Might be familiar with this story.
At the age of 12, the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus, 12 years of age
in the flesh, Mary and Joseph go to Jerusalem for the Feast
of the Passover. And they get ready to leave town.
And they say they traveled in something like a wagon train,
several families traveling together. And they, just like all the rest
of us I guess, assumed that he was off somebody else's wagon,
playing with somebody else's kids. It does seem a little out
of the ordinary that they went three days without missing him,
or a day, they went a day. And finally turned back and went
back searching for him. And they found him at the temple. Didn't find him at the pool hall
or anywhere like that. They found him at the temple
conversing with the doctors, doctors of
law and Old Testament scholars. And so the mother asked him,
why have you done this? And he says to her in verse 49,
I want you to look specifically at this verse, verse 49. How
is it that you sought me? Why are you looking for me? Wished
you not, which means don't you know. Wish you not that I must be about
my father's business. I'm interested in that single
word must this morning, just the word must. And if we can think about this
a little bit, we trust the Lord will add his blessing to his
word this morning. The word must occurs 71 times
in the new Testament. 27 of those times, it's from
the lips of the Lord Jesus himself. Must. And the word means numerous
things. It means basically a binding
duty, requirement of necessity, essential or imperative. Must. It is a must. And here
is a must in the life of the Lord Jesus. I have often thought
of children born into British royalty generations ago. I don't know how it is now, but
we used to hear a good bit about it. And a certain teacher of
mine was, I can remember, was almost obsessed with this. Talk
about these special children, you know, the prince, I guess
they call them a prince, whatever, and the girls and all this. And
these special children, they did not get to play with other
children, and they didn't ever get muddy or climb trees. Or they didn't get the dam up
the creek to make a swimming hole. I can't imagine kids not
doing those things. They were educated privately,
tutored diligently, always dressed formally. And I thought, what
a miserable existence. Their marriage arranged at an
early age. without their consent to maintain the expectations
of royalty. They lived very disciplined lives. Well, God's only begotten son,
the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world with everything arranged just
like that. He was not left to choose for
himself. A lot of things we would say
is a child's privilege. His life on this earth in a body
of flesh was filled with must, must. We don't read hardly anything
about what he could do. what things he might choose to
do, what directions he might take.
But we find a whole lot about what he must do. The requirement,
the necessity, the must. And it was a must not put upon
him by man. No man could require him to do
anything or make him do anything. But all the must was put upon
him by God His father, his life in this world was arranged. Wished you not that I must be
about my father's business. He said in John 4 34, my meat
is to do the will of him that sent me. And he said in John
6 38, for I came down from heaven. Not to do mine own will, but
the will of him that sent me. And here he says, I must be about
my father's business. So for a few minutes this morning,
I want to refer to five musts of the master. There are many
more than five, but we're just going to consider five for a
little bit this morning, five musts of the master. Number one
is the must. of the master's superiority. Turn to John chapter three, John
chapter three, the must of the master's superiority. Many people think that Jesus
Christ was just a man. Possibly to be numbered among
the great minds and teachers in history. Christ had said about John the
Baptist, there's not been a greater born among women. John the Baptist
was a great man. But now listen to what John the
Baptist said about Jesus. Jesus said about John, there's
not been a greater than he born among women. But now listen to
what he says about Jesus here in John chapter three. And verse 30, he must, as you
must increase, but I must decrease. We see the word must twice in
that verse. John says the must for me is
to decrease. Um, I'm moving off the scene. John's ministry and preaching
and baptizing. It was the, Oh, I mean, it was
the news of the country. And he said, I'm on the way down.
I'm on the way out of here. I must decrease. But the must
for him, the Lord Jesus, is to increase. John the Baptist said
in his preaching, he'd said, there cometh one after me whose shoes I'm not worthy to
stoop down and unloose. We commented on that a week or
two ago, how that the loosing of the shoe symbolizes the forfeiting
of authority. We saw it with Moses at the burning
bush, with Joshua at the crossing of the Jordan, with David at
his exile from the king's palace. And we saw it in the book of
Ruth with Boaz, and now with John the Baptist. John is saying,
He, Jesus Christ, will never forfeit His authority to me.
