Jesus becomes a man (2 things) vs. 41-52

• 1^st – Godly parenting… ( 2 things) vs. 41-45
  • 1^st – Setting a Godly example… vs. 41
    • Every year Joseph and Mary would go to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover…
      • There were 7 feast that God gave to Israel – Leviticus 23

• Three required feasts – Passover (Pesach) / Pentecost (Shavuot) / Rosh Hashanah…
• Every Jewish man – over the age of 20 – was required to attend in Jerusalem…
• Joseph and Mary set a good example for their children – obeying the Law of God…
• Our children will ultimately have to make their own choice to follow Jesus…
• But by living for Jesus – we can give them a strong example to follow…
• When I was a teenager I choose to rebel against my parents / Jesus / everything…
• But the one thing I could not do – was deny that Jesus was real…
• I had seen Jesus in my father for years – in his unconditional love for me…
• In the way he daily read his Bible – the joy in his face when he talked about Jesus…
• That example eventually led me back to the Lord – brought me back to Jesus!
• Dads & Moms – show your kids Jesus – when they grow up they will follow Him too!

• Not just in words – but in our actions – our children will follow in our footsteps…
• Especially fathers – dads you set the example your children will follow…
• Recent study – if Mom & Dad attend church, 72% of their children remain faithful
• If only the Dad, 55% remain faithful / If the only Mom, 15%
• If neither attended regularly – only 6% remain faithful to following the Lord!
• The feast of Passover was the most important of all the feasts…
  • History of the Jewish feast of ‘Passover’…
  • The nation of Israel had been in captivity – slaves for 400 years – Exodus 12
  • God sent Moses to deliver them from the Pharaoh – bring them out of bondage…
  • God sent 10 plagues on the Egyptians – ending with the Death Angel (1^st born)…
  • The Jews were spared – IF – they put the blood of a lamb on their doors…
  • Then the Death Angel would “Pass-over” them and they would be saved…
  • It was through the “Passover” God brought his people our of slavery / bondage…
  • The feast of Passover was required every year since (3000 years) – to remember…
  • It turns out not only to remember – it looked forward to the salvation of all men…
• 2^nd – Teaching our children… vs. 42-45
  • Jesus went with His parents to the Passover when He was 12 years old…
    • This does not mean Jesus had not gone with His parents before…
    • 12 years old is a very important age in the Jewish faith – when a boy becomes a man…
    • The ceremony is called a Bar Mitzvah – meaning ‘Son of the commandment’…
    • It meant the child/man was morally responsible for his actions…
    • It meant the child/man had to understand and follow the 613 Laws of the Torah!
    • For the 1^st time Jesus was going to Jerusalem as a man – not a boy…
    • For the 1^st time others would take what He said seriously – not just as childish words…
    • Dads & Mom – are children understand a lot more than we give them credit for…
    • Hold your kids accountable to for their actions – they know right from wrong…
      • Don’t be afraid to lovingly punish you children – teach them consequences…
      • Proverbs 23:13 – “Don’t fail to correct your kids. They won’t die if you spank them.”
      • If we as parents do not teach our kids – they will be ill equipped for the real world!
      • * Hebrews 12:6 -“For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children.”
      • God teaches us through disciple – not out of anger – but to show His love!
      • Discipline teaches us boundaries – keeps us from things that would harm us…
      • If your child runs out into the road – you spank them – not because you’re angry…
      • But you want to keep them safe – teach them to stay away from danger…
      • In the same way teach your kids to stay away from sin – that can destroy them!
    • Encourage your children to be in the Word – to daily read their Bible…
      • Not just Bible stories – but let them dig into the Word – they can handle it…
      • Encourage them to ask questions – to investigate and explore their faith…
      • Not just hanging onto their parent’s faith – but let them get to know Jesus personally!
  • After the Passover – everyone went home – but Jesus lingered at the Temple…
    • Lingered – hupomeno – Jesus choose to ‘abide’ in the presence of the Father…
    • * John 15:4 – “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
    • Jesus knew at a young age – it was only by abiding in God you have a fruitful life…
    • Every parent wants their children to be successful – to have a fruitful life…
    • We give them the best education we possibly can – teach them to work hard…
    • But so often we miss the key ingredient – teach them to abide in Jesus…
    • The only way our kids will be successful – fruitful in life – is in Christ!
  • A day’s journey outside Jerusalem…
    • Joseph and Mary had come in a Caravan from Nazareth – LOTS of people…
    • They left Jerusalem assuming Jesus with their relatives or with some friends…
    • When they searched for Him (Imperfect) at the end of the 1^st day – He was not there!
    • Panicked – they immediately returned to Jerusalem to find Him…
    • How many parents have had that horrifying realization – a very natural reaction!
    • What troubles my heart – is when parent don’t care were their kids are…
    • Parents who let their kids be out all night at a disco – or a school party…
    • But are hesitant – even refuse – to let their kids go to church – hang out with the Lord…
    • Cherish the gifts that God has given to you – your children – watch over them…
    • Know where you children are – keep them from things that will harm them…
    • But at the same time – encourage them to seek after the Lord!
    • III John 1:4 -“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children live in the truth.”
      
