Are you Smarter than a 7th Grader?

“Are You Smarter than a 7th Grader?”

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How many 12-year-olds do we have in the house this morning? Will one of you come up here and help me for a minute?

· Tell us your name?

· What grade are you in?

· What school do you attend?

· What is your favorite thing to do?

· Do you have any brothers or sisters?

· Do you always obey your parents – you don’t have to answer that question.

· So you would consider yourself a typical 12-year-old?

Thank you, you can go back to your seat; I really appreciate your help.

What where you doing when you were 12 years old? Most 12-year-olds are basically doing the same; eating, growing, learning, and playing! When I was 12 years old, I specialized in eating and playing.

Here in this passage were told that Jesus was 12 years old; and his parents carried him on a trip from their home in Nazareth’s to the Temple in Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover.

I imagine that Jesus as a 12-year-old boy was excited about making the trip from his small town to the big city of Jerusalem and the Temple. The feast of the Passover; was the greatest and largest feast of the Jewish people.

He would ask his mom, when are we leaving for Jerusalem? And then as they are traveling, he would ask how much further? Are we there yet?

This is the only picture we have in the Bible of Jesus as a boy. We have Jesus being born in Bethlehem, dedicated in the temple at two months old, then we have this snapshot of Jesus as a 12-year-old boy.

We know nothing else about Jesus until he is baptized by John the Baptist at 30 years old.

Luke gives us the only glimpse we have of the boy Jesus, here in the temple, then he goes back to Nazareth to work in the carpenter shop for 18 more years. From 12 to 30 we know nothing about Jesus, but that he was working as a carpenter. They are called the hidden years of Jesus life.

Luke probably could have told us more about the child of Jesus, but the Holy Spirit did not lead him to tell us anything else.

Of all the things that Jesus said and did during his first 30 years, this is the only incident recorded in the Bible. This passage also records the very first words that Jesus speaks in the Bible.

Therefore, it must have something significant to tell us about Jesus!

This does not mean that there are no other fictitious stories about Jesus as a boy, because there are.

During the second and third centuries many legends arose about the boy Jesus. Stories of Jesus making birds out of clay, and then bringing them to life, and them flying away. Those gospels were rejected by the early church because they did not have the authority, nor authorship of the Gospels we have in the New Testament. Those gospels claim that Jesus did miracles as a boy growing up; but we know that is not true. Because in , when Jesus turned the water to wine, were told that that was the beginning of his miracles.

So we know about Jesus as a boy growing up is only found in these verses.

The incident that takes place in these verses is something that most of us who have children can identify with.

Have you ever temporarily lost one of your children at the store? Maybe in the toy section at Walmart, our Toys “R” Us, or at the mall, or the worst place ever the fair! You tell Jr to stay right beside you while you look at something at Best Buy; and you look down and they’re gone. And you have this sheer terror come across you.

Your adrenaline goes out the top of your head, and panic overtakes you; and you begin to run frantically all over the store screaming their name, not caring who hears you! And then you spot them over by the TV’s; the panic and fear, turns to a mixture of relief and anger. And you pick them up; and say don’t ever run away from me again as long as you live!

I’ve driven off and left my kids at Church, thinking that Tess had them with her, and she was thinking I had them with me. We get home and realize neither one of us have them, so back to church we go.

This is what happened when Jesus parents left him at temple.

At Passover time family and friends would travel together to Jerusalem, spend a week at the Passover festivities, and travel home as a group together. The women and the small children would travel out front and set the pace for the journey, and the men and older children would travel behind and be prepared to protect the women and the children.

Joseph would think that Jesus was with his mother and the smaller children; Mary would think that Jesus was with Joseph and the older children. After they had traveled a whole day, Joseph and Mary saw each other that afternoon and realized that neither one of them had seen Jesus all day.

They sleep that night, get up the next morning and travel back to Jerusalem to find Jesus. When they arrived back its late, they go to sleep; and wake up, go looking for Jesus and find Him in the temple on the third day.

