Year B. 1st Term. Lesson 2. JESUS SERIES: Boy Jesus in the Temple

Scripture: for teacher background:  Luke 2:41-52

Making contact:

Discuss with the children how it feels when adults don’t want them around - when they have to be “seen and not heard”.

Get the teachers or even some of the children to do 2 role-plays where they act out a meal at a table.

 In the first scene the children are reprimanded and told to be quiet, or better still to run along and play outside. In the 2nd scene the children are included in the discussion. 

They are asked their opinion and they join in, feeling very welcome.

The discussion topic could be - Should children be allowed in church with the adults for part of the worship time before coming to Sunday school/Children's Church?

Or

Do children understand the things of God and the Bible and how old should they be to start learning about Jesus?

 Exploration:

Every year at spring time Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem for the yearly Passover Festival. (This was to celebrate God rescuing His people out of Egypt)

When Jesus was 12, He went with them, joining in all the crowds of visitors that flocked to Jerusalem. 

It was a long way from Nazareth and they walked with many other people.

Then it was time to go home. 

Mary and Joseph walked a whole day, thinking Jesus was with His friends somewhere in the crowd, but they realized at evening time that He was missing. 

The next morning they had to travel back to Jerusalem. 

Another whole day passed before they found Him – He was in the temple discussing things about God with the teachers and rabbis there. 

These teachers were amazed at His knowledge and understanding of God. 

Jesus seemed surprised when Mary asked him why He had got them so worried. “Didn’t you know I had to be here, in my Father’s house?”

Mary puzzled over His answer. This was not an ordinary boy. They returned to Nazareth and Jesus grew and obeyed them always.

Application

 Get someone to testify how they have loved growing up in the church and attending lots of church functions and feeling very much part of the church and loved by the people, also how they are involved in mission work.

Church is a place for everyone and the children are very special.

Ask the minister if the children can go into the service for a while and maybe take part in a small way or share in communion.

It is important to honour our parents as Jesus did.

In the 10 commandments, this commandment is the only one with a promise – “Respect your father and your mother, so that you may live a long time in the land that I am giving you.” Exodus 20:12.

Get the children to now do role-plays on different situations where they are respecting and honouring their parents.

 Challenge to Mission

If we really love our Lord Jesus and the church, then what are we doing to help the church and to help people?

How are we showing our love for Jesus? 

Are we helping to feed the hungry?

 Are we involved in a mission that our church does? 

Maybe only adults are helping in a certain mission. 

Let’s go up to them and ask if we can help in any way.

 Consolidation

There is a worksheet with a picture of Jesus in the temple. There is the outline of a church and the children can write or draw what their mission is - what they are doing or would like to do to help the church in mission work.

Memory verse

“Jesus grew and became strong. He was full of wisdom and God’s blessings were upon Him.”

Luke 2:40