Growing with Jesus in the New Year

A message by Jeffrey Westbrook

Crossroads International Fellowship

25 January, 2004

Text: Luke 2:40 (NASB) “And the Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.”

Intro: glad to be back at Crossroads, etc.

What’s next after the excitement of Christmas is over? What do we do in the New Year?
Many people stop with the Christmas story. (Do you know C&E Christians?) But the story doesn’t stop there.
Read verse: Jesus grew up
Many would prefer to stop with the baby Jesus in the manger at Christmas, because Christmas is the promise of joy, peace, hope and love. The baby and His birth make no demands on our lives. And thus many who profess faith in Christ remain infants in their faith, refusing to grow and mature. Their faith goes no farther than Christmas.
Don’t be C & E Christians!

Transition & Thesis: But Jesus is ever our example, and so even in this very sketchy account of His youth, Jesus is a model for our lives and our spiritual growth in the New Year.

I. Jesus grew & became strong.

He grew strong in body

1. Developed as a normal human being, boyhood miracle stories aside

2. We should take care of our bodies, too (my New Year’s resolution)

We should grow strong in our spirits

1. “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity,” (Heb. 6:1)

a. We can’t rest content with milk only

We must grow to the point where we are ready for spiritual “solid food”
Lots of children around here; most of us are quite familiar with babies, small children, & their development
We must grow and become strong spiritually; we can’t stay spiritually immature
There’s a difference between having the faith of children and failing to grow spiritually

2. Some Christians have known the Savior for a long time, but they never grow past the most basic tenets of the faith

a. They stop at “Jesus died for my sins, so I’m saved & going to heaven”

b. A good start, but not a stopping point

c. All believers should grow and mature in their faith; it’s not for the “professional clergy” only

3. Paul: “we are no longer to be children, … but we are to grow up in all aspects into Him (Eph. 4:14-15)

II. He increased in wisdom

We, too, should grow in our wisdom and understanding
Done in several ways

1. Increase our knowledge

A lifetime of learning available in Bible & theology (example: my father-in-law, Dr. Ackerman, has devoted a lifetime to studying Bible & Theology, and he’d be the first to admit that he’s only scratched the surface)
Take advantage of God’s Word: read it, study it, meditate on it, memorize it; learn all you can
The Bible isn’t just for Sunday mornings!
Read books about the Bible, Bible times and culture, and Bible scholarship
Take a course; such things aren’t restricted to ministers (plug for Trinity Seminary!)

2. A word of warning:

a. Learn God’s word; get to know God Himself better

b. Don’t just learn about God’s Word or about God

c. Ex. Of those who devote their professional lives to Biblical or religious studies, but they only study about God and His Word, without ever knowing Him or truly understanding

d. Don’t be like them

e. Illus.: my Korean university students who study a lot about English, but they don’t know English

3. Knowledge not the sum total of wisdom

a. Wisdom: “knowledge of what is true or right coupled with good judgment” (Random House Dictionary); “ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action based on knowledge and understanding,” (Nelson’s New Illustrative Bible Dictionary)

b. Wisdom goes beyond knowledge, and it cannot be completely learned through study and book learning

c. To some extent, comes through age and experience – that is, learning from experiences

d. Learn from your experiences; learn from the council of others (illus.: Frodo learned from Gandalf in The Lord Of The Rings)

e. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments,” (Ps. 111:10)

f. James – wisdom comes from God: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him,” (James 1:5; see also 3:13-18)

4. So we are to grow in wisdom through obeying God and asking of Him

a. illus: Caleb as model of obedience & wisdom

b. illus: Solomon – boy, talking about asking and you shall receive!

III. The grace of God was upon Him

A. Meaning

1. Grace = caris

2. Means “favor” (Adam Clarke); divine influence on the heart (Strong’s)

3. In this case, not referring to saving grace

B. We, too, are called to grow in grace

1. Peter – “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” (II Peter 3:18) (Same Greek word)

2. That’s fine, but what does it mean?

3. “The grace of God equips us to practice His mercy, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.” (Larry Hinsley, “The Path That Leads to Growth”)

4. It affects how we interact with others. We live with an attitude of grace toward others. We live by His mercy, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness toward others in our everyday lives.

5. Illus: grace-seasoned conversation (my sermon from Col. 4:2-6); grace as a condiment?

6. Illus: taxi driver and hospice patient

7. Tangent: this grace-filled living is closely connected with our knowledge

a. George Verwer (OM) – the person who truly knows the Bible well is the one who practices love for others.

b. Can’t say “I know this guy who really knows the Bible well, but he doesn’t really love others” – Verwer says in that case, he doesn’t really know the Bible

C. “Grace upon Him” versus “grow in grace”

1. Not really that important

2. True, grace upon is more passive, and grow in is more active

3. But either way, the grace comes from God, and either way, it should make a difference in the way we live

D. Grace and obedience

1. Grace is unearned, and certainly saving grace is unmerited. But…

2. We all agree that we are called upon to live lives that are pleasing to God

3. Dr. McQuilkin – Trust and obey/ faithful & yielded

4. Spiritual growth happens as we trust & obey; be faithful in what God has given us, and we grow

Conclusion

· Let’s look at the new year as a chance for new spiritual growth.

· By following Jesus’ example of growth, we will experience growth, too.

· Difference between new year’s resolution (don’t usually keep) and new growth in the new year (can stick with it by the power of the Holy Spirit; God wants us to do it; He wants to help us)

· Let’s bulk up spiritually, seek the wisdom that comes from God, and take advantage of the opportunities God gives us to live grace-filled lives!

Growing with Jesus in the New Year

Summary Outline

“And the Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” – Luke 2:40 (NASB)

Introduction: Don’t be C & E (Christmas and Easter) Christians!

Thesis: Jesus is a model for our lives and our spiritual growth in the New Year.

I. Jesus grew & became strong.

A. He grew strong in body

B. We should grow strong in our spirits