Non-Rebel With A Cause

I have often wished, as a youth minister, the Bible include more stories about Jesus as a young man. The only real knowledge about Jesus as a teen comes from Luke 2:41-52. In this passage Jesus is left behind after a trip to Jerusalem. After three days he is finally found in the temple. His Mother sees him and responds, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You."

I don’t think the text fully expresses the fury that was most likely in her voice. I know if it had been my mother she would have been livid. The question I am most often asked about this is “Did Jesus sin by being disobedient to his parents?” Most folks will answer it must be no since we know Jesus was sinless. So why was this not a sin?

Well simply put, he made an error in judgment but did not sin. He like so many other teens he was misunderstood by his parents. He felt he needed to “be in My Father's house” but his parents, “did not understand the statement which He had made to them.

But notice how he responded. The text reads, “And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them;” Jesus, even though he was misunderstood, didn’t rebel or argue, rather he was obedient to his parents.

Many teens and parents today could learn a lot from this lesson. Parents can see that even the best of teens will sometimes not do exactly what their parents want. Teens can see that even when they feel unjustly accused and misunderstood, they should follow the example of Jesus’ attitude.

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Ecclesiastes 12:10

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