When was the last time you were truly resolved to see something through? Often times we think that younger kids can’t live with resolve yet, when in reality they are just waiting for us to lead them to it. Check out part 3 of our vlog series with Gregg Johnson from J12 Ministries about the attitude that we must have and that we must instill in preteens to help them become everything God created them to be.
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Transcript:
Welcome back! We’re back again talking about Jesus at 12. And in the first session, we talked about… Our first blog we talked about four tween or preteen trends. In the second one, we talked about the narrative of God at 12 and how kids want more. And Jesus is the prime example of wanting more.
He stayed behind in Jerusalem when mom and dad… Well they had had enough. When they finally found him in the temple, and of course it took three days to find him, and mother Mary… like man, I don’t know maybe she thought, “You know, hey, let’s go to the house of the Lord maybe we’ll find him there. He’s been just a little different since we had him. So let’s let’s go there. And so they head to the temple. And as I was recording this, I noticed that on the wall right there is an actual picture or a portrait of Jesus sitting among the teachers. So it’s here in our home. When mom and dad finally found them, mother Mary walks in, and she says, “Son! Your father and I have sought you anxiously!” And Jesus says something to his mother that is so profound. He said to her, “Why do you seek me?” And then he said, “Did you not know that…” And then he spoke seven words. We’re going to take a look at three of them right now.
And he said to his mother, “I must be about my father’s business.” I thought I’d wear my t-shirt because what I believe with my heart I confess with my t-shirt. I really do. And so Jesus at 12 said to his mother, “I must be…” The word “about,” it would be the fourth word. And then “my father’s business” would be the last three out of these seven. And I think they kind of like form a mountain. One side of the mountain is “I must be.” The pinnacle is the word “about.” And then “my father’s business” is the three remaining words.
So, let’s take a look at those first three. “I must be.” I’m so thankful Jesus didn’t… he didn’t deflect. He said, “I.” He didn’t say, “They,” “he,” “my mother Mary,” “my daddy Joseph…” He said, “I.” Because around the age of 12, and this is what I want us to catch: Around the age of 12 is when “the” faith becomes “my” faith. “The” faith becomes “I” faith. I tell kids all the time you may have an iPhone but you need “iFaith!” It needs to be real. It needs to be personal. And I believe kids today desire to have a personal relationship with God.
And then he said, “Must.” And “must” in the original language simply means “divine compulsion.” Not “fleshly compulsion” but “divine compulsion.” I want you to know that kids today can have an “I must” spirit because Jesus at 12 had it himself. I love wearing my t-shirt. I love wearing my wristband. I’ve given away so many of these things to people who asked me, “I must what?” And I let them know, “I must be about it—my Father’s business.” So when we do the J12 encounter, I talk about the power of a personal faith, and then I talk about the power of divine compulsion, and the art of over obedience. And when you just have such a passion to be everything God calls you to be, you’ll work heartily as unto the Lord and not unto men. Kids need to know this. They can know it. Sure beats, “I should.” “Should” is negative and obligatory. “Must” is relational and powerful.
“Be.” Of course, the word “be” is a transitional word, but when we do the J12 encounter, I talk about it from the perspective of character. Jesus said, “I must be.” He didn’t say, “I must do,” because we’re human beings, not human “doings.” And our doing comes out of our being. You can’t separate the two. “Do” and “be” go together, but “be” is the foundation. “Be” is character. So these are the first three words of Jesus at 12, and then in our next vlog, we’ll talk about last three and what they mean. I challenge you to challenge your kids, your own personal children, your own family, or those that you serve in a local expression… Just bring to them the “I must” spirit. I believe that they’ll rise up because around the age of 12, we want more. God bless you.
Thank you Greg Johnson and J12 ministries for challenging us to look deeper into how to reach tweens on their level. J12 has some amazing curriculum designed to reach the 10 to 14 year olds at your church, and it’s all available right now through Disciplr. Click on the link in the description below to sign up for a free 7-day trial and check out everything today.
