Our Father's Business

As a lad Jesus told Mary He "must" be about His Father's business in Luke 2.  This obviously was not the family carpentry business run by Joseph, for Jesus was not handing out business cards and discussing the benefits of quarried stone over hardwood with the scribes and Pharisees in the temple in Jerusalem.  While everyone headed home from observing the Passover, Jesus remained behind for days listening to the doctors of the Mosaic Law and asking questions.  In that ancient culture asking questions was not a sign of ignorance but the way one showed mastery of a subject.  The Jewish leaders were stunned by the understanding Jesus displayed concerning the word of God.

It was a common practice in Jesus' day the son would follow in the footsteps of his father and be trained in the same trade.  This is observed with Zebedee and sons James and John who were fishermen.  The Bible tells us Jesus did follow the custom of adopting the trade of his "dad" Joseph, and people who believed they knew Jesus dismissed His teaching because they did not believe He had authority to weigh in on matters of God and Law.  Mark 6:2-3 says, "And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! ³ Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" And they were offended at Him."  The townsfolk viewed Jesus as a carpenter the son of Joseph and not the Christ, the Son of God.  They were offended by His wisdom and miraculous works because Jesus was an unexpected source.

As Jesus traveled through Judea preaching repentance and the kingdom of God, He graciously chose many disciples to follow and serve Him.  Many of these were very unlikely choices which included fishermen, a zealot, a Roman-employed tax collector and even Judas who would betray Him!  Apart from Judas, these men by the power and grace of God would be enabled to expand beyond their natural sphere of influence and make an impact for the kingdom of God wherever God sent them.  A time came when Andrew and Peter no longer washed and mended nets but brought men into the kingdom of God by the power of the Gospel.  John went from suggesting they call fire down from heaven upon those who rejected Jesus to writing many times, "Little children, love one another."  The transformation Jesus made in His followers inside and out is remarkable to behold in the scriptures and regularly in people to this day.

The Saviour Jesus Christ who called His disciples to follow Him is the One we must follow and continue so doing.  It would be a great shame for us to drift from obeying the commands of Christ, living in the reality of the Gospel and exhorting Christians to walk in holiness and love to stoop to weighing in on politics, medical advice and controversial topics as experts.  It would be entirely possible for Peter to continue fishing professionally whilst proclaiming the Gospel without contradiction, yet it would be an odd thing indeed to claim he was an authority on Roman taxation because he knew a former tax collector.  In the body of Christ there is great diversity between each individual member and the distinct function of each part.  It is also evident the purpose of all the parts are the same, to unite under the guidance and service of Jesus Christ Whom we glorify as the Head of the Body, the church.  I sometimes use one hand to crack the knuckles on the other hand to provide relief from aching joints, and this illustrates the point:  brothers and sisters, as we follow Jesus together allow the LORD to use others to adjust us to better coordinate our efforts to walk obediently in love towards all with grace upon grace.  In this way we too can wisely be about our Father's business.