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The life of Jesus – 4

 

August 1, 2014

 

Today we continue looking at the life of Jesus. This verse captures the event of his baptism. I want to share what God showed me.

 

Luke 3:21-22   Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

 

God is speaking from heaven and he makes a very profound statement. God declares Jesus to be his beloved son. I know that one of the major religions in the world fights the very fact that Jesus could be Gods son. To them it is an impossibility and completely wrong to even think that God would humble himself and take on a form of a man. What amazes me is that they prescribe what God can do. It is not humbling to God to take on the form of a man if there is a man that can host God in His fullness and glory.

 

What is clear from this verse is the fact that Jesus was loved and that he pleased the Father before he ever did any ministry. The easiest way to describe this is to say that Jesus lived from the approval of God and not for the approval of God. Jesus didn’t have to do anything to impress God. Not one of his miracles would impress God. Not anything he said would impress God. Jesus lived free from the pressure to impress. His life was not performance inspired but approval inspired.

 

What amazes me and shows where his heart was at is the fact that he didn’t take this freedom to do his own thing. Most of us would think this is a ticket to do my own thing. Not so with Jesus as he didn’t do anything he didn’t see his Father doing and would only speak what he heard the Father speak. His approval from God inspired him to obey the fathers every command. He was a loved son before he did anything to be loved.

 

This brings it back to us. Before we ever loved God he loved us. While we were still sinners he loved us. When we were unlovable he loved us. Before we ever did anything to impress God he loved us. We didn’t deserve to be loved yet He loved us. Can you see how God approved of us before we ever did anything right. If our sins didn’t cause God to reject us why do we think that our actions today will make Him feel any different about us? Why do we live as though we want to gain His approval? We have believed the lie when we think that we can impress God with our good works. The power of religion is the fact that you feel approved when you keep a set of rules. When you stay away from or don’t do that or don’t do that then God will somehow declare you to be a beloved son or daughter. What a lie from the enemy.

 

We are not living for approval we are living from the approval of God. This sets me free to pursue Him in new ways free from the pressure of religion. I am free to love Him in my own way, the way he created me to love Him. I am free to express my love for Him by following Him and obeying Him when I have the option of not doing it because He will not punish me if I don’t. For some the fact that it looks like you can get away with stuff is a ticket to sin. Freedom is a ticket to choose what is right, not a ticket to see what you can get away with. His approval enables me to experience obedience by choice and not obedience by force that leads to rebellion. His approval sets me free from rebellion.

 

What does it look like to please the Father? It amazes me that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus before God made the statement that He is well pleased. Here is what pleases God. A people upon whom his Holy Spirit has descended. The book of Acts records how the Holy Ghost came down and rested on them. I want to say that it pleased the Father to see that. We have His Holy spirit on us and in us. Let me make it clear to us today. We are His people and He is well pleased with us. The Holy Spirit came as a dove. Dove’s are known to be gentle. They come and rest. Pigeons are different. They never come to rest. Sometimes it looks like people have pigeons instead of the Dove. It is only when the dove comes that Papa is pleased. He still approved of you before you did anything. God is looking for a people that will host His spirit.

 

Are you a safe place for His Spirit? Can His Spirit come today and rest on you?