Musts for the Lord and us

Turn with me, please, the Gospel of Luke chapter 2. The Gospel of Luke chapter 2. Luke's Gospel chapter 2, and let's read together, please, one of the most amazing stories, and we'll find in verse 46 where we want to pick up the reading. Luke chapter 2 and verse 46, and it came to pass that after three days they found him in them in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

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, the words tormented. They were distressed now.

Verse 49, and he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about or in my father's business? I must be about my father's business. What devotion I must be about my father's business. Chapter 22, please.

Chapter 22, and let's read there at verse 37. Luke 22 and verse 37. Luke 22 verse 37, for I say unto you that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me.

And he was reckoned among the transgressors, for the things concerning me have an end. Let's yet be accomplished in me. For the things concerning me have fulfillment.

John's gospel, please. And chapter nine, gospel of John chapter nine. And verse four, John's gospel chapter nine and verse four, I must, I must work the works of him that sent me.

While it is day, the night cometh, when no man can work, I must work the works of him that sent me. Chapter 10, please. And verse 11.

Chapter 10 and verse 11. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Down please to verse 15. As the father knoweth me, even so know I the father and I lay down my life for the sheep and other sheep I have which are not of this fold. Them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.

We trust that God will bless what we've read from his own precious word. I wish that I had the ability or that God would enable me to turn your eyes upon Jesus and to look full in his wonderful face so that the things of earth would grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. We have read of him.

We have read startling words of him. We have words like must in the life of the Lord Jesus. You know, when I travel, there are always people wherever I say and they'll say, well, while you're here, you know, you really must see this.

And sometimes it's really worth seeing too. And then, of course, there's always things that we feel we must do. There are things that we must accomplish.

There are those things that we must go after and do. We live in a world that's full of appeal for the must have. You've got to have this and you've got to have that and you couldn't possibly do without it.

You must have it. That the Bible talks a good deal about the things that we must be. Must be.

Here's the Lord Jesus. And here in Luke's Gospel, chapter two, you can see his devotion as he says, wish ye not that I, I must be about my father's business. Devotion.

It was seen, it was in evidence, it was clear. Is our devotion seen? When you look at Luke's Gospel, chapter 22, the Lord Jesus says this that is written of me, this that is written must yet be accomplished and it will be fulfilled. It will be completed.

Nothing will be lacking. It must. It must be accomplished in me and the purpose of the Lord Jesus in those words points out his commitment to working out the truth.

The truth was worked out in his life. These things that are written to me must yet be accomplished. We read in the Gospel of John, chapter nine, and there we find his purpose revealed and his purpose accomplished.

He says, I must work the works of him that sent me. I must. It behoves me.

It's incumbent upon me and it's so necessary of me. I must. I must work the works of him that sent me.

In John's Gospel, chapter 10, we read of his commitment and how it's revealed. He says, other sheep I have. Others.

Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring. His commitment. It's our commitment to the things of God revealed.

Is it evident? Is it seen? Is it known? As it was in the life of the Lord Jesus, we all know that there are some things and we all agree, I'm sure that there are some things that simply must be done. I'm going home to face a ton or so leaves in my yard and somewhere or other. Why? It's got to be done.

It's a must. But you know, if I didn't get there, I don't know if it'll get done. There are things in our lives and we recognize as well that there are far less important and all that God would give us the greater difference to know the difference, the greater wisdom that's required to know the difference between the things that really, really matter and the things that don't matter so much.

Would it not be wise if our lives more close to resembled the life of the Lord Jesus? They say, who could deny it? You know, these words that are used in these verses are all the same word, all the same power. And in fact, these things were must to him. These things were so important.

They weren't optional. They weren't things that could be disputed. They were things that were must in the mind of the Lord Jesus.

And if they were so important to him, brethren, sisters, young people today, should they not be important to us? Devotion is seen in the life of the Lord Jesus. Do we know what should come first in our priorities, in our plans, in our purposes, in our lives, in the days that we have left to use for God? If such should be, do we know what should be first? The Lord Jesus at the very beginning of any public life he might have had said, I must be. I must be in my father's things.

I must be about my father's business. You know, those parents of the Lord Jesus went looking for him. And when they found him, it's almost as though he said, you should have known where I would be.

Where did they find him? They found him in the doctors and the teachers of the law. And they were discussing the scriptures. And no doubt those scriptures that they were discussing were the scriptures about the Passover.

No one knew more about it. No one could say more. With more effect.

