The Story of Jesus in the Temple as a Young Boy (Luke 2:40-52)

Have you ever wondered about what kind of a person Jesus was when he was a child? Did he ever tell lies or do mean things to hurt other children? No, we know he did not because he was the sinless Son of God. The Bible does not tell us much about Jesus as a child, but it does say “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.” There is a story about Jesus I want to share because I think it gives us a picture of his knowledge and wisdom as a young boy. When Jesus was only twelve years old, something happened that gave his parents quite a scare. In was a custom in that day for great numbers of people to travel together to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship and take part in a yearly feast called the feast of the Passover. They stayed several days and then headed back home, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem and his parents did not know it. They probably thought he was walking with his friends somewhere in the crowd and did not worry at first, but after a day of travel they started looking for him. When his parents learned that no one had seen Jesus, they returned to Jerusalem. They searched for him three days before finding him, and the Bible says, “They found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and questions.” Mary and Joseph were also amazed, but they still told Jesus how concerned they were when they could not find him. Jesus went with them but he also asked them, “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” So, even as a young child, Jesus knew that God was his heavenly Father and that God had a work for him to do. I think God wants all of us to know that, don’t you?