Pastor How to Read LukeSample

Please read the Gospel of Luke 2:41-43,

42 (NKJV) And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.

Jesus was 12 years old and participated in ‘grown-up’ spiritual activities.

If you are 12 and older reading this, you are not too young to serve God.

If you are a parent of teenagers, you need to allow, encourage and even ‘engineer’ circumstances for them to serve God at an early age. In our church, your kids are given many opportunities to get involved. Don’t miss it.

The next words that stood out to me is ‘according to the custom’.

Parents, is there a custom for your family to go to church, serve and build God’s house? Make it a family custom. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).

A word to the 'veteran youths’ of our church. You grew up serving in church. Now you have your own children. I understand that it is tiring raising young children, but this is the worst time to stop serving. Because this is the time when your kids are looking at you. Children don’t do what we say, they do what we do. This is the season when you want to cultivate a spiritual custom, not break it.

43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem.

The boy Jesus lingered behind...

Parents, let your boy and your girl linger behind in church.

Some parents ask: “Why are other church's activities 2 hours a week, but in your church they spend the whole day there?”

Other parents ask: “Why has my child not changed after attending your youth service?”

My answer: “Your child spends 2 hours in church and 166 hours in the world/cyber world, who will he/she be influenced by?”

If you are a young person, be like teenage Jesus – linger behind.

We linger longer in the Presence of God.

We linger longer with our church friends.

We linger longer after services.

We linger longer to serve.

We linger longer to be trained and discipled.

The uniqueness of our church is that we like to linger behind in church.