A stake in the business

Luke 2:49 Weymouth New Testament

"Why is it that you have been searching for me?" He replied; "did you not know that it is my duty to be engaged upon my Father's business?"

Jesus was consumed with only one goal throughout his time on earth. This was evident as early as when he was 12 years old!

In replying his earthly parents, he seemed to have committed a travesty by openly insinuating that Joseph wasn't his father.  Everyone knew by the time they were finally leaving Jerusalem, having searched helter skelter for Jesus, that they were Galileans from far north in a different province from Judaea.  Therefore his father Joseph couldn't possibly have any legitimate business in Jerusalem since they had to travel annually from far away for the festivities.

Before his parents found him, he had spent 3 days in the temple among the spiritual teachers engaged in learning and inquiry. He was so insightful with his questions that the elderly scholars and teachers definitely took note of his young age and uncommon intelligence.

Had he not been eventually identified as Galilean, he would probably have been coopted by the temple hierarchy into some form of leadership training.

Matthew 12:50 NLT

"Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!"

Almost twenty years later, he apparently completed his disownment  of his earthly parentage with the above statement.

Jesus placed His overriding goal of reconciliation of mankind to God above His filial allegiance to His earthly mother and brethren.

Before his final ascension into heaven, he made this goal clear in defined duties for his followers.

Matthew 28:19 NLT

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

Acts 1:8 NLT

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

At some point in my walk with Christ I find myself overwhelmingly consumed with the desire to carry out God's assigned work for me on earth. I think it has to do with that moment in one's life that you discover with clarity what it is that you have been created to accomplish here.

What is my driving force? I can't really explain it. Just an instinctive concern that time is extremely short. I need to carry out my assignment quickly.

Christ himself said in John 9:4 NIV

"As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work"

This must be what apostle Paul meant when he wrote in Romans 8:17 NLT

"And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering"

Being an heir of God and joint heir with Christ means that we have the same zeal and desire to ensure that our Father's business, the salvation of his complete elect, is carried out in accordance to his will and direction. In other words, we are equal stakeholders in the business.

We can't fail because we are "more than conquerors through him who loved us"  (Romans 8:37 NIV)