The Missing Jesus - Part II

                                 The Missing Jesus - Part II
TEXT: His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And
when He was twelve years old, they went to Jerusalem according to the custom
of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the boy Jesus
lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and his mother did not know it; but
supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey and
sought Him among relatives and acquaintances. So when the did not find Him,
they returned to Jerusalem seeking Him. (Luke 2: 41-45)

One of the vital signs indicating that Jesus is missing in someone's life is when
genuine spiritual experiences have degenerated to a feast and a custom or a
tradition. In the text above, the feast of passover was a genuine spiritual festival
commanded by God for Jewish people. Every year, the Jewish must gather
together in Jerusalem to celebrate the occasion when the angel of God passed
over the houses of the Jewish in Egypt to kill the first born in every Egyptian
household.
But after sometime, it became a mere custom. It was reduced to an annual
tradition where many people would come to sell their goats, sheep, ram, doves
etc. for people who had come to offer sacrifice. It became a tradition whereby
people would come to change money for people coming from other places with
their own currencies. In other words, the temple in Jerusalem, the venue of the
festival became a currency exchange bureau. Remember, this was the practice
that angered Jesus when He chased all the bureau de exchange people out of the
temple premises while He overturned their tables. In essence, many people go to
Jerusalem as usual, as custom and as tradition not to perform the God's
injunction of the passover feast.
This was the practice when Jesus was born and when He was growing up.
The parents of Jesus had been taking Jesus to Jerusalem for the feast of
passover. But it got to a point that they got carried away with the custom and
tradition and did not know that Jesus was missing from their company until after
a whole day journey. The spirituality was choked by the custom and tradition of
the festival.

It is a sign that Jesus is missing whenever church activities, prayer meetings or
religious festivals become a custom, a tradition, a jamboree or an entertainment
for a believer. Many people go to church today for many reasons other than to
worship God and celebrate Jesus. There are many people called Christians today
who have no Christ in them. They are Christians without Christ. If church
attendance has become a mere tradition for you, it means that Jesus is missing
from your life and you must invite Jesus back into your life.
It is also a sign that Jesus is missing in a Church where doctrines are observed
and celebrated more than Jesus or where programs are organized for reasons
other than to celebrate Jesus. You must find another church to attend if doctrines
are placed over and above Jesus or where the Founder, the Bishop or the General
Overseer is celebrated more than Jesus.
This series will continue. Remain blessed.