Tag Archives: discipleship

December 26
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“And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”  (Luke 2:52, NASB)

Bethlehem, the manger, the heavenly host, the visit of the wise men, and all of the other wondrous features of our Lord’s arrival were a great beginning; but it didn’t end there.  The baby Jesus became the boy Jesus, who became the adolescent Jesus, who became the fully-grown man.

In our lives, there are many wondrous beginnings: The birth of a child; a wedding; a new lease on life after a serious illness; a new day.  It is only the first step.  Advancing through each step that follows is as expected as night following day.

We grow in stature because we take nourishment over time.  We grow in wisdom by the same principle, but instead of food, it is obedience to the word of God that increases wisdom and divine favor.  – Luther

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December 11
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“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.  Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”  (1 Peter 2:23, NIV)

To be Christian is to be like Christ.

Peter provides two clear, practical, snapshots of what it means to be like Christ: Ignoring insults from the “haters”;  and making no threat against the agents of suffering and pain.

According to the scriptures, in his early years as a disciple of Jesus, Peter quickly quickly responded to every insult and engaged every opponent.  Through faithful discipleship, Peter was not the person “now” that he was in those early years.

To grow in maturity as a Christian means to become more and more like Jesus.  A measure of our maturity is the degree to which we are willing to entrust ourselves “to him who judges justly.”  – Luther

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December 9
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“But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.  To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”  (1 Peter 2:20b-21, NIV)

To “follow in his steps” means going wherever He may go, even into the crucible of personal suffering for doing good.

Because He has left us “an example,” it means doing as He has done: Enduring suffering for God’s glory.

To imitate Jesus is our calling!  It may be the only glimpse of Christ at work through suffering that some of your neighbors, co-workers, family members, and friends see today.  – Luther

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