Have You Lost Jesus In Your Life?—Recreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley—Service, July 13, 2025

Have You Lost Jesus In Your Life? Duncan Crook | July 13, 2025

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EPISODE SUMMARY

Have you ever lost track of a child for even a moment? That panic is nothing compared to losing fellowship with Jesus in your life. In this powerful message, Duncan Crook uses the story of 12-year-old Jesus being left behind in Jerusalem to reveal how even the most devoted believers can lose intimate fellowship with Christ. Through Luke 2:41-52, discover the difference between losing your relationship with Jesus (impossible) and losing fellowship with Him (all too common). Learn the warning signs, understand how it happens gradually, and most importantly, find the path back to restored intimacy with your Savior.

Core Message: You can't lose your relationship with Jesus, but you can lose fellowship with Him - and there's a way back.

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KEY TOPICS COVERED The Reality of Lost Fellowship

- The difference between losing relationship vs. losing fellowship with Jesus

- Why even the closest believers can lose their sense of Jesus' presence

- The story of the coworker who "found Jesus" then seemed to lose Him again

The Biblical Foundation: Jesus Lost in Jerusalem

- Jewish travel customs that explain how Mary and Joseph lost Jesus

- The significance of Jesus' Bar Mitzvah and coming of age at 12

- Why both parents assumed Jesus was with the other group

The Security of Salvation vs. Fellowship

- Once saved, always saved - but not a license to sin

- Marriage analogy: relationship vs. fellowship maintenance

- Why true believers don't want to persist in sin

Who Can Lose Fellowship with Jesus

- The shocking truth: those closest to Him are most vulnerable

- Former pastors, deacons, and church leaders who've fallen away

- How you can attend church regularly and still lose fellowship

The Gradual Nature of Spiritual Drift

- Why losing Jesus doesn't happen overnight

- The danger of small steps away from Christ

- The Inuit wolf-hunting illustration about gradual spiritual destruction

The Samson Syndrome

- How Samson lost God's presence without realizing it

- The tragedy of assuming God is still with you while living in sin

- Recognition that spiritual strength comes from God, not ourselves

The Path Back to Fellowship

- Step 1: Acknowledge that you have left Him

- Step 2: Diligently begin to seek Him with persistence

- Step 3: Return to the place you left Him

David's Example of Restoration

- How "a man after God's own heart" lost fellowship through compromise

- The progression from spiritual laziness to adultery and murder

- Psalm 51 as a model for genuine repentance and restoration

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MEMORABLE QUOTES

"Have you ever been somewhere with a small child and turn your back for a second- and the child has gone?"

"How easy it is to sometimes seem to lose Jesus in our lives."

"I have a good Greek word for that: Hogwash."

"If you are born again, you don't want to sin! You are a new creature in Christ."

"Has there ever been a time in your life when you were consistently closer to Jesus than you are right now? If the answer is yes, then you have lost Jesus."

"Sometimes we stay so busy in church doing religious things that we miss Jesus."

"Jesus didn't leave Mary and Joseph; they left Him."

"You can't afford one day out of fellowship with Jesus."

"He awoke from his sleep and thought, 'I'll go out as before and shake myself free.' But he did not know that the Lord had left him."

"You will never reclaim fellowship with Jesus until you are honest enough to acknowledge that you have lost it."

"You will need to take as many steps back to fellowship as you took walking away."

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BIBLICAL FOUNDATION

- Primary Text: Luke 2:41-52 (Jesus in the Temple at age 12)

- Supporting Texts: Judges 16:20 (Samson), Psalm 51:10-11 (David's repentance)

- Key Theme: The difference between relationship and fellowship with Christ

- Context: Jewish Passover customs and coming-of-age traditions

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PRACTICAL APPLICATION If You're Questioning Your Fellowship:

- Ask yourself: "Has there ever been a time when I was consistently closer to Jesus than I am right now?"

- Examine your heart honestly, not just your church attendance

- Don't assume religious activity equals intimate fellowship

If You've Recognized Lost Fellowship:

- Acknowledge it honestly without making excuses or blaming others

- Begin seeking Jesus diligently and persistently - it may take time

- Return to the specific place or situation where you left Him

If You're in Church Leadership:

- Remember that being close to Jesus doesn't make you immune to losing fellowship

- Don't let busyness in ministry substitute for personal intimacy with Christ

- Be watchful for the gradual drift that can happen to anyone

If You're Struggling with Sin:

- Recognize that small steps away from Jesus become giant leaps

- Don't deceive yourself that Jesus is okay with compromise

- Remember that sin has an exponential, infectious nature

If You're Helping Others:

- Look for those who may have lost fellowship while maintaining appearances

- Encourage persistence in seeking restoration - it's not always immediate

- Point people back to where they left Jesus, not just to religious activity

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THE ULTIMATE INVITATION

God the Father is waiting for you to return to Him. When you do, He won't condemn, criticize, or punish you. He's going to welcome you with open arms, embrace you with His grace, enfold you with His love, and shower you with His mercy. You can be saved and going to heaven, but your fellowship and intimacy with Jesus can be spoiled. Will you admit it and start seeking the Lord persistently and diligently? Are you willing to return to where you left Him?

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Remember: Fellowship with Jesus requires the same diligence as any relationship - it must be maintained through consistent communion, honest acknowledgment of problems, and persistent effort to restore what's been lost.