Jesus obeys his parents
key words
biblical reference
Luke 2:41-52
memory verse
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37b, NIV*).
lesson objective
To help children know that God wants them to obey him.
prepare yourself to teach
In Luke 2:41-52, we are told about one of the unique events of Jesus’ childhood that appears in the Bible, besides his birth and the visit of the three wise men. There are many legends about his childhood that are not based on Scripture. What distinguishes these legends from the Gospels is their emphasis on the uniqueness of Jesus as a child. Many depict him as exhibiting extraordinary powers.
This story contrasts greatly with these legends. When Jesus was 12 years old, He was developing in all areas of his life, including his knowledge concerning his mission on earth and his relationship to God the Father. People were amazed at his vast knowledge (Luke 2:47). However, this passage clearly shows that the teachers of the law were not aware that the young boy who was asking so many questions was fully God and fully man.
When Joseph and Mary found Jesus, their reaction was one of relief. Jesus seemed surprised that his parents did not know where he was. Still, we read that he submitted to the authority of his parents. He obeyed them, giving us an example of the way we should submit to our earthly parents.
adaptation
In this day and age, obedience seems to be out of style. Some books, television shows, and magazines portray parents as negative figures. Respect for them and their authority seems to be under pressure.
Children need to know the importance of obeying their parents. God considered this so important that he included it as one of the Ten Commandments. The writers of the New Testament also reaffirm the importance of this obedience. Your children can learn that Jesus, the very Son of God, obeyed Joseph and Mary. As history shows, it was not always easy, but he was always obedient.
introduce the lesson
A job to do
Play this game so that children can reflect on the chores or duties that they do in their homes. They must follow the instructions. After giving most of the instructions, ask for some volunteers to supplement the activity by giving additional commands:
Stand up if you make your bed in the morning.
Clap if you wash the dishes.
Jump three times if you take care of a family pet.
Wave your hands if you pick up your toys.
Touch your toes if you take out the trash.
Hop twice on one foot if you clean your room.
Say “Yes” if you help set the table before meals.
Pat yourself on the back if you care for a younger brother or sister.
After the game, ask your children, “How do you feel when your parents ask you to do any of these chores?” Encourage children to be honest with their responses.
Say, “Sometimes it is easy to obey our parents, but other times it is not that simple. Let’s see what Jesus teaches us about obedience.”
teach the lesson
Prior to the session carefully study Luke 2:41-52 and be ready to relate the story in your own words. Tell the story in a way that will help your children imagine the experience that Jesus and his family had.
Using visual aids during lesson development is very stimulating for children because they can both see and hear the story.
If you do not have access to visual aids in your classroom, consider in advance alternate ways to elaborate on the lesson. You could use magazine or newspaper clippings that display places where there are a lot of people, parades, celebrations, etc. This will give your children an example of the situation that Joseph and Mary were in when they lost sight of Jesus.
connect the lesson
Obedience reminders
Be sure that Student Activity Sheet #146-A and #146-B are aligned and printed back to back. At the appropriate time distribute the activity sheets, colored pencils or crayons, scissors, glue, and envelopes to your children. If you do not have envelopes, you can make them using white paper and glue.
Read the instructions aloud and help your children cut out their “Obedience Reminders.” Ask them to place their reminders in their envelope and take them home to talk about them with their parents so that they can decide together how the child can be obedient. Later, have them write down what they decided to do. This will serve as a constant reminder to be obedient.
practice the memory verse
Write on the chalkboard some of the letters of the words from the memory verse that children will learn for this unit. Write the remaining letters on small pieces of paper and place them in a bag. Ask some volunteers to take a letter out of the bag and see if they can correctly place the letter in the words.
They must place the letter in the correct place within the verse. When they have finished, read the verse together and repeat it several times.
When obeying is dangerous
Some parents use biblical teachings about obedience to exploit or abuse their children. While you work with your children, be sensitive and patient with those children who respond with anger or anxiety. If any of your children suggest that they are being abused, report your suspicion to a pastor or children’s minister.
Ephesians 6:1-4 lists the responsibilities that children have towards their parents, and those that parents have towards their children when it says, “1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3‘so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’ 4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
It is sad that child abuse occurs at all, regardless of race or social status. Pray for your children and for their families.
wrap-up
Pray
Before dismissing your children, form a circle and pray for each of your children by name.
Encourage
Encourage them to obey their parents throughout the week and to review their memory verse.
Invite
Make sure that all your children finish their work and take their belongings home. Tell them something interesting about the next session to encourage them to attend. Challenge them to invite their friends too.
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™