JESUS THE PROTOTYPE FOR SONS OF GOD .4.
Humbled Himself…….part 4
Even though Jesus had great revelation of His heavenly Father, He was under the stewardship and guardianship of His earthly parents, Joseph and Mary. He needed to grow up under their instruction and discipline.
Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them . . . and increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men. Luke 2:51-52
This passage does not say that Jesus increased in revelation or gifting. His charisma would come from our heavenly Father; His character would be formed under loving stewardship and guardianship chosen by God.
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble”.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. I Peter 5:5-7
Some have said that the fivefold equipping “doma” gifts represents the mighty hand of God.
True, we are to be submitted to and learn obedience by submitting to one another including God’s servant apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11). However, these are vessels gifted in these graces in order that we be equipped, as many other vessels are gifted for Gods diverse purpose and so we are to submit to one another and learn.
There are also other God-appointed guardians and stewards in our lives. Our natural parents head the list. We are to honour and obey them so that we may enjoy God’s promise, that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth (Ephesians 6:1-3).
We can have revelation and gifting, but lack wisdom, stature and favour. If we prematurely move into ministry or areas of function without the necessary developing and maturing process, we will suffer unnecessarily.
Knowledge alone puffs us up.
It is knowledge tempered with wisdom and graced with stature and favour which gives us an audience for our revelation and gifting. Even anointing must submit to timing and yield to authority to be truly fruitful.
Jesus was thirty-years-old when He was anointed and released into the ministry.
A final comment, I have heard it said “so many want to start at the top but, only gravediggers start at the top”.