THE PERSON AND LIFE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Lesson Four

THE YOUTH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Scripture reading: Luke 2:40-52

Burden to Impart:

This account in Luke is the unique account in the Bible about Jesus* life from His early childhood until His full manhood. Therefore the points revealed here about the Lord's growth and youth must be the single impression the Spirit wants to reveal to us. In verse 40 we see that the little child Jesus grew in an absolutely complete and balanced way. He "grew" physically, "became strong" spiritually (see Luke 1:80), and was "filled with wisdom" psychologically. Besides this, He enjoyed God sweetly within, for God's grace was upon

Luke 2:52 says that Jesus "kept advancing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men." One secret, or key, to the Lord's continual growth and development is in verse 51: the Lord was subject to His human parents. This basic lesson was what the Lord practiced in His human life for the next eighteen years, until He began His ministry. "Though He was a Son, He learned obedience (in His human life) through the things He suffered" (Heb. 5:8).

Memory Verse: "And Jesus went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them .... And Jesus kept advancing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:51-52).

Facts to Teach:

1. As a child, the Lord Jesus grew and developed physically, mentally, and spiritually.

2. Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem year by year to keep the Passover feast as God had commanded His people in His law.

3. When Jesus was twelve years old He went up with His parents to Jerusalem to keep the Passover feast also. After the feast was over, when Jesus' parents returned to Nazareth, they did not notice that He was not with them. Probably hundreds of people were in the "caravan" to walk the long journey (about one hundred miles) each time they went up to Jerusalem for a festival feast.

4. After three days of searching, the Lord Jesus was found by His parents in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, hearing them and questioning them. They were all amazed at his understanding and answers.

5. When Mary asked Him why He had treated them like this, He answered "I must be in the things of My Father" (Luke 2:49), showing His care for God His Father's interests. In His humanity (as a man), He was the son of His parents, and in His deity (as God), He was the Son of God.

6. However, as a young boy He obeyed His earthly parents, going down to Nazareth with them and being subject to them. As He grew, He kept advancing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52).

7. This incident shows us that Jesus took His earthly circumstances and human relationships as part of His Father's will. He handled all of these things in a proper manner so that He could do His Father's will and work in the proper way.