Lesson 9 – The Boy Jesus in the Temple

As a boy, Jesus was found in His Father’s house. In God’s house, I hear His Word, learn that Jesus is my Savior, and receive His gifts of forgiveness and salvation.

Opening

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

This lesson will use the Bible, the Bible Exploration Guide and the Lesson 9 Leaflet from the Student Pack. The front cover shows how the artist sees Jesus asking questions at the Temple. Also paper and pencil will be needed.

This lesson covers another event that takes place in Herod's temple in Jerusalem. On the court's edges, large covered porches, or porticos, allowed people to gather in the shade. Religious teachers often met and debated here.

Watch for these porticos in the video  "History of Jerusalem- part 3 of 12"

What information from the video surprised you? The city population of 100,000 that swelled to 1 million during festivals; the years it took to complete the temple; the thousands of animals sacrificed at religious festivals; or no ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place.

Prayer: O Holy Spirit, open our hearts and minds to the will of Jesus Christ. May Your Word dwell in us richly. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

God Speaks

This lesson tells about Jesus traveling to Jerusalem with His parents when He was twelve years old.

Read Luke 2:41.

Why did Jesus' family travel to Jerusalem every year? Faithful followers of the Lord and the Law of Moses, Jesus' family traveled to the Passover festival.

The Passover was part of the tenth plague God sent to make Pharaoh let the Israelites go, every firstborn Egyptian died. The angel of death “passed over" Jewish homes with lamb blood on the doorposts, sparing their firstborn children and animals.

During the Passover festival, priests sacrificed lambs, which families ate with unleavened bread and other foods that reminded them of God's miracles.

Follow the directions and answer the questions starting on page 2 of the lesson leaflet.

Read Luke 2:41-52

Jesus went to the festival with His family, but what did He do when it was over?  Write your answer on the Jesus side. Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. His parents did not know.

Write how a twelve-year-old might go missing today on the other side. For example, a twelve-year-old today might stay with friends past the expected return time or not check in with parents as planned.

Large groups traveled together to and from festivals. Where did Jesus' parents think He was? With others in their group.

What did Mary and Joseph do when they found Jesus was missing? Write this on your newsprint. They went back to Jerusalem to look for Him.

Write what parents would do today if their child was missing. Parents today would look for their child and probably engage others in the search, even law enforcement if much time passed.

How long was Jesus lost? Where did His parents find Him? What was He doing? Write this on your newsprint. Three days later, they found Him in the temple, sitting with the religious teachers, listening and asking questions.

How had the religious teachers received Jesus? Write this on your newsprint. They were amazed at His understanding and answers.

What did Jesus' parents feel when they found Him? Write this on your newsprint. Astonished, treated badly, greatly distressed

Mary said "Your father and I”, meaning Joseph. Whom did Jesus identify as His Father? Write this on your newsprint. Jesus said He must be in His Father's house, meaning the Lord. Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of Mary, was God's Son. Joseph was Mary's husband and His earthly father, a stepfather of sorts.

Why did Jesus say He stayed in Jerusalem? Write this on your newsprint. To be in God's house. "Jesus must be present in the house of His Father, where the Father's business is transacted, among those to whom this business had been entrusted".  Later, Jesus would suffer, die, and rise again in Jerusalem, completing His mission to save us from our sins.

What would a parent today feel, do, and say when he or she found a missing child? Parents might act relieved, angry, or happy and speak and act accordingly.

How did Mary and Joseph react to Jesus' explanation? Write this on your newsprint. They did not understand Him. Even though angels told both of them that Jesus was God's Son and they experienced other amazing events. Mary and Joseph did not understand Jesus' words.

What does Jesus' submission to His parents say about Him? Write this on your newsprint. Jesus followed the Law, obeyed His parents (Fourth Commandment), and showed respect for their authority, even though He was true God! He went home with them.

How do you think a found twelve-year-old would respond to his or her parents? Write this on your newsprint. Be upset, possibly cry.

How did Mary respond to these things? She treasured them in her heart. Mary and Joseph probably defended their perfect but sometimes perplexing Son and spoke of their pride and admiration.

What happened next for Jesus? He increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. Jesus wouldn't have boasted about His growing wisdom and reputation. As the Gospels show, His wise words challenged sin and injustice, showed love and forgiveness to sinners, and encouraged people.

Continue answering the questions under Debriefing on page 3 of the leaflet.

Jesus' first recorded words are in this account (verse 49). What do they mean for us? Like Mary and Joseph, we often don’t understand God's Word.

We don't understand Jesus' true purpose as God's Holy Son, sent to earth to save us from our sins. Jesus hinted at His purpose when He called the temple His Father's house. He is the Son of the living God, who came to earth to pay for our sin with His perfect life and death on the cross.

Did Jesus sin when He stayed in Jerusalem and in how He answered His parents? Why or why not? No, Jesus never sinned (1 John 3:5). He had to be in His Father’s house because He was God's Son and because of what He would do for us He was obedient and submissive to His parents, not disrespectful or sassy.

Read 1 Peter 2:22-25 (on the page 3 of the leaflet).

What did the sinless Christ do that no other person could do (verse 24)? Death is a consequence for sin (Romans 6:23). But Jesus, although sinless took our sins on Himself in His body on the tree (cross). Jesus paid for our sins, taking the punishment we deserved. No other person could stand in our place, because we all sin.

How did Jesus' actions change reality for all who believe in Him (verses 24-25)? Jesus paid for our sin so that we can die to sin and live as His righteous people,  serving Him with joy. By His wounds we are healed, as prophesied by Isaiah  (53:5).  We were straying sinners, but in Christ, we have returned to God

We Live

Because we're sinful, we sometimes convince ourselves that we don't need worship and Bible stories.

What reasons have you offered or heard others say for not going to church?  I need to sleep. It's boring. The church is full of hypocrites. Faith is personal, my business.  I can worship anywhere. People don't care about me. I don’t like the staff.

For Jesus' sake, God forgives us when we sin and resist hearing His Word. Because of Jesus, we can confidently enter the holy places of God.

On page 4 of the leaflet, read Hebrews 10:19, 22-25 and Colossians 3:16.

Underline or circle phrases and words that tell why we should worship regularly.

What Sacrament does Hebrews 10:22 mention? Baptism

What encouragement do you receive from these verses? God loves us and draws us to Him so that we can hear and grow in His Word. He gathers us in churches to encourage one another, to stir up good works, and to share His love and grace. May you never lose your connection to God and His Church!

Read The Temple Courts on pages 24-25 of the Bible Exploration Guides.

Closing

Listen to the hymn "Jesus! Name of Wondrous Love".