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Story of Jesus 5Child
Life of Jesus
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Jesus in His childhood lived in a little mountain village. He was the Son
of God, and He might have had any place on earth for His home.
He would have been an honor to any place. But He did not go to the homes
of rich men or the palaces of kings. He chose to dwell among the poor in
Nazareth.
Jesus wants the poor to know that He understands their trials.
He has borne all that they have to bear. He can sympathize with them and help
them.
Of Jesus in His early years the Bible says, "The child grew, and
waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon
Him." "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with
God and man." Luke 2:40, 52.
His mind was bright and active. He was of quick understanding, and showed
a thoughtfulness and wisdom beyond His years. Yet His ways were simple and
childlike, and He grew in mind and body as other children grow.
But Jesus was not in all things like other children. He always showed a
sweet, unselfish spirit. His willing hands were always ready to serve others. He
was patient and truthful.
Firm as a rock in standing for the right, He never failed to be gentle
and courteous toward all. In His home, and wherever He might be, He was like a
cheerful sunbeam.
He was thoughtful and kind toward the aged and the poor, and He showed
kindness even to the dumb animals. He would care tenderly for a little wounded
bird, and every living thing was happier when He was near.
In the days of Christ the Jews gave much care to the education of their
children. Their schools were connected with the synagogues, or places of
worship, and the teachers were called rabbis, men who were supposed to be very
learned.
Jesus did not go to these schools, for they taught many things that were
not true. Instead of God's Word, the sayings of men were studied, and often
these were contrary to that which God had taught through His prophets.
God Himself by His Holy Spirit instructed Mary how to bring up His Son.
Mary taught Jesus from the Holy Scriptures, and He learned to read and study
them for Himself.
Jesus also loved to study the wonderful things which God had made, in the
earth and in the sky. In this book of nature He saw the trees and plants and
animals, and the sun and the stars.
Day by day He watched them, and tried to learn lessons from them, and to
understand the reason of things.
Holy angels were with Him, and helped Him to learn from these things
about God. Thus, as He grew in height and strength, He grew also in knowledge
and wisdom. Every child may gain knowledge as Jesus
did. We should spend our time in learning only that which is true. Falsehood and
fables will do us no good.
Only the truth is of any value, and this we may learn from God's Word and
from His works. As we study these things the angels will help us to understand.
We shall see the wisdom and goodness of our heavenly Father. Our minds
will be strengthened, our hearts will be made pure, and we shall be more like
Christ.
Every year Joseph and Mary went up to Jerusalem, to the feast of the
Passover. When Jesus was twelve years old, they took Him with them.
This was a pleasant journey. The people traveled on foot, or rode on oxen
or asses, and it took several days to go. The distance from Nazareth to
Jerusalem is about seventy miles. From all parts of the land, and even from
other countries, the people went to this feast, and those from the same place
usually traveled together, in a large company.
The feast was held near the close of March or the beginning of April.
This was springtime in Palestine, and the whole land was bright with flowers,
and glad with the song of birds.
As they traveled, parents told their children of the wonderful things
that God had done for Israel in ages past. And often they sang together some of
the beautiful psalms of David.
In the days of Christ the people had grown cold and formal in their
service to God. They thought more of their own pleasure than of His goodness to
them.
But it was not so with Jesus. He loved to think about God. As He came to
the temple, He watched the priests in their work. He bowed with the worshipers
as they knelt to pray, and His voice joined in the songs of praise.
Every morning and evening a lamb was offered upon the altar. This was to
represent the death of the Saviour. As the child Jesus looked upon the innocent
victim, the Holy Spirit taught Him its meaning. He knew that He Himself, as the
Lamb of God, must die for the sins of men.
With such thoughts in His mind, Jesus wanted to be alone. So He did not
stay with His parents in the temple, and when they started for home He was not
with them.
In a room connected with the temple there was a school taught by the
rabbis, and to this place after a while the child Jesus came. He sat with the
other youth at the feet of the great teachers, and listened to their words.
The Jews had many wrong ideas about the Messiah. Jesus knew this, but He
did not contradict the learned men. As one who wished to be taught, He asked
questions about what the prophets had written.
The fifty-third chapter of Isaiah speaks of the Saviour's death, and
Jesus read this chapter, and asked its meaning.
The rabbis could give no answer. They began to question Jesus, and they
were astonished at His knowledge of the Scriptures.
They saw that He understood the Bible far better than they did. They saw
that their teaching was wrong, but they were not willing to believe anything
different.
Yet Jesus was so modest and gentle that they were not angry with Him.
They wanted to keep Him as a student, and teach Him to explain the Bible as they
did.
When Joseph and Mary left Jerusalem on their journey toward home, they
did not notice that Jesus stayed behind. They thought that He was with some of
their friends in the company.
But on stopping to camp for the night, they missed His helpful hand. They
looked for Him throughout the company, but in vain.
Joseph and Mary were in great fear. They remembered how Herod had tried
to kill Jesus in His infancy, and they were afraid that some evil had now
befallen Him.
With sorrowful hearts they hastened back to Jerusalem; but it was not
till the third day that they found Him.
Great was their joy at seeing Him again, yet Mary thought that He was to
blame for leaving them. She said:
"Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us? Behold, Thy father and I
have sought Thee sorrowing."
"How is it that ye sought Me?" Jesus answered. "Wist ye
not that I must be about My Father's business?" Luke 2:48, 49.
As He spoke these words, Jesus pointed upward. On His face was a light at
which they wondered. Jesus knew that He was the Son of God, and He had been
doing the work for which His Father had sent Him into the world.
Mary never forgot these words. In the years that followed, she better
understood their wonderful meaning.
Joseph and Mary loved Jesus, yet they had been careless in losing Him.
They had forgotten the very work which God had given them to do. By one day's
neglect they lost Jesus.
In the same way today many lose the Saviour from their company. When we
do not love to think about Him, or pray to Him; when we speak idle, unkind, or
evil words, we separate ourselves from Christ. Without Him, we are lonely and
sad.
But if we really desire His company, He will always be with us. With all
who seek His presence, the Saviour loves to stay. He will brighten the poorest
home, and gladden the lowliest heart.
Though He knew that He was the Son of God, Jesus went home to Nazareth
with Joseph and Mary. Until thirty years of age He was "subject unto
them." Luke 2:51.
He who had been the Commander of Heaven was on earth a loving and
obedient son. The great things brought to His mind by the service of the temple
were hidden in His heart. He waited until God's time to begin His appointed
work.
Jesus lived in the home of a peasant, a poor man. Faithfully and
cheerfully He did His part in helping to support the family. As soon as He was
old enough, He learned a trade, and worked in the carpenter's shop with Joseph.
In the coarse dress of a common laborer He passed through the streets of
the little town, going to and from His work. He did not use His divine power to
make His life easier for Himself.
As Jesus worked in childhood and youth, He grew strong in body and mind.
He tried to use all His powers in such a way as to keep them in health, that He
might do the best work in every line.
Whatever He did was done well. He wanted to be perfect, even in the
handling of tools. By His example He taught that we ought to be industrious,
that we should do our work carefully and well, and that such work is honorable.
All should find something to do that will be helpful to themselves and to
others.
God gave us work as a blessing, and He is pleased with children who
cheerfully take their part in the duties of the household, sharing the burdens
of father and mother. Such children will go out from the home to be a blessing
to others. The youth who try to please God in all that they do, who do right because it is right, will be useful in the world. By being faithful in a humble place they are fitting themselves for a higher position. |
