Accept Your Confusion
A Tim Keller Sermon Summary
We do not always understand why God lets certain things happen, but we are not the first to have such confusion. Let’s look at how Christ confused Mary and Joseph.
When he was twelve years old (a year before adulthood in their culture), Jesus went with Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem for Passover. When the event was over, His parents left for home with a large group, but Jesus stayed behind discussing with teachers in the temple (Luke 2:41-52).
A day later, when Mary and Joseph found out Jesus was not with them, they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him. After three days of searching, they found Him. Mary was not pleased, asking why He treated them like this. In response, Christ questioned why they did not know He had to be in His Father’s house (v49).
During this event, Jesus called God, not Joseph, His Father. In the Old Testament, God is rarely referred to as Father. Basically, Jesus told them His relationship with God was much more important, and He did not have to obey them. Mary and Joseph were disturbed by how Christ treated them. They did not understand what He was talking about (v48-50).
James Elliot was speared to death while trying to evangelize to Indians in Ecuador. Shouldn’t God have protected him? Later, his wife Elisabeth explained: God’s plan is beyond us, and we should accept it as is.
Often, we are confused by what God does in our lives. We do not understand why we are in huge storms.
Accept them. Hold onto His love for us. Christ, the almighty God, came on earth to serve us till death. We should contemplate what we know about Him and treasure our experience of Him (v51). Gradually, through grace, we will grow in our understanding of Him. Meanwhile, keep trusting and serving Him.
Summarized from a Tim Keller’s sermon:
https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/jesus-at-his-father-s-feast-5439/
When he was twelve years old (a year before adulthood in their culture), Jesus went with Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem for Passover. When the event was over, His parents left for home with a large group, but Jesus stayed behind discussing with teachers in the temple (Luke 2:41-52).
A day later, when Mary and Joseph found out Jesus was not with them, they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him. After three days of searching, they found Him. Mary was not pleased, asking why He treated them like this. In response, Christ questioned why they did not know He had to be in His Father’s house (v49).
During this event, Jesus called God, not Joseph, His Father. In the Old Testament, God is rarely referred to as Father. Basically, Jesus told them His relationship with God was much more important, and He did not have to obey them. Mary and Joseph were disturbed by how Christ treated them. They did not understand what He was talking about (v48-50).
James Elliot was speared to death while trying to evangelize to Indians in Ecuador. Shouldn’t God have protected him? Later, his wife Elisabeth explained: God’s plan is beyond us, and we should accept it as is.
Often, we are confused by what God does in our lives. We do not understand why we are in huge storms.
Accept them. Hold onto His love for us. Christ, the almighty God, came on earth to serve us till death. We should contemplate what we know about Him and treasure our experience of Him (v51). Gradually, through grace, we will grow in our understanding of Him. Meanwhile, keep trusting and serving Him.
Summarized from a Tim Keller’s sermon:
https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/jesus-at-his-father-s-feast-5439/