The Master's Touch

The Master’s Touch

Sunday, January 13, 2008 – AM

By Pastor Jim May

For 30 years Jesus, the very Son of God, that had been born in a manger in that little town of Bethlehem, had lived in relative obscurity. We have only a few references to the days of his childhood and youth.

In the Book of Luke chapter 2 we see that as a child, Jesus was taken to be presented before the priests at the temple in Jerusalem. He then was taken back to Nazareth where the scripture says in Luke 2:40 that he, "… grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him."

Then we see Jesus again at the age of 12. Every year, Joseph and Mary would make the journey to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. After the Passover had ended, at 12 years of age, Jesus was left behind in Jerusalem when the rest of the family starts on their long journey home. When they found him, Jesus was teaching the teachers in the temple. There is no doubt that he was doing His Father’s business, and yet the scripture says that he subjected himself to the authority of his parents until the day came that he would step out on his own.

At 30 years of age, Jesus reaches the age, as determined by the Law, when a youth becomes a man and then takes on the responsibility of a man. This will mark the beginning of his earthly ministry. Until this day, his actions, words and deeds were accountable to Joseph and Mary, but now he was ready to carry that responsibility on his own.

I’ve often thought that we tend to turn our kids loose and give them too much responsibility too soon. At 18, and even at 21, we don’t understand many things. Life comes at you fast and I think it would be good if we could see young people grow up a little more and gain some maturity before we throw them to the wolves. At 18, I thought I knew it all, then at 25, I was certain I knew it all. Then at 30 I found out that I didn’t know anything at all. Now at nearly 60, I feel like I’m just beginning to figure a few things out, but I still feel so inadequate. I’ve learned that I don’t know it all; that I know very little; and that I must put my hand in the Master’s hand, because he knows it all. AMEN!

I believe that a time of preparation, learning, growing and maturing must take place in every one of us who feels the call of God upon our lives to do a work for Him. If Jesus had to learn, grow and mature before beginning his ministry, what makes us think that we can step out on our own without doing the same thing?

Too many preachers start a church without knowing what being a pastor is really all about. Too many evangelists hit the open road and nearly starve to death because they haven’t prepared the way for their ministry.

Too many Christians hit the missions field, or get involved in ministry before they are ready, getting ahead of God, and then wind up spiritually, emotionally and physically shipwrecked on life’s troubled seas.

It takes time to learn about Jesus. It takes time to grow in grace and know God’s will. Until you have paid your dues in the time of growing and maturing, you aren’t ready to begin a work for the Lord. Those who try to do it on their own often cause more damage to the Kingdom of God than they can repair. Not knowing how to handle adversity, or not being prepared for dealing with people, is a certain way to be hurt and lose your effectiveness.

But the time has come and now Jesus steps out onto the pages of history and begins to do the work that he came to do in the first place. He overcame Satan in the wilderness of temptation, proving that He was going to live above the things of the world. His life would be a perfect, sinless life, the only man to ever live such a life.

Then he began to choose his disciples. One by one he chose those who would become the very core and foundation of his church. The first to be chosen was Simon Peter and his brother, Andrew. Then came James and John, the sons of Zebedee. All of these men were fishermen. They were used to long, hard hours and knew the price of success. It was these qualities that Jesus needed to make them into “fishers of men”.

From the moment that Jesus stepped out into the world to begin his ministry, he proved that he was no ordinary priest or rabbi. His teaching was far more effective than anyone who had ever taught before. His words carried power and influence that no man had ever seen. He was God, speaking through the voice of a man, and that same power that created the world was moving to change the hearts and minds of men.