In this Iron Saints Podcast episode, host Dan Willis opens with a brief greeting and a personal note about his wife’s birthday before diving into a devotional reading of Luke 2:39‑52, which recounts the 12‑year‑old Jesus staying behind in the temple. Willis connects the passage to his own conversion story, emphasizing how both he and Jesus were “found” where they were doing God’s work, even when others thought they were missing. He challenges listeners—especially men—to examine their daily schedules and priorities, asking whether their time (media, gaming, relationships, etc.) aligns with where God is active. Willis then offers a prayer that includes specific intercessions for individuals named John and Phil, a general petition for listeners’ hearts, and an invitation for listeners to submit their own prayer requests via social media or email. The episode closes with a reminder to check the description for contact information and a blessing for the audience.
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Welcome back to the Iron Saints Podcast with your host, Dan Willis.
Welcome back, saints. We are back at it again. New day, new scripture. Sorry for no episode yesterday. I was celebrating my wife's birthday. She's 35, so we did that yesterday, but we are going to get right back down to it today in Luke. Looking forward to continuing in Christ's journey. We had just finished With him as a baby, and we're going to start moving forward in his story a little bit. Huge thank you and shout out to everybody who's been listening. The numbers on the podcast have been amazing to get going. So huge thank you for all you guys who are sharing this out and enjoying the episodes daily. But without further ado, let's get down to it. Luke, here we go. All right, guys, we are going to head back into Luke chapter 2, verse 39 is where we're going to pick up from yesterday. Just the last little bit of their return to Nazareth, and then we're going to get into little boy Jesus instead of baby Jesus. So for those of you following along, Luke chapter 2, verse 39. As always, I will be reading from the ESV, but you are welcome to follow along in whatever version of scripture you have. I will read the scripture out loud though, so for any of you listening, uh, on the drive-in or at work, rest assured you can hear the scripture and reason through it with us. So the return to Nazareth. When they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was 12 years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group, they went a day's journey. But then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, They returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After 3 days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress. And he said to them, Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house? And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. So what I love about this is we don't actually get to see a lot of Jesus's young age. And this story resonates for me in many ways. Unlike some of you, I was not born a believer. I didn't— none of us are truly born out the womb, bam, you're a believer. But I wasn't born a believer. I became a believer much later in life towards my teenage years. And what really resonates in this story for me is this idea where Mary and Joseph lose Jesus, which is kind of a big deal, and they go looking for him and finally find him in the temple. And he goes, where else would I be? This is, this is where I'm meant to be. I'm doing the thing I'm meant to do. And I think back to when I first became a Christian and obviously having social circles that weren't Christian, largely weren't Christian, and were doing things that were largely not Christian in places that weren't Christian. This really resonates with me because it, it makes me think back to that time where people started to be confused. Where were you? You weren't around. Why aren't you around? Well, I was at church, or I was at a Bible study, or I was at a youth group, or I went away to a camp, or I went— you know, there were so many different things and activities I was doing as I was coming to Christ, but the world didn't understand. Where are you? Why aren't you with us? Why aren't you doing the things that we're doing? And my answer is, well, where else would I be? I've come to know Christ. I know who the Lord is. I'm in the places where I see him and where he's doing things. I would really challenge you guys today to take that approach. Take a look around in your life. Are you in the places where you see God doing work through you and you are working with God? Are you in the temple that you serve in, whether wherever that may be, but doing the work that the Father has laid out for you to do? And I know that this is a theme that comes up over and over and over again, and we're probably going to see it at least a dozen more times. But the question needs to be asked. Take a look. If people were to look for you, would they find you in the place where you're doing your Father's work? Now, this doesn't have to be in a church capacity. If you're out in the world evangelizing, that's doing the Lord's work in the place that you need to be. But I do challenge you to take a look at what does your Netflix time look like? If you're somebody that enjoys gaming, is that distracting you, pulling you away from the Lord's stuff? Even some relationships, unwholesome relationships, can pull us away from God, from the place where we're meant to be. Really take the time today, men. Take the time and evaluate.
Amen.
Am I in the place where the Lord is serving alongside me, where we are working together to build our relationship and I am working to spread the gospel to the world? Really hammer down on that. And if you identify things that maybe aren't necessarily the place that you should be and the thing that you should be doing, maybe it's time to pull that out. Maybe it's time to stop that. Maybe it's time to stop being found in that place and instead being found somewhere of value, somewhere where the Lord is seeing a work and a fruit in what you're doing. Let me pray for us here, guys, and then we'll close up for today. Lord, thank you so much for your word. Thank you so much that we're able to see all aspects of Christ's life, not just him as a man, but seeing him grow, seeing him do good things. I pray for the men, the saints listening here today to this podcast. I pray that they would have a conviction in their heart to wrestle with, am I finding myself in a place where I am serving the Lord, or am I allowing myself to be found in places of the world? I challenge the men who are listening today, Lord, to really dial in, and I pray that you would speak to their hearts, convict them if they need conviction, Lord. Lord, of the things that they're doing in the places they are that are unwholesome, that are not glorifying to you. For those that are finding themselves in glorifying places, Lord, I pray that you would just show them what a blessing that is and what an encouragement that is to their walk with you, Lord. I do want to lift up John with you— John to you, Lord, as he continues to be in hospital with illness. I just pray that the doctors would do well with him. I pray that you as the great healer would ultimately be the one with your hand on him. I lift up Phil to you as well, Lord, as a worship director who needs the use of his hands. The ongoing pain in his arm is proving troublesome, if not burdensome. I just pray that you would be a hand of healing there as well, Lord. Be with all the unspoken prayers of the saints that are listening here. In your name we pray. Again, guys, if you do have prayer requests that you would like to have prayed for on the podcast, I'm open to doing that. Please just connect via social or directly via email. That's all available down in the podcast description wherever you guys are listening. Those are available. I do check those at least once a week to make sure that I'm not missing anybody that is in need of prayer. So thank you so much for that. I will catch you guys tomorrow with another episode.
Thank you for listening to the Iron Saints Podcast. If you are looking to share your prayer requests, check the description for social media or email to contact the show. Blessings on you all until next time.
