Joyful Moments in Christ

In My Father’s House: Jesus Grows in Wisdom and Favor

This Sunday School lesson is intended for upper elementary students. All lessons on this website are protected by copyright, but you can use them for free in small groups or Sunday School classes. You may share a link to this page, but please do not copy these pages and put them on other websites.

The Big Idea

Jesus is the Son of God, and even as a child, he showed his love for the Father by learning and obeying his Word.

Lesson Objectives

1. Understand that Jesus is God’s Son who desired to be in his Father’s house.
2. Learn that Jesus grew in wisdom, strength, and favor with God and people.
3. Recognize the importance of obeying parents and loving God.
4. Encourage students to grow in their love for God’s Word.

Class Setting Notes

1. Recommended for upper elementary Sunday School.
2. Lesson length: 45–60 minutes. Can be shortened or extended based on activities selected.

Opening Activity

Have You Seen Him?

• Ask students to close their eyes while one volunteer briefly leaves the room. Prearrange this with the volunteer.
• When they open their eyes, they must figure out who is missing.
• Afterward, discuss how they felt when they noticed someone was gone.

This activity helps introduce the emotion of searching and connects to the story of Mary and Joseph looking for Jesus.

Bible Reading

Ask the class to read Luke 2:39-52 aloud together or have one person read it.

• Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 2:39-52 (ERV)
• Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 2:39-52 (NIRV)
• Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 2:39-52 (GNT)
• Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 2:39-52 (NLT)
• Hard: New International Version: Luke 2:39-52 (NIV)
• Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 2:39-52 (ESV)

Additional Reading: Choosing the Right Bible Translation: A Comparison of 7 Versions

Suggested prompts:

As the class reads aloud, consider asking some of these prompts:

1. What do you notice about how Jesus spent his time in the temple?
2. Why do you think his parents were so surprised?
3. How does this story help us understand who Jesus is?
4. What does it mean to grow in favor with God?

Teacher Background Notes

1. In Jewish tradition, boys became “sons of the law” around age twelve, preparing for adult responsibilities in their faith community.
2. Jesus staying behind in the temple was not disobedient but revealed his awareness of his identity as the Son of God.
3. Mary and Joseph faithfully followed the law of the Lord and were likely in a caravan returning home when they realized Jesus was missing.
4. The teachers in the temple were respected religious scholars. That Jesus was engaging with them at his age astonished those present.
5. This is the only account in the Gospels of Jesus’ boyhood. It offers a rare glimpse of his early understanding of his mission.

Theological Insights

1. Jesus is fully God and fully man. Even as a child, he knew he was the Son of God.
2. Jesus valued being in the presence of God and learning from his Word.
3. God calls children to grow not only physically, but in wisdom and spiritual maturity.
4. Jesus obeyed both his heavenly Father and his earthly parents.
5. God’s blessing rests on those who seek him faithfully.

Discussion Questions

Understanding the Text

1. What did Mary and Joseph do after Jesus was born?
2. What do we learn about Jesus as he grew up in Nazareth?
3. Why was Jesus in Jerusalem?
4. What did Jesus do after the festival ended?
5. How long did it take his parents to find him?
6. What was Jesus doing in the temple?
7. How did Mary and Joseph respond when they found him?
8. What did Jesus mean when he said he must be in his Father’s house?

Personal Reflection and Application

1. Have you ever felt like Jesus did, wanting to learn more about God?
2. How can you show love for God’s Word in your everyday life?
3. What can we learn from Jesus’ obedience to his parents?
4. When was a time you learned something new about God that made you excited?
5. How can you grow in wisdom and favor like Jesus did?

Suggested Activities

“In My Father’s House” Journal Page

• Provide students with a simple handout shaped like a house.
• Inside the house, have them write or draw what it means to be close to God (e.g., praying, reading the Bible, being at church).
• On the outside, they can write or decorate with words like “Jesus,” “wisdom,” and “God’s Word.”

This activity helps students reflect on what it means to be in God’s presence and how to draw near to him.

Temple Scene Role Play

• Assign roles: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, temple teachers, and narrator.
• Read the passage slowly while students act out the events.
• Pause for reactions and brief discussion after Jesus speaks to his parents.

This activity engages students in the drama of the story and helps them explore the emotions and meaning of Jesus’ words.

“Grow Like Jesus” Chart

• Create a growth chart with four labeled columns: Body, Wisdom, Favor with God, Favor with Others.
• Have students brainstorm examples of how they can grow in each area.
• Optional: Let them take the chart home to revisit during the week.

This activity encourages students to apply the growth pattern seen in Jesus’ life to their own walk with God.

Memory Verse

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Luke 2:52 (ESV)

Closing Prayer

Father,

Thank you for the example of Jesus, who loved your Word and desired to be near you. Help us to grow in wisdom and love for you, just as he did. Give us hearts that treasure your truth and obey your Word.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The ESL Version

I also create materials for adult English Language Learners (ELLs) and ESL students. You can find my ELL Bible Study based on Luke 2:39-52 here:

ELL Bible Study: Luke 2:39-52 — The Boy Jesus at the Temple

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English Standard Version (ESV): Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.