January 16, 1949 THE NAZARETH YEARS Luke 2:39-43; 46:52; Mark 6:3ab
the experiences, work, and interests of His family much as children everywhere do today . The child Jesus knew danger. When He was about two years old, the king sought to take H is, life. The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in' a dream and told him to take Mary and Jesus into Egypt and to stay there until God told them to return. At night the three fled into Egypt as the angel had com manded. When Herod, the king, died, the angel appeared again to Joseph in a dream and told him to return to the land of Israel. The boy Jesus knew how to work. As He grew he learned from Joseph how to become a carpenter. Even though He was the Son of God, Jesus worked as did others. The boy Jesus knew the joy of trav eling with His mother and Joseph to God’s house in Jerusalem. On the jour ney back to Nazareth, Mary and Joseph discovered that Jesus was not with them. When they returned to the tem ple, they found Him “sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.” When they returned to Nazareth, Jesus obeyed Mary and Joseph. He grew in body and in mind and in favor with God and with man.
Pointers on the Lesson This week’s lesson summarizes the few known facts about the childhood and youth of Jesus. Glimpses here and there are all we have; the family life in Naz areth, Jesus in the carpenter shop, and the consciousness He had of His mission to the world are about all that are re vealed. The limited amount of material relating to the Nazareth years should enable the student to fix it all in mind. Study the several pictures of the early years of Jesus in our lesson. Picture of Pre-Adolescent Years (Luke 2:39, 40) In this picture we see the kind of a home in which Jesus lived. It was a home where God’s Word was honored and obeyed. All things in the conduct of the home were done in accordance with the “law of the Lord.” Would that all children today had this advantage! The problem of juvenile delinquency would be solved speedily. Moreover, in this picture we see Jesus growing. Thus we know that He was a normal child. This is the main busi ness of every child from birth until twelve years of age or thereabouts—to grow. Every hindrance to growth should be taken away so that this normal growth may take place for it is tragic when it does not occur. Jesus as a lad “waxed strong” physically (R.Y.). And along with this .He was filled with wis dom as day by day He observed, asked questions, and received instruction. Picture of Adolescent Years (Luke 2:41-43, 46-52) The Child became a Boy. At twelve years of age, He was a son of the law, that is, one who Himself was respon sible for His own religious acts. He went into the temple as a disciple who could ask questions in His own right. The doctors of the law were amazed at His discernment; they had never come in contact with such a boy before. Then follows the picture of Jesus answering the query of Joseph and Mary as to His whereabouts after they had missed Him (48, 49). “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” In these words Christ shows His sense of relationship to God as His Father and of His responsibility to Him. As Morgan says, “The perfect Boy is revealed by that ‘I must’.” Jesus said what every boy and girl and man and woman ought to be able to say for the thing of most importance in life on this earth is to be about the Father’s business. Finally, we see Christ in Nazareth “subject” to His parents as every boy who is under twenty-one ought to be. While there He “advanced” (R.V.) physically and spiritually. At every point in His life He lived in the will of TSod and was an example of perfection. D E C E M B E R , 1 9 4 8
Picture of Christ in Maturity (Mark 6:3ab)
See Him in the context of this verse teaching as never man taught, working as no mere man could work, although still in appearance “the carpenter,” a man able to sympathize with men. Helps for the Children Jesus and His Family Matt. 2:13-15; 19-23; Mark 6:3; Luke 2:39-52 Memory Verse: “The child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wis dom: and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). Have you ever wondered what sort of boy the Lord Jqsus was? I like to think of Him as enjoying the same things that little children and older boys enjoy today. He was a real boy, but He never yielded to sin in His thoughts, His words, or His actions. God’s Word tells us very little about our Lord’s boyhood. From the few stories which the gospel writers do give to us, We feel that the boy, Jesus, shared in
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THE UNION SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON HELP SERIES
ütfje Üänion Junior <&uarterlg
O NE of a complete series of Bible'centered lesson helps written without denominational bias. The lesson expositions are illuminated by orig' inal and unusual pen and ink sketches. The supplemental Biblework
graph suggestions. An attractive feature of each issue is the star list, containing the printed names and ad' dresses of all Juniors sending in notebooks for examination. Out standing notebooks re-
Union helps are simple, practical , Biblically sound , and without denominational bias or flavor .
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