Text:
Luke 2:45-49:
45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
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?
John 21:20-23:
20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
Theme:
Minding Our Own Business
Introduction:
- The Gospel According to Saint Luke is the third of the four synoptic Gospels.
- Written by Luke the physician who also wrote the Acts of the Apostles
- Luke wrote of accounts that he had gathered in his research concerning the life and times of the Master.
- Luke wrote in a specificity and forthrightness that was typical of his Greek background and education while, at the same time, focusing on more the peculiararities of the Jesus’ life, character, and actions.
- The Gospel According to Saint John is the fourth of the synoptic gospels and was written by the Apostle John. Some believed that it was to fill the gaps left by the first three gospels, but no concrete evidence makes this universally true. However, it does in a unique and genuine way divulge the depth of the relationship between God and the Son AND the relationship between the believer and the Godhead.
- The Gospel of John, which houses our text, serves as a special closing to the set of Gospels that tell the good news of Jesus Christ.
- Matthew gives a detailed depiction of the history of Jesus’ life
- Mark gives Jesus’ life as depicted by Peter’s accounts
- Luke gives the perspective of Jesus’ life as God’s Son who was a man – the humanity of Jesus
- However, John gives the perspective of Jesus’ life as the man who was God’s Son – the Divinity of Jesus
- John sums up his intent in writing the Gospel in John 20:31 when he says, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
- The theme, MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS, comes from the phrase, MIND YOUR BUSINESS.
- We have heard different expressions for the same meaning of MIND YOUR BUSINESS.
- Mind your business
- Give me back my business
- What you looking at
- You are all in the mustard and can’t even catch up
- This is an A and B conversation so you should C your way our of it
- Then there is the famous, “EXCUSE ME!!” (We call can get that hintJ)
- We have grown up hearing adult tell us to “MIND YOUR BUSINESS” when we:
- Ask what we shouldn’t ask
- Listen when we shouldn’t listen
- Look when we shouldn’t look, OR
- Speak when we should not speak
- The phrase arose when:
- The adult was doing something that they should not have been doing – they got caught
- The child was supposed to be doing something else that they usually did not want to do – a gentle reminder
- The adult did not want to be bothered with the child – they just wanted to get rid of the child, OR
- The child was being distracted by something that did not concern them – Boys “noticing” girls or girls “noticing” boys
- We have heard different expressions for the same meaning of MIND YOUR BUSINESS.
- It is amazing how, as Adults, we are still having to be told MIND YOUR BUSINESS!
- The one saying the phrase was doing something that they should not have been doing
- The one spoken to was supposed to be doing something else that they usually did not want to do
- The one saying the phrase did not want to be bothered with the other person – they just wanted to get rid of them, OR
- The one spoken to was being distracted by something that did not concern them – Males “noticing” Females or Females “noticing” Males
- In this study, we will focus on the last scenario from a biblical perspective
>>> Let us give attention to MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS
Body:
- First, let us acknowledge that it is hard to “mind” or “pay attention to” or “take care of” our own business when we so easily suffer from the distractions of other “business”.
- The two texts give us excellent examples of people identifying their proper business
- Jesus in Luke was saying that, although he was not where his mother wanted him to be, he was exactly where his Father called him to be.
- Ministering with the elders WAS his business!
- Jesus in John was telling Peter, who was asking of the fate of John, the one whom Jesus loved, that it was none of his business…“what is that to thee?”
- Peter’s business WAS NOT what happened to John!
- Jesus in Luke was saying that, although he was not where his mother wanted him to be, he was exactly where his Father called him to be.
- The two texts give us excellent examples of people identifying their proper business
- What is BUSINESS?
- BUSINESS is a daily occupation à something that you are responsible for doing regularly…every day!!
- A business is acknowledged as “What you do”
- It defines who you are
- I am a “business and systems analyst”
- But Jesus, in our text in Matthew, went a step further to mention his being about His “Father’s business”.
- What is the “Business” of Jesus’ Father?
- Jesus explained His “Father’s business” well in Luke 19:10
- What is the “Business” of Jesus’ Father?
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
- To MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS, we must have some business to “mind”!
- What is OUR “Business”?
- Stereotypically, we think of the preacher’s commission
- Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
- But our Father’s Business is much broader than that!
- Matthew 7:21, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
- The “business” à WRESTLING
- Ephesians 6:12 explains, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
- The “business” à PRESSING
- Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
- The “business” à LOVING
- Luke 10:27, “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”
- The “business” à FORGIVING
- Luke 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
- The “business” à STANDING
- Ephesians 6:13, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
- The “business” à DIEING
- Dieing in the flesh à Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
- Dieing to the flesh in the Spirit à 1Corinthians 15:31, “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”
- It looks like there is a lot of BUSINESS that we need to take care of; so, we need to get to…
- Stereotypically, we think of the preacher’s commission
- What is OUR “Business”?
MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS
- To do so, we need to STAY OUT OF OTHER FOLKS BUSINESS!
- We all know about OTHER FOLKS’ BUSINESS à but let us make it clear…
- Gossiping about what has happened or is happening è OTHER FOLKS’ BUSINESS
- Talking about how God can right the wrongs in the life è GOD’S BUSINESS
- Giving money to the poor to look good to other people è OTHER FOLKS’ BUSINESS
- Giving a warm smile and kind word to the homeless when you are broke è GOD’S BUSINESS
- Going to drop by and see what others are up to è OTHER FOLKS’ BUSINESS
- Going and visiting those who are in need of physical or spiritual assistance è GOD’S BUSINESS
- Telling the story about what happened to people in church service è OTHER FOLKS’ BUSINESS
- Telling the story about how God moved in church service è GOD’S BUSINESS
- We all know about OTHER FOLKS’ BUSINESS à but let us make it clear…
Conclusion:
- We need to be about MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS!
- As the hymn “Living For Jesus” says,
Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.
Living for Jesus through earth’s little while,
My dearest treasure, the light of His smile;
Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem,
Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.
O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me.
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne.
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
Chorus
Living for Jesus Who died in my place,
Bearing on Calvary my sin and disgrace;
Such love constrains me to answer His call,
Follow His leading and give Him my all.
- This is OUR BUSINESS!!!
#287
