To be truly loved
6 November, 2009, 8:04 am
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
We jump ahead a bit here in the story of Jesus. The writers just didn’t feel the need to tell us more than we already know about Jesus’ early years. Maybe they thought this is really all that was relevant. Either way, we are now thrown into the moment when Jesus begins his ministry. He begins here with his own baptism.
We are left with a few different accounts of what happened that day, so feel free to read though through some of the other accounts.
What I want to focus on today is that Jesus was the “beloved son.”
Jesus was just beginning to do the things he was born to do. This was really the first part of his purpose right here. Part of the reason we don’t know a lot about the early years is that the following three of four years were what he was born to do.
Yet, before he had done what he came to do, a voice from the heavens (quite literally) announced that he was beloved.
That means well loved, special, treasure. Even without having finished what he was supposed to do!
You ever wish somebody felt that way about you?
In Galatians 3:28 a guy named Paul said that we “are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Part of what that means is that if a person believes that Jesus is king, and treats him as king, then the father has that same love toward that person.
In Christ Jesus
When Jesus lived and died he did both as a way of giving us what he had.
He had perfection, perfect humanity. You know the way that deep down you know you should act and think? He did that.
He had that kind of perfection. And now you have it too.
You know the way you wish someone loved you? Perfectly, unconditionally?
He was loved like that.
You are too.
Believing that the heavens have literally opened up and announced God’s deep love for you can change you. Do you believe that you have what Jesus had? If so, you have that kind of love.
Live like the creator of heaven and earth cares that much about you.
