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Jesus Grew
Joseph and Mary have now completed all that was required by the law of the Lord. They returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. Perhaps they entered into a season of normal family life.
And Jesus grew! To grow is to progress to maturity, to become larger, to increase, to develop, and to flourish. Mature things bear fruit, reproducing after their own kind, according to their nature. And Jesus’ nature expressed itself in strength and wisdom; and God’s favor was with Him. Let’s explore these characteristics further.
Strength: the capacity for exertion or endurance; the power to resist force or withstand pressure; solidity or toughness. We will soon see this in Jesus as he faces tests and temptations in the wilderness…and throughout His earthly ministry.
Wisdom: the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Jesus would have been familiar with Proverbs, where the first 7 chapters were repeatedly call “my son(s)” to wisdom. Truly the Spirit of Wisdom rested upon Him (Isaiah 1: 2).
Favor: the approval, support, goodwill, kindness, benevolence, assistance, and liking of God. (It is dear to know the Father likes His Son.) The Father affirms this at the start of Jesus’ public ministry by announcing at His baptism, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22).
It encourages me that Jesus grew. He did not appear on Earth fully grown. He went through the process of development that possibly included occasional awkwardness and learning things the hard way. Like we do.
We are also invited to grow, as He did.. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
“Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity…” (Hebrews 6:1).
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ”( Ephesians 4:15).
The Father intends to conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29), and He will grow us to be both uniquely ourselves and truly like Him. “He does not demand impossibilities.” (Henry Charles Lee) Jesus grew. So will we grow closer to and more like Him. God knows what He’s about!
Dr. Shawn Shannon
Spiritual Life Director, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
About this Plan
Rahab and Ruth never expected to be in the lineage of the Son of God. Zechariah was simply showing up for his turn in the temple when an angel showed up too, announcing old Zechariah and old wife would have a baby! Augustus Caesar sent out a decree to tax the world, and ended up fulfilling a prophecy. Yet God was at work in all of these people and situations.
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