“When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.”
Many wonder at the idea of how Jesus grew up from childhood into adulthood (i.e. Jesus’ humanity). Why? Jesus is the God-Man (i.e. truly God and truly Man); known as the hypostatic union. Bruce A. Ware states, “While the glory of Christ’s deity is still fully present and intact, the manifestation of that glory is not allowed full expression, covered as He is, in human nature.”
As the Son of God became man, born of a virgin through the Holy Spirit, Jesus grew up as any other human being yet without sin. Luke gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ development as he leads into an important time at the age of twelve in the passage to follow. As Jesus grew without sin, we need to ask the natural question: How we are to grow like Jesus Christ?
“The Child continued to grow and become strong…” Jesus developed physically like any other human being. Scripture states the caring for the physical body (Matt. 15:32; 1 Tim. 5:23; 1 Cor. 3:16). However, we are not to make it a priority over our spiritual well-being (1 Tim. 4:8; 1 Cor. 9:24-26).
“The Child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit…” (Lk. 1:80). As Jesus developed, He grew physically as well as spiritually. Jesus was being led by the Spirit (Lk. 2:48-49). This is why the cross is so devastating because Jesus became separate from the Father, which never happened prior to His death. He died physically on the cross and His spirit was temporarily separate from the Father as He bore our sins.
As God is spirit, only Christians have a spirit (inner man) that is made alive as God quickens the soul and the Spirit makes His dwelling. A spiritually dead man must be born again (i.e. born of God). After being born again by the Spirit of God, Christians grow in sanctification, exemplified by Christ (2 Cor. 4:16). Believers grow in spirit as Jesus becomes Lord of their lives. Loving and knowing the Lord is the new reality of those that are born of God (Phil. 3:7-8).
There are two ways of growing spiritually: the Word of God (Jn. 14:26; 17:17) and prayer (Matt. 26:41; Phil. 4:6-7). Total surrender of ourselves allows for the Holy Spirit to operate in our hearts (Gal. 2:20). Jesus grew spiritually as He submitted to the Father’s will despite having His own (Lk. 22:42). In other words, we must deny ourselves in order to follow Jesus. C.H. Spurgeon’s quote helps to test whether or not we have died to self and follow the Lord: “If any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him, for you are worse than he thinks you to be” (C.H. Spurgeon).
“… increasing in wisdom;” Jesus also grew in knowledge and wisdom (Mk. 12:17; Jn. 8:7). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7) There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Paul Koptak states, “Knowledge is what is gathered over time through study of the Scriptures. It can be said that wisdom, in turn, acts properly upon that knowledge. Wisdom is the fitting application of knowledge. Knowledge understands the light has turned red; wisdom applies the brakes. Knowledge sees the quicksand; wisdom walks around it. Knowledge memorizes the Ten Commandments; wisdom obeys them. Knowledge learns of God; wisdom loves Him.”
Source of wisdom is the Word of God; therefore, we are to revere God’s Word. The wise have on goal in mind, that is, to glorify God alone by grow in God’s Word and obedience to it. What hinders growth in wisdom? Pride (Prov. 11:2). How are we to grow in wisdom? Personal desire, reading and studying the word of God (Ps. 19:7), knowing life is short, and ultimately growing in Christ (1 Cor. 1:30).
“… and the grace of God was upon Him.” Jesus continued to grow in His relationship with the Father. Jesus possessed special grace, which all Christians receive at conversion. Only by the grace given by God does a person grow relationally with the Lord. As children of God, we are fully dependent on God. As dependents, we need His grace in order to grow. God’s grace is sufficient for strength to those that love Him (2 Cor. 12:9-10).
How can we grow in relationship with the Lord? We must acknowledge the gift of Jesus Christ that is given to us by the Father. God’s grace allows the sinner to be honest and transparent in regard to their sin before Him (Lk. 18:13-14). God’s grace produces humility and knowing the Lord brings forth joy. Consequently, those that belong to the Lord joyously and humbly grow in faith and sanctification, following in Christ’s example.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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