KBM Seeking Jesus

Lately we have been studying through “The Life of Christ” with a hope of drawing us closer to our Lord and Savior through looking at his life here on earth. After all he was at the time “God in the flesh” (John 1:14). However, like in our last study on Jesus’ mother, Mary, we are going to look back before Jesus began his ministry. Jesus came to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:20) but before he even began his ministry we find people already “Seeking Jesus” and we can learn from them as well. There are three groups we find doing this, the first “The Shepherds.” In Luke 2:8-20 we read of some shepherds taking care of a heard near Bethlehem. Upon hearing the “great news” of the Messiah’s entrance into this world they went about searching for him. There a lot of people in this world that have “heard the good news of the Messiah” but unfortunately, not everyone that hears this news searches for him, until they actually find him. Yet we are told, if we actually seek Jesus we will find him.

Luke 11:10 ESV

10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Revelation 3:20 ESV

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Like with these shepherds, it’s everyone’s responsibility to seek Jesus out and open the door to let him in when he is found. He is eagerly awaiting everyone willing to seek, find, and let him in. Not only did these shepherds find Jesus but they couldn’t help but “tell the good news” they had been given about him. You might say they were the first “gospel preachers.” When we seek Jesus and then find Jesus we ought not keep that good news to ourselves but tell all who are willing to listen.

Psalm 40:10 ESV

10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

1 Corinthians 9:16 ESV

16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

We also come across those commonly called “The Magi” in Matthew 2:1-12. These magi were not Jews which makes them seeking out the “King of the Jews” all the more interesting. They obviously had insight into the prophecies of this one coming as they were in a far land. Secular tradition says they were from Persia which makes a lot of sense considering the captivity of the Jews for a time under Cyrus. When these magi saw the star, not told by angels, they set out to find this “Jewish King” in a foreign land, leaving behind their family, friends, and comforts. When we seek Jesus we too must be willing to follow him wherever that might take us and leave behind whatever might hinder us from our search.

Matthew 10:34–39 ESV

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Though we won’t take the time in this study to read you should also read what Jesus taught about “counting the cost of discipleship” in Luke 14:25-33.

The third group to “Seek Jesus” before his ministry began can be found in Luke 2:41-52. Here Jesus’ family went to Jerusalem for the Passover. When the Passover was over Jesus’ parents left assuming he was with other family and/or friends. After realizing he wasn’t with their group, that they had lost him, they went out searching for him. Sometimes we can deceive ourselves and assume everything in our lives is fine, when in reality it is not. The reality is we can “loose Jesus” as well.

Galatians 5:4 ESV

4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

This is why Paul tells us to constantly “test ourselves” to make sure we are “in the faith.”

2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV

5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

When we find Jesus, obey his gospel, and start living for our King of kings and Lord of lords, Satan will attack his hardest then, and try everything within his arsenal to try and get us to “fall from grace.” If you loose Jesus in your life I want you to know that there is no sin too great, no sin committed too evil for God’s love not to embrace you and forgive you “if” you come back to him and are willing to correct those ways. Life is too short and eternity to long not to “Seek Jesus” in every circumstance.