Week #44 – The Son of God Grew Up!

Luke 2:51-52 – Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

 

            This is a teaching moment for all children and young people as the Son of God (who is also the Son of Man) shows us humans how to grow up righteously.  After having impressed everyone at the temple with His wisdom and understanding of spiritual truths, He submitted to the authority of His earthly parents and returned to Nazareth where He was OBEDIENT to them.  Can you grasp this?  The only begotten Son of God intentionally submitted Himself to the authority of humans to fulfill what is right and to demonstrate to all children and young people what their attitude should be toward their parents.  If anyone was smarter than his parents it would have been Jesus!  If anyone ever had superior righteousness to his parents it was Jesus!  So, if anyone ever may have been exempt from obeying his parents – that would be Jesus!  But that wasn’t the case.  He went down to Nazareth where He was obedient to them.  Mary took note of all these things and stored them away in her treasure chest of memories, where one day they would reveal the bigger picture to her and to the rest of the world.

            And Jesus grew – mentally, physically, spiritually and socially.  Although He was the Word of God from the beginning, this Word that became flesh had subjected Himself to the natural growing processes of all human flesh.  He was not a fully mature person at twelve years of age and thus He also submitted Himself to the necessity of: growing in wisdom (which likely included reading and studying); physical growth and maturity through the same processes all children and young people must develop; Spiritual growth (like anyone else who would grow spiritually in the knowledge of God, He spent time in prayer, worship and intimate fellowship with God); growing and developing social graces that perfected friendship and relationships with other people.  So, lest any young person thinks himself above growing and developing his/her mind, body, spirit and social skills, remember that the One who made you intentionally put Himself in a human body to experience all of these things.  In so doing, He showed all young people how to do it right, but even more than that, He qualified Himself to be the Savior of all who enter into this human experience that requires us to grow in order to mature and perfect all these areas.

            Philippians 2:5-11 – Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

Thursday:                                                                                                         

• Meet together with at least 1 or 2 other believers to enter the Throne Room of Grace.
• Join our 6:00pm Thursday night prayer team.         

Friday:                                         

• Reflect on the mystery of what God has done in Christ Jesus by submitting Himself to the human experience.
• Pray for the Good News families of the week: Pastor Dave & Cindy George, Allen Grandin (Jr.), Christina Greisch (Derek, Alicia).

Saturday:       

• Praise God for being relevant to every phase of human development in His plan of salvation!

Sunday:                                                                      

• Thank God for the record of Jesus’ youth and the inspiration it provides to motivate young people to righteous submission, development and maturity! 

 Monday:                                                                                              

• Praise God for sending His Son to become our servant through obedience!
• Attend “In Touch” Prayer meeting at GNCC at 10:30am or join in prayer at that time.

 Tuesday:       

• Ask God to give you attitude like that of the Lord Jesus Christ – humble and obedient!

Wednesday:   

• Be among those that confess that Jesus is Lord RIGHT NOW – don’t wait until you have to!

 

Prayer Challenge:  Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. – Ephesians 5:15-17.