I'll never lose issue. But I'll forfeit my authority
to Him. He must increase. I must decrease. And this is the must of the Master's
superiority. He's greater than the great.
He must increase. Remember, people said, Who can
perform such miracles as this but God? He did. Who can forgive
sins but God? He did. His own disciples asked
one another, puzzled, and said, what manner of man is this that
even the winds and the sea obey Him? He's God, God the Son. He must increase. And in comparing Christ's temptation
in Matthew 4 with Adam in the Garden of Eden, Adam who was
created with a sinless existence, Christ is superior. Why? Adam
fell, Christ didn't. Christ faced as much and more
in that temptation in those 40 days in the wilderness than Adam
did in the Garden of Eden. And Adam went down. Christ didn't. Christ didn't. If you believe
the Bible, and I trust everybody here this morning does, you have
a strong conviction that Christ the Lord is superior to any person
in any situation, in any generation. John said, I'm on the way down.
He's on the way up. He must increase. That's the must of the master's
superiority. Number two, I would mention the
must of the master's suffering. The must of the master's suffering. Turn with me back to the gospel
of Matthew. chapter 16 Matthew chapter 16 and verse 21 Matthew 16 21 from that time for began Jesus
to show unto his disciples how that he must, you see the word
there, how that he must go into Jerusalem and suffer many things of the
elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be
raised again the third day. He must be rejected. That's why he came. He must suffer
many things, he said, not a few, but many. He must die. Who says so? God says so. The only one who ever walked
this earth that didn't deserve to die must die. Why must he die? He's dying in
the stead of his elect people. Those to whom death and alienation
from God forever belongs. You and I. He's experiencing
what we deserve in order that we'll never have to experience
it. He must suffer many things. The must of the Master's suffering.
Was there any other way? No. He must suffer many things,
be killed and raised again the third day. The resurrection was
a must as much so as the crucifixion. He must die and he must rise
again. Death is the wages of sin. And
when Christ had taken that sin of ours upon Himself when He
collected those wages which was to die on the cross. When our sins were consumed,
then death has no more power to hold Him. As long as there is one single
sin of one of God's elect, not paid for. Christ cannot rise,
but he did rise. He did rise. All the sins of
all his people are paid for. That's why he had to die. The
must of Christ's suffering. All right. Number three, the
must of the master's seeking. His life in this world was full
of must, the must of the masters seeking. Turn with me to John
chapter four, John chapter four, just a moment. I'm not going
to be long. So we just turn into all these
John chapter four, the must of the masters seeking. Look at verse four and he must. needs go through
Samaria. Many of you know this story.
