Luke 9

Spiritual growth

Luke 2:39–51 NKJV

39 So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. 41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; 44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” 49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. 51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

Luke 2:52 NKJV

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Intro: From the time that Mary and Joseph were at the Temple to the time we will look at today, there is a part that Luke doesn’t cover. It’s only found in Matthew. That is the story of the Wise men.

Matthew 2:1–2 NKJV

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

Matthew 2:3 NKJV

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Matthew 2:7–8 NKJV

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

Matthew 2:11 NKJV

11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:12 NKJV

12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

Matthew 2:13–15 NKJV

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” 14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Matthew 2:16 NKJV

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

Matthew 2:19–20 NKJV

19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.”

Now we Jesus is 12 years old.

Everyone should grow spiritually VS 40

Luke 2:40 NKJV

40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

Child grew: Jesus was God in the flesh, He had to grow like any child did. He had to learn to walk and talk, read.

He was a toddler that didn’t go through to terrible twos.

became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: He was filled with wisdom, so He grew Intellectually.

He grew spiritually. One of the biggest problems in the life of so many Christians is the lack of spiritual growth.

Too many Christians are still spiritual babies.

But a big part is churches do not equip new believes. No discipleship.

No effort themselves

and the grace of God was upon Him. There was a godlike quality about Him from the start. But He had to grow into a teenager, then a man.

There never a little boy like Jesus.

He was the oldest, He had brothers and sisters. The difference was that he did not have a sin nature.

He was filled with the Spirit. He was always happy, always helpful, always holy.

The people in town talked about Him.

Think about Jesus had to grow in his awareness of his messiahship and that he was the savior of the world.

He didn’t as a 5 year old say. “I am the way, the truth and the life”

We will see here today at 12 he had some understanding.

We need to worship to grow spiritually. VS 41-42

Luke 2:41–42 NKJV

41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.

This part of the bible is the last time we hear about Joseph.

There 3 feast Passover, Pentecost and then Tabernacles also known as the Feast of Booth

They were faithful to go to the Passover feast every year.

Family worship.

Families. Dads, Moms children should come to church and worship together.

Husbands and wives should worship together.

Families should pray together.

How do we worship Jesus?

Coming to church, fellowship with other believers.

We worship through singing.

We worship through giving.

We worship when we give God thanks.

Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Feast of the Passover every year.

200000 + people would be there, they would sacrifice lambs.

Jesus one day would be the sacrifice, the lamb of God.

Mary and Joseph were faithful to go to the passover ever years to worship.

This took about 3 days.

They would travel in groups.

We need to keep Jesus close. VS 43-45

Luke 2:43–45 NKJV

43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; 44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.

Before we get on the Mary and Joseph for forgetting Jesus, none of us are perfect parents.

The passover feast over, but Jesus, the boy Jesus was not. He had some questions, He was maybe begging to understand His Messiahship.

I think that Mary had talked to Him some about who He was.

God His father spoke with Him, began the see some thing, He knew that He was different.

The point I want to get to is Jesus was missing, in a way He wasn’t because He was where He needed to be, but He was missing from Mary and Joseph.

Jesus is missing in some peoples lives.

If you are a saved (ELAB) Jesus is not leave you.

But if we have keep Him close in our lives.

Jesus is missing in some lives because they don’t talk to Him much, if ever.

Jesus is missing some lives because they don’t read about Him.

Jesus is missing in some lives because they don’t worship Him.

Jesus is missing in some live because other stuff had become more important.

Churches can had Jesus missing in the live of their church.

Ministry is not important.

Missions are not important.

Worship is not important.

We need to seek and hear Jesus VS 46-51

Luke 2:46–51 (NKJV)

46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

Elab on them spending 3 days looking for Jesus.

Where was He? Where He needed to be. In His fathers house.

 Jesus is with the rabbis and the religious teachers the great Scholars many extra ones there gathered because of Passover.

Jesus was listening to them and asking them questions.

And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

We see the word astonished again.

While all this is going on Mary and Joseph are seeking after Jesus.

Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV

13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

How much time do we spend seeking Jesus?

That means seeking His will?

Seeking His guidance.

Seeking His grace.

Seeking HIs mercy.

Seeking His forgiveness.

Seeking Jesus through prayer.

There may be times when we are seeking Jesus, and seems like He is not there.

Sin can cause this.

Wrong or selfish motives can cause this.

48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”

Mary was worried, Mary was anxious. Mary was concerned. 49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

Jesus was not being distressful.

I MUST be about My Fathers business.

This is the first spoken words of Jesus recorded in the Bible.

Jesus was 12, But He knew that God was His Father.

He tells them I MUST be about my Fathers business.

John 3:7 NKJV

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

John 3:14 NKJV

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

Jesus Mary, “I must be about my Fathers business”

To grow spiritually.

You must obey God. Jesus said, If you love me, keep my commandments

You must spend time in prayer.

You must love the Lord with all your heart and soul.

Jesus time that He spent with the teachers amazed them.

Know what He says to Mary and Joseph, well they don’t understand.

Luke 2:50–51 NKJV

50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. 51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

Luke 2:19 NKJV

19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them,

The evidence of Spiritual growth VS 51

Luke 2:52 NKJV

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Ealb on Jesus in wisdom, stature, favor with God and men.

In our lives. When we grow spiritually God will see.

When we grow spiritually people will see.