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From this example of our blessed Saviour, in making His Father's work His business, we learn this great truth: — That it is the duty of every Christian to make religion his business. For the illustrating and unfolding of this, there are three questions to be resolved: —

I.  What is meant by religion?

II.  Why we must make religion our business?

III.  What it is to make religion our business?QUESTION

I. WHAT IS MEANT BY RELIGION?QUESTION

II. The second question is, why WE MUST MAKE RELIGION OUR BUSINESS? I answer, because religion is a matter of the highest nature; while we are serving God, we are doing angels' work.QUESTION

III. The third question is, WHAT IT IS TO MAKE RELIGION OUR BUSINESS? I answer: it consists principally in these seven things: —

1. We make religion our business, when we wholly devote ourselves to religion. "Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear" (Psalm 119:38); as a scholar who devotes himself to his studies makes learning his business.

2. We make religion our business, when we intend the business of religion chiefly. It doth principatum obtinere ["gain the pre-eminence"] "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33); first in time, before all things, and first in affection, above all things.

3. We make religion our business, when our thoughts are most busied about religion.

4. We make religion our business when our main end and scope is to serve God.

5. We make religion our business, when we do trade with God every day. "Our conversation is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20).

6. We make religion our business, when we redeem time from secular things for the service of God. A good Christian is the greatest monopolizer: he doth hoard up all the time he can for religion: "At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto Thee" (Psalm 119:62).

7. We make religion our business when we serve God with all our might.USE.

I. INFORMATION.BRANCH

I. Hence learn, that there are few good Christians. Oh, how few make religion their business t Is he an artificer that never wrought in the trade? Is he Christian that never wrought in the trade of godliness t How few make religion their business!

1. Some make religion a complement, but not their business.

2. Others make the world their business. "Who mind earthly things" (Philippians 3:19).BRANCH

II. Hence see how hard it is to be saved.USE

II. TRIAL. Let us deal impartially with our own souls, and put ourselves upon a strict trial before the Lord, whether we make religion our business. And for our better progress herein, I shall lay down ten signs and characters of a man that makes religion his business, and by these as by a gospel-touchstone, we may try ourselves: —CHARACTER

I. He who makes religion his business cloth not place his religion only in externals. "He is not a Jew who is one outwardly" (Romans 2:28).CHARACTER

II. He who makes religion his business avoids everything that may be a "hindrance" to him in his work.CHARACTER

III. He who makes religion his business hath a care to preserve conscience inviolable, and had rather offend all the world than offend his conscience. "I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience" (2 Timothy 1:3).CHARACTER

IV. He who makes religion his business, religion hath an influence upon all his civil actions.CHARACTER

V. He who makes religion his business, is good in his calling and relation. Relative grace cloth much grace religion.CHARACTER

VI. He who makes religion his business hath a care of his company. He dares not twist into a cord of friendship with sinners: "I have not sat with vain persons" (Psalm 26:4). Diamonds will not cement with rubbish.CHARACTER

VII. He who makes religion his business keeps his spiritual watch always by him. The good Christian keeps his watch candle always burning.CHARACTER

VIII. He who makes religion his business, every day casts up his accounts to see how things go in his soul.CHARACTER

IX. He who makes religion his business will be religious, whatever it cost him.CHARACTER

X. He that makes religion his business lives every day as his last day.RULES FOR MAKING RELIGION OUR BUSINESS.RULE

I. If you would make religion your business, possess yourselves with this maxim, that religion is the end of your creation.RULE

II. If you would make religion your business, get a change of heart wrought.RULE

III. If you would make religion your business, set yourselves always under the eye of God.RULE

IV. If you would make religion your business, think often of the shortness of time.RULE

V. If you would make religion your business, get an understanding heart.RULE

VI. If you would make religion your business, implore the help of God's Spirit.MOTIVE

I. The sweetness that is in religion. All her paths are pleasantness (Proverbs 3:17).MOTIVE

II. The second and last consideration is, that millions of persons have miscarried to eternity, for want of making religion their business. They have done something in religion, but not to purpose: they have begun, but have made too many stops and pauses.

( T. Watson, M. A.)

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KJV: And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

WEB: He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"