The Boy Jesus In The Temple Series

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

January 4, 2026

Dr. Bradford Reaves

Crossway Christian Fellowship

Luke 2:41-51

INTRODUCTION — A MOMENT OF REVELATION

Even as a twelve-year-old boy, Jesus reveals His divine identity, His submission to the Father’s will, and His call for us to prioritize the things of God above all else. Every parent knows the moment when a child does or says something that suddenly reveals who they truly are becoming. It’s like the veil gets pulled back for just a second… and you glimpse their heart, their direction, their identity. Luke 2 gives us that moment for the world— a glimpse into the identity of the incarnate Son of God at twelve years old.

This is the only inspired record of Jesus’ childhood, and God put it here for one reason: To reveal that the mission, mind, and identity of Jesus were divine from the beginning.

I. THE FAMILY’S FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. (Luke 2:41–42)

Mary and Joseph were faithful worshipers. Not holiday-only worshipers. Not CEO Christians. Not casual worshipers. They obeyed the Law. They loved the Lord. Their family life revolved around the things of God.

Jesus grew up in a home where Scripture was honored, where worship mattered, and where obedience wasn’t optional. Mary and Joseph were not perfect parents, but they were faithful ones. They built their family life around the rhythms of God’s Word, the festivals of God’s people, and the commandments God had given. The atmosphere of their home was one of reverence—morning prayers, evening reflections, synagogue readings, conversations shaped by the Law and the prophets.

Jesus’ earliest memories would have been filled with the sound of Scripture, the sight of sacrifice, and the example of parents who took God seriously. Though He was the eternal Son of God, in His humanity He was shaped by a home that cherished the things of God. This simple, consistent devotion laid the human foundation upon which His earthly ministry would unfold, reminding us that God often uses everyday faithfulness to cultivate extraordinary spiritual formation.

According to a nationwide survey by Barna Group, among adults who regularly attended church as children, 61% still attend regularly as adults. In contrast, among those who did not attend church as children, 78% continue to stay away from church services.

The same study found that adults raised in church-going families are about twice as likely as those raised without church to read the Bible weekly, attend worship regularly, and pray often.

When looking at family structure and parenting, data suggests children from married, two-parent families are more likely to attend church weekly than children raised by single parents: in one survey, about 64% of children from married parents attended weekly, compared to 51% from single-parent homes.

Other research (focusing on the influence of the father’s church involvement) reported that if the father attends church regularly — regardless of the mother’s attendance — between two-thirds and three-quarters of their children end up attending church as adults.

On the other hand, if parents raised a child in a home with little or no church attendance or religious engagement, the likelihood that the child will become an adult church-attender drops dramatically.

These statistics show that a home committed to regular worship, Scripture, and obedience — especially when both parents are engaged, or at least the father is — significantly increases the odds that children will carry faith into adulthood.

Why does Luke even bother telling us about Mary and Joseph’s yearly obedience? Because faithfulness in the home is often the soil where God reveals His greatest work. This moment in Jesus’ life doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It unfolds in a home committed to God.

II. JESUS STAYS BEHIND — THE DIVINE COMPULSION EMERGES

And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. (Luke 2:43–45)

Nothing in the text indicates that Jesus was acting in rebellion or disobedience. In the ancient world, large family groups and entire villages often traveled together to Jerusalem for major feasts. These caravans provided safety, community, and companionship on long, dangerous roads. Men traveled with men, women with women, and children moved freely among relatives and trusted friends. It was entirely normal for a twelve-year-old boy—standing on the threshold between childhood and adulthood—to move between the men’s group and the children’s group. Mary naturally assumed He was with Joseph; Joseph naturally assumed He was with Mary or among the other boys. In other words, this was a moment shaped by cultural norms, not parental neglect and certainly not childish rebellion.