Austin shifted to a more comfortable position in his seat, and began to tell the story of Jesus’ childhood. “Jesus lived a long life before he was baptized by John. He was a child, like you, and grew up doing things like other children. He played, scraped his knees, laughed with his friends, went to school and lived with his family. But one thing made Jesus different from most kids, one thing that I believe is the most important thing for you to understand.”
“Jesus knew that his true father and true mother were in heaven. That Mary, the woman who gave birth to him, and Joseph, his earthly dad, weren’t his true parents.”
“That doesn’t mean that Jesus didn’t listen to Mary and Joseph, but he knew that the ones who would never let him down and would love him perfectly were in heaven. Mary and Joseph still loved Jesus with all of their heart, but they too knew that the one with the real authority, the real one who needed to be listened to, was in heaven.”
“Let me tell you a story about Jesus that will make this more clear for you. When Jesus was twelve years old, he and his family went to a town called Jerusalem for a celebration.”
“After the feast ended, Mary and Joseph left to go home, which was about a full day of travel away, but Jesus stayed. Mary and Joseph thought that he was just traveling back with their relatives, but when they got home and couldn’t find him, they were very afraid.”
“Three days later, they found him in a temple (basically just a church). In there, he was sitting with the teachers, asking them questions and learning everything he could, because he knew in his heart that he needed to learn everything he could about God, his Father.”
“Wait,” Jason started, “Jesus didn’t already know everything?”
“Nope!” Austin replied. “Jesus was born as a human and had to learn about God just like everyone else. Jesus trusted and loved God perfectly, but that didn’t mean he knew everything.”
With Jason satisfied, Austin continued with the story. “And when Mary and Joseph found Jesus in that temple, as you can imagine they were very upset because they were so worried. They were afraid for Jesus’ safety, but when they asked the twelve year old Jesus why he did what he did, he asked them, ‘Why didn’t you just come to my father’s house? Don’t you know that all I want to do is to learn about him?’”
“You see, Jesus didn’t do this to hurt Mary and Joseph, but in listening to the Father to stay in the temple, Jesus gave the Father the opportunity to teach Mary and Joseph that the real parent to Jesus, is him.”
“What about me?” Tim asked, “I don’t have a dad.”
“Oh but you do,” Austin responded. “Your true father, just like Marissa’s, Jason’s, and mine, is God the Father. He watches over you every single day, and all that he does, is so that those who love him, like you, can be with him.”
“Jesus was sent to show us the way and make it possible for us to love the father and be with him, even though we’re not perfect.”
Tim was happy to know he had a dad.
Read Chapter four