Check the Lost & Found

No one has lived life more decisively than Jesus. And if we are to lead like him, what does that say about us?

Think about it: even prior to His incarnation and joining us carbon-based bipeds, we're told in Philippians 2 that His entering the human race was a decisive act of servant-love. He consciously emptied Himself to be born into the womb of a backwoods teenager and enter the world in a feeding trough for farm animals. In Luke we find the only childhood reference to Jesus in scripture. His whole family and all the relatives had come to Jerusalem for the Passover. Afterwards, the minivans were loaded up and headed back for home, but by the time they reached the Motel 6 they discovered that twelve-year-old Jesus was missing. He wasn't with Uncle Zecharias. Aunt Elizabeth hadn’t seen him. And now they panic. Have you ever lost a kid in the mall?—then you know the feeling. But think if you lost the Son of God? I’m pretty sure that’s serious. How do you explain that to some big angel who shows up one day? “We all got sheep nuggets at McFalafel’s…then we turned around and, oy vey, the little messiah was gone!” They spent three days looking for him and finally found him in the temple in Jerusalem...talking with the rabbis. They were furious. But again, would you put God’s Son in time out? Instead, they used the classic guilt-infused parenting line: “Why have you done this to us?” And his reply? “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” Already at age twelve Jesus was finding His focus…his reason to exist. Years later, Luke tells us that “some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, ‘Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.’ he replied, ‘Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day--for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!’” Jesus knew he was born to die. His support group said, “Go anywhere but Jerusalem.” But rather than reacting to their fear, he set His sights on His goal. And, of course, the goal wasn’t geographical. It was you and me. Leaders, never lose sight of that. Dave Workman | Elemental Churches