Where did Mary and Joseph find Him?

In the temple, sitting among the teachers.

Free Bible lesson for kids · Jesus Is Born

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

When Jesus was twelve, His family went to Jerusalem for the Passover. Mary and Joseph searched three days and found Him in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking them questions.

Teach this lesson: film, sheets and guide Print the coloring page

Bible passage: Luke 2:41–52
Big idea: Jesus grew in wisdom, and we can too.
Memory verse: And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. Luke 2:52 (KJV)
Ages: Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
Time: About 45 minutes
Included, free: Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game

The story

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the passover. When Jesus was twelve, they went as usual (Luke 2:41–42). When the feast was over, they started home, but Jesus stayed behind, and Mary and Joseph did not know it (Luke 2:43). They traveled a whole day before they looked for Him among their relatives and friends (Luke 2:44).

When they could not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem. After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting with the teachers, listening and asking questions (Luke 2:45–46). Everyone was amazed at His understanding and answers (Luke 2:47). Mary said they had searched with sorrow. Jesus answered, “How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:48–49). He went home and obeyed them, and grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man (Luke 2:51–52).

Read it in the Bible: Luke 2:41–52 (KJV)

⁴¹Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. ⁴²And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. ⁴³And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. ⁴⁴But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. ⁴⁵And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. ⁴⁶And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. ⁴⁷And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. ⁴⁸And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. ⁴⁹And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? ⁵⁰And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. ⁵¹And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. ⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Questions to ask

How old was Jesus on this trip?
Twelve years old.
Where did Mary and Joseph find Him?
In the temple, sitting among the teachers.
What did Jesus say about His Father’s business?
“Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”

What this story teaches

Jesus is God’s Son, and God is His Father (Luke 2:49).
Jesus wanted to be about His Father’s business (Luke 2:49).
Listening and asking questions helps us learn God’s ways (Luke 2:46).
Jesus, God’s own Son, obeyed Mary and Joseph (Luke 2:51).
Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God (Luke 2:52).

Jesus Obeyed for Us

Jesus was about His Father’s business all His life. By the obedience of Jesus, many sinners are made righteous.

Romans 5:19

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 min	Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to help us grow in wisdom.
10 min	The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next.
10 min	Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “Jesus grew in wisdom, and we can too.” What does that mean for us?
5 min	Memory verse. Say Luke 2:52 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone.
10 min	Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions).
5 min	Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week.

Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.

Game time

For kids · game · indoors · about 12 minutes

Sardines

You need: A building with safe places to hide

One child hides while everyone else counts to 30.
Everyone searches. When you find the hider, quietly squeeze in and hide with them.
The last one to find the group hides first next time.

Mary and Joseph searched three days and found Jesus in the temple, His Father’s house.

For youth group · activity · indoors · about 20 minutes

Ask Anything Box

You need: Slips of paper, pens, a box

Everyone writes a real question about God, the Bible or faith, with no names.
Draw questions out of the box and talk them through together, with Bibles open.
Keep any you can’t answer for next week.

Jesus listened to the teachers and asked them questions. Good questions are part of growing in faith.

Pray

Ask God to help us grow in wisdom.