January 13: Accepting His Love.
HIS ANOINTING.
The Holy Spirit descended upon Him..., and a voice came out of heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased."--Luke 3:22
My parents always went out of their way to communicate their love and support for me. Recently, I found a note inside a book that they gifted me, expressing their love and parental pride, which means so much now that both of them have passed away. My mother left a memories chest for me, in which she had kept mementos from various stages of my life. It contained things like my little red gloves from when I was one-year-old and a feather I wore on my hat as a child. I thank God for my parents, who lavished me with love and approval.
Jesus received the affirmation of His Father's love and approval from the very beginning of His public ministry. Luke is the only Gospel writer to report that after His baptism, Jesus was praying when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove, and a Voice from heaven was heard (Luke 3:21, 22). Prayer is an important, recurring theme for Luke.* The Holy Spirit is another recurring Lukan theme, both in his Gospel and in Acts. Two foundational events occur at the time of Jesus' baptism: the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus to empower Him for His redeeming mission, and God declares the Sonship of Jesus, along with God's love and approval of Him. The identity of Jesus as the Son of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit had been pronounced since His birth (Luke 1:32, 35), but at this time He was being empowered for public ministry as the divine Agent for the redemption of humankind. God Himself now confirms what the angel Gabriel had announced to Mary (Luke 1:35). Three times a Voice was heard from heaven, affirming the ministry of Jesus (see Luke 3:22; 9:35; John 12:28). In Jesus, Heaven gave it all. His identity and mission would become the only source of salvation for humankind, which He achieved through His sacrifice. Now we are to proclaim what He has done, until He comes back. And for this task, God promises the same two realities for us: in Christ, we are God's beloved children, and He empowers us for His mission through the Holy Spirit. Praise be to God!
My Response:_________________________________________________
* For examples, see Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 22:32; 23:34.
HIS ANOINTING.
The Holy Spirit descended upon Him..., and a voice came out of heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased."--Luke 3:22
My parents always went out of their way to communicate their love and support for me. Recently, I found a note inside a book that they gifted me, expressing their love and parental pride, which means so much now that both of them have passed away. My mother left a memories chest for me, in which she had kept mementos from various stages of my life. It contained things like my little red gloves from when I was one-year-old and a feather I wore on my hat as a child. I thank God for my parents, who lavished me with love and approval.
Jesus received the affirmation of His Father's love and approval from the very beginning of His public ministry. Luke is the only Gospel writer to report that after His baptism, Jesus was praying when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove, and a Voice from heaven was heard (Luke 3:21, 22). Prayer is an important, recurring theme for Luke.* The Holy Spirit is another recurring Lukan theme, both in his Gospel and in Acts. Two foundational events occur at the time of Jesus' baptism: the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus to empower Him for His redeeming mission, and God declares the Sonship of Jesus, along with God's love and approval of Him. The identity of Jesus as the Son of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit had been pronounced since His birth (Luke 1:32, 35), but at this time He was being empowered for public ministry as the divine Agent for the redemption of humankind. God Himself now confirms what the angel Gabriel had announced to Mary (Luke 1:35). Three times a Voice was heard from heaven, affirming the ministry of Jesus (see Luke 3:22; 9:35; John 12:28). In Jesus, Heaven gave it all. His identity and mission would become the only source of salvation for humankind, which He achieved through His sacrifice. Now we are to proclaim what He has done, until He comes back. And for this task, God promises the same two realities for us: in Christ, we are God's beloved children, and He empowers us for His mission through the Holy Spirit. Praise be to God!
My Response:_________________________________________________
* For examples, see Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 22:32; 23:34.
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