YEA Lesson Library
From Carpenter to King
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches about Jesus’ childhood and encourages the student to emulate Jesus in learning the Scriptures and pleasing God.
Scriptures
Zechariah 9:9
Matthew 2:1-23
Matthew 13:55
Mark 6:3
Luke 1:31-33
Luke 2:1-52
Luke 2:52
Luke 19:38
John 19:14
I Timothy 6:15
Revelation 11:15
Revelation 17:14
Revelation 19:16
Words to Know
CUSTOMARY - habit or usual events
CONSTRUCT - to build by putting parts together
DESTINY - predetermined course of events
The Lesson
How far back can you remember? Are your earliest memories about your family?Do you remember the good times and the bad times? Do you ever remember being lost from your parents? What’s the first trip you remember taking with your family? Where were your parents born? How many brothers and sisters do they have? Where did they grow up and go to school? Do you know what your dad does for a living? Can you remember helping your dad paint the house, build a dog house, or work on the car?
We learned that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. His mother, Mary, used a manger for His baby bed. His earthly father was named Joseph. Jesus was the oldest Son in the family with at least four brothers and two sisters (Mark 6:3). Family was very important to Jesus. They had good times and bad times, much like you have.
Jesus was still a baby when an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel told Joseph to flee to Egypt with the baby and His mother because King Herod wanted to kill the child. Joseph left for Egypt with Mary and Jesus that very night. They stayed there until Herod’s death. Again, the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to take his family back to Judea. But things weren’t as safe as they first seemed because Herod’s son was now king. So the angel told Joseph to go to Galilee instead. They returned to Galilee and made their home there.
Joseph was a carpenter. It was customary for the father to teach his son a worthwhile trade. Young boys learned at the feet of their fathers by watching, helping, and running errands. Joseph must have taught Jesus how to be a carpenter as well. Carpenters constructed homes, but they also made wooden ox carts, plows, tables, chairs, and doors.
When Jesus was 12 years old, He went with His family to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. After the celebration was over, they started back home to Nazareth. But Mary and Joseph noticed that Jesus wasn’t with them. They must have thought He was lost, so they started looking for Him. He was nowhere to be found. Returning to Jerusalem to find Him seemed to be the only answer.
Three days later, Mary and Joseph found Jesus in the Temple “sitting with the teachers of the law, discussing deep questions with them.” His teachers were really amazed that He knew so much about the Scriptures. It was really important to Jesus to be in His Father’s house. He wanted to learn everything He could about His Father and His Word. This was a time of physical and spiritual growth for Him. “Jesus grew both tall and wise, and was loved by God and man.”
How did Jesus know the Scriptures so well that He could answer questions of the law teachers? He spent a lot of time studying God’s Word. Even though Jesus looked and played like a 12 year old boy, He knew His destiny was to be our Savior and King. While He was on earth He would not be crowned King, but someday He will return as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Why will Jesus return to this earth? He will come back not only to be our King, but to bring our reward with Him. He wants us to be a part of His family. But not just anyone can be in His family. We can start by working on being wise and being loved by God and man, like Jesus was.
To be a part of God’s family we must believe in Him, love Him, obey Him, and put Him first in our lives. Where do you start to put Jesus first in your life? Do the things He did. Jesus had to study the Bible to know the Scriptures well. You can begin with studying your Sabbath School lessons and reading your Daily Devotionals each day. Then you must practice what you learn. The reward He’ll bring for you will be worth every effort. Your Bible study, obedience, and love for God will make you wise and will cause you to be loved by God and man.
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you so much for Jesus being our perfect example. Thank you that He will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Help me to always believe your every word and love you enough to put you first in my life.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - John 19:14
Monday - Luke 1:31-33
Tuesday - Luke 19:38
Wednesday - I Timothy 6:15
Thursday - Revelation 11:15
Friday - Revelation 17:14
Saturday - Zechariah 9:9
YEAH — At-Home Activity
(Youth Educational Adventures Helps)
(alternative approaches to teaching the lesson)
1. Quiz Time. If the students haven’t read the lesson, read it first. If they have read the lesson, review it with them. Ask them what impacted them most or what sticks out in their memory as very significant. Then ask them to create a quiz to give to you (their teacher) or to their parents. Encourage them to use the quarterly and their Bible with the specific verses covered.
