This Is Serious Business

Pray

Give Honor

Text: Luke 2:41-52

Luke 2:41–52 NKJV

41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43 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; 44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46 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. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 48 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.” 49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. 51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Beloved as I walk through this everyday life, I realize, that there are some things that people just don’t take serious.

As I look at the climate of today, be it,

Political, Social, or educational,

and I look at the social media outlets, be it

Facebook, instagram, black twitter, or tik tok,

If I Indulge in conversation,

Be it about Black history, Black culture, or the black future,

I do realize and notice, that there are some things, that are not taken seriously.

and while I do believe that Life should be filled with Joy, happiness, laughter, and many jokes

I also believe that there are some things in life, that should be taken seriously.

No matter how old you are,

No matter what your highest level of education is

No matter if you spend most of your time in the main sanctuary,

or you spend most of your time in the Youth Chapel,

there are some things, across the board, that should be taken seriously.

The problems in the political system, should be taken seriously,

The state of Florida, rejecting the Ap African American Studies course, Should be taken seriously

The injustices that our black and brown men and women face everyday should be taken seriously

The state of the Post-Pandemic church, should be taken seriously

The future of our young men and women, should be taken seriously,

The violence in our own communities, Should be taken seriously

because All of this, is SERIOUS BUSINESS.

But the truth of the matter is,

As serious as we should take the business of Politics and the business of the educational system,

There’s something we should take, a bit more serious.

and that business is,

the Business of the Father. That is, what the Father has called you to do.

and I’m inclined to believe that the sooner we can take care of our Father’s business,

The sooner we can impact the world around us.

The sooner we take care of our father’s business,

the sooner we can make an impact in the school system

The sooner we can take care of our father’s business

The sooner we can make an impact in politics

The sooner we can take care of our father’s business

The sooner we can make an impact in our community.

but we can not make a true impact, if we are not about our father’s business.

and if i can pose the question right now, The question would be

How serious are we, about our Father’s business?

and it is in this text,

where we see Jesus as a young man, taking the business of his father very serious.

and the question arises, How serious was Jesus?

Jesus was Serious enough to

Abandon the Crowd

We find ourselves now in Luke chapter 2 at Passover.

This is a time of celebration and praise as the Jews have gathered (as a tradition) to celebrate their national deliverance from Egypt.

Jesus and his family have traveled about a days journey

from Nazareth, to Jerusalem

to celebrate this occasion.

The bible says that Jesus and his family celebrates this occasion for days, as it was custom in that culture.

and After Celebrating for days, The bible says that Jesus’s family decides to head back home.

Not realizing that Jesus had stayed, the family head’s back home. Assuming that Jesus is in the crowd with his family.

But the bible says that Jesus Lingered behind.

He lingered behind.

not in a rush to catch up with his family, He lingered

Not worried about how long it would take him to catch up he lingered

Not focused on what would happen if someone captured him he lingered

Not focused on the crowd Jesus lingered.

and Jesus abandons the crowd because something else had his attention.

Something else, was pulling him away

Something else had his focus

Something else kept him kept him occupied

and Jesus is now by him self.

No one around him

No one he came with

No one who he followed

Jesus is by himself.

and the truth of the matter is,

Your seriousness to God may cause a distance between you and your crowd

your seriousness to God may cause you to find your self around the unfamiliar

Your seriousness to God may cause your attention to shift.

Now this does not mean, anything is wrong

This does not mean, we are not friends anymore

This does not mean, to unfollow me on social media

All this means is, something else, has my attention.

He abandons the crowd.

Your seriousness to God, requires your undivided attention

if you say You’re serious to God, but you are focused on the crowd, you may not be as serious as you say you are.

Jesus was serious enough, to abandon the crowd.

now I don’t believe that Jesus purposely stayed back. I just believe his attention was somewhere else.

He was serious enough to abandon the crowd.

young people there are sometimes you have to get away from the crowd❗️

but then he was serious enough to:

Astonish the Listeners

The Bible says that they went on a days journey. They looked every where and could not find him.

so They went back to Jerusalem, Looked everywhere for him and for 3 days, he was no where to be found.

and the bible says that after 3 days they found him in the temple.

