June 15, 2008
Sermon #736
What if Jesus Stayed Behind?
Luke 2:41 - 52 (NKJV) 41His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; 44but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 48So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” 49And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. 51Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
What if God says, “stay”?
What a decision Jesus had to make – to stay and not tell His parents.
The test of obedience
Hebrews 5:7 - 10 (NKJV) 7who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,”
ILL: This must have been very difficult for a 12-year-old boy from Nazareth. Being alone in Jerusalem during the feast days would have been very frightening.
The test in the wilderness
Exodus 40:34 - 38 (NKJV) 34Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. 37But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. 38For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
ILL: They could not move regardless of the circumstances as long as the cloud remained, they had to move regardless of the conditions when the cloud lifted.
Sometimes the Lord says “stay” in difficult circumstances
Acts 18:5 - 11 (NKJV) 5When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 6But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. 9Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” 11And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
ILL: I stayed in one Church a year after I graduated from Seminary though I had many opportunities to move to a larger ministry because the Lord said, “stay” I have, however, taken preaching assignments just because the “doors were open” that afterward I regretted. One time I traveled all the way from North Carolina to Louisiana by bus only to return the next day because the Lord had not told me to go!
Sometimes we are only “there” to “listen”
Luke 2:46 (NKJV) 46Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
Be silent Ecclesiastes 3:7 (NKJV) 7 A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
Ask questions Matthew 22:41 - 46 (NKJV) 41While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The Son of David.” 43He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”’? 45If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” 46And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.
ILL: I cannot tell you how many times I am confronted with, “What you are teaching cannot be from God or I would know it.”
Though God is always with us, there are times His presence is not always experienced.
A. He does it so that we can know our own hearts
Deuteronomy 8:1 - 2 (NKJV) 1“Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. 2And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
ILL: Can you imagine how Mary and Joseph felt knowing they had traveled an entire day after leaving the Son of God alone in Jerusalem?
2 Chronicles 32:27 - 31 (NKJV) 27Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable items; 28storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and folds for flocks. 29Moreover he provided cities for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much property. 30This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.
B. So that we will not take ourselves to seriously
Luke 2:48 (NKJV) 48So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”
Revelation 3:14 (NKJV) 14“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
ILL: I hope the day never comes when The Cathedral of His Glory or I think we can continue with out Him! I heard a Pastor tell about preaching what he thought was a great sermon and he told the Lord, “now that was the real me!” The next time he got up to preach he stumbled, stuttered, and could not get the message out. Then he heard on the inside a voice that said, “No! that was the real you without me!”
ILL: Charles Finney was late coming to the platform to preach. A deacon went back to get the preacher and he heard Finney, “Lord I am just not going out there without you – I will not do it!” The congregation waited until Finney finally came and immediately Revival fell!
Beware of presumption!
Joseph and Mary were in their comfort zone
Luke 2:41 - 42 (NKJV) 41His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.
The Pharisees were in their comfort zone
Matthew 23:27 - 31 (NKJV) 27“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ 31“Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
ILL: Being in our comfort zone can let us being away from what He is doing and we do not recognize it!
What if God decides to do the extraordinary when we are not expecting it?
ILL: We keep the feasts – 4th of July, Christmas, Good Friday, Easter – no one expects anything out of the ordinary – what if God decided to interrupt your “holiday” with a church revival? The truth is none of us are prepared for God to step in, show up in a manner in which we are not familiar.
ILL: Do we really want Revival? 1801 Alamance Presbyterian in Greensboro NC had an unplanned revival that spread throughout the south 5,000 people attended the services which ran 24 hours per day for a week but Greensboro got uncomfortable and closed it, *Oral Roberts had a tent healing revival in Greensboro but the services were racially integrated so the meeting was closed down, the Cathedral of His Glory had a revival with Richard Moore that ran for six weeks and lasted to 12:00 every night but the religious community was apposed to the movement because people laughed and cried during the meeting. When an authentic demonstration of Jesus’ authority takes place the world takes notice, they even notice that those who say they are closest to Jesus get upset!
2 Samuel 6:12 - 23 (NKJV) 12Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness. 13And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. 14Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. 16Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 17So they brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
18And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house. 20Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. 22And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.” 23Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
ILL: Can you imagine what would happen in the average Baptist church if someone started acting like David?
IV. How do you recognize His absence?
Anxiety.
Philippians 4:6 - 7 (NKJV) 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
ILL: Mary had been “anxiously searching for Him
Irritability
ILL: “Why have you treated us like this?”
Getting in a rush
Isaiah 30:15 (NKJV) 15For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not…
You will not find the anointing of His presence exactly where you left it or where He left you.
ILL: When you step out of a stream, you cannot get back into the same water- the anointing will never be exactly the same!
Luke 2:45 - 46 (NKJV) 45So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
ILL: No holy place, no comfort zone would do, no feeling would satisfy – they were looking for a person – so must we!
Psalm 27:4 (NKJV) 4One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.
ILL: Isn’t it amazing Joseph and Mary looked three days for Jesus in Jerusalem before they tried the temple?
