Jesus at the Temple ~
Jesus was Jewish. As a Jew, he followed God's law. Three times a year, his family made the trip to Jerusalem for the pilgrim festivals: Passover, Pentecost, and Sukkot. This year, when Jesus was twelve-years-old, which is considered a man in Jewish culture, He stayed behind to learn in the Temple. Unfortunately, his parents were unaware of this & search for him for days.
Was this a sin? Jesus staying behind? No. He was a man and capable of making his own decisions according to Jewish law. In fact, He was perplexed by his parent's fear. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"
Does this mean that you as a teenager are allowed to simply go your own way? Nope. Sorry, in our country you are under your parents guidance until you are 18 (19 in Nebraska). By law, you cannot make your own decisions, but require the approval of your parents. In Jesus' day, by law, He was able to make his own decisions. Notice how this reading ends, He returned to Nazareth with his parents and was obedient to them.
Sin comes from the heart. Your motivations are what will be judged. So, spend some time looking into your heart today!
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