Devout Jews would not pass through Samaria. And though it was a much longer,
they'd go around just to keep from going through Samaria. Jews
so hated Samaritans as much or more than they hated Gentiles. Samaritans were half breeds. Those in whom Jewish blood had
been polluted mixed with Gentiles. And it was really. Uh, it was
really awful in the eyes of the Jews in their feeling of superiority. They hated Samaritans because
they had mixed with Gentiles and had polluted their blood. Well, Jesus was a Jew. And yet we read here that he
must needs that is he must of necessity go through Samaria. Why must he? Because he's the
master seeker. There is a poor, fallen, and
rejected woman, one of his elect, with no hope of ever being anything
in herself but poor, fallen and rejected. And the master seeker knows that
she'll be going to Jacob's well about noontime. Verse six says it was about the
sixth hour. That's noon Jewish time. Traditionally,
the women went to the well to draw water early in the morning,
in the cool of the day. And they'd go as a group and
they'd talk and laugh and fellowship and enjoy one another's company
along the way. But this woman was excluded because of who she
was and what she was. She's a fallen woman and she's
not welcome to go along with the others. And so she, in her
rejection, And in her shame, she goes to the well alone at
noon in the heat of the day to draw water. And when she gets
there, the Lord Jesus is sitting there. He knows she's coming. Well, I don't think she's afraid
of him as a man. She had quite a bit of experience
with men. If you've read the story, but I believe she is surprised
when he speaks to her. She expected him to ignore her,
not even acknowledge her, but he spoke four words in verse
seven, give me to drink. And she asked him, why would
you, being a Jew, ask me for a drink? Most Jews wouldn't even accept
a drink of water from me if I offered it. And here you are asking. The Jews have no dealings with
the Samaritans, she went on to say. Well, she don't know that he's
not just a Jew. He's the master seeker. Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners. Chosen sinners chosen in him
before the foundation of the world, lost sinners, lost in
Adam. He has come to seek and to save
that which was lost, Luke 19.10. Don't misread that, Luke 19.10,
that which was lost. I'm fixing to blow a fuse right
here now. Adam's race is not lost. They're right at home in Adam. Then what was lost God's elect
elect in Christ from eternity were lost in time in Adam. And Christ said, I came to seek
and to save that which was lost and that he does that he does. Christ responds to the woman's
comments. If you knew who I really am. Instead of me asking you for
a drink of water, you'd be asking me. She don't understand this. And
she says, I don't think so. The well is deep. You don't even
have a bucket and a rope to draw with. She don't know that he's not
really wanting a drink of water from her. He's there to give
her. living water. Verse 14, a well
of water springing up into everlasting life. And the story goes when
he had told her all about herself. Things that she knew that only
God could know. He reveals himself unto her.
And she left. Her water pot. Verse 28. She said he didn't even have
a bucket. Now she leaves hers. In verse 28, the woman then left
her water pot and went her way into the city and saith to the
men, come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? The master seeker has found her. He's not seeking possible prospects
that he didn't know about. He's not seeking potential followers
that he's not acquainted with. No, he's seeking certain and
chosen ones that he knows all about. Big difference. The must of the master's seeking. A must needs Go through some
area. Number four, the must of the
masters shepherding in John chapter 10, John chapter 10, some beautiful
statements about Christ, the shepherd, John chapter 10 and
verse 16, he says, and other sheep. I have, which are not of this fold. Now this fold is the Jews he's
talking about, the disciples and the other sheep are Gentiles.
So he says other sheep I have, which are not of this fold. Them
also I, there's the word, must bring. They shall hear my voice
and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Boy, this is one
verse that tells the dispensationalist to take a hike. There's just
one fold. There's just one shepherd. Paul said in Ephesians two, that
of the twain, the two Jew and Gentile, God hath made one new
man. So the Gentile world is where
these other sheep are scattered and strayed. And the Master Shepherd
does not say, I'm going to try to talk them into coming home. No, look what he says. Them also
I must bring. It's imperative that I do so.
The good shepherd, the great shepherd, the chief shepherd
cannot lose a single lamb. We have this picture in Luke
chapter 15 and verse 4, the shepherd seeks, not hoping to find, but
until he find his lost sheep. His seeking will not stop short
of Finding he's the master shepherd We don't question this morning
his ability To save those on our hearts who need him so We
don't question his ability But or do we question our desire?
