How Jesus Grew In God’s Will

And how we come to faith...A Study in Luke 1-4

1. Before Jesus was born ...

31And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" 35The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.” (Luke 1:31-35)

2. As an infant and child ….

21”After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. …. (Simeon, Anna) 39When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they

returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40The child grew and became strong, filled with

wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.” Luke 2:21-22, 39-40

3. Into adolescence ….

41Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival…. 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." 49He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 50But they did not understand what he said to them. 51Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. (Luke 2:41ff)

4. Growing into adulthood ….

52And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor. Luke 2:52

21Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

Luke 3:21-22

5. Owning his own faith ….

“Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work.” (Luke 3:23)

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read. (Luke 4:14-16)

Stages of Jesus’ Evolving Relationship with God

1. Pre-birth2. Childhood3. Adolescence4. Young adulthood5. Maturity

1. Pre-birth (Luke 1:31ff)

God’s providence for his life from the beginning of time

God’s selection of family, time, church, place of birth, history, ancestry, and other circumstances into which he would be born

2. Childhood (Luke 2:21ff)

Faith formed by parents’ actions on child’s behalf to shape faith

Parameters of faith shaped by external community

Child in a “receiving” mode for faith

3. Adolescence (Luke 2:41ff)

Teen moves from “receiving” mode to “participating” mode

Balance/tension between reflecting one’s inherited faith and expressing one’s own emerging faith

4. Young Adulthood (Luke 3)

Baptism symbolizes claiming of one’s own faith as emerging from family’s faith

Strong sense of personal revelation

Accompanied by spiritual wrestling (temptation, conflict, searching, prophetic)

5. Maturity (Luke 4)

Clear sense of vocation, the will of God and calling for my life

Beginning of fruitful ministry

Evolution from “receiver” or “participant” mode of faith to “teacher” of faith to others

Rituals for the 5 Stages

1. Pre-birth …. “Naming”

2. Childhood …. “Dedication

3. Adolescence …. “Confirmation

4. Young adulthood …. Baptism

5. Maturity …. Calling

Conclusions

1. Jesus’ faith evolved over time.

2. Jesus’ faith involved both shaping from outer forces (God, family, circumstances) and personal decisions.

3. Each stage of faith was enacted and marked with appropriate rituals.

How Jesus’ Evolution into Faith Impacts Our Understanding of Coming to Faith

1. We should expect faith to be an ongoing process and allow time for it to develop.

2. There are appropriate calls for personal decision at each stage of coming to faith.

3. Rituals are important!

How Jesus Grew In God’s Will

Dr. John P. Chandler

www.rasnet.org Copy right John Chandler, 2000