TEXT: Luke 2:41-52
WHEN Jesus was a little boy He lived in the little town of Nazareth. He was always a happy boy as He helped His mother Mary with little errands. He may have helped her carry water from the well. They did not have faucets in the houses like we do now. All the water had to be carried from a well. Perhaps all the people in that little town carried water from the same well.
Jesus helped Joseph in his carpenter shop, too. Jesus played with all the other boys and girls that lived near Him. He had lots of fun and everyone loved Him.
There was one thing that Jesus wanted to do more than anything else. He wanted to go to the big city of Jerusalem and go into the beautiful Temple Church. His mother had taken Him there when He was a little baby but He did not remember about that.
Every year Jesus’ mother and father used to go with all the rest of the people to a meeting at the big Temple. Jerusalem was a long, long way away and everyone had to walk many, many, many days before they got there.
This Special Meeting was called the Feast of the Passover. The people always wanted to remember to thank God for helping them to get away from the real mean king when they were way over in Egypt land. God had sent Moses to take the people out a safe way. Every year from that day on, the people gathered together at the big Temple Church and prayed to God and said, “Thank You” to God for saving them from this mean king. Every year they had the Feast of the Passover. We, too, have a special day called Thanksgiving Day, to thank God for all He gives us.
Jesus wanted to go every year but Joseph would always tell Him to wait until He was a little older.
One wonderful day Joseph said to Jesus, “You are twelve years old now so this time you may go on the trip to Jerusalem and pray in the beautiful Temple Church.”
Oh, how excited and happy Jesus was! He was going to get to go with all these people He had seen going by on the way to Jerusalem.
It was a day in spring when Jesus and Mary and Joseph went with some people who were traveling through the little town of Nazareth. They had to walk all the way. It was a long, long way. The big group of people would walk for a long time in the morning and then stop to camp and rest.
After awhile they came to a narrow place between some little hills. Perhaps they all stopped in the afternoon, put up their tents and Jesus and the other boys got wood for the fire to cook the dinner.
Can’t you hear the children shouting, “Look, I can see the city over there. I can see the top of the Temple. We are almost there.” How excited Jesus must have been. He was going to get to go to that beautiful House of God at last.
Before very long Jesus was standing in front of that beautiful Church. It was made of pretty white stones and had a roof of shining gold. It was much, much prettier than Jesus thought it was going to be. It was the most beautiful Church anywhere around.
Jesus went inside. Oh, how quiet and still He sat while the people prayed. He did not whisper. No one did. This was the House of God. He heard the beautiful music. He listened to the wise men of the country talking about God. Jesus felt very near to God in the Temple Church. He forgot all about its being time to find His mother and father and get ready to start back home after church was over.
Jesus started to talk to these wise, smart men who studied all about God. He was only a boy twelve years old but He knew so much about God that these men were surprised. They asked Him lots and lots of questions that they did not know how to answer and Jesus knew everyone. That was because Jesus was God’s Son. God helped Him to know.
The men talked and talked to Jesus. Jesus was having such a good time in God’s Church talking about God that He forgot all about the people He had come with; He forgot all about everything. All He thought about was the things of God. He was having a wonderful time.
Mary, Joseph and all the rest of the many, many people had started back toward home. They had not missed Jesus. Perhaps He sometimes walked with His mother and sometimes He would walk with His father. When they stopped to make camp, Mary asked, “Where is Jesus?”
Where was Jesus? No one had seen Jesus. Where could He be? Oh, how bad His mother and father felt. They had to find Jesus.
On their way back to the city of Jerusalem they asked everyone they met, “Have you seen Jesus?” They looked and looked but they could not find Him in the city streets. Then they hurried to the Church. Could He be there?
Yes, there was Jesus sitting with all the wise men and talking about God and the things of Heaven.
Mary was so glad to find Him! “Son,” she said, “We have looked everywhere for you. Where have you been?”
Jesus answered: “Why did you seek for me? Did you not know I am now working for my Heavenly Father?” Jesus was God’s Son. He was old enough now to work for God.
Jesus never forgot the time He went to the beautiful Temple Church and talked to the wise men.
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