Luke 2:52 - Obedience In Childhood

Luke 2:52 

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. 

Message: Obedience in Childhood

Time: Luke, a non-Jew, written in Theophilus, by a physician, is a careful chronological rendering of the events of Christ's life. Luke takes his writing from primary sources - those people who had witnessed the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Luke wrote this probably from 58-60 AD as he accompanied Paul. His second volume was Acts. He writes of salvation to all men.  

What the Lord is Saying:

Thus far, we have seen that Jesus is the God incarnate creator, has a human nature (gets hungry, lacks complete knowledge of events, is tempted, and sleeps), is the last Adam (as the last federal head, in Christ all can be saved), is the True Israel in that He completely got the message to all people and was successful, and as Messiah or God's anointed, Jesus frees or rescues or delivers us from the discord between God and Man, completely. Now, we look at His obedience. 

Many people throughout history have seen Jesus as a great man, coming to deliver a message of God to all men. But it is something quite different to say that 'Jesus Saves.' To say that Jesus Saves is to say that Jesus delivers man from the enmity man has with God. Thus, how can a man do this? God is a judge and God hates sin. God is holy. Man's sin separates himself from God. This began in the garden and continues to this day. Either man redeems himself through his own obedience or through the obedience of another. What we know is that man is always a sinner, so what man needs is a go-between to get him to God. 

Theologians have classified Christ's obedience as active and passive. Active obedience refers to His keeping the law of God, perfectly, on our behalf - obeying every statute the Lord gave to humanity. Passive obedience refers to the suffering and death by which He paid the penalty for the sins of His people. Passive obedience discharges the debt we have incurred, while active obedience gives us the status as covenant keepers so that we can inherit eternal life. Jesus always followed the Lord's will in His life. 

Today's verse reminds us that even as a young man, Jesus was increasing in favor with God and men. There was never a decline or a standstill, but each day his obedience grew and his favor with God continued. 

Promise: Jesus was committed to doing what was necessary for our salvation, from birth to death. He was committed to our salvation, so we can be committed to Him no matter what comes our way. 

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for your obedience in never sinning, remaining in perfect obedience to the Law of God and then paying for my debt on the cross. I receive eternal life because of your perfect obedience and my debt is paid in full. Help people to see that this matters. That this is not simply a story, but our life. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- The Divine Nature of Christ, The Human Nature of Christ, Jesus the Last Adam, Jesus the True Israel, Jesus the Messiah, Obedience in Childhood