Today, on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. There is no sense. that Jesus sinned In not being with his parents. Rather, the parents should have known where he was. And he said to them, Why were you looking for me?
Do you not know? But I must be in my father's house. And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. Welcome to the Verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. When Mary and Joseph realized their 12-year-old son was missing, they searched frantically.
Where did they finally find him? In the temple, sitting among the teachers, asking questions and giving answers that amazed everyone. Today we're examining the only recorded incident from Jesus' boyhood. with a message titled The Father's House. Here's Pastor John Monroe.
Have you ever wondered about the childhood of Jesus? The Gospels of Matthew and Luke give details about the birth of Jesus. For example, Matthew deals with the wise men and Luke the shepherds. The next time Jesus appears in Matthew and Mark is when he begins his public ministry. But between his birth and his baptism by John the Baptist, Luke opens a window.
and gives us a vignette of the boyhood of Jesus. The text expressly says that he was twelve years old. and gives this fascinating account of Jesus in the Temple. We see that he's growing physically and spiritually. and we get some sense of his relationship with his parents.
So Let's look at this intriguing passage in Luke chapter 2, which is very instructive about the boyhood of Jesus. Uh We continue in the series and look. And we're learning that Dr. Luke has a great love for children. And now we learn something of our Lord when he was twelve years old.
Now, there are some spurious, some fictitious so-called gospels that profess to write. About the boyhood of Jesus.
Some of them are absolutely foolish, as they have Jesus as a boy making Pigeons from clay. On another occasion, they say that when Jesus is working with his father Joseph, the carpenter, Joseph cuts a piece of wood too short and Jesus uses his supernatural powers to make the piece of wood longer. Also an incident when Jesus deals with some very rude boys and he turns them into goats. Later, when they repent, they come back. To their boyhood, utter nonsense, of course.
And as we think of such. Fictitious statements about our Lord, they don't ring true, do they? They don't ring true to the Jesus that we know, the biblical Jesus. The one Who is the Lord? from heaven.
But Luke has told us, he gives us meticulous research. He's told us as he began his gospel in chapter 1 that he has researched, he's listened to people, he's read everything he knows about the life and death and glorious resurrection of our Lord. And now he gives us this incident that we're going to read and we're going to look at. He may have received it directly from Mary, we don't know. was a fascinating incident when our Lord was twelve years old.
Now let's Read the account. I hope you've come with your Bible. Luke chapter 2. And we're going to read from verse 39 To the end of the chapter. Here's the word of God to us.
Today? Look to verse Thirty nine. And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, They return into Galilee. to their own town of Nazareth, Joseph and Mary coming. From the district of Galilee to the north and to the town of Nazareth.
So they go home. Verse forty, very important verse. And the child grew. and became strong. Filled with wisdom.
and the favor of God. was upon him.
Now, his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, They went up according to the custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't know it. 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.
And when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem searching for him. After three days, They found him In the temple. sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding. And his answers And when his pen saw him, they were astonished.
And his mother said to him, Son, Why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress. And he said to them, Why were you looking for me? Do you not know? that I must be in my father's house.
And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them. and came to Nazareth. and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all of these things in her heart.
And Jesus Increase in wisdom. and in stature. and in favor with God. Aren't you glad that Luke gives us This unique account Of the boyhood of Jesus. First of all, we saw as we read, there is a lost son.
Mary Joseph and Jesus, possibly with other relatives, they travel to Jerusalem.
Now this may have been the first time uh that Jesus was in Jerusalem other than the time when he was presented as a baby, as we saw a couple of weeks ago. And you can imagine this boy. 12 years old, being fascinated by the bustling Jerusalem, very different from the little town of Nazareth, where he grew up in his first 12 years. And Jerusalem was particularly busy because this was the time of Passover. In Israel.
Males were to attend the three annual festivals of Passover. Tabernacles. and Pentecost. Passover was the celebration of Israel's great deliverance from the slavery of Egypt, you will recall.
Now women and children were not obligated to attend the feast of the Passover, but on this occasion, as is clear from Luke's account, Mary is there and also their twelve-year-old son, Jesus. It was a responsibility. According uh to the law. For our fathers to explain the meaning of the Passover to the children, just as fathers would explain, I trust, the meaning of communion or baptism to the children. And so I'm sure That Joseph had sat down Uh with his son.
Jesus and explained to him about the Passover. We wonder, don't we, if As Jesus did that, did he know? that his son Let's see, what was the alleged father? Did he understand this boy in his home? Was to be the Lamb of God to end all of the Passover sacrifices.
But here we read that Mary and Joseph lose Jesus. They celebrate the Passover feast. They may have been for about a week in Jerusalem. And now they return to Nazareth. People are traveling together.