• 2^nd – Standing up for the truth… (2 things) vs. 46-52
  • 1^st – Correcting those who are wrong…
    • After 3 days they found Jesus in the Temple…
      • Interesting foreshadowing – at Passover – Jesus was lost for 3 days before being found…
      • In just a few short years – again on Passover – Jesus would be back in the Temple…
      • Falsely accused He would be turned over to the Romans and crucified…
      • But 3 days later – He would rise again – having paid the price of sin once and for all!
      • He would be the Lamb of God – sacrificed so sin and death would ‘Pass-over’ us!
    • They found Jesus in the midst of the teachers – listening & asking (demanding)…
      • One has to wonder at the content of those conversations…
      • I am sure the ‘teachers’ were sharing their ‘great’ knowledge of God’s Law…
      • And here comes Jesus – a little boy – listening to their ‘wisdom’…
      • e.g. – ‘If you try really hard – and are a good person – you will be able to go to heaven’…
      • All the while Jesus knew the only answer for sin – was the cross He would one day bear!
    • Jesus could only listen to their answers for so long – then He had to challenge them!
      • Just because someone is older – or has more education – does not make them right…
      • Not that we should be disrespectful – Jesus patiently listened to these ‘teachers’…
      • But in the end He stood up for truth – He stood on God’s Word!
      • One day a university professor challenged his students with this question. Did God create everything that exists? A student bravely replied, ‘Yes, he did!’ The professor answered, ‘If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are then God is evil’.
      • Another student raised his hand and said, ‘Can I ask you a question professor?’
      • The student stood up and asked, ‘Professor, does cold exist?’ ‘What kind of question is this? Of course it exists!’
      • The young man replied, ‘In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat.’
      • The student continued, ‘Professor, does darkness exist?’  The professor responded, ‘Of course it does.’
      • The student replied, ‘Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present.’
      • Finally the young man asked the professor, ‘Sir, does evil exist?’  Now uncertain, the professor responded, ‘Of course as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world.’
      • To this the student replied, ‘Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, or love that exist just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. It’s like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.” 
      • We must also be willing to stand up for what is true – stand up for Jesus!
    • Everyone who heard Jesus’ answers were amazed (Imperfect)…
      • Amazed by His answers – that God’s solution for sin was ‘Passover’!
      • Amazed because a 12-year-old boy – son of a poor carpenter – silenced the wisest men!
      • * Acts 4:13 – “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”
      • No one expects us to make a stand – no one thinks we have anything to say…
      • When we stand up for God’s Word – the world will stand amazed…
    • Even Joseph and Mary were ‘Blown Away’ by Jesus…
      • They couldn’t believe their little 12 year old boy – was debating with religious scholars!
      • Not only was Jesus debating – the suggestion is He was winning the arguments!
      • This ‘little boy’ was humbling the elite of Jerusalem!
      • When our kids are full of God’s Word – encouraged to stand for Jesus…
      • Dads & Moms – you will be amazed the wisdom that comes from your children…
      • I had a great pastor once tell me – ‘I am amazed sometimes my kids prove me wrong’…
  • 2^nd – Growing in the Lord…
    • I must be about my Father’s house…
      • Joseph and Mary had fretted for 3 days as to where Jesus might be…
      • Jesus made it clear there was only one place He could have been – His Father’s house!
      • Joseph and Mary did not understand – he was not at ‘Joseph’s house’…
      • But then again – Joseph was not Jesus’ Father – Jesus here claims God is His Father!
      • When I was 18 – my father took me aside and told me – ‘You are no longer my son’…
      • I had been a tough teenager – but never been disowned – I wondered what I’d done…
      • His point was I belonged to God now – his job was done – he had led me to Jesus!
      • Dads & Moms – the greatest gift we can give to our kids – is to make them God’s kids!
    • Jesus went with His ‘parents’ to Nazareth – and was subject to them…
      • Jesus would patiently wait 18 years till the time came to begin His ministry – Luke 3:23  
      • Until then He would follow in Joseph’s footsteps and learn to be a carpenter – Mark 6:3
      • So often we want to mature in the Lord – be used by God – right now…
      • But God is not in a rush – and it takes time to be prepared by the Lord…
      • You don’t plant a seed – and expect there to be fruit on the braches in the morning…
      • And often the best fruit – takes the longest to mature and ripen…
      • As we are faithful to abide in Jesus – stand up for His Word…
      • In God’s time we will bear great fruit – be used powerfully for the Lord!
      • Side note: This is the last time we read about Joseph in the Bible
      • It is thought he must have died sometime before Jesus began His public ministry…
    • Mary closely guarded these things in her heart…
      • Mary did not understand all that was taking place – but she was taking it all in…
      • She thought about it – putting the pieced together one by one…
      • Trying to understand what it all meant – the purpose for God becoming a man…
      • Dads and Moms – we don’t know the plan God has for our kids…
      • But as we give them a good example – lead them to Jesus…
      • Giving them loving correction – encouraging them to abide in God’s Word…
      • Like Jesus who increased in wisdom / age (grew older) / and grace with God and men…
      • We will see our kids grow up – not just in age – but also in their walk with the Lord!