What a vivid picture these words paint, and what an amazing answer that Jesus gives to his mother and Joseph. Jesus as a 12-year-old boy, was preparing for manhood, learning about the Passover; he was in the process of preparing for his bar mitzvah which would happen the next year when he turned 13 years old. Jesus is sitting in the midst of the doctors, the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes and priest. These were the PhD’s of the Jewish religion. The format of teaching would be to sit and listen as the doctors shared the Scripture, and then ask questions, and make comments. Jesus at 12 years old was asking mine boggling questions, and making comments that astonished all the learned doctors in the group.

Mary and Joseph came up and spot Jesus sitting in the middle of these doctors hearing them and asking questions; and they were amazed. But Mary like any panicking mother, speaks up and says,” why have you treated us this way? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.

Jesus in a kind way, asked them a question, these are the first recorded words of Jesus in the Bible, V:49-”why have you been searching for me? Did you not know I must be about my father’s business?

Frankly Mary and Joseph did not understand what he was saying to them. Then were told that Jesus went back to Nazareth’s with Joseph and Mary and submitted himself to them. Then we are given a summary statement of what takes place in Jesus life for the next 18 years, V:52-“Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man”.

This statement is a book-end statement about Jesus that goes along with what was said back up in:

V:40-“And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him”.

What we learn from these two verses is that Jesus was growing in His knowledge of who He was, who His father was, and what His mission was.

We also learn that Jesus lived a life of submission, to his Heavenly father, and his earthly parents.

Jesus Christ is our example, and if we want to be smart than a 7th grader; we must learn these two great lessons from Jesus this morning.

Lesson #1:

1. Like Jesus, We should Grow.

V:52-“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature…

Jesus was an ordinary boy, the Bible tells us He grew in stature, which means:

· Jesus grew physically.

Jesus grew from a baby to a 12-year-old boy. Jesus wasn’t two months old one week, and the next week he six. No Jesus had a real human body, he was God incarnate in human flesh. So Jesus grew just like every one of us.

Here we get a picture of the human Jesus.

We can almost imagine his parents keeping his growth chart on the wall of their family home in Nazareth.

Jesus was fully God, and yet Jesus was fully man. Is this important? Yes it is, for several reasons; Jesus was not God, wearing a human suit, faking it. No Jesus was a real man, He got tired and hungry, fell asleep in the back of a boat, stopped to get something to eat. Jesus felt compassion and love for other people; Jesus was heartbroken when his friends died, he wept at Lazarus grave, he pulled aside to a secluded spot when he got the news that John the Baptist had been killed.

-“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

When Jesus Christ went to the cross, it was a real body that Jesus offer on the cross for our sins. It was flesh like ours that was torn and nailed to the cross.

-“Sacrifice and offerings you would not receive, but a body have you prepared me”.

This was the only way that He could save us,

-“He himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, by His wounds you have been healed”.

· Jesus grew intellectually.

V:52-“Jesus increased in wisdom…

This is a little bit harder for us to understand; that Jesus the omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient God, would willingly limit himself, to live life like everyone else. Jesus did not lose, or give up any of these attributes, but he submitted their exercise to His father. Yes, there were times when Jesus read people’s minds, walked on the water.

Jesus opened blinded eyes, showed his glory to his disciples on the Mount Transfiguration.

But Jesus also said in -“But of that day and that hour knows no man, the Angels which are in heaven, neither the son, but the father only”.

The doctrine of the incarnation teaches that God the son became a man.

Jesus had a human mind as well as a human body. Many Christians falsely think that Jesus had the Omniscience mind of God in the body of a man. But the Bible teaches that Jesus had to grow intellectually, he had to learn, he had to read, he had to study, and he had to ask questions and listen to the doctors in the temple. His body, and his mind had to develop.

V:52-“Jesus increased in wisdom…

This means that Jesus was taught things that he did not know; he was taught the grass is green, the sky is blue. Jesus submitted to the very laws that he had created, he had to observe and learn and remember and apply. Jesus development was extraordinary because he didn’t have to deal with sin and the depravity of the human nature, therefore his intellect advanced to its full capacity. There has never been another man like Jesus! But as a man Jesus knew things the old-fashioned way, he learned them.

