Week 9/30-10/6: Perfect Response - The Faithful Son

Day One: Luke 3:21-22 When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As He was praying, heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are My beloved Son. I take delight in You!

IMAGINE THE SCENE THAT DAY. Jesus is making his way to the Jordan River where John the Baptist has been baptizing people. John spots Jesus approaching and declares, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).The people must have been amazed at such a declaration. However, their amazement is only heightened as Jesus enters the Jordan’s waters and is baptized and God Himself declares, “You are My beloved Son. I take delight in You!” (Luke 3:22).This scene is amazing! There are many incredible things happening in this text. We see the Triune God on full display: the Son is being baptized, the Father declares His pleasure, and the Spirit descends to rest upon the Son. We also see the inauguration of Jesus’ earthly ministry with this event. But perhaps the greatest thing we see in this text is God the Father’s verbal affirmation of Jesus’ qualifications to fulfill the righteous requirements that expected of us. This is great news for us.

Jesus was the unique Son of God. He was fully God and fully man. As fully God, he alone was able to come and be the sinless Savior for man. As fully man, he alone was able to pay the debt that humanity owed to God. When the time had come for Jesus to begin his earthly ministry, and make his first step toward the cross in Jerusalem, God the Father declares His approval of His Son’s worthiness for the task. Because of this we rejoice! For as God is satisfied with His Son, He is also satisfied with all who are found with faith in His Son.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷When your parents express their loving affirmation with you over something you have done, how does it make you feel?

▷▷What lengths have you gone to in striving to win someone’s affirmation? Was it worth what you had to do to earn it?

▷▷Why do you think we all desire to be affirmed and liked, even by people we don’t know?