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    • #5: When a King and a Prophet Agreed in Prayer, part one
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    • #7: A Wall of Fire for our Nation

#18: ANOTHER VISIT TO NAZARETH
(Matthew 13:54-58, Mark 6:1-6)


​Comment: In Life of Jesus devotional #13 we read about Jesus’ first visit to Nazareth after he started his public ministry. Matthew and Mark tell us about a subsequent visit Jesus made to Nazareth.
 
Spring, A. D. 29, Nazareth of Galilee
 
After a trip to Jerusalem, Jesus comes again to Nazareth and this time his disciples are with him. As they walk the dusty roads toward the synagogue, Jesus remembers living in this small town as a boy. The population of Nazareth in this day was only about 150 people.
 
As the years went by Joseph and Mary had other children. Jesus was the oldest of at least seven children with four younger brothers and at least two younger sisters (Matthew 13:55-56, Luke 2:7). Every Sabbath Jesus’ family would go to the synagogue, and at least three times a year they traveled south to the temple in Jerusalem, about a five-day journey from Nazareth (Luke 2:41, 4:16, Exodus 23:14-17). Jesus was habitually obedient to his parents, as the Word of God commands (Luke 2:51, Proverbs 1:8). Jesus never worked a miracle during those years (John 2:11), for his Father hid him like an arrow in a quiver while He “polished him” for what was ahead.
 
Messianic Prophecy Fulfilled:
(Given 712 B. C.)

“. . . in the shadow of His hand has He hid me,
and made me a polished arrow;
in His quiver has He kept me close and concealed me”
(Isaiah 49:2b, AMP).
 
During those years Jesus was tempted in all points as we are; yet he never sinned. He always chose good and rejected evil (Hebrews 4:15). As a child, Jesus fed upon God's Word and he exercised his faith in it. This caused his spiritual senses to become trained and matured (Isaiah 7:14-16, Hebrews 5:13-14).
 
One spring when Jesus was 12, he and his parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover. Even at this age, Jesus was exceedingly strong spiritually and filled with the wisdom of God, and the grace and favor of God were upon him (Luke 2:40). While in Jerusalem, Jesus became separated from his parents and he started listening to the teachers in the temple and asking them questions. All those who heard his questions and answers were amazed at his understanding of the Scriptures and the ways of God.

Old Testament Promise Fulfilled:

“Yes, I have more insight than my teachers,

for I am always thinking of your decrees.
I am even wiser than my elders,
for I have kept your commandments”
(Psalm 119:99-100, NLT).

Jesus loved his visits to the temple, as described in the Psalms: “The one thing I ask of the LORD - the thing I seek most - is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD's perfections and meditating in his Temple” (Psalm 27:4, NLT).
 
After Mary and Joseph and their relatives left Jerusalem and went a day's journey, they realized that Jesus wasn't with them. So they returned to Jerusalem and searched for him until they found him sitting in the temple precincts with the teachers engaged in a question and answer session. Mary asked him, “Son, why did you do this to us? Look, your father and I have sought you anxiously!” Jesus answered, “Why did you look for me? Did you not know that I must be [busy] in the [affairs] of My Father?” (Luke 2:49, LITV) For Jesus knew the call of God on his life even at this early age.
 
During the following years in Nazareth, Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52). This included physical growth, spiritual growth, mental growth, and learning how to relate to other people and to God in greater maturity. His life was one of righteousness, peace, and joy and God was fully pleased with him and the people approved of him (Romans 14:17-18). Jesus found favor and good understanding in the sight of God and men, for he kept God's mercy, truth, and wisdom and love as strong qualities in his life (Proverbs 3:3-4, 12:8, Matthew 5:44-46).
 
Comment: On part two of this devotional we will travel with Jesus back to Nazareth and study what happened there. But now I believe we should pause and ask ourselves, “What were the various areas of growth which Jesus came into?” A prophecy in Isaiah 11:1 about Jesus says that he would be like a Branch that “will grow and bear fruit” (AMP). We Christians are called to follow in Jesus’ steps and sometimes we have emphasized the bearing fruit part, which is important, but I wonder if we have put enough emphasis on the “growing up in Christ in all things” part (I Peter 2:21, Ephesians 4:15). And sometimes we have exercised our faith to receive blessings from God, but not emphasized using our faith to grow and to bear good fruit. All of this is important. Let me encourage you to read this devotional again and make a list of all the areas of growth that Jesus came into which I described above. Then ask the Lord, “What areas of growth do I need to concentrate on now?”
 