-“Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered”.

Jesus as our Savior understands what it is like to go through all the growing pains of life.

By the time Jesus was 12, a seventh grader he was already able to carry on a conversation with a PhD’s in the temple. Why? Because Jesus applied himself, read, studied and learned. Jesus listened and asked questions in the temple; this reminds us that you can’t grow without listening and asking questions.

· Jesus was a student of nature.

When Jesus began his preaching and teaching ministry; he said look at the birds, lilies, and sheep.

· Jesus was a student of human nature.

He could tell us about, the prodigal son, and the rebellious nature of man. He could tell us about greed, selfishness, lust and anger.

· Jesus was a student of the Scripture.

Jesus studied his Bible, he could quote from Moses, Isaiah, Psalms, Jeremiah, and all the prophets. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, he quoted the Bible and won the victory. When did he learn the Bible? When he was growing up in a Bible believing home.

You and I will never grow in our knowledge of the word of God, unless we apply ourselves, read it and study it.

If you want to grow intellectually, and spiritually and scripturally, then you’re going to have to read and study the Bible and other Christian books.

What are you going to do to grow intellectually in the things of God?

· Jesus was a student of carpentry.

-“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and José, and of Judah and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us?

For the greater part of Jesus life, he was working with hammer, nails and wood; and hammer, chisel and stone. Maybe the slogan above the door of his carpenter shop said; “My yokes are easy”.

· Jesus was a student of home life.

Jesus knew what it was to have younger brothers and sisters. Joseph seems to have died when Jesus was a young man, so Jesus would become the man around the house, and take care of his mother and younger brothers and sisters. At the cross he told John, take care of my mother. Jesus knew about leaven, and baking, he knew about what it was like to have company knocking on your door in the middle of the night needing some bread.

He knew about poor widows, and sweeping the entire house just to find a coin. He knew about a brokenhearted father over his wayward son.

Jesus was the perfect man, the second Adam, Jesus understands everything that you and I go through, because he went through it to!

-“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

You can go to Jesus, as your only Savior and friend, and he really truly understands, cares and wants to help you; you can turn to Jesus?

Are you growing in your life? If not; what are you going to change that you might begin to grow?

Jesus grew physically, Jesus grew intellectually.

Let’s make sure were not like the Corinthian believers, in , babes in Christ.

Babies are selfish, immature, cry and fight.

· Jesus grew relationally.

V:52-“Jesus increased in Favor with God and man”.

Jesus at 12 years old was already able to converse with adults, showing respect by listening and asking and answering questions. Jesus at 12 was already a very respectful man, to his mother and father.

People were attracted to Jesus, and the common people heard him gladly. Children love to be around Jesus, and so did the multitudes.

Jesus was moved with compassion in his heart toward people, he knew how to talk to people, and turn a conversation into a spiritual conversation. Jesus was a master at meeting people and talking to people. No one has ever built more relationships, change more lives, and had more friends than the Lord Jesus Christ!

I want the Lord Jesus help me to grow relationally, I want to love people, pray for people, and minister to people. I want to build relationships with lost people, that I might lead them to Jesus!

There are two kinds of people that walk into a room:

1. Those who say, here I am- come talk to me.

2. Those who say, there you are- and go talk to them.

Jesus was, the kind of person; that’s saw people in need, and went and talked to them. Jesus was a real man, he didn’t live in a sanitized environment, or a high and holy palace were only a few people could possibly get to him. Jesus lived in the middle of human sin and suffering.

Jesus lived in the town of Nazareth, where he heard cursing, cheating and lying, adultery, stealing and violence. Jesus wasn’t afraid to reach out to sinners:

· Jesus would call Zacchaeus, the stealing tax collector, out of a tree, and go to his house and he would get saved.

· He would stop by well, have a conversation with the woman, who been married and divorced five times, and had a live-in lover, and save her and make her a great witness.

