REFLECTION:
Luke 2:41-52 “I must be in my Father’s house”
How much do we really know about Jesus of Nazareth?
The short answer is we know all that we need to know. We have a great record of his
teaching. We have the record of the miraculous signs that accompanied his birth, his
teaching, his death and his resurrection. We have promises that we can bet our lives on,
promises of forgiveness, of life with God, and of eternity.
But for the curious, many questions might still be lingering. Questions like,
What was Jesus like as a child?
Did he ever muck up or disobey deliberately his parents?
In today’s reading in Luke, we see glimpses of Jesus’ childhood and emerging adulthood.
We see him revealing who his real father is, and where he belongs. Here is an outline.
1. What do we know of Jesus between his birth and the last 3 years?
a. The twelve-year-old Jesus sat in the temple.
b. He was listening to the teachers of the Law and asking them questions (46)
c. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers (47)
d. The problem was that his parents didn’t know he had stayed in Jerusalem.
2. Jesus was his Father’s son.
a. Jesus’ parents were astonished “‘Child, why have you treated us like this?”
b. Jesus’s responds: “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I
must be in my Father’s house?” (49)
c. Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour (52)
To Think About:
What scriptural truths have you been able to teach your children that will put them on a
firm standing for life?
HYMNS
TIS 312 Once in royal David’s city
Mary’s boychild
MP 749 What Child is this
TIS 314 As with gladness men of old
LECTIONARY/CALENDAR ORDERS
These can now be collected from Michael Willis.
NO WEDNESDAY SERVICE NEW YEARS DAY
WEDDING
Congratulations to Nohan and Sandreen who will be Married next Saturday
January 4th at St James.
WEDNESDAY GROWTH GROUP will be in Recess during January and will resume in
February.
WATCHNIGHT SERVICE
We will be holding our usual Watchnight Service on New Years Eve at 11pm. In this
tradition, we gather outside to ring the bell and greet the New Year at 12 midnight, then
proceed back inside to start the New Year with the Eucharist.
BUILDING UPDATE
There were some further delays in obtaining the building permit we had hoped for in
December, so the new building will not begin construction until February, once the
permit has been issued. We are still hopeful of doing the new fencing around the
vicarage in January.
MISSION MOMENTS
Summer Under the Son’ (SUTS) ‘Near & Far’ for 2025 will be held at Syndal Baptist
Church from 16-18 January, 2025. If you would like to attend, please register
at https://www.summerundertheson.org/.
MORNING TEAS
Morning teas following Sunday services will take a break after this Sunday, returning the
first Sunday in February, 2025. Thanks to all helpers for your dedication throughout the
year. Resumption, 2nd February, 2025
CONFIRMATIONS NEXT YEAR
If you know someone wanting to be confirmed, Bishop Paul Barker will be with us on May
11th (Mother’s Day) and there will be confirmations in that service. Graeme will be
starting some confirmation preparation in March next year. More details to follow
LAWN MOWING ROSTER: 4th Jan – Oyem and Rob
READINGS FOR NEXT SUNDAY 5th Jan: Jeremiah 31:7-14 ;
Psalm – 147:12-20; Ephesians 1:3-14; John 1:10-18
THIS WEEK WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR: The Parish of St Eanswythe's, Altona
w. St Clement's, Laverton; The Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn; Archdeaconry of
Williamstown; The Church of the Province of Uganda; St Augustine’s Mentone–Pastoral
service; St Michael’s & St Luke’s Dandenong– Pastoral service; Clyde North & Casey
Dinka–Prayer service on new land; St Peter’s Mornington–Carols service; The
Melbourne Assessment Prison West Melbourne– Pastoral service; Archbishop Philip and
all our Bishops in their ministry this week.
THIS WEEK WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR: Anthony, Nisha, Mike, Cecil, Ruth,
Eva, Charles, Nigel, Jen, Ted, Sylvia, Fay, Natasha, Patty, Melenny, Shereen, Lorraine,
Rebecca, Ken, Jim, Monty, Noel & Ashleigh
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