You and I, we are so not in control, but we are deeply loved by the One who is. I think most of us humans want to know why things happen to us, especially the hard things. God wants us to trust Him in the midst of all of it. We’re taking a little trip back to Mary and Joseph and how they felt out of control once when they “lost” Jesus. Let’s jump into Luke, chapter two.
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Transcription:
You and I, we are so not in control, but we are deeply loved by the one who is. Hi. Welcome to the Bible for Busy People. I’m Erica, your host, and I remember reading those words on Facebook many years ago. My friend Alan posted them and they have resonated with me ever since. They come up every once in a while, like just now, as I was getting ready to record this episode. I think most of us humans want to know why things happen to us, especially hard things. Why? Are you asking that right now? It’s a thing if that’s you. You are so not alone, Lord, why is this going on? I don’t understand, and so often God just wants us to trust him. To know that there is a good reason behind everything that happens to us. In Romans 8:28, we learn that God is working everything out for our good and His glory. If we could just relax back into that, right?
Well, Mary and Joseph, the parents of Jesus, were even a little confused at times. Doesn’t that make you feel better? A little bit. Let’s talk about it. We’re headed to Luke chapter two. That’s our destination, but we have a little stop to make along the way because there is what I like to call a biblical gap in the life of Jesus, from the moment he was born to the moment he turns 12 years old. That’s the story we’re going to read today. We don’t really know much of what happened in Jesus’ life. I’m sort of interested. No, I’m actually really interested! I want to know the stories of what happened during that time in Jesus’s life…The times he climbed the trees and scraped his knees. Don’t you want to know? Maybe someday in heaven we’ll find out, but for now, Luke chapter two, beginning in verse 41.
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”
Now I want to pitch a small tent here. For Mary. Jesus was missing for three days. This woman is called to raise the son of God and she probably was afraid that she lost him. Can you imagine? I can’t. Okay, let’s see what Jesus says here.
“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they didn’t understand what he meant. 51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart. 52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
Jesus had his reasons then and he has his reasons now for doing the things that he does. I don’t often read the King James on this podcast, but today I want to read Luke chapter two, verse 49 in the King James. Hopefully I can do this.
And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
Okay, wow. I want you to ponder for a moment that Jesus is always about his father’s business. Sometimes that’s the answer, my friend. That’s it, Lord. Why is this going on? I’m about my father’s business. I’m doing what he wants me to do in your life, and it is going to come out in the wash, so to speak, for your good and my glory.
I know it’s a lot to take in and I’m actually feeling the weight of this with you. It’s profound and yet very simple too. You can see Mary and Joseph so concerned, so confused. Where were you? God, where are you? That’s what you might be saying today. He is about his father’s business. And I do want to go back to my father’s house, what he says in the typical translation that you and I read together, the New Living Translation, NLT. I want to share with you a passage from the gospel of John chapter 14, beginning in verse one. This is the night of the last supper, the night before Jesus gave his life for you and for me on the cross the night before he died for your sins and mine defeating death hell and the grave and everything we’re afraid of just days before he rose again and opened up the doors of heaven for us, reconciled us with God. What a story, and it’s all true. So join me now, John chapter 14, verse one,
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Thomas feeling out of control, feeling confused, just like you and I often do.
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”
Wow. You can cover a lot of ground in seven minutes. Turns out I want you to know that whatever you’re going through today, Jesus has a why. There’s a why for it. There’s a reason He’s looking at you. I believe with all my heart and saying, didn’t you know that I would be about my father’s business? And he’s making a way through it and he’s making a place for you to live with him forever, someday in a place where there aren’t any more questions or tissues. Alright, until next time, you do have time to read the Bible and you are so loved.
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