And they were amazed at his understanding and answers. Oh, the privilege of sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus, even at this young age. And when Mary would ask him in her distress, and there's no question about her distress was real, as she would ask him, why, why have you done this? He says, Don't you know? Has it not been clear? I must be in my father's things.

Oh, the gentle heart of the Lord Jesus. Oh, the grace of his lips and all the wonder of that which was within his being. I must be.

It's so becoming for me. It behoves me to be in my father's things. Did they have any idea who lived in their house? You wonder sometimes, don't you? And yet, for all they knew, they really didn't completely understand the devotion of his heart.

Do we know who we have in our lives, indwelling us, with us? Is there devotion? The outpouring of my heart, the laying down of my life, all social things that distracted them, and they certainly distract us. Life had been busy, so busy, they didn't even miss them. Has life been so busy for you and I, that we've come 100 miles or so, or more, and somewhere or other, it was a distance between.

And sometimes it's not until we get ourselves in a bind that we understand we're missing him. Here's this couple. They assumed he was with them.

They assumed too much. And they lost far more. What was his father's business? Ah, yes, we've mentioned the scriptures and his delight in those scriptures must have been ever so precious in the heart of God as he looked down to see one, one so taken up with both the spirit and the content of his word.

And all that God revealed to his people, his delight, his father's business was in the Word of God. And then his delight, his father's business had to do with the enlightenment of others. Just imagine how he could open up their minds and their understanding to the truth.

His father's business had to be had to do with being where his people met. Is that our delight? Love to be with the people of God. Love to be amongst them to hear his word and to rejoice together and to function together.

He loved to be where his people gathered. And he was there. It was his father's business.

And to enter into the meaning of the feast. My, how he had opened their ears. My, what understanding could have been gained.

The devotion of the Lord Jesus was seen even at this young age. But then you'll notice in Luke's Gospel chapter 22, he speaks about the truth, the truth that had to be worked out. That which is written must yet be accomplished in me.

It had to be completed. It had to be fulfilled. It was like a debt that had to be discharged.

He says that which is written must yet be accomplished in me. And he goes on to speak about all that it would mean to him and his sorrows and his suffering and all that he would experience. What that must have been to hear him say those words, he says, for the things concerning me have fulfillment.

They will be completed. Everything concerning me says will come true. Is it so in our lives that the things that have been written about us? Can we say this? That the things that have been written about us, the things that have instructed us, the things that have guided us in the word of God, they will be accomplished.

They will be fulfilled. They will have a fulfillment. Are there not truths that are written, recorded, that apply directly to us? Be content with such things as ye have.

Is that not his word to us? Are those instructions, is that teaching not very practical, applying to you and me? Be content with such things as ye have. Keep thyself pure. Is that not his word to us? When the word of God says, redeem the time because the days are evil.

Are we buying back the time for God? Buying it up to use it for him? Or as heaven looks down, as they see us sadly frittering away the time that he has given, using it for our own advantage, in our own pleasure. Has he not given his word to us? Redeem the time. Buy it up.

Make use of it for God. The days are evil. When God says, neglect not the gift that is in thee, is he speaking to you? Is this word not for me? Does God not intend me to pay attention to what he says? You know sometimes we're at a meal table and while there's things on the table like spinach or liver, squash and broccoli, I love to watch the kids.

I love to watch them because when they're passed around they always think this is meant for someone else but me. And that's sometimes what we do with the word of God, isn't it? We pass it on. Someone else needs it more than I. Neglect not the gift that is in thee.

God has not given ability without the intent that it should be used. Neglect not the gift that is in thee. Keep thy heart with all diligence.

Does God intend us to be diligent about such things? Lest our heart go astray. Lest we wander from the way. The Lord Jesus says the things, the things concerning me, they will be worked out.

They will be accomplished. They will be brought out. Truth is intended to be lived.

That's why when we read our Bibles, the first thing we should do is take note of what it says. Not just so we can develop it into a truth that we can pass on for someone else, but take note of it for what it says so that we can practice it in our own lives. Dave Dedrickson was a golf player and I'm not a fan of golf.

But she once disqualified herself from a tournament because she hit someone else's ball out of the rough. One of her friends said, nobody would have noticed. And Dave Dedrickson said, I would have noticed.

Are you careful about maintaining a good conscience before God? Has God written to you and like the squash or the liver, you just pass it on? Or do you take his truth and see that that truth is put to work in your life? We read in the Gospel of John, chapter nine of his purpose. He says, I must work the works of him that sent me. I must.