At 12 years old. Not even close to being grown yet, is in the temple.

and he is not in the temple sleeping

he is not in the temple being a nuisance to the teachers

he is not on the temple frantic about his family

Jesus is at the temple ENGAGING WITH THE LEADERS.

NOW WHAT ASTONISHED THEM WAS

HIS UNDERSTANDING and ANSWERS

The Bible says that he was asking questions and listening. BUT HE ALSO UNDERSTOOD AND ANSWERED

Jesus was at the temple engaged.

Now why were they astonished?

They were astonished because their perception of Jesus was merely based off of his age and stature.

What does a young person know and understand about the scripture?

What does a young person understand about Critical race theory?

What does a young person understand about black lives matter?

What does a young person understand about racism in the community?

What does a young person understand about THEOLOGY

What does a young person understand about CHRISTOLOGY

What is a young person doing in the temple engaged like this? This should go over their heads.

Well I come to tell you there is a generation of young people who cares enough to UNDERSTAND AND WHO KNOWS ENOUGH TO GIVE ANSWERS

If you don’t believe me Go back to Wednesday night’s service,

These young people had great understanding and answers.

as a matter of fact, at times I WAS ASTONISHED at their dialogue

but when you are serious about God, There is a level of understanding that you will have, That will blow the minds of those around you.

Jesus, engaged in conversation, astonished the listeners.

Jesus

Abandons the crowd.

Astonishes the listeners.

but then Jesus

LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND

Articulates His Mission.

in their amazement,

They say JeSUS, Why have you done this?

We’ve been looking

ALL OVER FOR YOU.

WE THOUGHT SOMETHING HAPPENED?

JESUS SAYS, “Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s Business?”

Did you not know that I would be here?

Did you not understand my mission?

Do you not know who I am.

Jesus is sure that he was in the right place and everyone else was not.

Jesus shows a level of confidence in his answer.

Jesus was serious enough to understand, at a young age, The reason why he was put on this earth.

and this is the reason I said that the Earlier you take God’s business serious, The sooner you can have an impact.

Because when you know WHY you’re here,

You can know HOW to be OF service.

Jesus did not only know, but he was BOLD ABOUT IT.

HE SAYS DID YOU NOT KNOW?

He articulates his reasoning of being here.

and the question is, Do you know why you’re here? and can you articulate it?

Jesus is serious enough to

abandon the crowd

astonish the listeners

articualate his mission

but there was a result of his seriousness.

There was a result of him being about his father’s business and that is

He

Advanced in His Endeavors v. 52

Bible says in v. and Jesus INCREASEd

In wisdom. he gained wisdom

Jesus increased in Stature- He grew up

But then he increased in favor with God and men.

When you are serious about God it should cause you to advance in everything you do.

When you are serious about Jesus

It should cause you to grow spiritually

When you are serious about Jesus

It should cause you to grow in your job

Grow in your family

Grow in your marriage

Grow in God

Your seriousness to God will cause you to have favor with God and Man

Your seriousness to God will cause you to obtain things that Money can not buy

Your seriousness to God will cause you to obtain things that status can not buy

and Jesus advanced and Kept advancing.

He kept advancing

He advanced in chapter 4- when satan attempts him

He advanced in chapter 5 and caused peter to follow him

He advanced in chapter 6 when he healed the multitude

He advanced in chapter 7 when he raises the widowed woman from the dead

All im trying to tell you is that He kept advancing

He hadvanced in chapter 9 in feeding the 5000

he advanced in c13 when he healed the woman with the spirit of infirmaty

he advanced in 17 where 19 lepers were clensed

he advanced 22 at Gethsemane

he advanced in chapter 23 when they hung him high He kept on advancing

They stretched him wide,

He kept on advancing

and in chapter 24 he advanced with all power in his hands.

Call the alter counselors

Salvation

Restoration

prayer.