The Father's Business
Luke 2.41-49
Luke 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my
Father’s business?
In that time in history and in that particular culture, a boy of 12 years old would spend much of his time
working with his father and learning the family business.
The first recorded words of Jesus reveal to us that he was aware that God was His father and that His
first priority was to do His Father’s business. Then again, at the end of his earthly life, he repeats that
priority –
Luke 22:42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
The first priority is always the kingdom of God – His work, not our own.
Matthew 6:24-33 “ "No-one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or
he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what
you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at
the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father
feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single
hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do
not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of
these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into
the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we
eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and
your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.” (NIV)
The point is that if you put Him first, he will take care of all the other details in your life.
In the late stages of Israel’s history, before they disappeared into captivity and their nation crumbled,
God rebuked them through the prophet
Haggai 1:4-8 “ "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house
remains a ruin?"
[He is saying, “You are taking good care of your own business and are neglecting mine!”]
Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much,
but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put
on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."
[You see, when you put your work and your will ahead of God’s, you pay for it in your quality of life.
When you give God His portion, your portion gets blessed.]
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains
and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honoured," says
the LORD.” (NIV)
Illus. In Tirana, Albania, on Sunday afternoons, we would sometimes go to the home of some friends
for dinner. Of course, there was always enough food to feed a small army. Our friend was a very
good cook and she made sure we had plenty of byrek, qofte, tave dheu, lamb, crem caramel, baklava,
and fresh fruit.
But before the meal was finished, she would turn on the TV and watch the races. Her favorite was
Michael Shumacher, and she loved to see him win the race.
Someone asked a famous racecar driver how he won so many races. He said, “When I am on the
race track, all I think about is the race. I don’t pay attention to the crowds watching the race. I don’t
pay attention to what the other drivers are doing. I don’t worry about getting in a wreck. I don’t think
about anything but winning the race.”
If you want to succeed in anything, you have to put yourself completely into it. You have to devote
yourself fully to doing your best, giving it your full concentration. If you are distracted, it show in the
quality of your work.
Listen to what Paul, the great apostle of Christianity and writer of most of the New Testament says
about this kind of commitment:
1 Corinthians 9:19-26 “ Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to
win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I
became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the
law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’
s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to
win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do
all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
[Now listen to how he ties this in with the race car driver said.]
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as
to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a
crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. Therefore I do not run like a
man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.” (NIV)
What is God’s business?
God is in the business of saving souls!
Jesus said - Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
He said - John 10:10 I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
He said - Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Jesus had a definite assignment in this world. He knew His purpose and could not be pulled away
from His purpose.
What about us? What does He want us to do?
And what is His work? What is His will?
John 6:27-29 “ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son
of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." Then they asked him,
"What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to
believe in the one he has sent."” (NIV)
First, He wants us to put our faith in Him – to believe in Him. If he says he is the Savior, then we
believe he is the savior. We act like he is the savior. We life like he is the savior.
If he says he is the Lord, then we must live like He is the Lord. That means we follow Him and do what
He wants and not what we want.
Illus. The best way I know to illustrate this is that when my children were small, I made them do my
will. I had enough experience that I knew what was best for them. And when they did what I told them,
they stayed out of danger and were safe. When they disobeyed, they usually got hurt or messed
something up. So, they learned that it was best to do ‘father’s will. Now that they are grown, they
have learned that it is best to do God’s will for the same reasons.
What God wants from us is that we follow Him so that He can lead us through this life safely and get
us to the goal of being with Him forever. The Bible says that God is Love and He just wants what is
best for those He created because He loves us so. That is why He forgives us when we fail, He picks
us up when we fall, and He hears us when we call, and he repairs our mistakes and, through His
grace, puts us back in a right relationship with Him.
Our part is simply to put Him first.
Jesus said, “Father, not my will, but yours be done.” And when He did that, it resulted in our
salvation. Aren’t you glad Jesus followed the Father’s plan?
Don’t you think you should follow the Father’s plan also?
