First Sunday of Christmas

Colossians 3:12-17 Luke 2: 41-end

The build up to Christmas has reached its climax with the great day arriving, and now moving into history. Following the events leading on from Christmas we now learn of the child Jesus and what happened in Jerusalem. But we do not have the full story. The Bible reading tells us that Jesus was twelve years of age. At his time in history and in his culture a boy of twelve was deemed to be an adult. The reading explains to us that his parents had been looking for him amongst friends and family.

Hence, we have a young man in the Temple learning about his heavenly Father in surroundings, and using rituals, which must have fascinated him for this would have been his first visit. The fact that he was missing for a day was not that remarkable. Because the women travelled slower than the men, they would start off on their return earlier. It would not be until the evening that the men and women would come together. In the meantime, each would think that Jesus was with the other.

Jesus was found in the Temple Court listening to the Sanhedrin discussing religious and theological questions. Jesus was behaving like any other student, asking questions and learning from replies. It was at some time, up to this point, that Jesus must have realised his special relationship with God. He must have had thoughts as time passed. Then, with manhood coming upon him, there must have been a sudden thought in his consciousness of his special relationship with God.

In this passage of scripture, we have the point when Jesus realises who he was. It did not make a big change in his character. He did not become all haughty. He did not look down on others. The real Son of God does not despise human lives.

As we grow in years we progress in our learning. We gain knowledge, we learn social skills, we learn about society in general and find our own place within it. Much of this we learn from our parents. By their example and by their interaction with others necessary skills are passed down to us. In these formative years we, like Jesus, increase in wisdom. Coming to church is where we learn about God, about his Son, and about the spread of the gospel message throughout the world.

This First Sunday of Christmas we learn about Jesus beginning to understand his relationship with God. We too have a relationship with God. We too have the opportunity to allow this relationship to develop deeper. Acknowledging God as a name on a sheet of paper as we sing praise to him is just scratching the surface. These first few weeks are an opportunity to delve deeper into the pages of the Bible, or the hymn book, or psalter. In all of these pages the love of God leaps out at us. Calling us and beckoning to us to come closer to him, to accept him into our life.

In Jesus’ case his mother Mary treasured all of these things of his early years. She kept them in her heart. We too have the opportunity to treasure the early years of Jesus. We may not have been there to witness them for ourselves. But we have the word of scripture. We also have a degree of understanding of those words.

Collect for the First Sunday of Christmas

Almighty God,

who wonderfully created us in your own image

and yet more wonderfully restored us

through your Son Jesus Christ:

grant that, as he came to share in our humanity,

so we may share the life of his divinity;

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.