A Nugget from New Life Network
(from Chris Musgrove, Future Now)
Scripture for the Day (September 18, 2015)
And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. (Luke 2:40)
As a young man Jesus became strong in spirit, mind, intellect, and understanding. Jesus had a human soul, and that soul was subject to all the proper laws of a human spirit. He therefore increased in knowledge, strength, and character. Jesus as a young man grew physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Luke 2:52 says, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” The Amplified Bible says, “And Jesus increased in wisdom (in broad and full understanding) and in stature and years, and in favor with God and man.” Other translations call stature age or maturity. Jesus matured just like any other Jewish boy. The difference with Jesus was that He went after understanding as we see in these next verses.
Luke 2:46-47 says, “After three days they (his parents) found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.” The Greek word for understanding is sunesis which means a putting together; quickness of apprehension; the critical faculty for clear apprehension; intelligently assessing a situation. Sunesis is comparable to us saying, “putting two and two together”.
Jesus was discovering the plans God had for him as he had read in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jesus was a student of the Word of God as we see from Luke 2:46 where He was listening and asking questions. As we see from this next verse he maintained that faithfulness to go to the Synagogue and gain wisdom and understanding.
Luke 4:16 says, “So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.” How can we tell that Jesus was filled with wisdom and understanding? Because, He was filled with the Word as we see in Luke 4:4; 8 and 12. In each of those verses Jesus just spoke the word of God every time the devil tempted him. You have to know the word of God to be able to speak it.
John 12:49-50 says, “For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
God’s Word is the Words of the Father and that’s what Jesus spoke and it’s what we should be speaking. I Peter 4:11 says, “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.” We all need to be hiding God’s Word in our hearts so it will come out of our mouth (Psalm 119:11).
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (Luke 4:18)
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (John 14:12)
