Luke 2:42-45
Verse 43 After the festival was over, while His parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
This festival was likely different for Jesus. He was seeing things from a new perspective as He was probably watching closer to see what the men were doing. He may have been learning about places He hadn’t seen before. He would have been hearing things which helped Him understand things in ways He hadn’t before. While being wholly God, He was also wholly human and that meant learning things He was going to need later.
Jesus wasn’t the only one experiencing this Passover in a new way. He was Mary and Joseph’s oldest and so they were likely seeing things slightly different as they watched His eager excitement and wonder as He looked at things from a new perspective. While He had taken His turn years ago at asking all the questions of Passover, He may have been asking new questions.
Jesus was probably paying closer attention to the work the priests were doing. He would have been observing the sacrifices and understanding a bit deeper what they were for. While in years past festival times would have meant spending time with friends met over the years and extra time with cousins who didn’t live near, this year He may have had a few friends His age who also experiencing this festival in the new way and they could have been pointing different things out to each other.
For His parents one of the biggest things would have been the new travel options. While Jesus would have had to travel with the women and children in previous years he would have the options of walking with either the men or the women. This is likely why they didn’t miss Him right away when He didn’t come with them the first day heading home.
Some have suggested that Jesus was misbehaving and being disobedient by staying behind but that was not the case as we know Jesus never sinned. Jesus may not have even known His parents had joined a caravan. Like any of us we can find ourselves missing things others tell us when something else has our full attention. Jesus was fully focused on something His parents were going to have to get used to. Their son wasn’t a little boy anymore.
Making It Personal
How well do you deal with change? Where in your life is change hardest to deal with? How could trusting God more help you deal with change better?
Making It Personal Kids
Is it hard for you when things in life change? What is something which has changed in your life that has been hard for you? How can Jesus help you deal with change?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for giving us parents to help us grow and helping us learn as life changes along the way. Help us always make the changes in life which draw us closer to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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