Deacon Tam Tran

THE SON

“Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” — Luke 2:49
“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12)

Mary, Joseph, and twelve-year-old Jesus traveling from Nazareth to Jerusalem for Passover. Nazareth to Jerusalem is about 60 miles—on foot. No air conditioning. No rest stops. No “Are we there yet?” apps. Just sandals, dust, and determination.

Passover wasn’t optional for devout Jewish families. Men who lived within about 20 miles of Jerusalem were required to attend annually. Nazareth was far beyond that range, which makes Mary and Joseph’s yearly pilgrimage even more impressive. This trip cost time, money, and energy—roughly the ancient equivalent of a two-week vacation every single year. The fact that both Mary and Joseph made this journey faithfully tells us something important: these were not “holiday-only” believers. They were deeply committed.

After the feast ended, the group headed home. And this is where the story takes a turn that makes every parent feel a little better about their own mistakes.

They lost Jesus.

Before we call Child Protective Services on Mary and Joseph, let’s understand how travel worked back then. People traveled in large caravans. Women and children usually walked ahead. Men followed later. At night, everyone camped together. So, Mary probably thought Jesus was with Joseph. Joseph probably thought Jesus was with Mary.

Perfectly reasonable. Totally relatable. Still catastrophic.

After a full day of travel, they realized Jesus was missing.

Three days later—after frantic searching, rising panic, and every worst-case scenario imaginable—they found Him in the Temple, calmly sitting among teachers, listening, asking questions, and impressing everyone with His understanding.

And then comes the line every parent wishes their child would not say in public:

“Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

In other words: Relax. I know exactly what I’m doing.

Mary and Joseph lost Jesus—not because they didn’t love Him, but because they assumed He was where they expected Him to be.

And that’s where this story stops being about them and starts being about us.

It can happen to any of us. Mary and Joseph lost Jesus for three days. We can lose Jesus too—not physically, but spiritually—when we stop paying attention. The longer we walk with Him, the more tempted we are to assume He’s “around somewhere.”

We get busy. We get comfortable. We turn faith into routine.
We serve. We volunteer. We show up. But our eyes drift.

Sometimes we don’t lose Jesus—we just lose our awareness of Him.

And when that happens, the solution is not guilt or panic. The solution is the same one Mary and Joseph chose: stop everything until you find Him again.

That’s the challenge of Christian life—keeping our focus on Jesus, not just His work. Because it’s possible to do God’s work without actually staying close to God.

This truth—that everything depends on whether or not we have the Son—reminds me of a powerful story.

There was once a billionaire art collector and his son. Together, they owned priceless masterpieces—Picasso, Raphael, Van Gogh, Rembrandt. Their evenings were spent admiring art and talking about beauty, meaning, and legacy.

Then war came.

The son went off to fight and was killed while rescuing another soldier. The father was devastated.

One month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young soldier stood there holding a package. He said, “Sir, I am the man your son saved. He gave his life for me.”

The soldier explained that the son often spoke about his father and their love of art. Then he handed over the package.

Inside was a painting—a portrait of the son. Not a masterpiece by worldly standards, but it captured the son’s heart perfectly. The father wept. He offered to pay, but the soldier refused.

“It’s a gift.”

The father hung the portrait of his son in the main room. Whenever guests came, he showed them that painting first—before any of the famous works.

Years later, the man died. An auction was announced, and art collectors from around the world gathered, salivating at the chance to own the masterpieces.

The auctioneer began—with the portrait of the son.

Silence.

Someone shouted, “Skip this one! We want the real collection!”

The auctioneer persisted. “Who will bid on the son?”

Finally, the old gardener raised his hand. “I’ll give $100.”

Sold.

Then the auctioneer announced, “The auction is over.”

The crowd exploded. “What about the rest of the paintings?”

The auctioneer replied, “The will stated that whoever takes the son gets everything.”

That’s the Gospel in a nutshell.

God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son. And Scripture tells us plainly:
“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12)

Not whoever has success. Not whoever has religion. Not whoever has good intentions.

Whoever has the Son.

In daily life, this matters deeply. We chase careers, security, recognition, and comfort. We want the “collection.” But God keeps asking the same question: Do you want the Son?

Because if we have Jesus, we have everything—life, forgiveness, purpose, salvation, and heaven.

Lose sight of Him, and nothing else truly satisfies.

So, keep your eyes on Jesus. If you lose Him, stop everything until you find Him again. Because the one who takes the Son… gets everything else.

And that is the best deal anyone will ever make.