Jesus Grew Into Leadership

Luke 2:39-40

"And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him."

Is there any one that is born a leader? Even if there is, such a person must learn from stage to stage before taking the leadership position. Leadership demands that the leader must carry the people to where they are supposed to go. That means the leader must know where to carry the people to. It is not beating around the bush. The leader must know the people he is leading. A group of people differ from place to place and from time to time. The leader must know the trend of the people led. It will not be wise for a leader to assume that the people who were led in one place will have the same need with those in a different location. With this, a leader must grow in knowledge and experience for the leader to properly carry the people along until fruition.

To say that a child is born a leader, this must be properly defined. If it means that the child will one day grow and occupy a leadership position, this can be acceptable. The key word here is 'GROW'. It is like there is a vacuum and a giant within the child that needs to be worked upon. The vacuum is to be filled with knowledge and experience while the giant needs to be awakened. So the child need to grow and fill the vacuum and awaken the giant within.

Galatians 4:1-2 "Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father."

When will the child take the place of leadership? When will the child grow to lead the people to the promise Land? This has to do with preparedness and readiness.

"...until the time appointed of the father."

So that will suggest that the time can be delayed until the child learn or otherwise the child goes ahead and take the position of leadership the child will fail. Who sets the time? The Father. So the Father trains the child. If the child is responsible, responsive and deligent, to the training of the Father, everything will work well. The appointed time is very important. Earthly fathers do not know everything but there is a Father who knows everything and the reason why the child is on Earth. Every one of the whole of mankind ia a child before God. Each is having a purpose and God knows the purpose from day one. He trains the child to fulfill the purpose. 

"...But is under tutors and governors ..."

God has set people in place to help in the training. Growing under  tutors and governors will enable proper training until the time appointed. We have a list of people who had grown into leadership by training and experience and succeeded as listed in the Bible. We have another list who missed the training and failed in leadership. Jesus is one who succeeded in leadership and we have a lot to learn from him. If you say that Jesus was born a leader, we have to understand properly what you mean by that. The baby Jesus will not preach and teach and give instructions until he has grown. 

'And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom..."

That Jesus grew is an indication that knowledge and experience was added to him. The growth was physical, intellectual, emotional, psychological and spiritual. There is an addition over time. There were stages in his life. At the initial stage, he was under the instruction of his parents. At that stage, he learned from them and whatever they told him to do, he did. At the same stage, they made decisions for him. He saw how and why they did what they did. Informally he learned (and probably formally). He grew from that stage to a stage where he started discovering his purpose and noticing right and wrong and graduated to the the stage where he made his decisions and took full control of his life to fullfil his purpose.

Baby Stage:

"And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, ..."

When a child was born, he had nothing to add or subtract to what his or her parents did. For Jesus, his parents (Mary and Joseph) did what they did not arbitrarily but guided by the law of the Lord. The law of the Lord helped them not to deviate. So Jesus was well guided. For children whose parents did not know the Lord, the mercy of God can still reach them.

Chidhood Stage:

St. Luke 2:42-43 "And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it."

At the age of twelve, Jesus followed his parents to the yearly worship at the temple. He must have done that at least twelve times. By the twelfth time, he must have learned a lot. He started seeing for himself what was right and what was wrong. By this time, he has grown and had experience. While still learning, he was asking questions to those who were ahead of him.

St. Luke 2:46 "And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions."

This is active learning. He was involved in the process. Gradually he has started knowing what was right and wrong. He saw his purpose for existence from the lessons learned. When his parents found him in the temple, he told them that:

St. Luke 2:49 "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"

In essence, he was saying that he had discovered his purpose for existence by what he was hearing and seeing. At this stage, his parents did not understand what he was talking about. This is important for parents. When God is training a man, others around him may not fully understand because the training is from God the Father except on occasions where parents were told by the Father.

Jesus followed them home and kept learning and gaining experience and growing until the time appointed.

St. Luke 2:51-52 "And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."

To gain the favour of God and man, he learned and grew. He was with parents following the processes of life. Waiting time is not passive. Jesus followed and learned the processes of man. He learned carpentry and helping his parents do chores. He understood what people do on a daily basis.

Manhood Stage:

St. Luke 3:21 "Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,"

Jesus became a man following the training from God. He learned and grew in wisdom and stature before God and before man. He was at the right place at the right time. Experience and the process had taught him how to live and how to lead. He learned how to make his decisions and choices. He made deliberate decisions to fulfill his purpose.

"Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized,..."

His parents were not there to make the decision for him to be baptized. It was his decision. He was independent to live on his own.

Every man must come to the stage where he is grown up to make decisions and choices to determine what becomes of him. This is maturity. Fulfillment of purpose is directly proportional to growth and development. His relationship with God never reduced, it rather was stable and sure.

Appointed Time:

St. Luke 3:22-23 "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,..."

Jesus was popularly known as the son of Mary and Joseph up to the time he started his ministry. John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus' ministry. He knew Jesus before he announced him. Jesus was his relation through Mary and Elizabeth but at this point, the appointed time, John recognized Jesus by the Holy Spirit.

 "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him,.."

This was very important for the ministry of Jesus to be announced. It was not by blood relationship. It was by the Holy Spirit. John was confident to bless Jesus because of the Holy Spirit. The confirmation came when God spoke.

"...and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."

From that time forward, Jesus began his ministry and calling his disciples to partner with him to do the will of God. The appointed time maybe different for different people but if the training is followed through and each stage is fully followed then the leader will succeed. A careful Study of Jesus' ministry, the ministry had stages and at each stage, Jesus maximized for success and effectiveness. Each stage had different procedure of doing things. That shows growth, understanding and development.

The child may be born to lead but will not just enter into leadership position until and unless the child learns, grows and gains experience. Without this, there is no growth and success. It will result to failure, delay or disappointment.

Pray:

My Father and my God, train me in line with your purpose for my life. At each stage, let me see what I need to learn and do. I will not fail by Your help. I will cooperate with You all through until I succeed.

This I pray in Jesus name. Amen!