Luke 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my
Father’s business?
In that time in history and in that particular culture, a boy of 12 years old would spend much of his time
working with his father and learning the family business.
The first recorded words of Jesus reveal to us that he was aware that God was His father and that His
first priority was to do His Father’s business. Then again, at the end of his earthly life, he repeats that
priority –
Luke 22:42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
The first priority is always the kingdom of God – His work, not our own.
Matthew 6:24-33 “ "No-one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or
he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what
you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at
the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father
feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single
hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do
not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of
these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into
the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we
eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and
your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.” (NIV)
The point is that if you put Him first, he will take care of all the other details in your life.
In the late stages of Israel’s history, before they disappeared into captivity and their nation crumbled,
God rebuked them through the prophet
Haggai 1:4-8 “ "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house
remains a ruin?"
[He is saying, “You are taking good care of your own business and are neglecting mine!”]
Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much,
but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put
on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."
[You see, when you put your work and your will ahead of God’s, you pay for it in your quality of life.
When you give God His portion, your portion gets blessed.]
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains
and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honoured," says
the LORD.” (NIV)
Illus. In Tirana, Albania, on Sunday afternoons, we would sometimes go to the home of some friends
for dinner. Of course, there was always enough food to feed a small army. Our friend was a very
good cook and she made sure we had plenty of byrek, qofte, tave dheu, lamb, crem caramel, baklava,
and fresh fruit.
But before the meal was finished, she would turn on the TV and watch the races. Her favorite was
Michael Shumacher, and she loved to see him win the race.
Someone asked a famous racecar driver how he won so many races. He said, “When I am on the
race track, all I think about is the race. I don’t pay attention to the crowds watching the race. I don’t
pay attention to what the other drivers are doing. I don’t worry about getting in a wreck. I don’t think
about anything but winning the race.”
If you want to succeed in anything, you have to put yourself completely into it. You have to devote
yourself fully to doing your best, giving it your full concentration. If you are distracted, it show in the
quality of your work.
Listen to what Paul, the great apostle of Christianity and writer of most of the New Testament says
about this kind of commitment:
1 Corinthians 9:19-26 “ Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to
win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I
became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the
law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’
s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to
win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do
all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
[Now listen to how he ties this in with the race car driver said.]
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as
to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a
crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. Therefore I do not run like a
man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.” (NIV)
What is God’s business?
God is in the business of saving souls!
Jesus said - Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
He said - John 10:10 I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
He said - Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Jesus had a definite assignment in this world. He knew His purpose and could not be pulled away
from His purpose.
What about us? What does He want us to do?
And what is His work? What is His will?
John 6:27-29 “ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son
of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." Then they asked him,
"What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to
believe in the one he has sent."” (NIV)
First, He wants us to put our faith in Him – to believe in Him. If he says he is the Savior, then we
believe he is the savior. We act like he is the savior. We life like he is the savior.
If he says he is the Lord, then we must live like He is the Lord. That means we follow Him and do what
He wants and not what we want.
Illus. The best way I know to illustrate this is that when my children were small, I made them do my
will. I had enough experience that I knew what was best for them. And when they did what I told them,
they stayed out of danger and were safe. When they disobeyed, they usually got hurt or messed
something up. So, they learned that it was best to do ‘father’s will. Now that they are grown, they
have learned that it is best to do God’s will for the same reasons.
What God wants from us is that we follow Him so that He can lead us through this life safely and get
us to the goal of being with Him forever. The Bible says that God is Love and He just wants what is
best for those He created because He loves us so. That is why He forgives us when we fail, He picks
us up when we fall, and He hears us when we call, and he repairs our mistakes and, through His
grace, puts us back in a right relationship with Him.
Our part is simply to put Him first.
Jesus said, “Father, not my will, but yours be done.” And when He did that, it resulted in our
salvation. Aren’t you glad Jesus followed the Father’s plan?
Don’t you think you should follow the Father’s plan also?
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