YEA Lesson Library
Jesus Visits the Temple 2 min. read
About This Lesson
The lesson teaches about Jesus teaching in the temple after the Spring Holy Days, his frantically searching parents, and the fact that Jesus never sinned.
Scriptures
Proverbs 1:8, 18:2
Luke 2:40
Luke 2:40-52
John 8:31
2 Corinthians 8:7
Colossians 1:10
2 Peter 1:5
Words to Know
PASSOVER - the day we remember God bringing Israel out of Egypt, and Jesus dying for our sins
SCROLL - an ancient book in the form of a rolled strip of paper
TEMPLE - God’s house where people went to read God’s Law and to pray
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Luke 2:40
Monday - 2 Corinthians 8:7
Tuesday - 2 Peter 1:5
Wednesday - Colossians 1:10
Thursday - Proverbs 18:2
Friday - Proverbs 1:7
Saturday - John 8:31
YEAH — At-Home Activity
1. What Did I Forget? Have a suitcase and things scattered around the room (toothbrush, comb, Bible, sweater, slippers, watch, etc.). Tell the students you’re packing everything up to go home from a trip and you don’t want to forget anything. As they spy something, put it in the suitcase. Zip the suitcase and get ready to go. Then stop and tell them the story of Jesus’ parents going home from Jerusalem; they had been there to keep Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. It was three days before they realized Jesus wasn’t with them. Tell the rest of the story: where Jesus was, what he was doing, and why it wasn’t disrespectful to His parents, Mary and Joseph.
2. In the Company! (Invest in Bible felt or Bible character cardstock.) Using a felt board, tell the story from Luke 2:41-52. Talking points: How many people would you have to have traveling home before you missed your twelve year-old son? How long did they spend looking for Him? Where did they find Him? What was He doing? Even at twelve, He knew He was the Son of God. Even at 12, He already understood the scriptures well enough to amaze the teachers of the law. Talk about how He was not disobedient to Mary or Joseph, but even at 12, He had awareness of Who He was and His purpose: doing God’s work, the will of the Father.
3. Teaching with 3-D figures. Using clay figures, or finger puppets, or plastic toy people/animals, tell the story from Luke 2:41-52. Let the students do the moving of the pieces as you tell the story. Emphasize the same talking points: How many people would you have to have traveling home before you missed your twelve year-old son? How long did they spend looking for Him? Where did they find Him? What was He doing? Even at twelve, He knew He was the Son of God. Even at 12, He already understood the scriptures well enough to amaze the teachers of the law. Talk about how He was not disobedient to Mary or Joseph, but even at 12, He had awareness of Who He was and His purpose: doing God’s work, the will of the Father.
4. What’s Your Name? Ask each student what their full name is. Most 3-5 year-olds enjoy telling people all three names and they come out in a rush. Use this intro as s springboard into telling the story, emphasizing that even as age 12, Jesus already knew that He was the Son of God. He already had an astounding understanding of scripture. As you tell the story of Luke 2:41-52, remind the students that going off without your parents knowing where you are is not a good thing; it can be very dangerous. But Jesus, being the Son of God, was a special case.
5. Book vs. Scroll. Print out Psalm 119, one copy for each student in class. Print the chapter so that the paper can be cut to fit whatever you have to make the rods of the scroll. You could get dowel rods, straws, popsicle sticks, unsharpened pencils. Tape the paper into a long scroll and then tape it to the rods. Roll it up and tie it with ribbon. Begin the lesson by showing the students what Psalm 119:99 says. It takes some practice to unroll the scroll to the exact spot that you want to read from. Once you’ve shown them what it says, tell them the story of Luke 2:41-52. Tell them about Mary and Joseph finding Jesus after three days, in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking them questions. They were amazed at Jesus’ understanding of the scriptures and His answers. Emphasize again that Jesus was a special case; our children should never be left with an idea that they should go off without their parents knowing where they are.
Objectives
1. Name the town where Jesus and His family went to keep the Passover.
2. Tell that Jesus studied the Bible because He wanted to obey His Heavenly Father.
3. Explain that they should never go anywhere without telling their parents where they are.
4. Recite their memory verse.
Topics & Themes
Bible Study
Holy Days, Passover
Honor Your Father and Mother
Jesus, Childhood of
Jesus Sets Example
Jesus - Without Sin
Ten Commandments
Honor Your Father and
Mother
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students’ and Teacher’s book, attendance and memory verse charts, stars, craft sticks, glue, paper, crayons, songbook, CD player, CD, toys and clay
Preparation
Children rarely exceed our expectations. Creating the right kinds of expectations in children can be done with subtle and overt concepts often repeated. Let the children know what you expect of them. Children should be expected to learn their memory verse, to pray, to obey God, and to be good in class.
Preschoolers need to feel loved, appreciated, and important. Initially, they gain their self-worth from their families. As their world expands, the attitudes of their teacher and friends can have an impact on whether they feel happy or dissatisfied about themselves. The teacher who shows that each student is important to her also conveys the idea that the child is important to God. This can be done by emphasizing something the child does well and mentioning each child’s name in your prayer.
It is important that no child gets the idea from this lesson that he can leave his parents without letting them know where he is. This could be very dangerous in this day and age.
After each child has said his memory verse and put a star by his name, say, “One, two, three, it’s listening time for you and me.” Invite them to sit in a semicircle and hear a story about their Friend, Jesus.
Before class, write the memory verse on enough strips of paper for each child to have one. Make a scroll to be used in telling the story by following the directions in the activity section of the lesson.
Review Questions
After each question has been answered, have the children participate in the action.
1. Where did Jesus go with Mary and Joseph when He was 12 years old? Jerusalem. (Walk around the room, and come back to be seated.)
2. What did Mary and Joseph do when they noticed Jesus was not with them? Searched for Him. (Cup hands around eyes, looking from side to side.)
3. Where did they find Jesus? In the Temple. Whose house is the Temple? God’s house. (Point up.)
4. Did Jesus ever disobey His parents? No. (Shake heads from side to side.)
5. Who knew where Jesus was? His Heavenly Father, God. (Point up.)
Teacher-Directed Activity
Give two craft sticks and a strip of paper with the memory verse written on it to each child. Let them glue a stick to each end of the paper. To make a scroll, help them roll the paper from each end meeting in the middle. Explain to them that this is the way the Bible looked when Jesus
REACH Activity
Letter: T
Words: twelve, temple, teacher, tie, tall
Sentence: WHEN JESUS WAS TWELVE, HE WAS IN THE TEMPLE WITH THE TEACHERS. EVEN THE TEACHERS LISTENED TO HIM TEACH!
Song
“The B-I-B-L-E” is on page 18 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Dear Father, Thank you for the Passover, for the Bible, and for my mom and dad. Help me be like Jesus and obey my parents, and learn the Bible. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Printable Pages
