Attending church as a little tyke included recreation.

While the older folks visited and talked about whatever older folks talk about—the church property became my playground.

When the time came for the car to depart homeward the first question of my parents was, “Where are the boys?” We weren’t lost for long, even though we were not in sight.

The Gospel writer Luke tells of a time Jesus was lost for several days at church. His parents took him to Jerusalem to visit the temple. When the caravan of cars left for Nazareth, Jesus remained.

Sidebar——-

This story should humble me when misguidedly I think I know enough about the culture of the first century to believe I can reproduce the exact form of the first century church.

It is totally beyond my understanding how it would be possible for Joseph and Mary to travel three days without missing their son Jesus. Apparently, the social fabric was such that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Perhaps on long trips, kids checked in with their parents every third day—I don’t have a clue.

All I know is Jesus was lost, and he was at church.

A few years ago, I was visiting an old friend in a nursing home. Known by many people as an author of religious pamphlets, he confided in me of his shame for his first 20 years of preaching. He confessed, “After preaching twenty years, to my shame, it dawned upon me I was not preaching Jesus.”

He told me his message was always the church or combating some straw argument. As far as it concerned this proclaimer and his audience, Jesus was lost in the church.

I want to be committed to Jesus, Scripture, and the Church. Is it possible that I become so over concerned with how I define church, that I can overlook both Jesus and Scripture?

It is easy to teach, “If you love me you will keep my commandments,” then seek a commandment missed by a fellow Christ follower, and proclaim Judgment. (After all, I keep all of the commandments—sure I do!) I suspect Jesus’ illustration of eye, speck, and log fits in here somewhere.

I live in a Metroplex that is home to thousands of churches who claim Jesus as their Savior. Unfortunately, due to actions and attitudes, Jesus is lost at church. Agendas overflow but we can’t find Jesus.

Is it possible I need to retrace my steps over a three-day journey to the heart of the church? We might even find Jesus waiting to receive us anew.

Who knows, if we could find Jesus again, our differences just might diminish in significance.

Stay tuned. – Gary J Sorrells – Cross Church