The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1940-10-11

| and man.-Luke asa.
One brief but revealing glimpse
Into the earthly life of our Lord Is
all we have from His birth to the
time when he entered upon His
public ministry at His baptism in
the Jordan. How appropriate 1t Is
that he was permitted to live those
years Of His life behind the curtain
OF divine silence.
The incident in our lesson shows
Jesus at the age Of responsibility,
and in His Fathers house. This is
preceded by one verse which reveals
Him as the growing child, and is
followed by another verse which
tells Of his advancement from boy
hood into manhood. Luke, who is
the only one who presents this sto-
ry, thus fills out the picture of the
dlvine-human personality Of the One
whom he purposes to reveal as the
perfect and universal Saviour.
1. The Child Grows ". 4O).
Like every other child in the world
| Capart, OF course, from any sin or
blemish), Jesus grew during the first
IL years Of His life on earth. One
rightly regards that growth as the
normal, happy development of ev-
cry child, time of physical devel-
opment. or carefree play, of learn
ing obedience in the household at
Nazareth. A child should not bear
the burdens of life nor be required
to make its weighty decisions.
Jesus came into the world to die
as the Saviour of sinful men, but
Tor these childhood years we are
glad that He just grew, waxed
strong in body as we'll as in spirit,
developing mentally, and that in It
all 1.-THE grace of God was upon
him." May our children have SIM
liar opportunity and privileged
ii. The Boy Meets Lies Re-
sponsibilities wv. 41-5l).
Soon enough came the day when
as "son Of the law" Jesus reached
the age Of accountability and went
with His parents to keep the feast
OF the Passover. He entered the
temple, and there took over the re-
sponsibility for his own religious life,
which until then had been borne by
His parents. Such day Is of vital
Importance in the life of every boy
and girl, and In the case of Jesus
was OF special Significance.
Acting for Himself, He tarried in
the temple. AS a good learner, He
asked and answered questions, at
the same time amazing those who
heard by His understanding. There
His mother (who had shown her con-
fidence that He was to be trusted to
be where He ought to be) found
Him after she had looked In vain for
Him at eventide in their company
| on the road.
To Him 1t was the natural and
expected thing that He would be In
His Fathers house, going about the
business Of God. He recognized the
special relationship between Him.
self and the Father-His very own
Father-and He began to assume the
responsibility Of His divine mission
on earth.
He was about to turn the corner
from boyhood and start toward man.
hood, but there were yet 10 years
that He was to show His perfect sub
AAhAooAOh w WIG VIII Vi AOo
obedience to His parents. There Ia
q real lesson there for every grow
ing boy and girl.
III. The Youth Goes On TO Man
hood ". 52).
The curtain Is drawn again, and
the boy Jesus develops into the
man; yes, the man who was to
bear on Calvary's tree your sins and
mine. What do we know about these
years when boy with the con-
seriousness that He must be about
His Fathers business went forward
to manhood under the loving and
watchful eye OF the mother who
kept all these sayings in her heart"
| ". SD? Only what Luke tells us,
but that is a great deal.
Jesus advanced" the word be-
ing entirely different in meaning
from the grew" of verse 40. The
child grows without any thought or
| purpose of doing so, but the boy
pressing on to manhood has to beat
his way forward, cutting a path
through life to his goal.
The fact that Jesus did that should
encourage every young man and
woman who is doing the same in a
difficult and hostile world, and cause
them to seek the daily companion
ship and help Of the Son of God and
Son of Man who has passed that
way before them.
The development here puts the
mental first, then the physical. The
/ Iaffar ia iFnDorfapf bt1f v,o,,of J.. 49,
der control of the former. Crown
ing them both Is His growth in
grace, fellowship with God and fell
lowship with men, the latter glori-
fed and made useful by the former.
Here again we may learn Of Him
who, though the Son of God with
power, was obedient to the limita-
tons of the humanity He had taken,
and yet advanced Gin wisdom and
| stature and in favor with God and