Title: Nazareth/Luke 2:39-40
Content The Great Pilgrimage of Life (4) Nazareth / Luke 2:39-40,51-52
The first is physical growth.
Verse 40 says that the baby Jesus also grew and became strong, and verse 52 said that he had grown in stature. So, what does physical growth mean for us adults who have already grown up to their full potential? I believe that these words can be applied as a check to see if I am living my life according to the will of the Lord by taking good care of my body God has given me. The Bible teaches that our bodies are the temple of God. And the Bible teaches that we should live to do the Lord's will by offering our bodies as living sacrifices. The most important reason Christians should be concerned about their health is not simply to “live long” or “to live forever.” It is to glorify God with our bodies.
Unexpectedly, the Bible places great emphasis on the importance of the body. The Christian faith does not teach the immortality of the soul without a body. It teaches eternal life through the resurrection of the body. body is God
Because it becomes a tool for the ministry of That is why Paul said, “Your body is an instrument of righteousness to God.
give it to you” (Romans 6:13).
The second is spiritual growth.
Perhaps in the case of spiritual growth, the expression mental maturity is more appropriate. In verse 52, it is said, “In wisdom and stature,” and in verse 40, “full of wisdom.” A person grows in height and body, but it is not normal if the intellect does not grow together. We sometimes use the modern expression ‘adult child’ in this case. But as Jesus grew up, above all else, he made progress in manifesting wisdom. Luke 2:41 and below also show episodes related to the text. When Jesus was 12 years old, he went to Jerusalem with his parents for the Passover, but he went missing on his way home. While looking for him, he saw a young boy Jesus having a discussion with the rabbis in the temple. Verse 47 says, “All who heard him marveled at his wisdom and his answer.” I would like to see these words as a testimony to the spiritual maturity of the human Jesus rather than the divine Jesus.
And I believe that the wisdom of the text here is also distinct from the knowledge that we simply gain through schooling or information education. Knowledge may be simple information, but wisdom is ‘right judgment’. I believe that this means more emphasis on wisdom through communication with God and wisdom through the words of the Bible. I believe that we today can also be supplied with this kind of wisdom through QT. Our ancestors of faith have also emphasized the importance of ‘Lectio Divina’, or ‘holy reading,’ since time immemorial. Start the new year with QT. Incorporate holy reading into your New Year's resolutions and read devotional books on a regular basis. Holy wisdom will grow.
Third is social maturity.
Verse 52 records that the boy Jesus was “loved by men.” We often see Christians around us who are zealous, adaptable, and active at church, but are helpless, unable to adapt and influence socially at work or at work. In other words, this can be attributed to the lack of social maturity. But the truth is that the Jesus we follow was not like that. It means that he was loved and respected by many people in society as well. The Lord says that his disciples who follow him should be 'the salt of the world' and 'the light of the world'. But today, we are only salt and light within the church, but aren't we becoming salt and light in our workplaces and workplaces?
We believe that this social maturity ultimately depends on our practice of breaking our own selfishness and loving and serving our neighbors as ourselves. The Bible testifies that the boy Jesus obeyed and received his parents with utmost sincerity before his public life in Nazareth. Verse 51. “Jesus went down with him and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to him.” How could he not have been loved by people? That is why he was essential both at home and in his father's carpentry shop (mainly farm implements and stone potters). This year is a year in which our global members are maturing family and socially, so as long as we pursue “the life of a lay missionary that heals the nation and changes the world” (the vision and mission of our church) in our homes and workplaces, and furthermore, as long as we pursue “the life of a lay missionary that heals the nation and changes the world”. I pray for the sun to come.
Lastly (fourth) is spiritual maturity.
Your maturity is the maturity of the Church. The maturity of our church is the maturity of the Korean church. The maturation of the Korean church is the change of Korean society. There are many churches, but is the world not changing? How can a church full of premature babies make a difference in the world? Even if there is only 3,5 salts in seawater, it prevents decay. Koreans say they are 20, so why is this society still so corrupt? The conclusion is that there is no mature saint with 3,5 real salt. Then, this year, one year to imitate the maturity of the true Jesus of Nazareth, so why not become a real ‘Nazarenes’ (Notsurim)?
Disciples of Jesus are, after all, people who follow the way of Jesus. As we seriously follow His footsteps as mature saints, we will also look forward to seeing our next generations follow that path as well. As I watched the snow fall at the beginning of last year, I suddenly remembered a poem that Kim Gu, who was a patriot and Christian, liked. It is originally known as a poem of Seosan Ambassador.
踏雪夜中去/When walking in a snow-covered field
不須胡亂行/Do not walk recklessly.
今日我行蹟/The footprints I left today
遂作合人桯/ Will it become the path of the people behind you in the future?