Doing the Father's Business
A Sermon by Dr. Neil Chadwick
"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" In the KJV this verse is written this way, "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" Introduction: We know the story well - Jesus had been taken to Jerusalem for the first time since He had been an infant. After the festival was over, the group of travelers was on their way back to Nazareth when His parents noticed Jesus was not in the troupe. So they went back, frantically looking for Him. They searched for 2 or 3 days before finally going to the temple where they found Jesus conversing with the teachers. (Isn't it interesting that you always find something in the last place you look for it?) They obviously display their anxiety, but Jesus expressed His surprise that they were worried at all. It is then that we have this penetrating question. It's a question we also should be asking from time to time. "Don't you understand that I must be doing my Father's business?" Let's look at several aspects of this statement. 1. It seemed obvious to Jesus that He should be doing His Father's work, and he had trouble understanding why they hadn't figured this out. But this may surprise you, sometimes close relatives don't understand it when a
young person becomes devoted to the Lord. Parents, let's believe that God has
His hand on our young people. Let's pray, and just expect that they will be sold
out for the Lord.
And remember that at the end, when He faced his most daunting task, as He
prayed in the Garden, Jesus said, "Not my will, but thine be done."
So often we hear this expression today, WWJD? What Would Jesus Do? It all
could be summed up in this - He would do His Father's Business.
Whose business are we doing? Perhaps we've become too caught up in
doing our own business, doing what we want to do. But you know what I have
found out? We're not as free to do what we want to do nearly as much as we
think. If we're not constantly on guard, other masters slowly begin to take
over.
Perhaps fasting has pointed this out to you, there may be some things that
you had difficulty letting go of, even for a week. One member found out how
much they were hooked to TV. Some of us may be under the domination of
bosses who keep demanding more of our time, and we passively fall into
schedules which nearly forbid us to do what we really want to do. A few years
ago I heard this statement, "Those who have no goals of their own will always
end up working for someone else's goals."
Let's take a business check. Whose business are we in? Of course some
will reply, "But I have to work for a living, you know!" Yes, but it's the
perspective that counts - your work in the world must also be seen as the
Lord's work. One brother said it this way, "The Lord placed me in this job,
and I believe He has a reason for me being here."
We must also remember who the "Father" is - He is Almighty God. The
Creator of all. The Sustainer of All. As "Father", He is the Origin of All. But
He is also the Provider of All. The idea of God as "Father" is special to Jesus.
There was some understanding of this in the Old Testament, but not nearly as
prominent as in the New. And think about this, the "Father" is in the home. He
is not far away, He has not abandoned His family. He is present to oversee
and equip the work He has asked His children to do.
But we're not talking about moral obligations, which usually end up as "shall
nots". Rather we're speaking of the positive expression - what it is that we
"ought" to be doing. Remember what James says, "Therefore to him that
knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:17) We
"ought" to be about our Father's business.
How many children of our families like doing "chores"? "Why do I have to do
the dishes again. Billy never has to do dishes." I'm still young enough not to
be able to remember much of my childhood. But the memorable arguments I
had with my sister were usually over who was supposed to wash and who was
supposed to dry. "Duties", "chores", "jobs" all are unwelcome words. We
just want to do what we feel like doing - we don't like being under obligation.
(The University Biology Prof who was embarrassed about the only kind of
work he was able to find in the summer, so when he returned to his teaching position in the fall, he told his colleagues that all summer he had been
involved in doing "biological disections", and that he had over 500 people
under him. It turned out that he was cutting grass in a cemetery!)
Jesus understood that he was under obligation, and what was required of Him
was far more difficult than anything we will ever experience, to do His Father's
work meant climbing up Golgotha's mountain. To do His Father's work meant
- - -
Luke 24:46 in the KJV says, "it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the
dead the third day."
How do we begin?
Get our hearts right with God.
Dedicate ourselves to faithful prayer and the study of the Word.
Be present for the gatherings of God's people.
Rediscover the gifts God has given, and determine not to allow them to be
used merely for the earning of a paycheck and leisure time activities.
Let it be known when there is an awareness that God is calling you to a
particular ministry.
Do whatever needs to be done.
The Apostle Paul, after writing about members utilizing their gifts (Romans
chapter 12) gives us this exhortation (verses 9-11) "Love must be sincere.
Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in
brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal,
but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."
In the KJV, the last verse reads, "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit;
serving the Lord."
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