12-29-24 “Finding Where You Belong”

Click here for worship material 

“Finding Where You Belong”

I’d like to start with something funny I found on an internet site. A dad asked his son why he kept getting lost playing outside. The son replied, “I was just trying to act out the prodigal son in the Bible, but I forgot the way home!” The dad said, “Well, at least you’re not eating pig food—yet!”

We often misplace things unintentionally. Sometimes, we even put something in a specific place because it’s important, only to forget where we placed it. Later, when we find it, we ask, “Who put it here?” Is there anyone who has never misplaced something? We all have moments like this.

But what about people? A person, too, has places they should not go and places they are meant to be. Wouldn’t someone who knows where they belong, and stays there, appear truly beautiful in the Lord’s eyes?

Today is the last Sunday of the year. As we gather, it’s natural to reflect on what has passed and anticipate what lies ahead. Today’s Scripture recounts a moment of transition in Jesus’ life—His boyhood trip to Jerusalem where He stays behind in the temple. This story provides us with a profound model for our spiritual journey, especially as we close one chapter and prepare to begin another.

The childhood of Jesus is only briefly mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. According to today’s text, Jesus and His family visited the Jerusalem Temple every year for the Feast of Passover. The Passover is one of the most significant and foundational festivals in the Israelite tradition. It commemorates God’s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as described in Exodus 12.

After the festival, Mary and Joseph left for home, assuming Jesus was somewhere with their relatives. A day into their journey, they realized He was missing. Imagine their panic!

Doesn’t this remind us of how often we lose sight of Jesus in our daily lives, assuming He is with us? We believe in Emmanuel—God with us. But do we truly sense His presence every moment? The end of the year is a time to pause and ask ourselves: Have I drifted away from Jesus?

Mary and Joseph returned to the temple and found Jesus sitting among the teachers, listening, and asking questions. It was likely a profound moment of learning and teaching. Mary, understandably upset, said, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.” Jesus replied, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

This moment highlights an essential truth: we should know where we belong and to whom we belong. As children of God, we are called to belong to Him and remain in His presence.

I want to share a story about my mother. Before my entire family came to faith, my mother was the only believer. She was a woman of prayer who never missed early morning prayer services after her faith was renewed and her stomach illness healed.

If she wasn’t home, we knew she was at church. One day, my father, who was drunk at the time, thought my mother had done something inappropriate with her pastor. During a Sunday service, he stormed into the church, interrupting the sermon, and demanded, “Who is the pastor? Come and see me.” My father found the pastor on the pulpit and grabbed him by the collar. But the pastor calmly smiled and said, “Welcome to our church. Your wife has been praying for you to come here. God has answered her prayers.” The congregation responded with, “Praise the Lord!”

A year later, my father was baptized by that same pastor and became a Christian. This story reminds us that God never forgets or gives up on us who step in the church no matter why. My mother believed the church was the house of God, and she found strength and renewal there.

For us, the “Father’s house” is not just a building but any place where we intentionally seek God—in worship, Scripture, prayer, community, or even in our homes. As we prepare for a new year, let’s resolve to make space in the “temple” of our lives for Jesus.

Jesus was found in the temple, not wandering aimlessly but engaging with God’s Word—listening, asking questions, and growing in wisdom. Let us seek Jesus where He is: in the Word, in prayer, and in the company of believers.

Are you putting Jesus at the center of your life? As 2025 approaches, let it be a year of intentional seeking and rediscovery of His presence. If you try to act like the prodigal son in the Bible, as in the funny story I shared at the beginning, you might find yourself experiencing the consequences, like eating pig food. Instead, come back to God’s house, where you truly belong. Begin the new year with a commitment to seek Him intentionally. Return to the “temple” regularly through worship, study and prayer.

Mary and Joseph’s search for Jesus was frantic, but it ultimately led them to Him. Trust that God will guide you through uncertainties and lead you to deeper fellowship with Him.

As this year draws to a close, we’re reminded that Jesus is not only present in the major milestones but also in the quiet moments of reflection, growth, and devotion. Like Mary and Joseph, we may lose sight of Him at times, but He is always waiting for us in the Father’s house.

Thanks be to God. Amen!