Pleasing God Series

JUST JESUS: CHAPTER BY CHAPTER THRU LUKE

PLEASING GOD

LUKE 3:21-22

#JustJesus

INTRODUCTION… What pleases me? (p)

Because of one of the words in today’s passage in Luke 3, I was thinking about the things in life that “please” me. What are those things that give me satisfaction or a sense of achievement or gladness? That is what “pleased” means, “feeling pleasure or satisfaction.” What pleases me?

* The first five minutes of getting in bed when the sheets are clean and fresh.

* The day when I know a new episode of Star Trek comes out.

* A really good double cheese burger with lettuce, tomato, and fresh jalapenos.

* The sound of all three of my kids laughing.

What are the things that please you?

I also thought of:

* When someone tailgates me and then drives around me and then has to stop at the light.

* 0-degree weather where it hurts to breathe in the air.

* A freshly mowed and trimmed yard.

What are the things that please you?

This morning we are going to be in Luke 3, eventually, but this passage is one that is described in all four Gospels and so I want to make sure even though we are focusing on one passage that we get all four perspectives about this one event. We have four Gospels for a reason. So, we will read briefly from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but then we will settle in Luke.

READ MATTHEW 3:13-17 (ESV)

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him; 17 and behold, a Voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased.”

The Gospel of Mark records the same event as does Luke:

READ MARK 1:9-11 (ESV)

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when He came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. 11 And a Voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased.”

LUKE 3:21-22 (ESV)

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form, like a dove; and a Voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased.”

John of course has to be different, but he too records the baptism of Jesus which is what the passage we are focusing on is all about:

READ JOHN 1:29-34 (ESV)

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward Him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who ranks before me, because He was before Me.’ 31 I myself did not know Him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that He might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on Him. 33 I myself did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

TRANSITION

The baptism of Jesus is one of the first events we see when Jesus arrives on the scene as an adult and is ready for His three-year walkabout ministry preaching and teaching. What do we find in this passage?

GOD IN THREE PERSONS

The verses that we read this morning first share with us about the nature of God which I think is quite complicated. We serve a God who is Eternal, Uncompromisingly Holy, All-Powerful, All Knowing, Awesomely Gracious, Unconditionally Loving, and Creator of All that Exists. He is more than we can imagine. He is Other and unlike any being of which we can conceive. To think that our created finite minds could even begin to comprehend Him, is a little presumptuous. We are fortunate on this point. God has seen fit to reveal some of Himself to us that we might know Him. All that we know about God He has revealed to us.