Remember those handouts in elementary school? The teacher would pass out drawings with the question at the bottom, “What’s wrong with this picture?” We’d look closely for something that didn’t fit. A barnyard scene with a skyscraper near the water trough. A classroom with a hippo seated on the back row. We’d ponder the picture and point to the building or hippo and say, “This doesn’t fit.” Something is out of place. Something is absurd. Skyscrapers don’t belong in barnyards. Hippos don’t attend class...God was never a Tween.However, as absurd as it may seem, God WAS once a tween.
A tween is a person between 10-12 years of age. They are not quite a teenager but are SO close to being one. A girl tween is said to be too old for toys, but too young for boys. Boys and girls in this awkward stage of life feel older than their parents think they are and long to be taken more seriously.
Yep, Jesus was once a tween.
Luke 2:41-52 (NIV)"Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When He was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After the Feast 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 men."
Lets consider what this passage has to teach us.
First, lets look at HOW JESUS WAS RAISED.
1. Jesus was taken to worship.
The Scripture tells us in Luke 2:41-42 (NIV) “Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When He was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.”
Even though God shared their soup they WENT outside of their home to worship. And so should we!
Hebrews 10:25 (NIV) “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
2. Jesus was left behind.
Translation: Jesus' earthy parents were not perfect! This was the original "Home Alone."
Luke 2:43-46a (NIV) “After the Feast 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...”
On the return home from their trip to Jerusalem, His parents did not realize He was not with them until they had gone a long way. The “three days” refer to the time since they had left the city. They had traveled one day’s journey away from the city; it took them a second day to get back; they found Him on the following day. And we can be assured that it was a LONG three days!
Have you ever lost a kid? Mary can relate.
Another thing we can take away from this passage of scripture is HOW JESUS AMAZED.
Luke 2:46-47 (NIV)tells us, “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.”
Jesus was interacting with the teachers of the Law, listening and asking intelligent questions. It says that “Everyone who heard Him was amazed” Literally it means that the everyone was "beside themselves in amazement.” They were witnessing a child prodigy!
Mary and Joseph were "astonished" (literally "struck out of their senses”) Luke 2:48-50 (NIV)“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.”
In response to Mary’s question about why He had treated them in this manner, Jesus drew a sharp distinction between them and God, His true Father. His statement confirmed that He knew His mission and that His parents also should have known about His mission. However, His parents did not understand this.
Jesus was basically telling them: “My Father is God and I must be in His house.
The word “must” was often on Jesus lips:
• Luke 4:43 (NIV) “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God...”
• Luke 9:22 (NIV) “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected...”
• John 3:14 (NIV) “...the Son of Man must be lifted up”
Jesus would continue to Amaze!
In closing lets see HOW JESUS SPENT HIS DAYS.
1. Jesus was obedient.
Luke 2:51 (NIV) “Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured all these things in her heart.”
I like what The Bible Reader's Companion had to say about this verse: “When we see Jesus choose to submit to parents we realize a vital and basic truth. Submission is not an act of an inferior or an admission of inferiority!”
Phil 2:5-8 (NIV) “ Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
Eph 6:1 (NIV) “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”
2. Jesus was intentional.
Luke 2:52 (NIV) “...Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
Jesus GREW in every way (spiritually, mentally, and physically) and in favor with God and men. (People liked Him...He was invited to parties!)
The word “grew” used in Luke 2:52 literally means to “cut one’s way forward” Picture a machete in the Amazon Rain Forest!
Folks, its a “jungle out there” and you have to be intentional if your going to make progress in it!” Jesus teaches us how to spend our days...to make the most of every day! Have some goals. Don’t wait for life to happen to you—make things happen. Cut your way forward—be intentional. Don’t be happy with where you are at. GROW.
Jesus grew in a balanced way without neglecting any part of life, and His priority was to do the will of His Father. He knew how to listen and how to ask the right questions. He learned how to work, and He was obedient to those God the Father placed in authority over Him.
THERE WAS NO ROOM IN HIS LIFE FOR EXCUSES: The Boy Jesus grew up in a large family, in a despised city, nurtured by parents who were probably poor. The Jewish religion was at an all-time low, the Roman government was in control, and society was in a state of fear and change. And yet, when Jesus emerged from Nazareth, 18 years later, God the Father was able to say (Luke 3:22): “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
He said that about His boy BEFORE He began His earthly ministry. God was proud of what His Son did with His life--as a tween and every day in between. :)
I want to make God proud like that!
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