Objective
Students will look at this story from different perspectives and realize that fear often comes from forgetting who God is.
Warm Up
- Have you or a sibling ever been lost in a store and couldn’t find your parents? (Let a few share and include your own if you have one.)
- What did it feel like to be separated?
- How did your parents respond when they found you?
- Sometimes we lose our parents or our sense of direction because we are distracted or not paying attention. Other times it is simple miscommunication. Either way, those moments remind us how much we depend on their presence.
Transition
Jesus and His parents experienced a similar kind of miscommunication. Joseph and Mary were returning home after the Passover Festival, assuming Jesus was traveling in the group. Meanwhile, Jesus thought they understood He needed to be somewhere else. It took them several days to realize He wasn’t with them.
There was no customer service desk in Jerusalem, no loudspeaker to call His name. Mary and Joseph searched frantically, probably retracing every step and asking everyone they met if they had seen Him. Imagine the worry and fear that built over those three days. Finally, they found Him in the Temple, calmly sitting among the teachers, listening and asking questions. Let’s watch this moment from The Chosen.
The Clip
Play “Jesus As A Boy In The Temple” from Season 1, Episode 5 of The Chosen.
- How did Jesus seem to feel in the clip?
- Why do you think it took so long for Mary and Joseph to look for Him in the Temple?
- Do you think their fear made them forget who He really was?
Transition
Mary was scared because she forgot who Jesus was. She knew He was the Messiah, but in that moment of panic, all she could see was her missing child. Her fear clouded her understanding of His purpose. When she finally found Him, He gently reminded her that He was exactly where He was supposed to be—doing His Father’s work.
Sometimes fear and misunderstanding make us forget who God is and what He’s doing. Let’s read the passage that inspired this scene and see what it teaches us about perspective and trust.
Bible Study
Read Luke 2:41-50
Jesus and His family went to Jerusalem every year for Passover. On this trip, His parents lost track of Him and spent days searching for Him.
- How often did Jesus’ family go to Jerusalem? Why?
- Where did they eventually find Him?
- Imagine being Mary or Joseph. What emotions would you have felt?
- Why do you think they forgot, even briefly, who Jesus was?
- How can fear make us lose perspective on who God is and what He is doing?
Read Luke 2:51-52
After they found Him, Jesus returned home and obeyed His parents. Though He was God’s Son, He still chose humility and obedience as He grew in wisdom and favor.
- What stands out to you about Jesus returning home and obeying His parents?
- What does this reveal about His humility and character?
- How can obedience sometimes feel difficult when we do not understand God’s plan?
- Why is humility such an important part of trust?
- What can Jesus’ example here teach us about growing in wisdom and favor with God and others?
Read Philippians 2:6-7
Paul explains that Jesus gave up His divine privileges to become one of us. His humility and obedience showed how much He loves us.
- What does this passage show about Jesus’ humility and love?
- Why would God choose to give up everything to be with us?
- How does Jesus’ humility deepen our trust in Him?
- What does this teach us about serving others when it is inconvenient?
- How can remembering Jesus’ example change the way you respond to fear or uncertainty?
Wrap Up
Sometimes we feel like God is distant or quiet because we are looking in the wrong places or trying to handle things on our own. Like Mary, we let fear cloud our view of who He is. When we forget His promises, we can feel lost or even frustrated that He seems far away.
But Jesus never loses track of us. Even when we wander, He knows exactly where we are. When we stop panicking and remember who He is, peace replaces fear. In that moment, like Mary, we can finally rest in His presence again.
Jesus willingly left Heaven’s glory to walk among us and to show us the Father’s heart. He understands what it feels like to be human (to be misunderstood, afraid, or uncertain) and He meets us right there. When we remember His power, presence, and love, our fear fades and our trust grows stronger.
He is not a Father who forgets us. He is the One who meets us where we are and gently brings us back to Himself.