1/4/09 Developing Godly Priorities
1. Motivate
As you have grown, how have your priorities shifted? What was important at different stages of life?
As a Child / As a Teenager / As an Adult- games, sports
- toys
- security of home
- possessions / - sports
- be seen with right people
- clothes
- car / - job
- family
- hobbies
- financial responsibilities of home, vehicles
2. Transition
Today we will look at the life of a 12-year-old boy
- He developed Godly priorities
- He demonstrated how to balance them and keep them for life.
3. Bible Study
3.1 Faith of Godly Parents
Listen for a potential tragedy – today we would issue an “Amber” alert.
Luke 2:41-45 (NIV) Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. [42] When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. [43] After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. [44] Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. [45] When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
According to the passage, why did Jesus’ parents go to Jerusalem?
- for the Feast of the Passover
- it was their custom
- they did this every year
What kind of patterns were Mary and Joseph setting for Jesus by their family traditions?
- spiritual traditions
- family activities
- fun outings
What positive examples do you remember seeing modeled by members of your family?
- Bible reading and prayer
- honesty
- always went to church
- participated in church ministries
- entertained missionaries, visiting evangelists in the home
- served on church committees
What contributes to children being faithful to carry on the habits and beliefs that really are significant to their parents?
- involvement of the children
- it is expected, we will do this, it is not an option
- it is meaningful
- it is made to be enjoyable, not dull and boring
What happens when parents try to pass on to their children beliefs or habits which they do not have themselves?
- kids see through their parents faking
- kids will rebel
- they see no point in something that is not valued by their parents
- they learn to live a lie
According to the passage, how did Jesus get left behind in Jerusalem?
- after the feast was over
- parents were returning home
- the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem
- parents were unaware
- thought he was in their traveling group for whole first day on the road
What do you remember about being lost or inadvertently separated from your parents for a short period of time?
- wandered away in a store
- lost in the woods
- went for a walk as a toddler
- ran away from home cause you were mad
What thoughts and questions would go through your mind as a parent of a child who had been separated from you for several days?
- panicked
- worried
- upset … how could that child do this to us?
- something terrible must have happened
- we should have made sure he was with us before we left the city
- he knew were leaving, why would he have stayed?
3.2 Letting Go of Children
Listen for the unexpected place where they found their son.
Luke 2:46 - 50 (NIV) After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. [47] Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. [48] When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." [49] "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" [50] But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
Note from the map that this was a 90 mile trip. What do you imagine would be some of the hardships of this trip?
- a long way to walk
- lots of people also on pilgrimage … crowded roads
- hard to find a place to stay … lots of “camping out”
- may have been certain safety problems
Why do you suppose three days passed before Mary and Joseph found Jesus?
- one day traveling home, then discover him missing
- another day traveling back
- another day of looking around Jerusalem
If you were looking for a 12 year old boy in Jerusalem, where would you look?
- in the markets
- lost and found J
- police or civil authorities
- maybe at a synagogue where he would go for help
According to the passage, what was Jesus doing during the three days that He was on His own?
- found him in the temple courts
- sitting among the teachers
- listening to them and asking questions
How did Mary respond when she and Joseph finally found Jesus?
- they were astonished
- his mother asked, why have you treated us like this?
Jesus responded as if they should have known what He was doing. How does this story illustrate the tension Jesus may have felt between obedience to His Father and obedience to His earthly parents?
- his realization of his deity was probably not fully developed when he was a baby, a toddler
- this probably grew as his intellectual ability developed
- God’s Spirit (the third person of the trinity) lived within Him and guided his thinking
- there were times when his earthly parents’ instructions may have come in conflict with what his deity, what the Holy Spirit was telling him
How should we respond when our child’s spiritual growth takes him or her in directions you might not have anticipated?
- pray lots
- keep lines of communication open – talk with them lots
- pray some more
- continue to model a godly life
- encourage them, give positive reinforcement
3.3 Obedience to God
Listen for ways in which Jesus the child matured.
Luke 2:51, 52 (NIV) Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. [52] And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Joseph and Mary probably saw their parenting role now beginning to change. What happened to Jesus as He grew?
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1/4/09 Developing Godly Priorities
- continued to live at home, Nazareth
- was obedient to parents
- grew in wisdom
- grew in stature
- grew in favor with men
- grew in favor with God
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1/4/09 Developing Godly Priorities
Categorize these areas of growth as areas of heavenly training or earthly parental training?
Learning from Heavenly Father / Learning from Parents- grew in favor with God
o spiritually
- grew in wisdom
o intellectually
o good judgment / - grew in stature
o physical development
- grew in favor with men
o social development
For each of these ways in which Jesus grew, what are things we can do to foster obedience in the same types of growth?
Wisdom:
- encourage them in their schoolwork
- hold them accountable in their learning activities
- talk with them about the contrast between foolish and wise choices
- make reading a priority
Stature:
- model good health habits
- join them in exercise and physical activities
Favor with God:
- model healthy spiritual activity (study God’s Word, prayer)
- regular church attendance
- witnessing
- facilitate youth activities
Favor with others:
- teach, model social skills – politeness, kindness
- pray for children to have nice friends
- monitor friends who come to your house
4. Application
4.1 In what specific ways do you further spiritual development of your children or grandchildren?
- Pray for wisdom
- Pursue good resources (Bible bookstores, Christian family websites, etc.)
- Lead the way in spiritual activities and ministries
4.2 As a very young man, Jesus desired conversation about spiritual things.
- When you’re with younger believers, look for ways initiate God-centered conversation
- Be a good listener when kids want to talk about serious things – don’t react so as to discourage their coming to you
4.3 How would you rate yourself in keeping God as the top priority in your life?
- How can you openly use your example to bless younger believers?
- Encourage them with the fact that they can finish well in putting God first.
- Identify someone with whom they you share the importance of God as all-encompassing priority at all stages of life.
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