Obtaining Insight Through God's Principles – Bible Study Day 23

January 26, 2023
Bishop, W. F. Houston, Jr.
*C H O F Ministry Bible Study Reading: Luke 2:41–52
**C H O F Ministry Focal Verse: Luke 2:52
Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
One Saturday, I went to the department shop closest to where I live to purchase some items for a BBQ. As I made my way into the barbecue sauce aisle, I noticed a young woman giggling while conversing on her mobile phone. I turned my attention to the sauces when I suddenly heard BENNY! BENNY! BENNY! When I looked up, the young lady talking on her cell phone had a distressed expression. Benny was her six-year-old son. There was a palpable dread in the air, and the search for Benny had already begun. I said a quick prayer and joined the hunt, hoping no one had taken the young lady's child. Benny was eventually located by the security department cameras a few minutes later on the opposite side of the store in the toy section. Thank goodness for today's advanced technology. There was no child with the young lady when I entered the aisle; it's impossible to say how long Benny had been absent. I do not doubt that she put aside her cell phone, maintained a vigilant watch on Benny for the remainder of her shopping, and never allowed him to wander too far away! Only for a brief period did this young lady and the rest of us who were looking for Benny experience any anxiety. Mary and Joseph, in contrast, spent three days searching for Jesus, when he was twelve. It was the first Passover recorded about Jesus. It is possible that Mary told this story herself to Luke since Luke was aware of Mary's emotions and feelings at the time (v. 51).
When Mary and Joseph found Jesus, he was discussing the Scriptures with the rabbis in the Temple (vv. 46–47)! The fact that the Author of the Scriptures would astound people with "his insight and his responses" is not exactly shocking, but what about His questions? If you're anything like me, you have a burning curiosity about what they were.
How Jesus studied as a child was more complicated than how we learn today. Because He had never stopped being entirely God, He possessed omniscience, as evidenced by the fact that He could teach the scholars in the temple. Jesus was human, which meant He was born as a baby and developed as a kid, maturing "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (v. 52).
It's interesting to note that verse 52 makes a reference to 1 Samuel 2:26. Samuel was a child who spent his formative years in the tabernacle. It was his actual place of residence. In a similar vein, Jesus referred to the Temple as "my Father's house" in a very specific sense (v. 49). He thought His parents should have known He would be there. This event demonstrates that even as a little child, He was aware that God was his Father.
* Beloved, no matter our age, continuing our education and expanding our horizons should always be at the forefront of our spiritual lives. I have two questions for you:
*Which aspects of your life do you feel you still have room to improve?
*In what ways may God possibly use that for His glory?
Let Us Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, we give You thanks for the progress in our lives. Lord God, You are worthy of our adoration. You are always there for us, no matter what we require. God, You always come through, and Your timing is impeccable. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

Get In Touch

Office location
Send us an email

Send Us A Message

If you need to talk, we are here for you.