2. What Are Your Goals? If the students haven’t read the lesson, read it first. If the students have read the lesson, discuss the main points with them. Then focus on Jesus’ development: Because He knew who He was and what His purpose on earth was, He kept that focus. Even though He likely was trained as a carpenter by His earthly father, He had a hunger for the things of God (as evidenced by Him going to the temple to talk with the teachers of the law for three days). In a similar way, discuss with the students what their long-term goals are and how they are going to achieve them. Remind them that God has designed them as they are for a purpose; they will be much happier if they seek God’s guidance for their future. Sometimes that requires starting small, but we know that God is planning a future in His kingdom with His people as a kingdom of priests, or another analogy, as the Bride of Christ. We must keep that goal in mind regardless of what we’re doing now. Assign the REACH activity “Journal Jot” as homework for this week.
3. Twenty Questions: If the students haven’t read the lesson, read it first. If the students have all read the lesson, discuss the events of Jesus’ life, using the verses from the lesson. Then compile a list with them of the main events (flight to Egypt; return to Galilee; Jesus in the temple as a 12 year old; probable training as carpenter; destiny as King of kings) Write these events on separate pieces of paper. Give one to each student. Then play twenty questions. For instance, one student might say, “I’m thinking of a place.” It could be the temple, Egypt, Nazareth, Galilee. Answering yes/no questions, let the students try to figure out the place. The students may choose places, occupations, characters, timing in the life of Christ, etc. as the Thing they’re thinking of. This reinforces the details of the lesson.
4.Timeline. If the students haven’t read the lesson, read it first. If they have read it, talk about what they learned. Then, using the lesson and the accompanying scriptures, make a timeline of Jesus’ life. For the timeline, cut 11 x 17 sheets of paper in half the long way and glue them together. The students may wish to start with Jesus’ birth. They may choose to write the events or they may choose to draw little pictures with captions to record the events of Jesus’ life. Be sure to leave enough space on the timeline to add more events as you continue to work through the next lessons.
5. Jeopardy. If the students haven’t read the lesson, read it first. If they have read it, write down the significant points from the lesson that they remember. See if they can arrange the events into categories. Using these categories, have the students begin creating a Jeopardy game. This can be added to each successive lesson in this quarterly. Then when the student feels the game is large enough, or when the quarterly is finished, play the games in class, play them with their families, or have a church game night and incorporate the games into the evening’s fun.
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Explain similarities of Jesus’ background to theirs.
2. Cite two events in Jesus’ childhood.
3. Explain why Jesus will return to this earth.
Topics & Themes
Angel
Bible study
Carpenter
Egypt
Family
Galilee
Herod
Jerusalem
Jesus, Birth of
Jesus, Childhood of
Jesus, Return of
Jesus, Savior
Jesus Sets Example
King of kings
Loving God
Mary and Joseph
Nazareth
Obedience
Passover
Temple
Wise/Wisdom
Materials Needed
Bibles, YEA Students’ and Teacher’s books, attendance, memory verse and devotional charts, poster board, pictures, glue, strips of paper, carpenter tools, marker pens, songbook, cassette or CD, and music player.
Preparation
What happens when your students go home is largely determined by the effectiveness of the class you teach. Concentrate on being result-oriented. By reading the complete Students’ and Teacher’s lessons early in the week, thoughts and ideas will connect and mature. Give several days to pray about this subject and to gain God’s help in making it truly effective.
Juniors learn best when they have a lot of colorful and exciting things to see, touch, move or hear. So bring as many construction tools as you can find to class and have them on the table when the students arrive. Cut out a picture of a large crown and a Middle Eastern home or get a poster from your Christian bookstore.