· He would save a cursing fisherman, and make him the mighty apostle of Pentecost.

· He would rescue, save and deliver a woman caught in adultery.

Jesus was a friend of sinners, prostitutes, thieves and robbers. And Jesus loves you this morning, and wants a relationship with you. Jesus wants to live his life out through you; which means we need to grow relationally, allowed God to use us to reach people with the gospel!

Jesus prayed in , father I don’t pray you would take them out of the world; but that you keep them from evil. And I pray that as I was in the world, so they will be.

Were told that Jesus not only grew in favor with man but also in favor with God.

Jesus grew in his understanding of his relationship with God.

Jesus already knows who He is when he gives this answer to Mary and Joseph.

V:48-“Mary said to Jesus, your father and I have anxiously been looking for you”.

Jesus answers and says:

V:49-“How is it that you had to look for me? Did you not know I must be about my father’s business”.

Jesus knew that Joseph was not his father; Jesus knew that God was His father, and he was studying, learning, preparing for the fathers business.

Like Jesus, we should grow; intellectually, spiritually, and relationally.

If we want to be smart than a 7th grader; we can learn a second great lessons from Jesus this morning.

Lesson #2:

2. Like Jesus, We should be Submissive.

· Jesus was submissive to his heavenly father.

V:49-“did you not know, I must be about my father’s business?

Jesus lived his life in complete submission to his heavenly father. The first words that Jesus spoke; read letter in your Bible, speak of Jesus submission to his father.

Because of Jesus love for the father, and the father’s love for him, he could submit knowing that the father had his best interest at heart.

Jesus said, I must be about my father’s business, Jesus understood his calling in life was to do the fathers work in this world. Jesus whole nature yearn to serve and obey his father.

-“I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me”.

Jesus could say, I always do those things that please my father.

Jesus said I must… Be about my father’s business.

The word “must” was often on the Lord’s lips: he said, I must preach; the Son of Man must suffer; I must be lifted up, Jesus was submissive to God’s will for his life!

The night before Jesus went to the cross, in the garden of Gethsemane, as he looked at taking our sin upon himself he prayed. He prayed, father not my will, but your will be done; and he surrendered to the will of God, went to the cross and died for our sin.

Jesus humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Jesus was submissive to his father’s business as a 12-year-old boy; and he was submissive all the way to the cross, that you and I might be saved.

Are you smarter than a seventh grader? Are you living in submission to the heavenly father and his will of God for your life? There is never any spiritual growth without submission to the authority God puts in your life. Jesus modeled submission in every area of his life.

· Jesus was submissive to his earthly parents.

V:51-“And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject under them…

Jesus went back to Nazareth, back to the family business, and back to obey his parents.

If there was ever a child that had a right to demand his own way, it was Jesus. If ever there was a young person, who grew to know more than his parents it was Jesus. Yet it is the will of God for children to obey their parents; therefore as long as Jesus was a boy, and a young person he submitted to Mary and Joseph, his mother and father. Jesus sets the example for every child and young person; you are to humbly and willingly obey your parents.

The truth is, we often struggle with submission:

· As children, we do not always want to obey our parents.

· As wives you do not always want to respect your husband.

· As workers we do not always want to obey our boss.

· As church members we do not always want to listen to our pastor and teachers.

We are tempted to do exactly the opposite of what were told, and to insist on our own way. But God calls us to serve him by submitting to the people he has placed in a position of authority over us.

Rather than struggling with submission, Jesus embraced it; and when we learn to embrace it the way Jesus did, then we too will enjoy God’s favor.

Thank God Jesus submit to God’s will for our salvation! God calls us to believe in Jesus for our salvation, then he calls us to follow his example in the way we live.

That means like Jesus, we must grow; and like Jesus we must submit to the people he has placed an authority in our lives. And when we find it hard to do we can pray and ask Jesus to help us, and he will!

The smartest thing you will ever do, is to come and place your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord. Then grow, and live a life of submission!