Finding Jesus at Christmas (Pt.2)

(Part 2)

“Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.”-Luke 2:41-47

The crazy thing about this story is that Mary and Joseph didn’t realize that Jesus was missing at first, but when He didn’t show up they started searching for HIm. Isn’t that so like us? We don’t realize Jesus is missing from our lives until He doesn’t show up when we expect Him?

Why do we never stop to take inventory until it becomes obvious that something is missing? When is the last time that you stopped to take inventory to see if Jesus is with you? Is He present in your prayer time? Is He present in your bible study? Is He present in your worship? Or are you just assuming that He is?

I am not saying that by losing sight of Jesus that you’ve lost your salvation. Pastor Adrian Rogers once said: “You can be in a relationship with Jesus without being in fellowship with Jesus.” Joseph and Mary remained in relationship with Jesus although they had lost sight of Him, but the fellowship between them had certainly been broken.

God sent Jesus to save us and bring us into a right relationship with Him through Christ, however we can distance ourselves from Christ when we take that relationship for granted and assume that He is with us by discounting His mission to pursue our desires.

When they realize He was missing, they looked among their family and friends, but when they could not locate Him they had to go back. Where you ask? They had been to Jerusalem and at the Temple to present their Passover offering. They found Him right where they left Him. He wasn’t hiding. He was on mission. Busy about His Father’s business.

God isn’t hiding from you! You haven’t lost the spirit of Christ. He is right where you left Him. Where did you leave Him? Some of you would find Him if you simply revisited your prayer closet, opened up your Bible, made the house of God a priority, forgave a loved one that hurt you, demonstrated some generosity, thought of another person before yourself, or by volunteering to serve others.

If you wan to recapture the spirit of Christ, you just need to go back to where you left Him.

Have you lost sight of Jesus this Christmas? Perhaps you have never began a relationship with Christ, but today you’d like to do so. Maybe, you’ve simply lost sight of Him and today you are burdened to recapture the spirit of Christ. Take a moment to pray this with me.

Father, Thank you for you Son, Jesus. I am so grateful that you sent Your one and only Son into this world to save us. I know that I don’t deserve salvation, but I am thankful that you loved me enough to send Jesus to die for my sins. Today, I repent of my sins and ask your forgiveness. I receive the gift of eternal life that comes through Jesus Christ. I believe that Jesus died for me and that He was raised from the dead three days later that I may have eternal life. Lord, help to to live a life that honors you and thank you for helping me to discover that Jesus is the true meaning of Christmas. Amen.