Oh Lord Do it for your glory He's gonna get it done And I
promise you at the end of life's day, ever how you want to term
it, when the saints go marching in, however, and all the sheep
pass under the rod as the shepherd counts, they say that's what
the shepherds used to do at night when they were leading their
sheep into the fold. They would take that rod and
they would touch each one on the back and count them and count
up. And there's coming a day when
the saints go marching in. When we all pass under the rod
and the shepherd counts up, I promise you the count will be a hundred
percent. An innumerable company, the Bible
says, that no man can number of every kindred, nation, and
tongue. No man can number, but the God-man can number them.
and will. He must bring every sheep home. Other sheep I have and them I
must bring. The must of the Master's shepherding. Number five, and I'll be through,
the must of the Master's salvation. The must. Acts chapter four and verse 12. Acts chapter 4
and verse 12. Neither is there salvation in
any other for there is none other name under heaven given among
men whereby we must, there's the word, be saved. Our beloved country has been
invaded and is being invaded on a daily basis by many false
religions. And the question that's often
asked is, and they're a lot bolder in asking it now, is Jesus the
only way to heaven? Well, he answered that question.
John 14, six, I am the way, not one of the ways, not the best
way, but I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh under
the father, but by me, there is no other way. This is not
debatable. It's not just that our generation,
uh, we, we, you know, we say, You know, Christ is the answer.
Christ is the way that is, that is permanent. That is abiding
truth. Christ is only always been the
way, the only way he still is the way, the only way. And while
this world stands, Christ will remain the only way. Paul wrote to Timothy second,
Timothy one nine. and said God had saved us. It's a done deal. And called us with a holy calling
as only he can. Not according to our works. We had nothing to do with it. But according to his own purpose
and grace. which was given us, when? When he saw what fine people
we are? No. He said this salvation was given
us in Christ Jesus before the world began. You wasn't even there to vote
on it. But I'll tell you this. When the shepherd comes, the
sheep respond. I was reading this when a shepherd
sees the bushes moving, and knows that something's caught
in there that can't get loose, and struggling, and it's dying. And he wades in there, and it's one of his sheep. That sheep will welcome his presence. And that sheep will welcome his
ability to free them from the him or her from the entanglement. And they'll gladly crawl into
the shepherd's arms and gladly rest on the shepherd's shoulders
as he carries them back to the flock. But then if that shepherd wades
into that thicket and it's a wild goat caught, that goat will fight the shepherd
more than it fights the thicket. There's a great lesson in that. If you want to fight against
God, that's a bad sign. That's a bad sign. If you think this is a game and
God is impressed with our occasional attendance without even a real
heart for him, we're badly mistaken. We're not here this morning to
see or be seen. We're not here to make a show.
We're not here to earn any points. We're here to listen and learn
about the one and only way of salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ. He's superior to all others. He suffered like no other. He's
the master seeker. He's the master shepherd. And
he's the one who saves. And so if you don't know anything
else about God, if you never live to learn anything else,
know this, know this, there is no other name under heaven. Nobody, nowhere, no other name
whereby we must be saved. Believe. on the Lord Jesus Christ,
Paul said, and thou shall be saved. John 3, 7, Christ said, you must,
there's another must, be born again. And he told Nicodemus, don't,
don't marvel at this. It's not open for debate. There
is no other way. Marvel not that I said unto thee,
You must be born again. So our Lord's pilgrimage on this
earth was full of musts, must. And my question this morning
is, do you have any musts? Any absolute necessities? Any
binding imperatives? Any heart convictions that you're
going to die before you'll go another way? You better have
some. This old songwriter said, I must
needs, he used that word must, I must needs go home by the way
of the cross. There's no other way than this.
The way of the cross leads home. Another songwriter that we sing
sometimes said like this, I must, this is an imperative. This is
a necessity. It can't be any other way. I
must tell Jesus. I cannot bear my burdens alone. And in my distress, he kindly
will help me. Why, he ever loves and cares
for his own. I must tell Jesus. So his life in this world was
a life of musts, and ours should be as well, in obedience to Him and in submission
to Him. Too many of our musts have nothing
to do with Him. I must have this new car. I must go on vacation. I must
get this job. I must this. I must that. I saw this outfit and I don't
have the money, but I must have it. I must, I must, I must. Oh, there ought to be some must,
but they ought to be in submission to him who said, I must do the
will of him who sent me. Came not to do my own will, but
his will. Thank you this morning. Let's
stand together.