I must work the works of him that sent me. You know, we've been saved for a purpose. We've been saved for his purpose, his purpose, not to please ourselves so we can do whatever thing we think might be of value or importance.

We have been saved for a much higher purpose. We've been saved for his purpose, not to please ourselves, but in his purpose to do his work. The Lord Jesus says, I must work the works of him that sent me.

He's the one who sends. It's our responsibility to respond and obey. He's the one who speaks.

He's the one who directs. He's the one with more wisdom than we can ever imagine having. He's the one who's right.

He's the one who is always available to direct us and remind us of that which is so important for us. He says, I must. I must work the works of him.

He sent me. Aren't you glad that God sent his son? Where would we be without him? Where would we ever be without his grace manifested in this world, showing his love to us in the purpose of God coming down and fulfilling all that the father desired and required? He says, I must. I must work the works of him who sent me.

Many years ago, when Abraham Lincoln was trying to make a point, he had a fellow who was arguing one way and the other way and every which way. And finally, Lincoln got kind of fed up with it. He says, you know, calling a dog's tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.

You say, what was that for? Rather than calling ourselves spiritual doesn't make us spiritual. We can call ourselves whatever we like. But unless there's a life in the will of God.

It goes forward in his purpose. With his glory in mind. We can miss our way.

The Lord Jesus says this is a must devotion. Yes, the devotion of the Lord Jesus was very effective. His purpose was accomplished.

He says the things concerning me will have fulfillment. The truth must be worked out. And in John's Gospel, chapter 10, we have his commitment.

He says other sheep I have and them also I must bring. You know, his commitment was on a much grander scale than ours. But God is still looking in our lives for commitment from us.

For a response that surrenders. For a response that gets involved. That commits ourself to our God wholeheartedly.

His commitment was revealed in this. Ah, are there not others? Like the Lord Jesus speaks of here. And I'm merely applying it.

He says there are others. There are others I must bring. They were on his heart.

And they were in his plan and they were in his purpose. He says others. He says them also I must bring.

Are there not others? Are we just concerned about ourselves? We four no more. Our little family. Our little company.

What about others? Others in our children's meetings. Others who need to hear the Gospel. Others who have wandered away from God.

And some of them have gone so far. They wonder if there's any recovery left. Others.

Others that need to hear his voice. Others that need to be drawn to his feet. Others that need to be impacted by his grace.

Others. Lord lay some soul upon my heart. And love that soul through me.

And may I ever do my part. To win that soul for thee. You ever ask God to lay someone on your heart? You pray for them urgently.

You pray for them continuously. Maybe God will give you a little opportunity to say a word in season. Maybe God will allow you to in some way serve them.

So they'll notice that there's more about you than just your meeting clothes and your meeting ways. Lord. Lay some soul.

Upon my heart. Love that soul. Through me.

And may I ever do my part. To win that soul. For thee.

Commitment stems from what's in the heart. And here the Lord Jesus reveals his commitment to others. I have a friend and there's a little motto on the desk that I use in his house.

Just a one word motto. Others. It's not just an ornament.

It's a word that describes him. The hours he spends with wayward souls. And the time he spends trying to counsel young believers to seek after God and his will for them.

The impact he has on the lives of older ones too. Others. Others.

The Lord Jesus says there are others that I must bring. What about the others? Lord Jesus. His devotion is precious to behold and consider.

Some of you may have heard of the Koh-i-Noor diamond. It was first presented to Queen Victoria by the Maharaja of India. He was only a boy when it was first given.

Some years later as a grown up man he went to her and he asked if he could see the diamond that was of priceless worth. And holding in his hand he got down on his knees and he presented it to her again. And he said to her, Your Majesty I gave you this first when I was but a boy and I didn't know the worth of what I was doing.

But now as a man I offer it to you again as a token of my affection and admiration. He gave it to her knowing what he was giving. What can we give to God? Oh how precious it would be if at a conference gathering like this or in the quietness of your own home.

Maybe some of you have been saved since you were just children and yet the impact of his lordship and of his glory hasn't really dawned on you. Or the wondrous grace of a person who showed such devotion and such desire to work out all the truth of God in his life. And this one whose purposes were so precious in the eyes of heaven.

This one whose commitment was revealed so plainly by his words. If only word had drawn near and followed his feet and offer him again my life, my heart, and my all. May God bless this word.