And His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You dealt with us like this? Look, Your father and I have anxiously searched for You.” He said to them, “How is it that you searched for Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”But they did not understand the word which He spoke to them. Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. But His mother kept all these words in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and men.
– Luke 2:48-51 MEV.
In Luke’s Gospelwe see four things that largely contribute to Jesus’ maturing:
Jesus matured because He knew the Scriptures.At the age of twelve in the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus was “sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” To mature in the ways of God, you have to know the Word of God.
Jesus lived in relationship with God the Father. When Jesus’ parents asked why He had been in the temple discussing theology for days, Jesus said, “I must be in my Father’s house.” One reason Jesus matured was His constant relationship with God. Jesus encouraged us to have this same kind of relationship with the Father.
Jesus matured because He had respect for authority. Though perfect, Jesus submitted to imperfect parents and honored His mother and father. If there was ever anyone who had the right to refuse to submit to any human authority, it was Jesus Christ. If there was ever anyone who could have said that they were under God’s authority alone and none other, it was Jesus. But Jesus matured, in part, because He honored and submitted to the parental authority that God placed over Him.
The same is true of our maturing. Those who do not submit to authority (e.g., parent, teacher, boss, government, pastor, Scripture, Holy Spirit, etc.) do not mature. God works through authority and blesses those who honor authority. In our age of rebellion and independence, which is the essence of sin, it is no surprise that so many are so immature.
Jesus matured by the power of the Holy Spirit. His name Christliterally means the one anointed with the person, presence, and power of the Holy Spirit.
We’ve now set the stage for the next major event in history, the public unveiling of Jesus Christ as the Son of God living by the power of the Holy Spirit.