SEEKING JESUS

SEEKING JESUS

Sermon Manuscript by Jeremy Zura

TEXT: Luke 2:41-52

THESIS STATEMENT: There are many points to make about this text, but the thing we must always remember for our lives is to know where Jesus is.

INTRODUCTION:

1. How many of us have been in a store with a family member, and as you are shopping, you get separated and you spend time criss-crossing the store trying to find that person?

a. Pretty much all of us every week, am I right?

i. The kids get separated from us, going to check out the goodies and the latest toys and gadgets.

ii. Us men get separated, going to check out the goodies and the latest toys and gadgets. (SMILE)

b. How did you feel at that moment? Panicked? Frustrated? Angry? Upset?

c. When you found that person, what was your reaction?

2. Or did you ever disappear from home when you were younger, even for a few hours, possibly to your friend’s house, or maybe you went to the park, or to the movies, not really caring about how your parents would feel about you missing?

3. There was a 2022 report put out by Safeatlast.co, stating that approximately eight million children are reported missing worldwide each year.

a. This includes 2300 children reported missing each day.

b. In Europe, according to the report, a child goes missing every 2 minutes.

4. In the first century, there is a Gospel account of a young boy named Jesus who had gone missing after one particular Passover celebration.

a. For background, in the Old Testament, the people of Israel had been in Egyptian bondage for 400 years.

b. God had called Moses to lead His people out of slavery.

c. However, after the Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites, God sent out ten plagues to convince him to let the Israelites go.

i. The final plague was an Angel of Death that was sent to kill the firstborn of any home that did not have the blood of a lamb spread over the door posts.

ii. God gave Moses instructions to give to the Israelites that they needed to put the lamb’s blood on their door posts so that the Angel would Pass Over the home and the firstborn would remain alive.

iii. Thousands of Egyptian firstborn children were killed, while the Israelites were spared.

iv. Each year ever since, the Jews have celebrated and commemorated this event.

v. By this time in history, it turned into a pilgrimage feast, so all Jewish men returned to Israel, to Jerusalem, to celebrate.

d. During this celebration, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the feast. It was typical that they traveled to Jerusalem in caravans.

i. The New Bible Commentary states, “Whole families would go up to Jerusalem, with an estimated 60,000–100,000 visitors packing themselves into a town whose normal population may have been no more than 25,000. People travelled in large groups for companionship and security on the way.”

BODY:

I. THE BACKGROUND

1. Luke chapter 2 traces the story of the early years of Jesus as a human and highlights a normal Jewish childhood life.

A. We are all familiar with the story of the birth of Jesus.

i. Verses 1-7 gives us Luke’s account of this story. He tells of Joseph and Mary going to Bethlehem for a Roman census, and how she gave birth and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

ii. We then continue the story of his birth in verses 8-21 when angels appeared to shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks.

1. The angel tells them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day…a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (vv. 10-11). And the shepherds went and worshipped him.

B. The verses in 22-40, we have the story of Joseph and Mary fulfilling a Jewish custom of presenting Jesus at the Temple, bringing us to our text today.

C. This is a different story of Jesus at the Temple, and one of the few accounts of Jesus as a boy.

a. Here, he is 12 years old, the age of becoming a “son of the law,” observing Jewish ordinances and putting on customary phylacteries on his clothing.

II. Jesus is Missing

A. If there is anything we know about Jewish people, it is that they knew how to party.

1. The Passover feast was followed by a 7-day festival.

2. After the 8-day Passover Feast and celebration, people started to head home in their caravans.

1. The Bible says they traveled about a day’s journey, which customarily would be between 3-8 miles, close enough so they could return to retrieve something if it was left behind.

2. In this case, Joseph and Mary needed to retrieve someone left behind – their son, Jesus.

B. *** Sermon Point 1: This brings me to my first point. We should not go too far along in our journey without Jesus.

1. It is easy to lose sight of Jesus in our lives, isn’t it?

a. We all get busy with our family life, taking care of our home, the issues that come up, the responsibilities we need to take care of.

b. We might also get busy with our careers, education, and hobbies, things we even enjoy doing.

2. If we’re not careful, we can find ourselves going days, even weeks, without a dedicated time with Jesus in prayer and personal Bible study.

3. Jesus’ parents went a “day’s journey.” Like them, we should not go further than that without Jesus in our midst.

4. While it would be difficult for us to imagine going anywhere without a 12-year-old child, it was common that people could miss their caravans leaving.

a. And with the thousands of pilgrims attending the Feast, and the party atmosphere going on, there was likely a lot of activity, and a strong possibility for people to get distracted and separated from the group.

b. Jesus had another reason for staying behind, not just to enjoy the party.

c. Imagine on his parents’ side the panic, frustration, and urgency with which Jesus’ parents looked for him. I imagine they even recruited friends and relatives to help look.

5. On a personal note, there have been times in my own life where I have had the experience of losing sight of Jesus.

a. Too often, I struggle being disciplined in my daily time with him.

b. I would rather be doing my own thing and get caught up in my own struggles.

c. During these times, I have felt lost and empty and even afraid.

1 Can you relate?

2 Have you ever felt, like I have, that you’ve strayed further from God than you realized and need Him to help you find your way back to Him?

d. I have good news. When we look for Jesus, when we seek Him, we will find Him.

