I’m sure someone among our group has a 12-year-old
boy. If you do not have one yourself, I’m
sure at some point you have known one.
Boys at this age tend to like to play with their friends. Maybe ride bikes, play sports, or many other
things. When you think of 12-year-old
boys, you probably don’t think of a kid that wants to be at the Temple,
listening and asking questions among a group of teachers.
Luke 2:41-52
The Boy
Jesus at the Temple
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of
the Passover. When he
was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was
over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in
Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their
company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among
their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to
Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple
courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them
questions. Everyone
who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him,
they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated
us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
“Why were
you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my
Father’s house?” But they
did not understand what he was saying to them.
Then he
went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother
treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom
and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Here Jesus was, as an ordinary man (boy) doing extraordinary
things. How often do we take the time to sit among others to listen and ask
questions? While Jesus was at the
temple, we can gather anywhere to take the time to be with our Heavenly
Father.