| Church School Lesson: Home Alone |
"Home Alone"
July 6, 2025
Background: Luke 2:41-52; Print: Luke 2:41-52;
Key Verse: Luke 2:49; Devotional: Psalm 27
Luke 2:41-52 (ESV)
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.
43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,
44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.”
49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Luke Chapter 2 (Commentary)
2:41-42 Jesus grew up in a godly Jewish home, demonstrated by the family’s regular observance of the Passover Festival in Jerusalem (2:41). Luke describes an occasion in which Jesus’s wisdom and grace (see 2:40) was evident even when he was twelve years old (2:42).
2:43-51 When the festival days were over in Jerusalem, Jesus lingered behind, while his parents assumed he was in the traveling party returning to Galilee. They would’ve been in a caravan with many relatives and friends (2:43-44), so it would have been easy to assume Jesus was among the group somewhere. When they realized he was missing, they returned to Jerusalem and found him after three days of searching (2:45-46). He was in the temple, interacting with the teachers and amazing them with his understanding (2:46-47). When his parents asked why he had worried them, Jesus replied, Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house? (2:48-49). They did not understand that he had a unique kingdom mission from his heavenly Father (2:50). Nevertheless, he also had a responsibility to honor his earthly father and mother (see Exod 20:12), so he obeyed and went home with them (Luke 2:51).
Though her young son confused her, Mary kept all these things in her heart (2:51). One day, she would understand. Meanwhile, Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people (2:52). This demonstrates his true humanity. He wasn’t simply God disguised as a man. He had both a perfect divine nature and a genuine human nature that matured as he grew.