Holy Boldness

• At the age of 12, the time of his bar mitzvah, which tradition ally was the time when a young man would come out from under the protection of His mother into the disciplined train ing of one’s father and became a “son of Torah” we find Jesus at the Temple, presumably for the first time, speaking His first recorded words revealing a profound awareness of His heaven ly Father and the calling upon His life. • He remained subject to His parents and grew in favor with God and man. • And then as Jesus was baptized God publicly affirmed His identity, the Holy Spirit came down upon Him like a dove and commissioned Him to His ministry. • All of these events were part of the normal traditions of the Jews, except the last, which was catalytic and a fresh move of the Spirit and all had an impact upon the life of Jesus, both that followed traditions and the new moves of God. The fear of the Lord does not lead a person to resist authority. It leads a person, rather, into a life of submission and humility until the day God propels one into one’s purpose. “ Who has despised the day of small beginnings. ” (Zech. 4:10) There are processes one goes through to arrive at one’s appointed desti nation. Jesus endured a process and it served Him well.

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