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Read: Luke 2:41-52

Memory Verse: v52 “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature (maturity), in favor with God and in favor with man”.

I think that often times we only think of Jesus as this mighty man-God, as if he came out of the womb fully grown and instantly preaching. “Hey doctor, how about you clean me up here and I will clean up your soul!”

When we read about the life of Jesus there is something so striking that, if you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you can miss the significance of. Unlike any other god, Jesus was human. He walked with us. He experienced life like us. One of the significant things that we can learn from 12-year-old Jesus and the other stories that we read about His life in the Gospels is this:

Jesus Grew!

Here are some things we often don’t think of when we consider Jesus and the divinity of Christ.

  • Jesus was breastfed. (Luke 11:27)

  • Jesus was cared for by parents. (Luke 2:39-40)

  • Jesus caused his parents grief. (Luke 2:48)

  • Jesus practiced traditions of faith with His family. (Luke 2:42)

  • Jesus went to church from childhood and beyond. (Luke 2:46)

  • Jesus asked questions of teachers. (Luke 2:46)

  • Jesus developed friendships with others who shared his mission. (Matt. 4:19)

  • Jesus lost friends. (Mark 14:50)

  • Jesus lost loved one’s & wept over them. (John 11:35-36)

  • Jesus experienced rejection. (John 1:11)

  • Jesus was misunderstood by his family. (Luke 2:50)

  • Jesus' siblings didn't believe Him & thought He was crazy. (Mark 3:21; John 7:5)

  • Jesus feared His future & fate. (Luke 22:42)

  • Jesus faced temptation while seeking to set His next course of adult life. (Luke 4:1-2)

  • Jesus had a choice to choose the “easy life” (at least that’s what he was told) or choose the purpose-filled one that was harder. (Luke 4:5-8)

Just like you, Jesus grew!

His humanity makes him unlike any other god. We have to be careful to not just consider Jesus a good role model. Jesus is more than a model of a good life. He is the only relationship that can change you and lead you into a truly meaningful life through salvation in Christ and walking with Him daily with guidance from the Holy Spirit. However, with that said, once you know Him as Lord of your life, He also, through His life, shows us how we are to live this new life in Him.

Look at all Jesus did do! Look at all Jesus did overcome.

Then think about what He didn't do....

Jesus didn’t:

  • Settle for a life like everyone around Him.

  • Pursue whatever He determined to be His own truth & happiness.

  • Make the idealization and comforts of family His top priority. (ie. Luke 8:20-21)

  • Consider money & housing something of a main focus. (Luke 9:58; Matt. 6:19-21)

  • Give up when things got hard. (Matt. 26:42)

  • Quit when people mistreated Him.

  • Neglect His relationship with His Father because He was too busy. (John 17)

As a child, Jesus grew just like you.

As an adult, Jesus also grew! What about you?

Often times, the things that made us grow as children we abandoned as adults. Our eagerness to learn. Our eagerness to forgive- to love and be loved. Our hope, wonderment and faith in God. Our dreaming of doing something great with our life.

We leave much of this for the comforts of complacency in adulthood.

Jesus calls us, like newborn children, to come to Him and grow thru Him. He calls us to change. To change thru Him and then to go and change the world.

Jesus is more than a model to look up to. He is the way to follow (John 14:6). Jesus was God and yet Jesus was human. As God, He gave His life to bring salvation to our souls. As man, He showed us practically what salvation in life should look like as we live out our daily lives as well.

If Jesus grew, what about you? What will you pursue?

Challenge:

  • Reread Luke 2:41-52. What human characteristics of Jesus are evident in your life? (For instance, look at His presence in the church, learning. Look at His being surrounded in communities of faith). Which characteristics of Jesus’ humanity might God want you to focus on as an area of growth?

  • Consider these 3 areas, pray over them and journal them:

  • How does God want you to grow in wisdom & maturity?

  • What areas of faith does He want you to grow in your knowledge of Him?

  • How does God want you to grow in favor with man (relationships)?

  • What areas of your relational life need more focus and Godly-leadership?

  • (Being in community with other believers? Marriage? Children?)

  • How does God want me to grow in favor with Him?

  • What does He want me to do to serve Him differently? How does He want me to grow in my spiritual life and connectedness to Him?