Note: much of this devotional is from The Life of Jesus Foretold, pages 125-128.
© COPYRIGHT 2021 by Stephen Long. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Polycarp and the Second Century Church
    • The Life of Jesus Foretold
    • Proverbs of Faith, Hope and Love
    • 300 Things I Like About Who I am in Jesus
  • Reviews
    • Reviews of Polycarp and the 2nd century church
    • Reviews of The Life of Jesus Foretold
  • Devotionals & Articles
    • Life of Jesus Devotionals >
      • #1 Life of Jesus devotional
      • #2 Life of Jesus devotional
      • #3 Life of Jesus devotional
      • #4 Life of Jesus devotional
      • #5: Life of Jesus Devotional
      • #6 Life of Jesus devotional
      • #7: Life of Jesus Devotional
      • #8 Life of Jesus devotional
      • #9 LIfe of Jesus Devotional
      • #10 Life of Jesus devotional
      • # 11 Life of Jesus devotional
    • 2nd group - Life of Jesus Devotionals >
      • #12 Life of Jesus devotional
      • #13 Life of Jesus devotional
      • #14 Life of Jesus devotional
      • #15 Life of Jesus devotional
      • #16 Life of Jesus devotional
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    • 3rd group - Life of Jesus Devotionals >
      • #20 Life of Jesus Devotional
      • #21 Life of Jesus devotional
      • #22 Life of Jesus Devotional
      • #23 Life of Jesus Devotional
      • #24 Life of Jesus devotional
      • # 25 Life of Jesus Devotional
      • #26 Life of Jesus Devotional
    • Church History Articles >
      • 8-1-16 The Second Century Church, part one
      • 8-15-16 Second Century Church, part two
      • 9-1-16 The Second Century Church, part three
      • 9-15-16 The Second Century Church, part four
      • 10-1-16 The Second Century Church part five
      • 10-15-16 The Second Century Church, part six
    • More Church History Articles >
      • 11-1-2016, The Second Century Church, part seven
      • 11-15-2016 The Second Century Church, part 8
      • 12-1-2016 The Second Century Church, part 9
      • 12-15-2016, The Second Century Church, part 10
      • 1-15-2017, The Second Century Church, part 11
  • Proverbs of Faith, Hope and Love
    • #1: The Love of God, from I John
    • #2: God's Love - Isaiah 58
    • #3: The Greatness of Jesus
    • #4: Our Sufficiency is in Christ
    • #5: The Importance of Our Words
    • #6: The Greatness of Jesus #2
    • #7 The Wisdom of God
    • #8 Faith and Prayer (from the teaching of Jesus)
    • #9 Faith and Prayer (from Romans)
    • #10 Faith and Prayer (from Hebrews)
    • # 11: God Gives us Hope
    • # 12: Mercy and Compassion
    • #13: The Lord is our Refuge
    • #14 Jesus is our Righteousness
    • #15 The Peace of God
    • #16 The Joy of the Lord
  • More Proverbs of Faith, Hope and Love
    • #17 Victory Over All the Power of the Evil One
    • #18: The Wisdom of God (from the teaching of Jesus)
    • #19 The Spirit of Truth
    • #20 The Love of God (from I Corinthians 13)
    • #21: The Love of God (from I Corinthians 13, part two)
    • #22: The Spirit of Truth, part two
    • #23: Victory Over All the Power of the Evil One, part 2
    • #24: The Whole Armor of God, part 1
    • #25: The Whole Armor of God, part 2
    • #26: Victory over all the power of the evil one, part 3
    • #27: Faith and Prayer, part 4
    • #28: Our God Gives us Hope, part two
    • #29: Victory over Fear
    • # 30 Freedom through Jesus Christ
  • Proverbs of Faith, Hope and Love, third group
    • #31: Seeking the Lord
  • Declarations of Faith
    • Declaration Proclaiming Forgiveness
    • Create Blessings!
  • Poems
    • #1 Poem Describing Heaven
    • Poem #2, A Great Battle at the End of Time
    • #3 Poem, the trials of Job
    • #4 Poem, God's Love from Romans
    • Poem #5: Receiving God's Rest
  • Miscellaneous Articles
    • # 1: "And the plague was stopped"
    • #2 "Let the Sun of Righteousness Arise!"
    • #3: The Pulling Down of Dagon
    • #4 The Pulling Down of Dagon, Part Two
    • #5: When a King and a Prophet Agreed in Prayer, part one
    • # 6: When a King and a Prophet agreed in prayer, part 2
    • #7: A Wall of Fire for our Nation