What does it feel like to be approved of? To have someone you respect acknowledge you publicly as someone they are proud of. That can be extremely meaningful! In fact, many of us have walked through life longing for that very experience, and even comprising ourselves in attempts to gain it. The difficulty of all this is that we already have the thing we long for. Approval, acceptance, and love… it’s all found in Jesus if we just are willing to look to Him for it!
Jesus received the public approval of His Father in heaven as He was baptized by John the Baptist. This would have been a joyous moment for Jesus, and encouraging to continue walking in obedience to a baptism of suffering that was still ahead of Him. His baptism was one of declaration instead of repentance. Declaring His approval of John’s ministry. Declaring the connection He has with the people around Him also being baptized. The Father and Spirit declaring the identity of the Son in perfect unity. What a beautiful display of God’s plan in motion!
For us the question becomes how can we follow the example and call of Jesus? What does it look like to find our approval in Him?
Join us Sunday as we dive into His word to see what He has to say about all of this!
- Pastor Ben
For this week's Scripture and notes:
http://bible.com/events/49543681