This lesson provides the opportunity to reinforce the importance of family. There is no such thing as a perfect family. A family is made up of people who love and care for each other and share living experiences. The first recorded experience in this lesson required prompt, cooperative action to save the life of Jesus.
How to Teach This Lesson
As the students arrive, have them examine the tools you brought and see which ones they can identify. Start a discussion on what other tools would be needed to construct a house. Get some of the students to tell the earliest thing they can remember. As they relate stories that are about their family, ask the class who was involved in this story. Mention how important family is to us. Point out that they are the people we love most and can count on in time of need and trouble. Tell them that families should work together on common goals.
After opening the class with prayer, begin the discussion as follows:
Family Working Together - Ask: How many of you have helped your dad do things like paint the house or plant a garden or build a dog house? How did you feel about working with your dad?
Family Crisis - Ask: Who can tell us what crisis Jesus’ family experienced soon after He was born? Has anyone faced a crisis where your life was at stake? Explain that Jesus’ family crisis took full cooperation and immediate action. When the angel told Joseph to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt they didn’t delay, and they left that very night. There are times when we must not delay, but must immediately obey God.
Jesus’ Childhood - Ask: How many brothers and sisters do you think Jesus had? Read Mark 6:2-3. This shows that Jesus had four brothers and at least two sisters. Ask: What type of work did Joseph, Jesus’ dad, do? Joseph was a carpenter and most likely taught Jesus that trade. This was a learning and sharing time for father and Son to draw close together as they earned a living. Lead them to understand that Jesus was just about their age when He was in the Temple discussing deep questions with the teachers of the law. Point out that “Jesus grew both tall and wise and was loved by God and man.” They like it when they are measured and have grown an inch. But they also need to become wise so God and man will love them.
Review Questions
Before class, write the review questions on strips of paper. Give one or more questions to each student. Then let each student ask the class the question on his strip of paper. Every time one is answered correctly, let him glue the ends of the paper together making a chain. If the question cannot be answered by the class, loop the paper but don’t glue it. Point out that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and the same thing is true in families and Sabbath School classes. We all must work together to have strong families and a good class.
1. What crisis did Jesus’ family experience shortly after He was born?
2. How long did Joseph delay before he took Mary and Jesus to Egypt?
3. Name two ways that Jesus grew.
4. Name two events in Jesus’ childhood that we learned today.
5. What type of work did Joseph do?
6. How old was Jesus when He discussed the law with teachers in the Temple?
7. Why will Jesus return to this earth?
Teacher-Directed Activity
Have the students make a poster with the picture of the Middle Eastern home and the crown. Let one of them write above it “From Carpenter to King.” Under this have the class write, “Putting Christ First Pays Great Dividends.” Then lead the class in a discussion of what these benefits are.
Application: Show your Juniors the benefits of obeying God. Help them to understand there will be a reward waiting for them that far surpasses anything this world has to offer. Putting Christ first in their lives will pay great dividends.
REACH Activity
Word Study: Charis
This week’s memory verse comes from Luke 2:52. The King James Version of the Bible says, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” The word “favor” is the Greek word “charis.” It has to do with the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life, leading to the person being acceptable, having a benefit, finding favor, a gift, or grace.
Interestingly, a very similar statement is made in 1 Samuel 2:26 about the boy Samuel. In both cases, Samuel and Jesus were learning about the ways of God and developing a personal relationship with Him from a very early age.
Did You Know?
The chief work of a carpenter in biblical times was making roofs, doors, window shutters, lattice squares, and divan frames for houses, plows, and yokes. So Jesus knew about yokes, as well as about various other aspects of farm life. The image of a yoke was commonly used in the Old Testament to describe Israel’s subjection to foreign oppression (Leviticus 26:23; Isaiah 10:24-27). By Jesus’ time, it had also become a metaphor in Judaism for the law. Jesus’ invitation was a stark contrast to the military burden of foreign oppressors or to the religious burden imposed by the Pharisees (Matthew 11:28-30) (Source: NIV Archaeological Study Bible, footnote to Matthew 11:28-30).
