"Have You Left Jesus In The Church House?"
Text: Luke 2:41-52
Intro:
Ø Very little information is given of Jesus’ childhood in the scriptures.
Ø Here Luke gives us an incident when Jesus was 12.
Ø In our passage we have the story of Mary and Joseph going with Jesus to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover.
Ø When they were finished observing the feast of the Passover they immediately started for home.
Ø They journeyed for one whole day before realizing that Jesus was not among the group that they were traveling with.
Ø They retraced their steps all the way back to Jerusalem.
Ø Mary and Joseph found Jesus in the temple discussing spiritual matters with the doctors of the Law.
Ø I going to preach a message this morning entitled, "Have You Left Jesus In The Church House?"
Ø What I want you to see is this here are two people who probably love Jesus more than anyone else on the earth at the time.
Ø Mary his mother and Joseph his stepfather.
Ø However, despite their love for Jesus they left Him in the church house there back in Jerusalem.
Ø I want us to notice some things this morning.
I. V. 43 - "And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned"
Ø Notice Mary and Joseph were in hurry to get home.
Ø They did not linger there in Jerusalem.
Ø They had accomplished their religious obligation and did not want to hang around the church house any longer than they had to.
Ø Sound like most independent Bible believing Baptist, Amen!
o Can’t wait to get home -
§ To eat Sunday Dinner.
§ To watch the ball game.
§ To take a dip in the pool.
§ Go to the mall.
§ Ladies to change into those britches - Amen!!
o Can’t wait to get outside -
§ To have puff on the cigarette - Amen!
Ø Mary and Joseph were in such a rush to leave the church house that they left without Jesus.
o V. 43 - "the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it."
Ø V. 43 - "the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem"
o Jesus was in no rush.
o He stayed behind in Jerusalem
o Obvious by the following verses He was interested in what he heard.
o Because when Mary and Joseph came back and found Him, Jesus was listening to what the men of God had to say and was asking questions of them.
o Sometimes we need not be in such a rush to get out the door of the church but mediate and reflect on what you just heard and ask the preacher questions.
o Any true man of God is not afraid of questions because that shows that somebody was listening to what he had to say.
o Many times Christians fail to hear God because they always in a rush going no where.
Ø What a sad situation Mary and Joseph left Jesus behind in the church house and they did not even know it.
Ø How many times do you leave the church house without Jesus and don’t even know it?
II. V. 44 - "But they, supposing him to have been in the company,"
Ø Mary and Joseph took it for granted that Jesus was with them somewhere amongst the group they were traveling with.
Ø They just assumed Jesus was around somewhere.
Ø How many of us Christians do exactly the same thing
o We take Jesus for granted and assume that He is with us even when we show no interest in Him.
Ø V. 44 - "went a day’s journey; and they sought him"
Ø Can you image here a two people who loved Jesus probably above anyone else at the time and they went a whole day without thinking about Him.
o Without missing Him.
Ø How can any one of us get through the day without Jesus.
Ø Oh! some of us think we can, by the way we neglect our relationship with Him.
Ø If you love someone that you are always thinking about them and checking in and seeing where they are at and how they are doing.
Ø My dear friend if you think you can go through a day without Jesus then you are in store for a day trouble and turmoil.
Ø How can you begin your day without Jesus.
o We do exactly that when we fail to begin our day with prayer and Bible reading.
Ø You just cannot suppose anything.
Ø If you want Jesus to be real in your life that you need to spend sometime with Him.
Ø How many of us feel the effects of going without water and food for the day.
o You become irritable and cannot focus in the physical realm.
o The same thing goes in the spiritual realm because Jesus is the water and bread of life.
Ø We only start looking for the Lord when some trouble hits during the day.
o Then we want to treat Him like bell hop to come to our aid.
o We get tired of carrying the bags and decide that we want Him to carry the bags.
Ø The Word of God tells us that Jesus is to have the preeminence in all areas of our lives.
o Jesus should be constantly on our hearts and minds.
o If he was then our behavior would reflect it - Amen!!!
