Keep Increasing

I have the amazing privilege of working with college students every week and recently the Lord spoke to our hearts from Luke 2:52.  Scripture records very little from Jesus' birth; His dramatic entrance to planet earth, until His earthly ministry began at age 30.  But, I've often wondered what He was like as a teenager, a young adult, a 20-something year old (the ages of many sitting before me that Sunday morning). We have one verse to summarize 18 years of Jesus’ life in Luke 2:52 (see also verse 40 & 47).

“Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. “  NIV

“Jesus increased in wisdom (in broad and full understanding) and in stature and years, and in favor with God and man.”  AMP

“Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”  NASB

The word "increase" biblically means to drive forward (as if by beating), to advance (in amount, to grow; in time, to be well along), to proceed, to profit.  Selah

For 18 years, all we know is Jesus KEPT driving forward, advancing, proceeding, profiting in life.  

Hebrews 10:39 says “We are not of those who SHRINK BACK and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”

Job 17:9 “The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.”

Luke 2 says Jesus kept increasing in four main areas:

• Wisdom - refers to the intellectual side of life
• Stature - refers to the physical
• Favor with God - refers to the spiritual
• Favor with man - refers to the social

1.  Jesus grew in wisdom, He increased in broad and full understanding (AMP). Verse 47 says “All who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.” (EVEN as a child)

According to Strong’s, wisdom is comprehensive insight, a right application of knowledge. 

It is the ability to put what we know into practice. Biblical wisdom unites God, the Source of all understanding, with daily life, where the principles of right living are put into practice; said one commentator I studied.

"The Spirit of the LORD rested upon Jesus, it says in Isaiah 11:2, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD."  Wisdom is a permanent characteristic of the Messiah.

But, it can also be mine and yours.  It was Stephen’s according to Acts 6:8-10:  "Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke."  We are taught in James 1:5 to ask for wisdom and we’re promised God will give it generously.

2.  Jesus “kept increasing” in stature.  The physical side of life.  Obviously stature speaks of age (it is God’s will that you & I move forward in age – growing older is not a bad thing, it’s a God thing) Haha! But, stature is also maturity. You and I are obviously aging but are we increasing in maturity?

Ephesians 4 talks about the gifts God gives…in verse 11 it says, “He gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we ALL reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

James 1:4 says, “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

3.  Jesus continued to grow in favor with God – the spiritual side of life.

I love the word favor!  It is the Greek word, charis, meaning graciousness.  It is the Divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude.  Other defining words are acceptable, benefit, gift, grace, joy, pleasure, thanks.

4.  And, Jesus continued to grow in favor with man – the social side of life.

Often, we find it difficult to be gracious with each other because we haven't fully experienced the grace of God.  Jesus loved His Father and He lived under the Divine influence of His grace and favor.  He kept increasing, advancing, proceeding into deeper levels of graciousness with His Father as He walked in His flesh man on earth.  The Father's influence on His heart was reflected in His life, He knew He was accepted and He enjoyed the benefit and the gift of Sonship with a grateful heart.  And, that graciousness extended to mankind.  The same heart attitude He had with His Dad graced everyone He met.  He kept increasing in favor with man.

Somehow, I believe, if Jesus would have lived on earth to be my age...He would have continued to increase in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.  That's what I want to do...