“Mind Your Own Business”
INTRODUCTION: Read Luke 2:41-49
Jesus is 12 years old, and ALREADY, He is focused on doing God’s “business”. The people just didn’t understand – 2:50.
This morning, I want us to explore what it means to be about the Father’s “business”. Has anybody ever told you to “Mind your own business”? We’re usually told that, when we have our nose where it doesn’t belong! Well, this morning, God is going to tell us to “mind your own business” … but in a POSITIVE way.
Have you ever had your own business? I once went into business for myself …. I wasn’t very successful at it. I was a lousy businessman. If some of us ran our “physical business”, like we ran our “spiritual business”, we would be bankrupt in no time! That’s what’s happening to many of us … we have become “spiritually bankrupt”.
Let’s take a look at our “business” … being about our “Father’s business”. How do you start a business? You need to get a PERMIT … take out a LICENSE. Some people have INHERITED their business. That’s what’s happened to you, as a Christian. It is my FATHER’S business. Have you ever seen a business called “_____ and Sons”. It’s a FAMILY thing.
That’s what God has done for us … He put us into HIS BUSINESS … “Almighty God and Sons”. When we were saved, and placed into God’s family, we became a part of our Father’s business.
In our text, Jesus is 12 years old. This was the age when they went from their mother’s instruction to their father’s instruction. They became a man in Israel. They began to learn a trade. They were obliged to accompany their parents to the Feasts on Jerusalem. It was time to take what they had learned from their mother … and APPLY it to their life.
Jesus said that He needed to be about His “Father’s business”. What business did God have for Him? In John 4:34, Jesus said - John 4:34 – “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” The business that Jesus had to do, ultimately led Him to the cross of Calvary.
WHAT IS OUR BUSINESS? Turn to 1 Thessalonians 4:11. The word “do” means ‘mind’ … “mind your own business”.
NOTICE that Paul says “your own” business. We aren’t to do ANYBODY ELSE’S business … BUT … our own business. Satan wants you to do HIS business. BUT … you’ve got your FATHER’S business to do. The Devil wants you to be preoccupied with so many other things … things that will take your mind off of doing God’s business.
Satan’s got some “business deals” for you! Have you ever had someone say to you … “Boy, have I got a deal for you … this is too good to pass up!”. That ought to put up some red flags! There’s an old saying, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is!” Beware of great deals. Have you ever bought something because it was cheap … BUT … looked like it was a good deal? I once bought a watch from a magazine … it looked like a great deal. The picture showed a watch with hands … and underneath was a screen that displayed the time. When I got the watch, the hands were painted on … all that told time was the cheap display below!
Satan had some really great sounding business deals … that sounded so good … that kept them away from their Father’s business.
1.- ADAM/EVE – “Boy have I got a deal for you! You can have wisdom, wealth, and fame. All it will cost you is 1 apple!” Beware of the apples the Devil offers you … they are full of worms. We need to be about our Father’s business.
2.- LOT – “Boy have I got a real estate deal for you! I’ve got some prime acreage in Sodom that’s sure to go up in value. You can’t lose!” What happened? Lot moved there, forgot about his Father’s business, and lost it all in fire & brimstone.
3.- JONAH – “Boy have I got a deal for you! A cruise … inside a living, breathing submarine! An indoor swimming pool … all the fresh seafood you can eat!” Jonah took the deal … because he wasn’t about his Father’s business.
4.- JUDAS – “Boy, have I got a deal for you! Easy money … for just a kiss! What can go wrong? That 20 pieces of silver is as good as yours!” The result? He went out and hanged himself!
The Devil’s business will lead you away from doing YOUR business … the business of your Father.
We see an example of that in the early church. Turn to Acts 6:3. The church had a ministry of feeding the widows.
6:1 - There was division in the church between the Greek Jews and the Israel Jews as to who should be doing it. The result was, that the business wasn’t getting done.
6:2 – This wasn’t the business of the pastors – 6:4. They had their own business to take care of … AND … they didn’t need to be doing anybody else’s business. It wasn’t because it was beneath them … or because they were above doing it. It just wasn’t the business that their Heavenly Father had called them to do.
6:3 – Everybody has their own business in God’s family. It was the pastor’s business to make sure it got done … but it wasn’t their business to do it.
Every Christian has a business to do. That’s why the Holy Spirit has given to each Christian certain spiritual gifts … which enable you to do whatever business He calls you to do. Do you know what your business is?
Maybe it’s to teach a Sunday School class … or keep the nursery … Children’s church … sing in the choir … send out cards, or visit, or take food to those who are sick … pray for the needs of those on our prayer list … be an encourager … share the gospel … be a Gideon … There are hundreds of things that we can do in business for the Lord. I don’t know what YOUR business is. But you had better know! AND … if you don’t know, you had better pray and ask God to let you know … and be open and available to do your Father’s business.
