Read: Luke 2: 41–52

Do you think Jesus sounds a little disrespectful in this story? His parents hadn't been able to find him for three days. You can imagine that they must have been panicking. Where was their son Jesus? And when they finally find him after three days of looking, Jesus just tells them that he had to be in his Father's house. He doesn't say sorry or anything. To us it almost seems like Jesus was wrong. But we know that Jesus was perfect, so there is no way that he could have sinned. So what did Jesus mean?

When the Passover was celebrated, the people were, according to the law of the Lord, supposed to celebrate for seven days. But the leaders during those day had allowed the people who lived far away to go home early. This was the custom, which was different than God's law.  Verse 42 says that Joseph and Mary went according to the custom. They didn't stay in Jerusalem for the full seven days. But Jesus did. He was obeying the law of the Lord. He was obedient to his Father's law. And so, when his parents came searching for him, Jesus respectfully told them that he needed to be in His Father's house. He was obeying the law of the Lord.

After this, the Bible tells us, Jesus went with his parents back to their home. Again we see Christ obeying the law. He obeyed his parents as the Lord commanded him too.

So, in this passage we see Christ's total obedience to God's law. He never sinned. Not once! And he was perfectly obedient for us. We sin all the time, every day again. But God in love forgives us because of Christ's perfect obedience.

Now, in thankfulness for God's love and forgiveness to you, live your life obeying God's laws. Always obey your parents. Show them the love and respect that God wants you to show them.  Obey them, just like Jesus obeyed his parents.

Reflection with your child:

Why did Jesus have to stay in Jerusalem?

Source: Sermon by Rev. P.  Feenstra