Bible in a Year:  Josh 19, 20, 21   Luke  2: 25- 52

Scripture:  Luke 2: 49 :  And He said to them “ Why do you seek me?  Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business”
Joseph and Mary attended the feast of the Passover every year in Jerusalem and they had taken twelve year-old Jesus along for the ride. There must have been a large company of attendees because they had got all the way home before they discovered that Jesus was missing. Frantically they asked among their relatives, presuming that He had hitched along with them! But no! It was all the way back to Jerusalem! And after three days they finally located Him sitting amongst the teachers, both listening to them and asking searching questions. All who listened were astonished at His understanding and the wisdom of His queries. No doubt mom and dad were both relieved and a bit angry.

How could He just wander off? Surely He must have assumed that they would get worried. Three days is a long time for a child to go “missing”. No apology is recorded!  Why did you seek Me – was the defensive answer almost as if He was quite surprised at it all!.  Surely, they should have known that He must be about His Father’s business! Whatever way this incident is portrayed, for me the significance revolves around His response.

Obviously Jesus was so fascinated and absorbed by the temple, the teachers and the rabbis. This was His Father’s business! Daily He was advancing in wisdom, revelation and favor and this was all in God’s plan, the divine process to restore man spiritually. Jesus was twelve and uttered His very first recorded syllables. “I must be about my Father’s business”. Interesting that the second last sentence He uttered was, “It is finished”. Clearly this indicates that Jesus had a job to do.

His life here on earth was all about that business. And finally as He prepared to give up His spirit, He declared that the job was finished. His friends and family at Calvary did not understand what He meant, but simply the task was completed. He had not come to judge the world, but to die for it.

The business end was over! Satan’s work in the Garden of Eden had been negated and man could now get “born again”. The judgment side awaits His return!