Count-Off!

30 April 2014

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“Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.” (Luke 2:41-45)
nomads

Terri and I are blessed to have five beautiful children. We have a tradition when we load up the car to go somewhere of "counting-off" one through five so that we don't accidentally leave someone behind. Asa is only two and hasn't mastered his counting yet. So, after each child shouts their birth order number they all shout "five" together to let us know that Asa is buckled up and ready to travel. It is difficult to travel with a family of seven. I can't imagine how difficult it would have been to take a three day journey from Jerusalem to Nazareth with my family, extended family, and probably most of the small town. It is no wonder that Jesus' absence wasn't noticed until bedtime after a long day's journey.

Joseph, by law was to present himself in Jerusalem for three festivals a year. Passover was one of those festivals and it occurred in the early Spring around late March or early April. Mary was not required to go but had liberty to observe or not observe each of these feast days.

“Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty:” (Deuteronomy 16:16)

At age twelve or thirteen, a Jewish male was customarily required to begin living according to the ordinances of the law. It is not certain whether Jesus was fulfilling this “custom” of the Jews or if He was simply attending Passover with His earthly parents. The latter is most likely. I believe His age is mentioned simply to show the amazing power and wisdom that Jesus could display even at a young age.

Jesus did not ask permission to stay behind nor did He give a reason to to Mary and Joseph for doing so. This was not a matter of ignoring their authority for He had already subjected Himself to that and will do it again after He goes to the Temple for the discourses and debates.

It was common for families and communities to travel together to the feasts in Jerusalem. There is no indication of how large a band of people came from Nazareth but it was large enough that they could travel a day without noticing Jesus was not with them. At the age of twelve, it would also be common for a child to travel with other kin or friends of the family. Nazareth was about 3 days journey north of Jerusalem. When they stopped for the night they did not find Jesus among them so they headed back to Jerusalem the next morning.

Tags: family, harmony_of_the_gospels, jesus, joseph, luke, passover, temple

Welcome

Brentwood Hills Primitive Baptist Church is a community of believers working together to transform our lives to the image of Jesus Christ. We believe it is our duty and privilege to live the gospel of the doctrines of grace in such a way as to edify the families within our church and other children of God in our community. Through regular worship based on strong Biblical principles, fellowship, admonishment, and outreach, we glory in the grace of the sovereign God working in our lives thereby showing the Spirit of God in the world.

Brentwood Hills was organized in 1906 in Fort Worth, Texas as Laodicea Primitive Baptist Church. You can find much of the history of the church, as well as other churches here: Primitive Baptist History Database

We identify ourselves as an old-line Primitive Baptist church. If you read our Articles of Faith, you’ll see that we hold to such doctrines as the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. We recognize the King James Version (KJV) as the only English translation worthy of being called the Bible. We believe in salvation solely by the grace of a sovereign God. We believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, came to the earth to do the will of His Father, which was to deliver from the sentence of death all those the Father gave Him before the world began. We believe that Jesus fully satisfied the Father by atoning for all the sins of all His people. In time, we believe the Holy Spirit comes to each person that belongs to Jesus and regenerates them. Then (and only then) can anyone have faith, which is a fruit of the Spirit, by which you are able to believe the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether or not you ever hear the gospel, or believe it if you did hear it, or obey it if you did believe it, rest assured that Jesus will remain forever faithful to you because, if He died for you, He will never deny that you belong to Him.

We believe that everyone for whom Christ died will without fail be raised again from the dead to a glorified life. Even if we are alive when He returns to raise the dead, we shall be changed to a glorified life. All the Redeemed will meet the Lord in the air. Then He will take us to Heaven and there we shall forever be with the Lord. The wicked will be raised at the same time as the righteous, but the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment along with Satan and his angels. Until that glorious day when Christ returns to raise the dead, He has provided a place for His people to find rest for their souls. This place is the Church. Jesus Christ set-up His church on this earth before His death on the Cross. The church is there for those of His people who have come to believe that God saved them by His Son, Jesus Christ. To believe that Christ “paid it all” gives believers the strongest motivation to serve Him. Once enlightened to this glorious truth, then the child of God should feel an obligation to become and remain an active member of the His church. To serve the Lord in His church makes for one of the great blessings to experience this side of Heaven. It fulfills you to serve in His church and it gives your life purpose and meaning.

Living in Liberty

Elder Bryce Lowrance

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