III. V. 44 - "they sought him among their kinsfolk and
acquaintance"
Ø When Mary and Joseph realize that Jesus is not with them notice where they look first.
o "among their kinsfolk"
Ø Mary and Joseph were his parents and responsible for his welfare and safety not their family.
Ø As Christians we are responsible for maintaining and developing our individual relationship with Jesus Christ.
Ø So should not be looking for Jesus among our family or friends.
Ø Jesus is not someone that you just take Him somewhere and then just dumped off and leave so you can go off and have your fun.
Ø Jesus is not suppose be a latch key child in your life.
IV. V. 45 "And when they found him not"
Ø Obviously Mary and Joseph were looking for Jesus in all the wrong places because they did not find Him.
o They did not find Him with family or friends.
o They did not find Him playing Little League Baseball
o They did not find Him playing Pop Warner Football
o They did not find out in some field kicking the soccer ball.
Ø Jesus was not any ordinary child.
o He was God and man.
o We are told in v. 52 - "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."
V. V. 45 "they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him"
Ø It finally dawns on Mary and Joseph to go back to Jerusalem to look for Jesus.
Ø They finally realized that they had left Jesus behind.
Ø That is what some of you need to do is realize that you have left Jesus behind.
Ø No, I do not mean that you lost your salvation but you lost the relationship that you once had.
o In other words, "You have left your first love"
o You sometimes leave out of church so quickly that you leave him behind.
VI. V. 46 "And it came to pass, that after three days they found
him"
Ø It took Mary and Joseph three days to find Jesus.
o Instead of realizing that he would surely be in the church house because Jesus loved to be in the house of God.
o Instead they spend three days looking for Jesus.
Ø They probably went the Christian Bookstore of Jerusalem where they sell those perverted Bibles - No Jesus.
Ø They probably went to the Christian Rock Concert - No Jesus.
Ø They probably rode the Sunday School Buses of Jerusalem.
o They found a lot of fun and games but - No Jesus.
Ø As they entered Jerusalem they saw a great big banner which read, "Come and Join Us this Sunday for the Walk for Jesus"
o They said "Surely we will find Him there"
o So, they joined in but - No Jesus.
Ø After Mary and Joseph exhaust looking for all the possible places Jesus could be, they said, "Let’s try the church house"
VII. V. 46 "they found him in the temple"
Ø Notice what Mary and Joseph found Jesus doing -
o He wasn’t there chewing gum and sucking on candy.
o He wasn’t there passing notes back and forth.
o He wasn’t there distracting the other children and their parents.
o He wasn’t constantly getting up and down to go to bathroom.
o He wasn’t in Junior Church.
Ø No, we are told they found Him, "in temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking questions."
o He was there in the church house learning as much as He could about the things of God.
VIII. V. 48 "And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother
said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy
father and I have sought thee sorrowing."
Ø We see here that Mary is being a typical mother.
Ø She scolds her son for staying behind and worrying them.
Ø I want you to notice Jesus’ response in v. 49.
Ø "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?"
Ø Jesus basically responds and says "Where else did you expect to find me?"
Conclusion:
Ø What we want to see is we can get so rushed and frazzled that we can leave out the church house without Jesus.
Ø Whenever you come to the church house you should never be in a rush to leave.
Ø Part of your worship is just to sit and reflect on what the man of God just said.
Ø Being in the church house should strengthen our relationship with Jesus and cause us to appreciate Him that much more.
o Not want to leave Him behind.
o If it does than you are in the wrong church.
Ø We are often the last ones to arrive at church and the first ones to leave out.
Ø If you want fast food religion try one of the other ones.
o Worshipping God is not suppose to be convenient.
o You are not here to give God the bum’s rush then hit the door.
Ø I hope no one here would ever go a day’s journey like Mary and Joseph only then realized that you left Jesus behind.
Ø Remember, if you do where to find him in the church house about His Father’s business.
Ø My friend that is what you should be doing while waiting for the Lord to return.
o Be about your Father’s business.
o Occupy till he comes!
