Intermediate Level, Block 9—Biographies of Jesus
Week 83
Jesus—Caring for His Heavenly Father but Being Subject to His Parents
Point to Emphasize: As we grow, we need to obey our parents and be subject to them.
Reading Reference: Luke 2:40-52
Memory Verse: Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready unto every good work. (Titus 3:1)
Sample Story
When Jesus turned twelve, He traveled with his parents from Nazareth to Jerusalem in a large company of relatives and friends to attend the Feast of Passover. After keeping the Feast of the Passover for seven days, they all journeyed back home. As the large company of people headed back to Nazareth, Joseph and Mary expected to find Jesus with one of their relatives or among their friends. But after a day of traveling and seeking Jesus among the company, they could not find Him. What had happened? Where was He? They returned to Jerusalem to search for Him, and spent three days looking everywhere in the city. They were so concerned! Where was Jesus? Why had He not traveled back with them? As parents, they were worried. Had He been harmed? Mary, His mother, was distressed at not being able to find Him.
They finally found him! Do you know what Jesus had been doing all this time? He had been in the temple (where the Jewish people went to worship God at that time), sitting with the Jewish teachers. These were teachers of God’s Word. But here was a twelve-year-old sitting in the midst of Jewish teachers in the temple just as though He was one of them. He was listening to them and then asking them very good questions. He was joining in on their discussion of God’s Word at the same level they were at. WOW!! Talk about amazing! Luke 2:47 says, “And all those who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and at His answers.”
Then verses 48-49 say, ”And when they saw Him, they were astounded; and His mother said to Him, Child, why have You treated us like this? Behold, Your father and I, being greatly distressed, have been seeking You. And He said to them, Why is it that you were seeking Me? Did you not know that I must be in the things of My Father?”
This twelve-year-old boy was filled with wisdom and the Word of God to the point that He was presenting the Word to the teachers in the temple. Jesus understood that He had to be in the things of His Father God. He displayed His wisdom in the temple and His interest for the things of God.
He was the Son of God, and at twelve years of age, He could sit as an equal among many Jewish teachers of God’s Word. Yet He went back with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth, and He was subject to them. This means that He still kept Himself under their authority and their control. So often, as children, we think, “Oh, when I grow up, I will do whatever I want to. I won’t have to listen to what my parents say then!” But do you know what? Even though my mom lived to be 91 and lived with us in our house where I could have been the “boss”, I would still go to her for advice on handling matters. [Storyteller, use your personal example.]
But here is Jesus, a boy of twelve deciding that He would remain under the authority and control of His parents. And because He decided this, He advanced in wisdom and stature and in grace before God and men. He was a blessed boy growing up to full manhood.
I would hope that we would also care for the things of God. Even at your age, you can care for God by reading your Bible, coming to children’s meetings, and thanking God for all you have. Obeying and being subject to your parents also pleases God. Jesus was one who, on one hand, wanted to be in the things related to God, and yet, on the other hand, was subject to His parents. How more much more we should also be subject to our parents. Then, when the time is right, we will be ready to serve God, just as Jesus did.