Basic HTML Version
“This Is My Beloved Son”, May 18
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the
water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the
Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and
lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased.
Matthew 3:16, 17
.
As Jesus asked for baptism, John drew back, exclaiming, “I have
need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” With firm yet
gentle authority, Jesus answered, “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it
becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.”
Matthew 3:14, 15
. And John,
yielding, led the Saviour down into the Jordan, and buried Him beneath
the water. “And straightway coming up out of the water,” Jesus “saw
the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him.
Mark 1:10
.... The solemnity of the divine Presence rested upon the
assembly. The people stood silently gazing upon Christ. His form was
bathed in the light that ever surrounds the throne of God. His upturned
face was glorified as they had never before seen the face of man. From
the open heavens a voice was heard saying, “This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:17
....
The word that was spoken to Jesus at the Jordan ... embraces hu-
manity. God spoke to Jesus as our representative. With all our sins
and weaknesses, we are not cast aside as worthless. “He hath made us
accepted in the beloved.”
Ephesians 1:6
. The glory that rested upon
Christ is a pledge of the love of God for us His love has encircled man,
and reached the highest heaven. The light which fell from the open
portals upon the head of our Saviour will fall upon us as we pray for
help to resist temptation. The voice which spoke to Jesus says to every
believing soul, This is My beloved child, in whom I am well pleased....
Our Redeemer has opened the way so that the most sinful, the most
needy, the most oppressed and despised, may find access to the Father.
All may have a home in the mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare.
[145]
149