You've got to understand this. There's no cars, there's no trains, there's certainly no aeroplanes. This is 2,000 years ago. And they're walking together. They would walk together in a community for the fellowship and also for protection.
uh from robbers and wild animals. We know from the Psalms, the Psalms of Ascent are the Psalms of the pilgrims, Psalms 120 through 134, that the pilgrims, as they went up to Jerusalem and as they returned, would be singing these Psalms and Psalms of Ascent. Children. and women may have traveled together. Men and the older boys Together.
So possibly As the crowd Mary and Joseph, and others in the community of Nazareth, possibly some of their relatives, as they're on their way back to Nazareth. Mary may well have assumed that Jesus was with Joseph, and Joseph may have assumed that Jesus was with. Mary. And defined. After the first night.
That he's not with them. You can't imagine Mary as one of these helicopter mothers, can you? And Jesus Obviously, it was a trustworthy Young man? He was reliable. They would not have been worrying about him.
As they traveled, Back to Nazareth. Mary's focus may have been on the younger children. But we can imagine the consternation, the anxiety. When Mary and Joseph realize, probably at the end of the first day of travel, that Jesus is not with them.
Now in that culture Jesus at 12 years old, we read that in verse 42. When he was 12 years old, they went up according to the custom. This boy is 12 years old. And in that culture, Jewish culture, he's almost a young man. He can take care of himself.
At 13 years old, Jesus is going to become a full member of the synagogue.
Now this culture is very very different from our culture here in the United States because of our crime and so on We are unusually protective of children, and in many cases, rightly so, although it does have. the consequence of our children really being in some cases brought up in cotton wool doesn't it? Did you know? That during the Civil War in this country, boys of twelve served as buglers and Drummer boys. In the army?
Imagine that boy of twelve. going off to war. My own grandfather left school when he was 12. And he went to sea as a fisherman. No, he wasn't fishing on Lake Norman.
This is the North Sea, fishing for a herring in the stormy weather of the North Sea in a boat of 14. He's the assistant cook and he's twelve years old.
Someone gave me just the other day for my birthday book of Sean Connery. Scotsman, and the book is called Being a Scot. And I was reading it the other night, and he said he left school when he was 14. He was born in 19 Jean Connery went on to do other things, of course, which I won't mention. What I'm saying is that in other cultures Think back to your grandfather, great-grandfather's time.
Some of you come from other countries, boys became men of very, very Quickly.
Now we're in a society where we call 25-year-old men kids. I'm glad to say I was brought up in a culture where you were sub being called a kid when you were ten years old.
So twenty five year old Men, boys. Don't act like a little boy. Parents don't treat. Young men as little. Boys.
I read the other day, at least in the UK, maybe it's a fad that's hit the United States. There are these soft toys called plushies apparently. Uh I'd never heard of them. Please don't give me one. And these are soft ties.
And apparently they are big sellers for millennials.
Now Millennial is somebody born after 1981. And generation Z. Can you imagine? A twenty-five, thirty year old Young man. Or young.
Woman going into store. and buying a soft Yeah. This is the kind of society we live in, don't we? Where Our children seem to take a long time to grow up. particularly Armen.
30-year-old men still behaving like little boys.
So maybe it's difficult for us to think of a culture where parents are making a journey and they've got a 12-year-old son and it takes them all day to realize that he's not with them. Although we have had parents leave their children here at Calvary. come in two cars, they think one is with the mother, one's with the father, and they're left here. And uh we quickly call the parents and say please take this young man or young woman. Home.
There is no sense that Jesus sinned in not being with his Pens. Rather, the parents should have known where he was. It takes three days for the parents to discover that Jesus is, in fact, in the temple in Jerusalem. Remember, there's no phones. They possibly traveled one day.
Fine, but Jesus is not there. Have another day. They've probably tw traveled about twenty miles or so. They've got to travel another day's journey back to Jerusalem and perhaps spend a day searching for him. And they then discover Jesus in the temple.
Now what's he doing? Jesus is sitting among the teachers. There must have been great relief from Mary and Joseph when they realize that Jesus is all right. He's not being attacked by an animal. He's not being.
Attacked by a robber, he's well and he's in the temple. But there, of course, there is great astonishment, verse 46. After three days They found him in the temple. That's Harry's Temple. Sitting among the teachers.
Can you see her? Listening to them. and asking them questions. And all who heard him. We were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And then Mary shows her anxiety, her understandable distress, by asking the question.
Son. Why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great. Distress. Here is Mary's twelve-year-old son.
sitting among the theologians of the day. Not only listening to them. but answering their questions. and asking them questions. If you're a teacher, if you're a parent, At least if you're a good teacher, good parent, you love it.
when your children, students ask you questions. I know when I'm teaching a membership class, When you're teaching in a Bible study as many of you do. when you're teaching a live group. Not just there to give a lecture, are you? You're there to listen to the questions.
I used to ask our son Christopher when he came back from school, have you asked any good questions? Bad teachers don't like questions. They get defensive. They want to give a little lecture. They want to keep to their notes.
