1. Luke 2: 22-25
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”),
24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.

2. Luke 2: 39-52
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.
40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

3. Luke 2: 39-52
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom.
43 After the festival 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.

4. Luke 2: 39-52
46 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.”

5. Luke 2: 39-52
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”[f]
50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 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 man.

6. Walking Like Jesus #2 His Childhood and Youth
Luke 2:22-24, 39-47

7. 1 John 2:6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

8. Luke 2:22-24; 39-47
When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”, 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

9. 41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival 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. 46 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.”

10. 49 “Why were you searching for me. ” he asked
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.
51 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 man.

11. The Story in Luke 2:22-52 Jesus presented at the temple as a baby.
Jesus left behind at the temple in Jerusalem at age 12.
A glimpse at the life of the young Jesus.

12. Walking Like Jesus In His Childhood and Youth.
1. He Was Not Limited By His Circumstances.
2. Determined To Serve God
3. He Showed Honor And Respect To His Parents.
4. He Demonstrated Balanced Growth

13. 1. He Was Not Limited By Circumstances.
Jesus grew up in a poor family.
Luke 2: When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”, 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.

14. Leviticus 12:6-8
“‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. 7 He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood.
“‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. 8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”

15. Jesus did not allow poverty or oppression to define him.
Do not mean to bash anyone who is struggling in poverty.
Many great men and women did not allow poverty to define or limit them:
Abraham Lincoln
George Washington Carver
Frederick Douglas
Andrew Carnegie

16. 2. Jesus in his youth was determined to serve the Lord.
Luke 2: “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?
‘house’ is not in the text. Literally: “I must be about the things of my father.”
Jesus accepted responsibility for his relationship to God.
Ecclesiastes 12:1
1 Samuel 3:1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli.
Young people are capable of much more than we sometimes give them credit.
Illustration: “Youth group asked one group of elders how they could serve?”

17. Young people are eager to serve the Lord.
Polycarp came to Christ at age 9.
Jonathan Edwards came to Christ at age 7.
Isaac Watts came to Christ at age 9.
Charles Spurgeon came to Christ at age 12.

18. What young people can do:
1 Timothy 4:12
Young people can teach:
Young people can preach:
Young people can lead singing:
Young people can do service projects:
Young people can visit the sick and shut-in:
Young people can encourage other young people:
Young people can invite their friends to worship:
Young people can lead their friends to Christ:
Young people can lead the way in giving:
Young people can be an example of Christian living:

19. How determined are you to serve the Lord?

20. 3. Jesus was respectful and obedient to his parents.
Luke 2:51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.
Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
Worth thinking about: The God of the universe allowed himself to be in submission to his earthly parents.
Parents have a great responsibility: Proverbs 22:6

21. Parents need to teach discipline!
Do you think Jesus had to be taught discipline?
Discipline needs to be with compassion.
Discipline needs to be with consistency.
Discipline needs to be with commensurate consequences.

22. Children need to joyfully obey.
Parents love you more than anyone on earth.
Parents are looking out for your best interests.
Parents want you to happy and successful.
Parents are not trying to spoil all you fun.
Young people are accountable for how they respond to the teaching and discipline of parents.
Deuteronomy 21: “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, 20 and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

23. 4. Jesus demonstrated balanced growth.
Luke 2:52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
There is nothing more adorable than a baby.
There is nothing more pitiful or able to breed ill will than a child or adolescent who still acts like a baby.
There is nothing more exciting than a new born babe in Christ.
There is nothing more frustrating than a Christian who refuses to mature in Christ.

24. The world is happy to encourage us with three of the four.
1. Wisdom and intellect.
2. Physical stature (physical skills and talents).
3. Favor with man. (Social skills, charisma, leadership traits).
4. Favor with God. (Attitude of the world: Wrong to even speak about this.)
Who is going to teach young people to walk in the spiritual steps of Jesus?

25. Walking Like Jesus In His Childhood and Youth.
1. He Was Not Limited By His Circumstances.
2. Determined To Serve God
3. He Showed Honor And Respect To His Parents.
4. He Demonstrated Balanced Growth