TEXT: LUKE 2:41-52

TITLE: PURSUING THE FAMILY BUSINESS…

INTRODUCTION

A. Everyone is not born to live the average, standard and safe life

B. Everyone is not meant to drive in the same lane

C. What do those around me (spouse, children, parents, siblings, coworkers, neighbors, etc.) need from me to fulfill their destiny?

D. How do I understand my calling in this?

DOING MY FATHER’S BUSINESS…

A. Jesus said, “Why were you searching for Me?”

B. Jesus said, “Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?”

C. What was His Father's business?

D. What is God's goal for humanity?

1. To glorify Him (Isaiah 43:7)

2. That everyone be saved, and know the truth (I Tim 2:3, 4)

3. To establish a friendship (John 15:15)

4. To fulfill our destiny (Jeremiah 1:5)

E. Jesus had to do His Father’s work

F. There is a difference between our earthly/physical father and our heavenly/spiritual father

G. Jesus' earthly/physical father was a carpenter

1. Many only saw Jesus in the light of His earthly/physical reality

2. Therefore, they rejected His heavenly/spiritual reality and treated Him like everyone else

3. In treating Him like everyone else, they missed an opportunity to receive what God gave Him to give to them

H. While we all possess a human/physical reality that includes school, careers, gifts, talents, etc., we also possess a heavenly/spiritual reality that makes us uniquely different from the rest of the world – that makes us like God, and gives us God's work to do

I. We have to do God's work...

ASSISTING OTHERS IN DOING MY FATHER’S BUSINESS…

A. How do we assist others in doing God's work versus doing what everyone else is doing?

B. How do I see the uniqueness in each person?

C. Each encounter with someone is an opportunity…
<p style="text-align: center;">CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK: THAT I WILL DO MY FATHER’S BUSINESS</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">MEMORY VERSE</p>
1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1, 2