But Jesus is there. Knowing the Holy Scriptures. being taught them no doubt by Mary and Joseph, Also sitting in the synagogue of Nazareth, and he knows his Bible. Yes, he's 12 years old. but he's able to interact.
with the religious teachers of the day. Who knew the scriptures, who had been studying it for many, many years. And here is this little boy, 12 years old. answering their questions and asking them questions. We've got many teachers here.
I hope you like it when your students are intellectually curious. Even as a preacher. I want you as I'm preaching. to be asking questions in your mind. Not just to blindly accept what I say or your life group teachers say or someone else, but to Be a critical thinker.
To be understanding, asking the right questions, listening to the answers. And here is this young man, Jesus, in the temple. in the middle of the teachers of the day. asking them questions and answering their questions. How much had his parents told him?
Of the angel that had appeared to him. Remember, the angel appeared to Joseph. You'll call his name Jesus. Remember Gabriel appearing to Mary and saying, The Holy One that will be born of you will be the Son of God. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Almighty will overshadow you.
How much had she told them about what they Shepherds had said, on that night. of his birth. asking questions. From time to time I have the privilege of going uh to the Speak to our students. And often when I go, they have all these questions.
And uh you know that children can ask very, very difficult questions. But I'm also surprised how much Belarn. I love to read your answers every Monday morning. Am I Study upstairs. I read the answers to your questions.
And sometimes you ask questions.
Sometimes you ask difficult questions. That's good. Keep asking. We're not in propaganda. We're not in a cult.
We want to understand. We want to ask. And parents, encourage your children, your students. to ask you questions. And also encourage them.
to listen. to the answers. That's the example, isn't it? of the twelve-year-old Jesus. But here he was lost.
And now they find term.
Now think secondly not only of a lost son, but of Mary's son. This passage tells us something of the humanity of our Lord Jesus. Did you notice verse forty? And the child grew. and became strong.
filled with wisdom. And the favor of God. was upon him.
Verse 52. And Jesus increased in wisdom. and in stature, and in favor with God and man. The humanity of Jesus. He grew and became strong.
Yes, Jesus is a real boy of flesh and blood. He is growing physically. In verse 16 of chapter 2, he's described as a baby. In verse 40, as a child. In verse 43, as a boy.
In verse 52, as Jesus. We don't know his size, we don't know his build. But the growth of Jesus was evident. He's growing through the various stages of physical development. His human body was the same as ours.
If you're a boy of twelve, Jesus had the same body as you have. He was sometimes tired.
Sometimes hungry, sometimes thirsty.
Sometimes sad, sometimes sorrowing. and his growing Physically. Ah, but he's also growing intellectually. Verse 40 and verse 40, he was filled with wisdom. Verse 52, he increased in wisdom.
It's clear from the questions and answers that he's giving in the temple. that this Young man. His mind is developing. He increases in wisdom.
Now, when we read that Jesus increased in wisdom, Does not mean that he wasn't God. The infinite God does not increase or decrease his wisdom. He is all-wise. You can't teach God anything, he knows everything about everything. But in his humanity, As a boy.
Jesus. is increasing in knowledge. He's learning. Wisdom. Here is Joseph, the carpenter, and he is Teaching.
His boy, his son. About carpentry, about how to build, about how to cut, about how to build something. And Jesus is increasing. and wisdom. As the son of Mary.
His intellect is advancing. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe, and the first part of a message titled The Father's House. Be sure to keep listening because John will return in just a few moments with some closing remarks for today's lesson. Today's message shows us Jesus at 12 years old, growing in wisdom and understanding. but perhaps you've wondered about the certainty of your own relationship with God.
Can you know for sure that you're saved? what happens when you struggle or have doubts? John addresses these vital questions in a thoughtful booklet called Eternal Security, Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World. In this resource, John shares his personal testimony and carefully examines what the Bible teaches about God's unchanging promises to believers. To receive your free copy of Eternal Security, just go to our website, theverdict.org.
While you're there, you'll also have the opportunity to take a new step toward reaching others with the gospel by supporting the work of this radio ministry. We're so grateful for listeners like you who help us share God's word across the globe by sending a financial gift of any amount. We've made it quick and easy to give on our website at the verdict.org. The verdict is a ministry of Calvary Church in South Charlotte. We're located on the corner of Highway 51 and Railroad.
If you're looking for authentic Bible-based teaching and a community of Christ-centered fellowship, then we encourage you to visit us this coming Sunday. For more details and directions, visit us at theverdict.org.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe with closing remarks for today's lesson.
Well, what's your verdict? Have you ever thought of the boy Jesus? Isn't it fascinating to think of him sitting in the temple among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions? He would have memorized much of the Old Testament. And with the curiosity of a 12-year-old, he is relishing this opportunity to ask and answer questions.
I trust that you are growing in your faith. and have an appetite for the living word of God. Join me next time as we continue to think of the Bible Jesus in the temple. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies.
Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
