Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Story Summary
Each year, Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Passover. When he was 12, though, the biggest fear every parent has came true. They lost their son. Through the chaos of a search for a lost child, the emotional roller coaster of those days frantically searching for him, and the mixture of relief and anger they felt when he was found, we learn some foundational truths about who Jesus and his mission.
Jesus stayed behind when his family had left to go back home
This is actually a difficult little detail for kids to understand, because if they did something like this, it would be seen as disobedient to their parents. Be sure to teach this in a way that does not make it look like Jesus did this out of disobedience. From the narrative, it seems like there was a large group of people all traveling together. The traveling party must have gotten a little loose in their accounting for the children. Also, he was 12 by this time and would have been given a little more liberty than a small child. Verse 50 specifically calls out that he was obedient to his earthly parents.
Jesus amazed the teachers with his understanding (indication of his divine nature).
It was remarkable to all those in attendance how he was answering the teachers' questions. There seems to be an indication here that Jesus was aware of his divine nature at this point in his life. He tells them they should have known to find him in his “Father's” house.
Had he talked to his family about his divine nature by this point? How did Joseph feel when Jesus says that the temple is his Father's house!?
Jesus grew and developed as a boy turning into a man (indication of his human nature).
Luke calls out 4 specific ways Jesus grew:
- Wisdom (mentally)
- Stature (physically)
- Favor with God (fellowship with the Father)
- Favor with all the people (socially)
Jesus is our Passover Lamb
The significance of this event happening at the Feast of Passover shouldn't be overlooked. Jesus also chose the Feast of the Passover as the week he would go to Jerusalem to be handed over to the Jewish leaders and Romans for his own Passover death.
My Notes
Video Options
From Crossroads Kids Club
From Saddleback Kids
From LifeKids
From Crossroads Kids Club
Resource Sheet
This coloring sheet depicts Jesus interacting with the teachers in the temple
1 Warm Up get your kids talking and engaged
Have you ever been lost in a store or somewhere without your parents? Were you scared?
Today, we are going to learn about a time when Jesus was 12 years old and was missing from his parents too.
2 Teach the Story teach a holistic story
Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.
For older children, read the story from an age-appropriate Children's storybook Bible or read directly from the Bible.
3 Bible Mastery give them basic Bible skills
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud Luke 2:41-52
4 Comprehension Questions make sure they understand the story
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
- Where did this story take place?
- Jerusalem
- Why were Jesus' parents in Jerusalem
- They went to celebrate the Passover
- Does anyone remember what the Passover Feast celebrated?
- When God delivered the Israelites from Egypt
- How old was Jesus when this story took place?
- 12 years old
- How long was Jesus missing from his parents?
- 3 days
- Where was Jesus during that time?
- In the temple with the teachers, listening, asking questions, and giving them answers
- What 4 ways does the Bible say that Jesus grew in?
- Wisdom, stature, favor with God, favor with man
5 Faith Questions open up a conversation about faith and the gospel; close with prayer
- The Bible tells us that Jesus grew in 4 ways. He did grow in stature (he got bigger), but he also grew in wisdom and favor with God and man.
- Are you growing in wisdom?
- How can we grow in wisdom like Jesus did?
6 Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart
Who is Missing?
- Have students sit in a group on the floor.
- Choose one child to be "it" and have them leave the room briefly, or hide their face in a corner.
- Choose one of the children in the remaining group to hide.
- Have "it" reenter the room and figure out who is missing from the group.
Hide and Seek Game
- Play traditional hide and seek game.
- or
- Hide a picture of Jesus and allow younger students to find the picture.
How Tall Are You?
- Have the children guess how many inches each child is, write it on a piece of paper (so no one knows each guess) and then measure them.
- Give out prizes or candy to the student whose guess is closest each time.
- Be sensitive to height-related situations with your children (especially if you have little people in your class), but don't make a big deal about it. Just be matter-of-fact about each person's height without calling attention to anyone in particular
Growth Charts
- Remind your students that Jesus was once a child like they are.
- Jesus was growing in wisdom and stature (ESV).
- Trace an averaged sized adult onto the paper, one per child.
- If making person cut outs for each child is not realistic, simply cut a thin rectangle and mark a line to mark off the size of an average adult. (Like a growth chart)
- Have students cut out their person.
- Measure the children onto their person (or rectangle) and mark how tall they are.
- Write the date next to the mark.
- Allow students to draw their faces and clothing onto the paper or decorate rectangle.
- Writing the verse Luke 2:52 would be a great addition!
- Jesus' ministry began when He was an adult, but even as a child, He was growing and learning about God.
- Tell your students to take the growth chart home and place it on their door or wall and keep track of how much they grow!
Temple Craft
- Print out a Jesus in the Temple Craft Sheet (see below) for each student and give them a half-sheet of plain paper.
- Have students cut the doors so they open.
- Glue onto the plain sheet of paper.
- Open temple doors and have the students draw Jesus inside.
Jesus in the Temple Hidden Picture
- Give the students a printout of the “Jesus in the Temple Hidden Picture” and have them find each item in the picture.
- There are two boys who look like they might be Jesus - which one is Jesus, and why?
Straw Maze
- Cut straw pieces and tape them inside the box to create a maze .
- Tape Mary and Joseph at the start of the maze and Jesus at the end.
- Test your maze.
Bible Trivia
- Play Bible trivia with your students. We've linked some options below, or create your own.
- As you play, mention how Jesus was 12 years old and was teaching in the temple and even the adults and teachers were amazed at how much he knew.
Stump the Teacher
- Separate your class into teams of around 3 kids per team
- Give them all a Bible and 5 minutes to come up with 3 Bible trivia questions designed to stump their teacher.
- Whichever team can stump the teacher the most gets a prize.
- Have them write down the verse reference for the question so they can prove the right answer if you get stumped.
Faith Walk
- This is a great opening activity or memory verse game.
- Set up chairs to form a maze, you can use the chair backs to make a wall, or tie ropes or masking tape between chairs to create the barrier.
- Explain to the children that one end of the maze is Earth, and the other end is Heaven. We are all trying to get to heaven.
- Blindfold one student and have the other students shout out directions to the blindfolded student.
- Allow the student to have some difficulty getting through and then have one teacher guide the student through the rest of the way.
- After each student has had a turn, explain to them that it is impossible to get to Heaven with out the help of Jesus. He is the only way, he is the truth and the light.
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Temple Craft Example
Straw Maze Example
