OMG. We Lost Jesus!
One of my friends tells a funny-ish story about being on vacation with their five kids and leaving one of their young sons behind after making a stop for lunch. They’d driven about 10 miles down the road when they realized he wasn’t in the car. Terrified they hurried back and found him sitting outside the restaurant waiting patiently.
“Are you alright?” they exclaimed with relief. “Yeah,” he said; “I knew you’d come back for me.”
I’ve got one better from Luke 2:41-52 (ESV):
When Jesus was 12 years old His parents, Mary and Joseph, went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. Afterward they headed back to Nazareth, but Jesus was left behind. I imagine there was a large group of people traveling together, most likely a lot of kids too, so M and J probably assumed that Jesus was hanging with the kiddos.
They didn’t miss Him at first. But when he didn’t show up for dinner that night they got worried and started looking for Him, but no one had seen Him. At this point they’re panicked.
So they make a U-turn back to Jerusalem to search for Him there. THREE DAYS LATER they find Him sitting in the Temple with all the big wig religious leaders and teachers, listening and asking lots of questions.
You can’t make this stuff up, folks.
The story goes that everyone was impressed with Jesus’ intelligent answers. But not Mary and Joseph. Not impressed one bit. They’d been out of their minds with worry for THREE DAYS that they’d LOST JESUS.
Just put yourself in that situation. They’d been entrusted with the biggest job ever and they blew it. THEY LOST JESUS! They lost the Savior of the World.
This next verse is so loaded; Luke 2:48b, “Son,” His mother said to Him, “why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.”
There is not one exclamation point in that verse. Not one. You can’t tell me that Mary wasn’t throwing some exclamation points at the God-child, or that she wasn’t about to ring His divine neck. “JESUS!! WHAT IN YOUR FATHER’S NAME WERE YOU THINKING?!!!”
Jesus answers her flatly, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
Pretty sure that answer didn’t appease their panic, or anger.
Pretty sure He got the stink eye from both M and J.
Pretty sure He got a talkin’ to on the way home.
Pretty sure I would’ve been backhanded for that one.
Verse 51 says that they returned to Nazareth and Jesus “was submissive to them.”
Imagine that donkey ride home. Imagine Mary and Joseph’s hurt and fear and relief all rolled into one. They probably wanted to hug Him and spank Him at the same time.
Don’t you wonder if they did? Did Jesus get a spanking when He got back home? Did He get put in time-out? Did He get privileges taken away?
There’s a lot to wonder about after that because all we know of the missing years is in verse 52, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” That’s it; that’s all we get until Jesus turns 30 years old and begins His ministry.
What happened to the adolescent years? What was teenage Jesus like? What was young adult Jesus doing in His twenties?
I just wonder about these things. Don’t you?
But here’s one thing that you and I as Christ’s followers never have to wonder about: We will never lose Jesus. He’ll always be exactly where He said He would be… where He can always be found: in His Father’s *house* — the *Temple* of our hearts.
Just a little fun Bible story for the day.
This article appeared originally on punkytolson.com.
