The Life That Pleases the Father

For the next forty days you will see forty events from the life that pleases the Father, the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. His life was a pleasing aroma to God every day, like the morning and evening sacrifice, like the daily incense burned on the altar before the Holy of Holies.

Jesus Christ glorified the Father fully because He revealed the life of the Father fully. And He gave His life for you in order to give His life to you for Him to live in you, with you, through you, as you, before the Father and the watching world around you, for His glory and your joy! Hallelujah!!!

When Jesus was twelve years old, He stayed behind in Jerusalem at the end of the feast of Passover while His parents started back to Nazareth, thinking that He was with other family or friends. After a day’s journey they realized that Jesus had been left in the city and returned to look for Him. Luke gives you the details in 2:41 – 52.

They found Him on the third day (one day journey without Him and one day journey back to Jerusalem), “…sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” 2:46 – 47. There would be another three days, during Passover, in Jerusalem, twenty something years later when the religious leaders, maybe even some that were there when He was twelve, would be questioning Him again, but closed to His answers (see Luke 19:28 – 20:44).

The Greek word translated “understanding” in the verse above is soonesis and literally means the union of two rivers. In the Greek world it came to mean having an understanding by bringing together and connecting ideas to form a clearer picture of something.

You may remember as a child connecting the dots on a sheet of paper to discover a picture that you could not see before. This is similar to the meaning of this word soonesis, and is what the teachers of the Israel were amazed at in Jesus. His answers to their Q&A of God’s word joined together to reveal a depth of insight that they had not heard before. Little did they know that they were sitting with the author of God’s word! Jesus was fully connected to the Father and so His mind could see the fullness of His word more and more as He grew.

As Jesus discussed God’s word with the teachers, listening to them, asking them questions, and connecting the dots for them, it pleased the Father. Seeing His Son learn from His word and teach the teachers, and hearing Jesus speak His word, joining His words with the Father’s words, (like the joining of two rivers), brought the Father joy and pleased Him.

When His parents found Jesus, they too questioned Him, “Son, why have you treated us so?” 2:48. This is a question you have probably also asked the Lord. It is asked by many people, especially when they are going through a difficult time such as Mary and Joseph were going through that day. But their question was completely out of context with what Jesus was discussing with the teachers in God’s word. It focused upon a problem with anxiety and fear rather than an answer with trust and a desire to grow.

Jesus answered their question with two of His own, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Jesus took the posture of a teacher and the method of teaching in answering a question with questions so that the student can discover the answer rather than just hear it. This is also called connecting the dots. It is brilliant!

So what does this look like in your life? Good question. Do you focus upon your problems when you search for Jesus, wondering why He hasn’t helped you yet, or do you search God’s word for Jesus trusting Him to lead you through the difficulty as you listen to Him every step of the way? God’s word is a lamp and light for every step, but only for the next step. One of the ways of God is that you cannot skip steps. There are no short cuts or loopholes in growing.

This event in the life of Jesus teaches this truth. Luke 2:52 states it clearly, “And Jesus increased (grew) in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” Today, take the next step in growing by staying in God’s word, questions and all. Keep connecting the dots. Stay in a posture of trust, learning, and growing. Jesus did and it pleased the Father. This is what it means to become a true worshiper, one who worships the Father in spirit and truth.