About My Father's Business

Luke 2:41-49 His (Jesus’) parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their  relatives and acquaintances. So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

In my thirst to discover more spiritual truth in order to grow and live in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I order and receive many Christian books to read, and cassette tapes, compact disks to listen to, plus VHS tapes and DVD’s to watch. Last night, we watched a video of a local Pastor giving a message on the above Bible passage while in the city of Jerusalem, in Israel. I had neglected that Jesus’ mother states his father (small “f”, referring to His earthly step-father Joseph) and her sought Him, but Jesus immediately speaks about His Father (capital “F”, referring to His Father in Heaven God). Our Father, who has forgiven us of our sins though Jesus Christ, has called us to serve and glorify Him with our lives. SO, each of us should ask ourselves: “Am I about my Father’s business or am I about my own business?” and “Lord, what do you want to do with my life?” We need to have that priority right.

John 8:10-11 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, “Go and sin no more”, so we must ask ourselves also, “IS there any sin that I need to repent of … anything that is offensive or displeasing to God?  A healthy church can be summed up with the acronym W.E.L.L. (well). (1) A Worshiping church – with gladness and simplicity of a heart worshiping the Lord. That is why we are here on this earth, existing to bring glory to God and everything else is secondary.  (2) An Evangelizing church – that goes out, as the great Commission of Christ commands, to the four corners of our community and world with the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20), making Him known. (3) A Loving church – that loves one another and continues in fellowship. “Koinonia” – love with intimacy, closeness, communion and friendship. (4) A Learning church – one that studies doctrine of the church by the Word of God. If we’re going to be a growing Christian, then we are going to have to be a worshiping Christian, an evangelizing Christian, a loving Christian and a learning Christian.

These are truths from 2000 years ago, and some things never change. Technology comes and goes, but we have the Word of God, and Holy Scripture is as true today as it was back when it was first written. It has not changed one bit, and the relevance of its true statements relates to each one of our lives. We need to say: “Lord, I want to be about your business. I want to, figuratively, walk where Jesus walked by following His example. Father, help me to walk in your footsteps in the way that I live, in the way that I love, and in the way that I behave.” We need to recognize the unconfused sin in the areas of our life that we can deal with now and turn from, then strive to follow Jesus and sin no more. That we can walk as Jesus walked, from the place and station in life that we are at now as we continue this journey, this pilgrimage towards our home in heaven, in His holy name. We must be about our Father’s business.

In Christ, Brian