gather. And if you haven't been to one of these, you might consider coming sometime.

It's such a glorious time. We fellowship. We sing. We pray. We enjoy the Lord. We just relate to one another. Wouldn't it be a terrible thing after a weekend? We had three solid days of meeting old friends and renewing acquaintances and sharing the Lord.

Wouldn't it be a terrible thing to leave that place and leave the Lord behind? You say, oh yeah, but I remember the hymns and I remember the prayers and I remember the testimonies, but where is Jesus?

See, that's what happened to them. And I think it's an amazing thing that they left the Lord Jesus behind here. Later on, we're going to read, well actually we're not because it's in Matthew, but when Jesus was, when they were warned to take Jesus to Egypt, they're killing the babies and there's hysteria and they're running to Egypt.

They didn't lose Jesus in Egypt in days of persecution. They lost Jesus in religious days. They lost Jesus in time where you think you'd be able to hang on to Jesus. Luke ends this wonderful chapter warning us it's wonderful when he comes, but it's possible to get preoccupied with other things and to leave the Lord Jesus behind.

Now, of course, when I talk about losing the Savior, I'm not talking about in an absolute way. You know he's promised he's never going to leave you. He's not going to forsake you. I'm talking about they lost his company.

They lost the sense of his presence. They lost his sweet fellowship. Now look, please, at verse 48 and 49, when they saw him, they were astonished. Mother said to him, son, why have you treated us this way?

Behold, your father and I have been anxiously looking for you. And he said to them, why is it you were looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be about my father's business? Okay? Mary's upset a little bit here with the Lord Jesus.

She felt like she had been mistreated by her son. You see, she had a relationship with Jesus, and based on that relationship, she expected certain things. Now we can understand how any parent would think about a 12-year-old who stayed behind and was missing for three or four days.

Son, you should have said something. You should have at least informed us. I know it's hard when you study a chapter like this because, you know, we're so spiritual. We don't want to charge Jesus with any kind of infirmity.

We want to blame Mary and Joseph for all of this. And yet you read it with a parent's heart, and you just have to say, maybe he could have at least had a social courtesy to say, I won't be coming along with you, and so on.

So whether, I don't know what your approach is to looking at these things, whether Jesus had, should have informed them, or if Mary and Joseph were to be blamed because they shouldn't have been anxious or whatever.

The principle is this. Don't get all wrapped up in that kind of controversy and miss the principle. The principle is this. Mary, don't forget, Mary continues to be a picture of the church. So when you see Mary, put yourself in there because the principle touches us.