Children’s Sermon

Luke 2:41-52

Obedience of a Son

By Lois Parker Edstrom

Would it surprise you to know that when Jesus was a child he did something that caused his parents to be very worried about him?

Jesus is the Son of God, but he also came into the world as a baby. When he was twelve years old, he traveled with his parents to Jerusalem for a festival (of the Passover.) There were many people in the city for this celebration. When the festival was over his parents left to go back to their home. They thought Jesus was with the large group of family and friends, who were traveling together, but Jesus had stayed behind in the city and his parents did not know it.

His parents traveled one entire day before they realized that Jesus was not with them. They began looking for him among their friends and relatives. Then they returned to the city and searched for him for three days.

They finally found Jesus in the temple. He was “sitting in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions” (2:46). “All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers” (2:47).

Can you imagine how his parents would have felt? His mother said, “Son, why have you treated us this way?” (2:48). Your father and I have been searching for you and we have been very worried.

Jesus explained to them that he had been in God’s house, learning and speaking about God.

He then left with his parents to return to his home. The Bible tells us the most important part of the story: “He was subject (obedient) to them” (2:51).
Jesus was a good son who did as his parents asked. He was a human child who became wiser as he grew older. He pleased both God and his parents by his obedience and his love.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible

Copyright 2009, Richard Niell Donovan