Grazing Grace

THEY LOST JESUS

BY GREG A. LANE

Last Christmas, I decided to read the account of the birth of Jesus found in the Bible in the book of Luke. Since Christmas is supposed to be all about the birth of Christ, I thought I should at least take the time and re-familiarize myself with the story. You know, there are always little nuggets of truth that you overlook in Bible stories once you’ve become overly familiar with them.

So, the beginning of Chapter Two starts off with the information surrounding the birth of Jesus. It tells us that Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to take part in the census decreed by Caesar Augustus. While they were in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus, wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn.

You know the story, right? You’ve heard it before.

Chapter Two continues on with the announcement of the birth of Jesus by the angels to the shepherds who were out watching over their flocks that night. The angels sang a glorious hymn of praise, “Glory to God in the Highest. Peace on Earth and good will to men!” The shepherds went to Bethlehem to see this baby whom the angels proclaimed was the Savior of the world.

Nothing new there. You know the story, and I do too. We’ve heard it for years.

But, the end of Chapter Two gets really interesting. I don’t guess I ever put it all together until I read the story for the hundredth time last year. At the end of Chapter Two, we find the only recorded information of the childhood years of Jesus found in the Bible. When Jesus was 12 years old, his family went to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. When the Passover celebration was over, they returned to Nazareth but realized that 12-year-old Jesus was not with their group. To put it plainly THEY LOST JESUS!

I never thought about it like this before, but Luke Chapter Two starts off with the most beautiful story in the Bible … the awesome birth of our Lord and Savior

Jesus Christ … THE CHRISTMAS STORY. It’s the story the whole world celebrates each year during the Christmas season. It’s the story that brings the whole world together in a spirit of unity and harmony … when our thoughts lean toward giving and “peace on Earth.” Yet, before the chapter is over, those who celebrated the birth of Jesus had lost him amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday living … just like we do. How quickly we forget the spirit of the Christmas season just days, or hours, or sometimes even minutes after the final present has been opened. Before we know it, we’ve gone back into the regular grind of our lives, and we lose the joy and peace of the Christmas season.

Joseph and Mary returned to Jerusalem to find the boy they lost. You know the story, right? They searched frantically for Him for three days. They finally found Him in the temple, where He was asking questions of the elders. When his parents told Him how concerned they were about losing him, He simply replied, “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father's House?” Those words from Luke 2:49 jumped off the page at me as I read them. Many people “lose Jesus” so quickly after celebrating Him on Christmas day. The spirit of peace, joy, and brotherhood seems to dissipate like a morning fog. There is a solution to the problem, though. It’s easy to find Him. Jesus told us the answer … YOU’LL FIND HIM IN HIS FATHER’S HOUSE.

Some folks take down their Christmas decorations the day after Christmas. Some wait until New Year’s Day. Some, who are really die-hard Christmas enthusiasts, keep their decorations up on until mid-January. They just love the Christmas season so much that they don’t want it to end. Ah! But, alas, before long, we all get back into the same rut we were in before Christmas rolled around. Once the decorations are taken down, we go back to our old ways and old routines. The peace and joy of Christmas become a fading memory … lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Is it possible to lose Jesus in the very same chapter where you first discovered Him? Absolutely! Luke Chapter Two shows us this plainly. It’s one of those “hard, cold realities of life” that we have to deal with. Good times and good feelings don’t always last. Sometimes it takes a special effort to hold on to them. Christmas only lasts one day, it’s true. But, the spirit of Christmas can stay alive all year long if you’ll hold on to it tightly. Just keep your eyes on Jesus. Don’t let him out of your sight. Don’t lose Him when the season is over. If by chance you do, just remember … He told us where we can find Him!

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