Music Notes: Open My Eyes, That I May See
This hymn is found on page 165 of the CEM Hymnal. Clara Scott wrote both the words and the music to this hymn. She was born in 1841 and died in 1897. She taught music in the Ladies’ Seminary at Lyons, Iowa. She wrote many pieces of music, both for voice and instruments, including a book of anthems called The Royal Anthem Book, which was published in 1882.
As you read the words to this hymn, it is easy to imagine a teacher penning them! Clara Scott encouraged people to go to God to ask for help in building a deeper relationship with Him. People must ask God to open their eyes and ears to see and hear His truth. Then, once the request is made, she tells them to wait for God to show and tell them what to do. That definitely sounds like a teacher: you have to be quiet! Then, once people have seen and heard the truth, they have a responsibility to spread that truth to others by their actions and their speech.
This is the model Jesus left for us too. He went to His Father’s house to learn, to listen, to ask about God. Like Clara Scott implies, there must be a solid foundation before the ministry can begin (Source: Amazing Grace, Osbeck, K., p. 236).
Journal Jot
It would be wonderful to have these words written about your life: (your name) increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. To make it a reality, you have to make a plan. It’s not going to just happen by itself. Using the five Ws (who, what, where, when, why), plan to improve your relationship with God and then tell how. What are you going to do? (Read your Bible each day, read your Daily Devotionals.) Where will you do it? When will you do it? Why will you do it? Who will you ask to help you and to hold you accountable? (If you have someone working with you and holding you accountable, there’s a much greater chance that you will stick to it.) One reminder: just as Clara Scott encouraged others through “Open My Eyes, That I May See,” remember to ask God to help you—every day!
Back to the Bible
In the time that Jesus was growing up, it was customary for boys to learn their father’s trade or business. Joseph was a carpenter (Mark 6:3), so Jesus probably watched him use many different kinds of tools and materials. God sent Jesus, His Son, to be a different kind of carpenter. God wanted Him to build a family. God’s family! (Romans 8:14-17). Have you ever thought about that? As Jesus grew in wisdom from the Bible, He was learning how to construct or build a family for His Father (1 Peter 2:5). What were His tools? Of course, the Bible! But Jesus also had the tools of teaching, listening, preaching, and healing. Jesus had a full toolbelt at all times. In many ways His tools were used as were other carpenter tools, only they were for people. Jesus needed to measure what the people knew and correct them when they were wrong (Matthew 9:4-8). He sharpened people’s minds when He explained what the Bible meant (Matthew 22:33). Jesus went to synagogues to teach (Luke 4:15), and He healed people with His touch (Luke 4:40). When Jesus was on earth He was a very important carpenter for God. When Jesus returns as King, we will see the family He built for God’s Kingdom on earth!
Just Toolin’ Around
Become familiar with Bible lands during Jesus’ life. For example, the town of Nazareth was located about three miles south of Sepphoris, the capital of Galilee until A.D. 20. But the town of Nazareth was relatively unknown, covering only about 60 acres, with a population of about 500. Even Josephus, when writing about Galilee, names only about 45 towns—and Nazareth was not among them. The Talmud (writings on Jewish law and tradition), likewise, names 63 other Galilean sites. It is not surprising, then, that Nathanael said, “Can any good thing come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46) (Source: NIV Archaeological Study Bible, p. 1623).
Using a Bible map, locate Egypt, Judea, and Galilee. Use a Bible encyclopedia to find out more about the past and present histories of these important Bible cities.
Stretch It Out
Research what skills someone needs to become a carpenter. Would you want to be a carpenter? What kind of work would you like to do when you are older? Talk it over with your family.
Questions?
Remember to write any questions that you have in your journal. That way you will remember to ask your parents, teacher, or minister.
Song
“One Door, and Only One” is on page 44 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Ask one of the students to volunteer to lead in prayer. If no one volunteers, go ahead and lead in the prayer.
Printable Pages
