“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52).

It is said that people have three lives: a public life, a private life, and a secret life.

People of character are the same person in the three areas of their lives.

How can we live in such a way that we grow in character?

The verse of the day tells us in the three ways Jesus grew in character:

• in wisdom
• stature
• in favor with God and man

Today’s text refers to Jesus as he grew up as a child into the man and the Savior he became.

First, we are told that Jesus grew in wisdom. The more Jesus learned about the nature and the character of God, the more his life resembled the truth of scripture. That’s what wisdom means. That’s what separates wisdom from knowledge. Wisdom is putting into practice what we know to be true and right. Jesus lived out the truth and what he knew to be right.

Secondly, we are told that Jesus grew in stature. The Greek word for stature refers to age and maturity more than physical growth. What this means is that as Jesus grew older, he acted his age, he grew out of his childishness. Jesus lived a life that demonstrated a wisdom beyond his years.

Finally, we are told that Jesus grew in favor with God and man. As Jesus put into practice the truths of God, grew in maturity and wisdom, he grew in favor with God and man. People couldn’t help but notice the life Jesus lived. Jesus was consistent in how he conducted himself in the public life, private life, and his secret life.

Jesus was the same in public as he was in private. The people around him attest to that.

Jesus was the same in secret as he was in public. God attested to that.

How are you doing? Are you the same person in how you speak and act in private and in secret as you are in public?

Grow in wisdom – put into practice what you know to be true and right.
Grow in stature – act your age. Grow in maturity.
Grow in favor with God and man – consistency in the three areas of your life.

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up the cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

There are three demands of being a disciple of Jesus:

1. Deny yourself
2. Take up the cross
3. Follow me

Deny yourself – it’s not about you. It’s not about what you want. It’s not about what makes you happy.

Wow. That’s kind of a downer.

But here’s the truth. You can make it all about you, all about what makes you happy. Many try. And, you know what the result is? They’re not happy. They have a good marriage, a good paying job, a nice house, nice vacations…and yet they’re still not happy.

You know why? Happiness is found in living out your purpose. Happiness is discovered in making a difference. It’s when we live for something bigger than us that we live a meaningful and purposeful life. It is then we are happy.

It’s not about you. Seriously. It’s not.

Take up the cross – take up suffering, take up giving your life so others may live. The pathway for our salvation was paved through the cross. Why do we think that the pathway for spiritual and kingdom success is paved through happiness and bliss?

If you want to know why this is the case, look at “Deny yourself.”

Follow me – follow the way Jesus has chosen. Jesus was tempted by the devil for forty days and forty nights in the wilderness. The core of the temptation was for Jesus to choose the Messianic plan minus the suffering and the cross. What Jesus realized at Gethsemane was that there is no Kingdom plan minus suffering and the cross.

Follow the one who went to the cross so that we might live through him.

The Kingdom way may have times of hardship, heartbreak, betrayal, suffering, and even death. But don’t lose heart. None of these can defeat you. Every one of these things will be an opportunity to reflect the one who marched to the cross.

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up the cross and follow me.”

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” (Matthew 7:1).

You do you.

As long as it works for you.

Who am I to tell you what is right and wrong?

Hmmm.

The verse of the day is one of the most frequently misunderstood and misused verses in all of Scripture.

God is NOT saying, don’t judge between what is right and wrong. God is NOT saying, don’t discern truth from lies. God is NOT saying, don’t judge what is sin and what is not.

The Bible is clear that truth, right and wrong, sin, holiness, etc. absolutely matters to God. It would be ludicrous to say that these things don’t matter.

One of the greatest lies that our culture has bought into is the belief that affirmation of someone is the proof of love. It doesn’t matter whether they are true, right, wrong, holy, sinful. What matters is that our affirmation of the person is the proof that we love them.

That is hogwash!!!

Jesus is the only way to the Father.

The Bible is the only authoritative word of God.

There is salvation in no one else apart from Jesus.

What the Bible calls sin is sin.

What the Bible calls holy and good is holy and good.

These truths absolutely matter.

When Jesus says, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged,” what he is saying is that we are not to judge based on our own understanding or standards. We don’t judge based on what we think is right, what we feel to be true. The standard by which we determine truth is God’s word.

Truth matters.

Truth matters to God.

Truth matters to disciples.