The Childhood of Jesus Luke 2:39-52
Introduction
The years between the birth of Christ and the beginning of his earthly ministry at age 30 are referred to as “the Silent Years.” For some reason known only to God, He has chosen to reveal very little of the childhood, youth, and early manhood of Jesus.
From approximately age 2 thru 30 very little is known except this passage in Luke which relates to us an incident that takes place when Jesus was 12.
Remember, the Bible wasn’t written to satisfy man’s curiosity and answer all our questions.
This morning I want us to notice several things from this passage.
First Let’s notice some things about Jesus background.
I. Jesus Grew Up In Nazareth – a city in Israel
Ill. – A few years ago when I was finishing up my Degree, I took a test thru Dantes on Religions of the world. One of the questions was where Jesus grew up and learned his teachings. None of the 5 choices they gave was true. The one they wanted you to choose was that Jesus grew up in India and learned His teachings there.
New Age thinking is that Jesus, Buddha, and Krishna are the same. The Theology of Oprah.
II. Jesus Didn’t Remain a Baby – Vs. 40
1. He grew Physically
2. He grew Intellectually
3. He grew Spiritually
He needed to mature and develop like any child.
To walk – To talk – To read – To work
III. Jesus Had a Normal Childhood
Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
1. He had Brothers and Sisters.
Ill. I don’t mean to be irreverent but how would you like to have had a brother like Jesus? (Pardon my odd sense of humor.)
* Why can’t you be like Jesus? He never ect.
* How would you like to have played hide and seek with Jesus? How did you find me so fast? (Jesus didn’t use his attributes of deity like that)
2. He learned a Trade – A Carpenter (Did He ever hit his thumb with a hammer?)
IV. This is the Last Mention of Joseph.
Why? What happened to him? The scriptures are silent.
Now let’s look more deeply at this passage of Scripture.
V. Forgetting Jesus
They took Jesus to the Temple every year but God has only chosen to tell us about his twelfth year. Vs. 41,42
Jesus was 12, he was BAR-MITZVAH...meaning he had become a man, the meaning of "bar-mitzvah" is "son of the commandments"!
* The Mistakes of Joseph and Mary
1. Jesus wasn’t with them and they didn’t realize it. Vs. 43
2. They forgot Him. Vs. 44 (They supposed)
3. They looked for Jesus in the wrong places. Vs. 44
* They Found Him in the Temple. Vs. 46
1. He was teaching the teachers.
2. The first recorded words of Jesus. Vs. 49
Balancing the Humanity and Deity of Christ
Conclusion
Vs. 48 – They sought after Jesus sorrowing.
They forgot Jesus – Have you?
They sought after Jesus sorrowing - Have you?
