My Beloved

John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

Matt. 3:13-17 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

Why Jesus submitted to a baptism of repentance. , "It was not a baptism of repentance for HIS sin; it was a baptism of repentance for MY sin, and yours. Just as Jesus died on the cross, not for his own sin, but for yours and mine, so also was he baptized on behalf of, you and me."

By going to John to be baptized, by joining people who were acknowledging that their lives were totally messed up and empty and uncertain and in need of a fresh start, Jesus publicly demonstrated the meaning of Emmanuel. God is with us; God understands!

Jesus was baptized for me - because of me.

Lord I believe - help my unbelief

What is God like - to you - what does He see when He looks at you?

Your answer to that question makes all the difference in the world

1. Not much - probably doesn’t even notice me - He is too busy

You can’t repent or be born again anonymously.

We think we hide in the shadows - pull the covers over us when we realize that those covers are nail scarred hands and bruised arms. -

Sin is intimately, painfully and passionately embraced by Jesus - so He can get to your heart.

A rabbinical student came to love one of his teachers so much that he finally told the rabbi, "I love you, Rabbi!" The reply was swift. "How can you love me unless you know what hurts me?"

When I think I am nothing - that I don’t matter - help my unbelief

What does God see when He looks at you? 2. Capable - talented - skilled

No place for celebrity - conspicuous consumerism - notoriety in the kingdom. Michael Jordan of Christianity Choose to be an impostor or the beloved - see story in Abba’s Child pg. 35-37

Must be empty to be filled, humble to be exalted

Greatness is determined by how greatly you love and sacrifice - nothing unless love loses track of itself

Ego fattens as much on holiness as on worldliness

Lord, Increase my faith - slay the Pharisee in me

Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to him. He grieves that we have forgotten him. He weeps with our obsession with muchness and manyness. He longs for our presence. - Richard Foster

When I think I am somebody - that I deserve attention - help my unbelief

What does God see when He looks at you? 3. Pond scum

Dulcinea - "I’m a slut but he calls me Lady - Dulcinea"

Marked - unclean - pond scum - woman with birth mark

Sin makes us think of ourselves as dirty - unlovable. God turns our darkness into light - everything secret will be illuminated - and if so - then made light. Believing that we are beloved, that is a leap of faith

When I am convinced that I am hopeless - unclean - pond scum help my unbelief

Abba

What does God see when He looks at you? 4. Jesus - crucified, raised to new life

Lost in Jesus so completely that we are in His baptism, in His death and burial, in His resurrection

In Christ - much more that Christ in me.

Can’t pour the ocean into a thimble - so pour self into Christ.

All of Christ’s life is summed up in 2 words - In Christ

Then you will hear these beautiful words - the words rained down from heaven "this is my beloved son" and I looked expecting to see Jesus, but I saw myself drenched in His love - how could these words possibly be spoken to me?