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<DIV><FONT color=black size=2 face=arial><FONT color=black size=2
face=arial><FONT size=4>Forwarded: Luke 2:41-52 - Part 3 of
3<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: helvetica,arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT
size=4 face="Times New Roman">-----Original Message-----<BR>From: </FONT><A
href="mailto:bstoffregen@roadrunner.com"><FONT size=4
face="Times New Roman">bstoffregen@roadrunner.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT size=4
face="Times New Roman">To: </FONT><A
href="mailto:brian.stoffregen@gmail.com"><FONT size=4
face="Times New Roman">brian.stoffregen@gmail.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT size=4
face="Times New Roman">Sent: Wed, Dec 16, 2009 11:46 pm<BR>Subject: Luke
2:41-52<BR></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-FAMILY: helvetica,arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: helvetica,arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">WHOSE
SON IS HE? </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV
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class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>ANSWER 2: HE IS THE SON OF
GOD</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
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style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Craddock
(<I>Luke</I>)</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Jesus now claims for himself that special
relation to God which was the real meaning of his dedication as an infant. To
this point, all signs of Jesus' special nature or mission have been to or
through others: the angel, Mary, Elizabeth, Zechariah, shepherds, Simeon, and
Anna, but now he claims it for himself (v. 49). The church has sought to
recognize this moment in the lives of young people in the rite of confirmation
[p. 42].</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
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class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>The last part of verse 49 is difficult to
translate. Most literally it says:</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
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class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>"in (or among) the [plural <I>things</I> (or
<I>men</I>)<I> </I>is understood] of my Father it is necessary that I
be"</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT">Things
</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT">assumes a masculine
or neuter <B>plural</B> noun, but "house" is not plural!
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Luke Timothy Johnson (<I>Luke</I>, Sacra
Pagina) offers three possible renderings: "My Father's things (i.e., affairs or
business)"; "my Father's house"; or "my Father's associates (e.g., relatives)."
[p. 59]</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>He goes on to
comment:</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>...The translation "to be in my Father's
house" does not work as well as "to be involved in my Father's affairs." The
first translation would emphasize the place rather than Jesus' activity, but
unlike John 2:16, Luke never has Jesus call the Temple "my Father's house," and
although the Temple plays an important role in his narrative, it is as a place
of activity.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>This points us to the second translation.
The "affairs" must mean the sort of activity Jesus was engaged in, discoursing
with the Jewish teachers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Because
of the amazement of the crowd focused on his "answers," he is in effect teaching
the teachers. In fact this is precisely the activity of Jesus that Luke
emphasizes at the climax of his ministry. From 20:1-45, Jesus responds to the
questions put him in the Temple precincts by Jewish leaders, and this activity
Luke calls 'teaching in the Temple" (19:47; 20:1; 21:37; 22:53). ... [p.
61]</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
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class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Tannehill (<I>Luke</I>) says much the same
thing: </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
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class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>The use of the Greek expression to refer to
someone's house or home is well documented, and Jesus is indicating that his
parents should have known the place to find him. Therefore, a location, "my
Father's house," must be part of the meaning. But it is quite possible that
there is a double meaning, for the same expression may refer to someone's
"affairs" or "business" (hence the NRSV footnote, "be about my Father's
interests"). Then Jesus is not only indicating where he can be found, but why.
He already feels the calling to be engaged in his Father's business. [p.
76]</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The little Greek word δε</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">ῖ</SPAN><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Menlo-Regular; mso-bidi-font-family: Menlo-Regular">
(</SPAN><I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT">dei</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT">) = literally: "it
is necessary" and can be understood as: "I/he must" is frequently used by Jesus
to indicate his duty to God or in fulfillment of scriptures -- which often runs
counter to what others expect him to do.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">* Crowds want Jesus to stay with them, but he <B>must</B>
proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities
(4:43).</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">* The Son of Man <B>must</B> undergo great suffering, and
be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the
third day be raised (9:22; see also 13:33; 17:25; 24:7,
26).</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">* Jesus <B>must</B> stay at Zacchaeus' house (19:5) -- an
act that probably didn't set well with the religious
establishment.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">* Jesus <B>must</B> fulfill scriptures (22:37;
24:44).</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">How do we deal with competing claims on our lives? Often
the competition is between two good things; e.g., family and God. However, Jesus
states quite forcefully: "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and
mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself,
cannot be my disciple (14:26).</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">He also redefines family relationships: "My mother and my
brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it"
(8:21).</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">There is a subtle shift within this story. In the
beginning, it is the parents who go to Jerusalem. They take Jesus with them. The
parents are in charge of the "journey". It is different in v. 51a: "Then
<B>he</B> went down with them and came to Nazareth." As I have written before,
Luke/Acts is primarily a story about God, but Jesus now comes to the forefront
as the "co-star". </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Can doing what God has called us to do cause pain and
agony in parents or other people? If I remember right, Martin Luther's parents
were not pleased that he decided to become a priest rather than a lawyer. (One
job paid much better than the other -- and they expected him to take care of
them in their old age.)</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Can doing what God has called us to do cause pain and
agony among church members? How many church conflicts are over seeking to do
what God is calling us to do (in the present and future) vs. seeking to do what
God <B>had</B> called us to do (in the past)? </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Can doing what God has called us to do cause pain and
agony to one's self? If 12-year-old Jesus was as compassionate as I think he
was, I believe that the pain he caused his parents, he also took upon himself.
While he may have preferred to stay in the temple, learning from and teaching
the elders, he returns to Nazareth (a somewhat pagan, border town) and is
obedient to him. What was God's will for Jesus to do at that time? Sometimes the
answer is not too clear. Sometimes it is a choice between two good things. It is
in situations like this that Luther's advice is handy, "Sin
boldly."</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">I'll give the entire quote for those who might be
interested:</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">"… If you are a preacher of grace, then preach a true not
a fictitious grace; if grace is true, you must bear a true and not a fictitious
sin. God does not save people who are only fictitious sinners. Be a sinner and
sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly, for he is
victorious over sin, death, and the world. As long as we are here we have to
sin. This life is not the dwelling place of righteousness but, as Peter says [2
Peter 3:13], we look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness
dwells …. Pray boldly -- you too are a mighty sinner." [Martin Luther in a
Letter to Philip Melanchthon following the Diet of Worms, <I>Luther's Works</I>,
Vol 48, p. 281-282]</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Looking ahead, The Baptism of Our Lord (Jan 7) will again
stress the divine sonship of Jesus. What does it mean to be the Son of God and
to be about "My Father's business"? In Luke, the baptism is followed by the
genealogy, which ends with "son of God" (Luke 3:38d). This is followed by the
temptation story (Lu 4:1-13) where the devil says twice: "If you are the Son of
God, ...." Next Jesus reads from Isaiah in Nazareth: "The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent
me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to
let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Lu
4:18-19)</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
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class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Being the Son of God, being about his father's business
means facing temptation and being servant to all in need. Perhaps in our text,
it was the teachers in the temple who where the ones in need. Perhaps for Luke,
it was Theophilus (and other readers) who are in need of better understanding
Jesus.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
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style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Brian Stoffregen</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
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style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">pastor, Faith Lutheran Church, 2215 S 8th Avenue, Yuma,
AZ 85364</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
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style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">e-mail: <A
href="mailto:brian.stoffregen@gmail.com">brian.stoffregen@gmail.com</A></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV><!-- end of AOLMsgPart_3_ee2862c6-4a9b-4e1e-93bf-4b988fdca8ea --></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>