41 Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42 When he was 12 years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to their custom. 43 After the festival was over, they were returning home, but the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t know it. 44 Supposing that he was among their band of travelers, they journeyed on for a full day while looking for him among their family and friends. 45 When they didn’t find Jesus, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple. He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and putting questions to them. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed by his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were shocked. His mother said, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Listen! Your father and I have been worried. We’ve been looking for you!” 49 Jesus replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they didn’t understand what he said to them. 51 Jesus went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. His mother cherished every word in her heart. 52 Jesus matured in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people.
Our mission is simple: We are to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. If we don't do that then nothing else matters.
Have you ever lost something? Your car keys? Your purse? Or, have you ever lost sight of your child? Some of us know what that feels like. I once lost Carson in HEB. I simply turned around and he was nowhere to be found. He got distracted by something on the toy isle like a ball or Legos and he didn't turn and follow me to the next isle. I got onto him a little bit, I was frustrated with him. I lost him for less than thirty seconds but that first moment of panic, that horrible feeling in my stomach, that "oh no, I've lost my son feeling was terrifying.
Well think about Mary and Joseph. THEY LOST JESUS. They didn't just lose some kid. They didn't just lose their own son, they lost God's son. They lost the Messiah. And they weren't absolutely sure where he was for three days. Now before you go all judgmental on the earthly parents of Jesus, consider the context of their day. They had traveled to Jerusalem for the passover festival and have left to return home as part of a community caravan. They were not traveling single file to hide their numbers (hope you caught the Star Wars reference there). They were traveling in a caravan for safety. The men and women would have been traveling in separate parts of the caravan during the day with the children somewhere in the middle. When they stopped at night I picture Mary and Joseph walking up to one another and both asking each other: "Don't you have Jesus?" and the other responding: "No, I thought you had him." Each of them probably thought Jesus was with the other person. They had a moment or moments of panic.
But they had both lost sight of Jesus and they had to go search for him. When they finally find him Jesus is at the temple and the temple is no longer crowded. Maybe Jesus loses track of time like any kid caught up in something they love (like Carson staring at the toy isle). Maybe Jesus had had enough of childish things. Or maybe Jesus does not think he is lost or is simply not lost. Whatever the reason, there he is when his parents come to get him. And Jesus responds by saying you should have known where I was, that I would be in the temple, that I would be in my father's house. But his parents did not understand what he was saying to them and Mary was visibly upset. Jesus finally backs down and scripture says Jesus was obedient to them and he goes with them back home. He pushes back against his parents a little bit by saying they should have known where he was. When I was a youth intern I made the comment to my mom that I was considering doing youth ministry as a career she commented that there probably wasn't much money in that. I responded by saying that if I could save just one kids life it would be worth it. My mom realized that it was a calling and not just a job for me. I hope I have lived up to that calling. You see, I pushed back. Pushing back helps us grow. Jesus pushes back against his parents.
But there's a bigger picture question here. A metaphor we should not miss. Did you ever think what it means in this scripture to say that they had lost Jesus? Have you ever lost Jesus? Has there ever been a time in your life where you are struggling or something has come up and you forget about your own faith? There have been times when that has happened to me, when I have become distracted by other things, become distracted by things that are not important and I lose sight of what I am supposed to be doing. I lose sight of Jesus. I've lost sight of helping others, of serving others, of sharing the gospel because, of making disciples because I forget to put Jesus at the center of my life. This happens because we become too distracted by things around us. My son became distracted by a toy, by something that didn't really matter. When we become distracted by things that don't matter we lose sight of Jesus.
But there's a hope in that because Jesus is never too far away. We simply must turn back to Jesus and He's there. We do that by loving our neighbors, by giving to others in need. No matter how far we may go Jesus is with us, waiting for us. Think of a time when you have lost sight of Jesus but also remember that Jesus is right there and has never left your side, He's simply waiting for you to walk with him and to share his gospel with everyone you meet.
So let's not lose sight of what's important. We must make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. I saw a statement on facebook that I really love (pictured above):
A disciple is someone who has moved from being the RECIPIENT of the church's mission to being RESPONSIBLE for the church's mission.
Notice the distinction. Instead of simply receiving the church's mission make sure that you are also responsible for the church's mission: to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The church's mission does not begin or end with one person or a few people. The church's mission is alive and well because we have not lost Jesus, we cannot lose Jesus. We don't lose Jesus when we stand for what Jesus stood for and teach what Jesus taught. Because we simply cannot become complacent. Because if we lose sight of Jesus then nothing else matters. If we aren't making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world then nothing else matters.
But know this, Jesus is right there alongside each and every one of us every step of the way because we matter to Him.
Grace & Peace
Kevin
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