Strong spirits: who is this?
And that is a very good question for each of us to ask.
What if you could have met Jesus when he was a kid?
Certainly many did - his family and his neighbors and friends in Nazareth where he grew up.
But there is one story - and only one - in the Bible where a group of people had a very personal encounter with him as a child. You can find it in the gospel of Luke, chapter 2, verses 41-52.
The summation of the story is this: Jesus stays behind in Jerusalem as a 12 year old, when his parents leave for Nazareth. Once they figure out he's missing, they head back to Jerusalem, and after several days, find him in the Temple, talking with the teachers of the law. His parents are upset and relieved, the teachers are blown away by his questions, answers, and insights, and Jesus is surprised that his parents wouldn't know where to find him - "in my Fathers house" as he put it.
I believe the teachers were left with one question of their own, regarding Jesus: "Who is this?" And that is a very good question for each of us to ask. Who is this Jesus? Do yourself a favor and take time to read through one of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) with all of your questions and an open mind. I believe your questions about who he is will be answered!
Gary Schwerin serves as pastor at Caledonia Congregational Church. He is also the Spiritual Development Minister for the YMCA of the Rock River Valley and Executive Director of Bridge Ministries of Rockford. Prior to launching Bridge Ministries, Gary spent many years in leadership with Young Life. His columns appear here every Sunday - subscribe to our daily email to see all our stories and events.
