A Trip to the Temple
We talk so much about Jesus as a man – a carpenter, healer, itinerant preacher and teacher, theologian, crucified and resurrected Savior; have you ever thought much about Jesus the child? There were rumors, to be sure, even some books in the mythical “Apocrypha” that mentioned childhood powers and miracles.
What about Jesus, the boy? Was he normal? A nerd? Maybe an athlete?
The scriptures in Luke 2:41-52 give us a couple of pictures regarding Jesus’ childhood:
The Christian faith is built upon God coming to earth in human form
- Jesus had a normal Jewish life. His family practiced their faith, they took trips, and, when he disappeared, he had a very worried mother!
- Jesus’ parents did not fully understand Jesus’ unique nature. They were aware of Jesus’ special birth, of course, and had heard the words of the angels – but they obviously were not completely aware of what it all meant.
- Jesus grew normally, and by the age of 12 was somewhat aware of his unique nature. At this age he was already well-versed in scripture, reasoned as an adult, and was able to challenge and debate the leadership in the Temple. He was an intelligent and disciplined student!
This brings us to discuss the very nature of Jesus’ humanity, and deity. When scholars talk about the belief that Jesus was God and man and how that came about, they use the term “Incarnation.” Here is a simple definition of the term: “The act by which the second person of the Trinity, God the Son, took on a human form.” We have to remind ourselves that as we talk about the normal humanity of Jesus, we are also talking about The One who was God Himself, conceived by the Holy Spirit. The Bible, and church history, give us insight into this Incarnation.
The Incarnation: God became Man
- A Miraculous conception. (Luke 1:35) The virgin birth is taught as a real, historical event; it is a direct result of God’s power at work in human life.
- God in the flesh. (John 1:1, 14) Jesus is not a lower-level or created God, but fully God himself, in human form.
- Completely human. (Philippians 2:6-7) Jesus, fully God, became a human being in all ways just like us! He worked, slept, got tired and hungry, and struggled with the experiences of this life – He was a man. And, he was God. We worship Him, knowing that He was a man, but more than that; He was The One sent from God, sent to save us from our sin.
Jesus’ personal life challenges us to accept our role as the people of God
Here is the challenge for us, as we observe Jesus’ humanity: Jesus came to understand and accept God’s will for his life, even though it was neither easy nor pleasant. Will you?
Here are some ways for us to live, that we might know and accept God’s will for our lives:
- A spiritually-oriented life: (Romans 12:2) This is a choice to think, act, and talk like a Christian – to submit your actions and thoughts to God’s lead, as expressed in scripture. This is also the decision to practice justice, forgiveness, and developing good relationships.
- An eternally-minded life (Philippians 3:20-21) This is where you begin to think “big picture” about your life. A consideration of long-term value is applied to all there is in life, as well as determining one’s life and actions by those long-term effects.
- A Witnessing life (I Peter 3:15) We have been given the responsibility to share our faith with those around us, with grace and love. Do your friends know of your faith in Jesus? Do you ever bring up your faith in the context of everyday discussions?
Jesus was human, just like us in every way! And yet, he walked the narrow way, resisted sin, and followed God.
Jesus lived a life of faith! His sincerity, lovingkindness, and obedience to God is the best example of a truly human life.
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