May 16, 2001

Reading: Luke 2:41-51

 

“I must be about My Father’s business” (49)

 

The awareness that Jesus had, even as a twelve-year old boy, of His purpose in life, is quite revealing. Speaking to His earthly father, He speaks of His heavenly Father. The question has often be the subject for debate as to when Jesus became aware that He was the Son of God and that His mission was to secure redemption for His people by dying on the cross. Debate all you will, because it really doesn’t matter! What we do know is that at twelve years of age, He knew He “must be about (His) Father’s business”.

Not only did Jesus acknowledge His heavenly Father, but He also exhibited a compulsion to do His work. This was a compulsion that drove Him throughout His ministry. I often wish the Holy Spirit had included more of the early years of the life of Jesus in the scriptures, but am thankful for this one glimpse.

This same compulsion accompanied Him throughout His ministry. He never said, “I would like to do this”, or “I think it would be a good idea if I …”, instead He said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).

“I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent” (Luke 4:43). The determination and commitment Jesus had to fulfill His pre-planned mission was exemplary. Not once did He waiver from it even when it came to His death. “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day” (Matt 16:21-22). He “must” go to Jerusalem; He “must” suffer many things; He “must” be killed; He “must” be raised the third day! If Redemption for man was to happen, He must do these things. There was no other way and, God forgive the thought, should He fail but once, all mankind would die in their sins and experience the eternal wrath of an offended and angry God.

Had He yielded to one of the temptations the devil threw at Him, His death would mean little. Had He not yielded to the will of His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, we would know nothing of the redeeming love of God. All these things were spoken of by the prophets of old as they foretold of the life and death of the Messiah – “I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not take Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled." Then they all forsook Him and fled” (Mark 14:49-50).

The same sense of compulsion continued in the early church through today, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:6). Must! Must! Must! Is it any wonder, therefore, that the Laodicean attitude of being “neither cold nor hot” which permeates many churches and therefore individuals, is totally unacceptable to God? “Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Rev: 3:15,16). Thank God this was not the attitude found in Jesus or His Apostles.

How committed are we to the calling God has given us for our lives? Do we feel compelled to obey Him and His word, or are we satisfied to “take it or leave it”? If we wish to “be like Christ”, we will discover His will for us and pursue it with a dogged determination.