“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
I am well pleased in some things: like how hard he has worked and what he has achieved as part of his football team. In other things: I am not so well pleased.
We know that this quote is not mine alone and that the original speaks of another Son.
Yet I would like you to think of God our Father in a more Personal way. I would like you to have a more personal picture of God’s only son Jesus.
Imagine that Jesus grew up doing other things (like football) that boys and young men do as part of their preparation for what God, our Father has planned for their life.
Can you picture our Heavenly Father saying, “I am well pleased,” when He watches every play of that football game?
Of course, God our Father witnessed this of his only Son: Jesus.
You probably haven’t thought much about Luke 2 past the familiar Christmas pageant scriptures.
Jesus of Nazareth, as he was known, was born of a virgin… And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. – Luke 2:40
You know the story that follows: Jesus was twelve and remained in Jerusalem after His parent’s left for Nazareth without Him. We don’t know every detail of Jesus’ youth.
God did not reveal much about this young man; but the Father watched over every game and all the challenges of His growing up in obedience to His Father and His step-father, Joseph. Turn the page in Luke’s Gospel and Jesus’ story now continues in about his thirtieth year.
This is one source of our familiar quote when Jesus was baptized AND born again in the Holy Spirit (as we say; but that is a different conversation).
Luke 3:22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Returning to our personal picture:
Just like I am far from the example of a Perfect Father, our son is not the Perfect Son, either. I am not so pleased in other things with my son; but I love him and pray for him that he will look to the Perfect example of Jesus, with whom our heavenly Father is well-pleased with all things.
We’re thankful that David is not a ‘prodigal son.’ (We know Jesus’ story is a parable about our Heavenly Father.) Our son is not a rebellious prodigal anymore than King David was a prodigal when he sinned against God with Bathsheba.
Our David is not the resentful son who would not rejoice with the father when the prodigal son was welcomed back to the family. I don’t think my son resents anyone, but loves his family and friends.
While I’m at it, David is my step-son. I am no more his father than Joseph, husband of Mary and father to Jesus’ brothers, was father of Jesus, born to Mary when she was a virgin.
Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son (you may remember) was about adoption.
The resentful son is Israel, chosen sons of God. The prodigal son is the gentiles, nations rebellious to God before Abraham; and their descendants include most of us.
When Jesus was born of Mary, God our Father was not pleased with the Jews.
God was not pleased with the Gentiles (or Nations).
Yet God through his mercy and grace, gave Jew and Gentile alike the welcome of a loving Father to the rebellious sons of the Nations AND of his Chosen family.
“The means of grace is Christ Jesus, in whom God our Father is well-pleased.
So why my picture of David?
Two reasons:
- The Jews had become comfortable in the nostalgia of their past and worshiped King David more as the Son and the Temple as their heritage. Jesus IS the Son AND our heritage. The Father has adopted followers of Jesus.
- We often fail to think of God in the way that Jesus taught – as a Personal Father to a Personal Son. Picture our David and think of me sending my only son to the cross. This is how personal God’s love is for us.
David is my beloved son. His soul is a personal concern of mine.
The Apostle Paul had adopted or mentored a son of the faith, Timothy, who followed his earthly example of righteous leadership of the church, people he loved personally like a father. Paul writes:
Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
Imagine: Christ Jesus came into the world to save you and me. How Personal.
Imagine: The Father condemning His only Son to the suffering and Sacrifice of the Cross for you and me. How personal.
And imagine the confidence we have knowing that the Father will send the Third Person to His obedient children in the HOLY Spirit who follow His Son our Savior.
(Imagine Paul writing to Timothy about his Personal God… imagine me, a step-father to David writing about our Personal God… Imagine God your Father sending the Holy Spirit to you.
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Our Father will always be Personally with you IF you will call on His Son Personally. Christ Jesus.
God will do much more than just watch over you, as He watches your every game (mine too).
Remember, our Heavenly Father, His Heavenly Son and His Holy Spirit all want to hold us very near.
“God’s love for us is Very Personal.
1 Tim. 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
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