Jesus Got Lost!

Jesus Got Lost!

Recently, I listened to over 45 minutes of video in which more than 15 pastors spoke about self-denial and growing the fruit of the Spirit.  There was often a reference to God and the Holy Spirit. 

However, I don’t re-call ever hearing the name of Jesus mentioned.  It might have been in there somewhere.  But if it was, the name of Jesus was so infrequent that it made no impression.

Oops!  Did Jesus get lost?  Or, did we choose to go our own way without Jesus? 

Most of us are in favor of religion in general.  However, when spirituality gets specific we tend to shy away.  It happened in Jesus’ day and it happens in our day.  We remember the successful young businessman who personally encounters Jesus in a deep and meaningful way and then chooses to walk away.

A young businessman could see that trusting and obeying and following Jesus was going to require some choices he was not willing to make.  He caught just a glimpse of how radical and messy Jesus is…and he walked away.

A successful young businessman could see that Jesus does not play well in institutional settings like corporate board rooms or church denominations or university classrooms or political chambers.  Jesus will turn things upside down and inside out just about every time. 

Jesus turned conventional farming upside down.  Jesus turned conventional banking upside down.  Jesus turned conventional medicine upside down. 

Jesus turned conventional politics upside down.  Jesus turned conventional parenting upside down.  Jesus turned conventional marriage upside down. 

Jesus turned conventional treatment of children and women as well as people in poverty and people of different races upside down.

Jesus will turn things upside down and inside out just about every time.  A successful young businessman could not quite take the next step to love and serve and follow Jesus wherever He leads.  In Matthew 19:22 we hear; “When the young man heard this word (from Jesus), he went away grieving…”  

Jesus never gets lost.  Instead, we choose to walk away because Jesus is too radical, too revolutionary, and too messy.  The paradox is that we desperately need Jesus to turn our life upside down and inside out. 

We need a radical and revolutionary and messy Jesus to change things up when we are broken by sin or wrecked by the past or consumed with fear about tomorrow.  We need a radical and revolutionary Jesus to turns things upside down when peace seems impossible, intolerance seems out of control, and self-centeredness is idealized.

Sadly, too many who love Jesus are more interested in being liked and respectable around their people than being loved and revolutionary with Jesus.  We can end up stepping back from Jesus because He is too radical, too revolutionary, and too messy.  We drift in our relationship with Jesus until we are hesitant to even mention Jesus’ name to other Christ-followers. 

Jesus is 12 years old when his family travels to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Festival.  When the festival is over, the family heads back to their home in Nazareth.  After one day of travel, Joseph and Mary discover Jesus is not with them.  They quickly conclude Jesus is lost.  Their hearts and minds are immediately overwhelmed with anxiety and fear of what might have happened.

In Luke 2:49 we hear Jesus’ response when His parents finally find Him.  Jesus says; “Why were you searching for me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”  Jesus makes it clear that He was not lost.  Instead, Jesus’ parents walked away from who Jesus is; the Son of God. 

Imagine the reunion of parents and child that day in the Temple; the relief, the joy, and the hugs!  It is the same reception that we receive when we return to Jesus with all of our heart, all of our mind, and all of our soul. 

Imagine the delight overflowing in us and through us when we know we are close to the heart of a radical and revolutionary and messy Savior.  If you have drifted away or even walked away from Jesus, maybe today is an opportunity to draw near to the heart of Jesus.  When you do, there will be a delight you cannot even imagine.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug