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Let's be Children who Resemble Jesus

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"Why were you searching for me?" he asked.

"Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49)

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There was the most important festival named the Passover every year in Israel.
The Israelites came from everywhere to go to the temple of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.

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Jesus' family also went up to the temple to sacrifice the Passover to the LORD every year. When Jesus was twelve years old, Jesus' parents went up to Jerusalem with Jesus.

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The Passover was celebrated for one week.
During the Passover, staying at Jerusalem, the people thanked God for saving the Israelites from Egypt and they also celebrated various events.

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Jesus' parents, Joseph and Mary, spent time at Jerusalem during that period.
After the Feast was over, they began to return home. It was crowded because of all of the people that had come together from all over the country moved at once.

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While his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. They looked everywhere but could not find Jesus. They thought that they had lost Jesus.

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So they began to look for Jesus.
When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
They went back to the temple courts.

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After three days they found him in the temple courts.
Jesus was sitting among the teachers, talking with them there.

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Jesus was listening to them and asking them questions.
Everyone who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

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Mary who found Jesus in the temple courts came to Jesus and said,
"Do you know how much I've suffered by looking for you?
 Why did you not follow us but stay here?"

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When Jesus heard these words, he then asked his mother this question:
"Why were you searching for me? Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"

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Though Jesus was young like you, he was special. Firstly, the boy Jesus loved God's words. As compared with adults, Jesus' knowledge of the Bible was second to none. Jesus liked to learn about the Bible. We should learn eagerly God's words like Jesus.

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preferred to stay in the temple courts than everywhere else. After finishing the Passover, many people went back to their own house but Jesus loved to stay in the temple courts and talk with the teachers.

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I hope that you like to read the Bible and learn God's words like Jesus. You should have a good habit of reading the Bible everyday. If you have a chance to learn more about the Bible, you should actively participate in a Bible study.

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God meets us when we worship, pray, and praise the LORD. So I hope that you are pleased to have the time to be with God like Jesus.

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Jesus who loves God's words and meeting with God has received love from many people. From now on, you should try to resemble Jesus. So God will give you amazing presents and people will praise you, too.