Paul tells us HOW we are to do our Father’s business. Turn to Romans 12:11. “slothful” means ‘to lag behind’. Has anyone here ever worked with someone who was lazy? It made you business harder to do, didn’t it? They held everybody else back. My father gave me some important advice when I was a young man. He told me that, when I worked for someone, and was on his payroll, to always be busy. Even if there was nothing to do, don’t sit around and do nothing. Look for something to do. Be busy. If nothing else, sweep the floor, or take out the trash. “not slothful in business”. God says, “Don’t be slothful about doing my business.”
“fervent in spirit”. The Amplified Bible puts it “to be aglow and burning with the Holy Spirit”. It’s not enough just to be BUSY. We must be busy about our Father’s business with a burning love and desire to serve the Lord.
Turn to 1 Samuel 21:8. WHEN are we to do our Father’s business? We are to do it NOW! Jesus said in John 9:4 – “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
When Jesus comes, don’t let Him catch you not doing your Father’s business … like some others in the Bible.
1.- RICH FOOL – He had laid up treasures on earth for himself, doing his own business, and not his Father’s business. When he died and had to face God and give an account of himself, he had no treasures in Heaven. The Bible calls him a “fool” … because he was in the wrong business.
2.- 10 VIRGINS – They were caught asleep with no oil in their lamps. WHY? Because they weren’t doing their Father’s business.
3.- FARMER – The enemy came and sowed tares among his wheat while he slept … and they ruined his crop. WHY? Because he wasn’t about his Father’s business.
4.- SERVANTS – The nobleman went away and gave money to them and told them “Occupy until I come”. When he returned, he made them give an account of what they had done in his business. One servant said that he had turned his $1000 into $10,000. Jesus told him, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Another had turned his $1000 into $5,000, and Jesus commended him. BUT … the 3rd servant told his boss that he had hid his $1,000 away and didn’t do anything with it to promote his boss’ business. He didn’t even put it in the bank to earn interest. Jesus condemned him for not being about his boss’ business.
WHY should we be about our Father’s business? BECAUSE … one day we are going to have to give an account of ourselves to our Heavenly Father, as to how we handled the business that He has given us to do. One day He is going to audit His books. We must be about our Father’s business!
CONCLUSION: (Head bowed … eyes closed)
Do you mean business for God? OR … are you just a “Sunday-only” Christian? We must be about our Father’s business. This was a passion for Jesus … even at the age of 12. Some of us have been Christians for 10-20-30-40 years. AND … we still haven’t gotten down to business with our Heavenly Father. Some day we’ll have to face Him … face-to-face.
Let’s renew and re-commit ourselves today … to be about our Father’s business … whatever that may be. We don’t want to be found spiritually bankrupt when the books are opened in Heaven. Lay up treasures for yourself in Heaven … by being about the Father’s business.
STAND – PRAY
HYMN - #325 – “Footsteps Of Jesus”
OUTLINE FOR HANDOUT:
“Mind Your Own Business”
INTRODUCTION: Luke 2:41-49 – Jesus was focused on doing His “Father’s business” … John 4:34
- Christians have inherited their “business” from their Father when they were saved.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:11 – “mind your own business”
- Satan wants you to do his business.
- “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is!”
1.- Adam/Eve – Satan had a deal for them … for the price of an apple.
2.- Lot – Satan had a real estate deal for him.
3.- Jonah – Satan had a deal on a cruise.
4.- Judas – Satan offered him a deal for easy money.
- The Devil’s business will keep you from doing your Father’s business.
• Acts 6:1-4 – Everybody has their own business in God’s family.
- Do you know what YOUR business is?
• Romans 12:11 – We are told HOW to do our Father’s business.
- Don’t be lazy about doing your Father’s business.
- It’s not enough to be busy … we must have a fervent desire to serve the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 21:8 – We are told WHEN to do our Father’s business.
- Don’t let the Boss catch you NOT DOING His business –
John 9:4
1.- The Rich Fool – He was too busy doing his own business to lay up treasures in Heaven.
2.- The 10 Virgins – They were caught asleep, not doing their Father’s business.
3.- The Farmer – While he slept, the enemy sowed tares among his wheat.
4.- The 10 Servants – They didn’t obey their Master when He said to “Occupy until I come”.
- One day God will audit His books to see if we have been about His business.
CONCLUSION:
- Do you mean business for God?
PRISCILLA BAPTIST CHURCH – Ray Scott, Pastor