C. **** Sermon Point 2: If you realize Jesus is missing, I encourage you to search for Him! Find Him! Ask others to help if you need to.

1. Sometimes it is hard to find Jesus in our chaos, isn’t it?

a. 15thcentury German theologian Thomas a Kempis once said, “When Jesus is present, all is good and nothing seems difficult; but when Jesus is absent, all is hard.”

b. Our lives have a lot of activity. We have a lot going on.

c. We may even be going through a difficult time that distracts us, keeping us from searching for Jesus.

i. Maybe you are experiencing stress after losing a job or getting an unexpected bill.

ii. Maybe you or a family member has had a health concern.

iii. Perhaps, like me so often, you have gotten caught up in a sin or an addiction, which would definitely keep us from Jesus.

iv. Or, maybe you could have just gotten busy with everything that you have going on in your life.

2. In times like these, we may need help from others in our church family to find God in the chaos.

a. Perhaps today you need a fresh experience of God in your heart, which has become stale or hardened.

i. A brother or sister can help speak encouragement.

b. Maybe you need prayer for your health, finances, a situation at home or work.

i. A brother or sister can pray or even help in a practical way.

c. Perhaps the devil has you believing his lies.

i. Are you having doubts today about your faith, or about your worth, purpose in life, or you have general anxiety?

1. Seek Jesus.

ii. Are you afraid of the storms in your life right now?

1. Seek Jesus.

2. This reminds me of the story of Peter walking on the water in the gospel of Matthew (14:30-33).

a. The Bible said he SAW the wind and the waves and became afraid.

b. But you know what he did? He looked for Jesus.

d. Today, maybe you need to be the help for someone who needs the Lord.

i. Is there someone in your life that comes to mind that you know needs Him?

1. We can all think of someone right now. Perhaps even someone that you know in this church that needs him.

ii. Let us be vessels of grace and restoration for one another.

1. James 5:16 says to “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

2. This does not mean we ought to broadcast our sins to the whole church but in our closest relationships in Christ, we should feel comfortable in this practice.

iii. We should realize what we all are, without Christ.

1. So let us be gracious in helping our brother or sister to find Jesus in their circumstance.

III. Jesus is Found

A. We have a happy conclusion to our story. Joseph and Mary find Jesus.

B. They find Him in the Temple, in His Father’s House (v. 49).

1. When you’re looking for Jesus, and aren’t sure where to start looking, a good starting point is in His Father’s House.

C. His parents find Him listening to the teachers and asking profound and amazing questions about the scriptures and law.

1. How many of us know that children can ask the deepest questions in life?

2. When they found him, Jesus asked his mother, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Some translations say, “I must be about my Father’s business?”)

i. Jesus often asks us why we seek Him.

1. As we read the Gospels, we will find that Jesus often asked people who wanted Him to do something for them, whether it was to heal them, or to cast out a demon, or to raise the dead, “What do you want?”

ii. Asking his parents why they were searching for Him was not a sign of disrespect.

1. The Bible says in v. 51 that he obeyed them and was “submissive to them” and returned with them to Nazareth.

2. He was showing in this moment that He had a higher authority to answer to.

3. He already understood his divine purpose, even as a young boy.

CONCLUSION:

1. Have you noticed that Jesus is missing in your life?

A. How are you feeling right now?

1. Are you feeling anxious and distraught? Do you feel alone or afraid? Maybe you’re angry about Him missing.

2. Perhaps there is someone here today needs salvation or reassurance of their salvation.

B. Have you gotten too busy for Him?

1.. Like Mary and Joseph, it is sometimes easy to lose sight of Jesus, but it is also easy to find him!

C. Do not go too far along your journey without Him.

1. There is still time to go back to find Him.

a. Mary and Joseph searched for 3 days, 2 sleepless nights, before finding him.

2. Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”

2. Do you need help finding Jesus?

A. Find a brother or sister, perhaps in your small group, or just a close friend.

3. Could you be someone that can help others find Him?

A. Do you know someone who seems to be feeling unloved, without joy, without hope or purpose?

1. Help that person seek Jesus for fulfillment of those thing.

B. Jesus asks, “Why are you looking for me? What do you want?” What is it you need from Jesus today?

References

Butler, T. C. (2000). Luke, Vol. 3. Holman New Testament commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Carson, D. A., France, R. T., Motyer, J. A., & Wenham, G. J., eds. (1994). New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed.). Inter-Varsity Press.

Carter, T.G., Duvall, J.S., & Hays J.D. (2018). Preaching God’s word: A hands-on approach to preparing, developing, and delivering the sermon (2nd edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Elwell, W. A. (1995). Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3). Baker Book House.

Freeman, J. M., Chadwick, H. J. (1998). Manners & customs of the Bible. North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos Publishers.

Safeatlast.co (2022, March 15). The truth about child abduction statistics in 2023. Safeatlast.co. URL https://safeatlast.co/blog/child-abduction-statistics/

Thomas, R. L., The Lockman Foundation. (1998). New American Standard exhaustive concordance of the Bible: updated edition. Foundation Publications, Inc.

Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B. (1983). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook.