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world. I want to use Mary as a picture; not Mary when she was
conceiving Christ or giving Christ. We’re talking about union
with Christ. I want to share how Mary related to her son. I
want to show how she related to Him when He was a boy twelve
years old and then when He began His ministry and turned
water into wine.

Mark 3:33-35, “And answering them, He said, ‘Who are
My mother and My brothers?’ And looking about on those who
were sitting around Him, He said, ‘Behold, My mother and My
brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother
and sister and mother.’” Jesus said, “Whoever does the will of
God, that’s my mother, that’s my sister and that’s my brother.”
John 12:26, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and
where I am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me,
the Father will honor him.” Both of these verses have to do
with the will of God.

When Jesus was twelve years old he related to His
parents by obedience. Luke 2:41&42, “And His parents used
to go to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And
when He became twelve, they went up there according to the
custom of the Feast;” At age twelve Jesus submitted to his
mother and stepfather. They decided where He would go. If
they went to Jerusalem to a feast, Jesus went with them. If they
went to visit relatives, like Elizabeth, Jesus went with them.
They had a relationship with their son, like any parent has a
relationship with their son. Based on that relationship, they had
certain expectations.
On this occasion Jesus disappointed his parents. They
had expectations and He did not meet those expectations. The
way he acted not only confused them but it upset them. Luke
2:48, “And when they saw Him, they were astonished; and His
mother said to Him, ‘Son, why have You treated us this way?
Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for
You.’” Mary said, “Why have you treated us this way?”
You know the story. Luke 2:43, “…and as they were
returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus
stayed behind in Jerusalem. And His parents were unaware of