Losing Sight of Jesus

Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him (Luke 2:41-45, NASB).

Have you ever briefly lost a child? That is every parent’s nightmare. One minute the child is right by your side, and the next minute he is gone. You frantically start searching for him. However, the fear and anxiety you felt are swept away with gratitude and relief once that child is found and safely back with you.

Can you imagine how Mary and Joseph must have felt? They hadn’t lost just a child; they had lost God’s son. They lost Jesus. They didn’t lose their keys, their donkey, or their wallets: they lost God’s son. On top of that, it took three days for them to find Him.

I read this account in different translations and surveyed multiple commentaries, striving to glean lessons applicable to us today. Let’s see what we can learn that will help us in our Christian walk.

We’ll begin with the parents. They had to have been the best people on the face of the earth for God to entrust His Son to them. If you are going to leave your child with someone, you make sure they are the best people you can find. I am sure that is what God did when He chose Mary and Joseph. Joseph and Mary were faithful to God. They willingly followed the laws and traditions God had given to them. Luke 2:41 shows their dedication to God’s will.

One lesson we learn from Joseph and Mary is that even the most faithful parents make mistakes. I have known Christian couples who invested deeply in the spiritual life of their children. They did all the things you would do if you wanted your child to grow and live a Christian life. They took them to Sunday School and church. They made sure they attended Youth Group and sent them to Christian Camp in the summer. They read Scripture to their children each night, yet their children chose to go in the opposite direction.

Unfortunately, there are many parents in that predicament. I do not have an answer for you. Could you be at fault? Yes, sometimes parents do “drop the ball” in directing the path of their children.

However, the other side of the coin is true, too. The children were brought up with a good example of what it means to be a Christian. They were taught everything that they needed. Yet they made the free will choice, and that is the key, not to follow Jesus.

We have also seen parents have one child who walks the narrow way and another child, with the same values and faith, choose to walk the broad way. There doesn’t seem to be an answer to this. Each person in life is permitted, by God, to choose how they will respond to the gospel. The only answer I can give you is to pray for your lost child. Try to approach him and lovingly try to lead him back. Encourage him to walk in the truth of God’s Word.

Another lesson is that we need to watch and pay attention to our spiritual life. Sometimes we assume we are really walking with Jesus, but we aren’t. We have neglected our walk with Jesus and have left Him behind. Pay attention to your prayer life. Pay attention to your Scripture reading and study. Pay attention to where you are on Sunday morning. We are responsible for being attentive to our own walk with Christ.

An effective approach when we realize that we are not with Jesus is this: go back to the last place you remember being with Him. His earthly parents returned to Jerusalem and then to the temple. When they found Him, He told them, “I must be about my Father’s business.” If you are trying to make sure you are with Jesus, make sure you are about the Father’s business. Get busy working in His Kingdom. His priorities must shape our priorities.

Jesus can be found in the pages of Scripture. You will find Him in your prayer life. He will be found in the Sunday assembly. He will be found at His table. If Jesus feels distant, then check your location.

We need to constantly ask ourselves: what or who do we put first in our lives? When planning our time, do we include Jesus first in our planning?  Mary and Joseph didn’t understand what their son had said to them. They did, however, accept his words. Later, they would find out what it meant. Understanding is not a prerequisite to obedience.

Our passage from Luke is fascinating indeed and provides meaningful instruction. It’s my prayer that we will all strive to keep our eyes on Jesus. Finally, let me close with this advice: “Don’t assume His presence, pursue it.”

Tony Sullivan is the Evangelist with the Lester Road Christian Church in Fairburn, GA. He is also an Associate Evangelist with the CRA. He can be reached by email: Tonycra@att.net.