baptized in love and joy

Friday, December 7, 2007

Psalm 79; Matthew 3:13-17



"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
(Matthew 3:17)

Here he is: he who is "the son of Abraham, the son of David;" "Emmanuel;" he who "will save his people from their sins;" the King of the Jews who is worshiped; the son who was called out of Egypt (2:15); the one who is mightier than John, who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. We finally hear Jesus speak.

His first words as Matthew records them are: "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." (v. 15) Jesus is responding to John who would have prevented him from being baptized. The sense here is that Jesus simply is God's obedient son, God's faithful servant. He is the new Moses, even the new, representative Israel. He goes out the wilderness and fully identifies with his people in this call to "prepare the way of the Lord." He is not breaking from sin and seeking to become righteous, he is committed to "fulfill all righteousness." This is his mission. Only he can accomplish it. And he will.

And when he has been baptized we hear of the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and the voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." The one who fulfills all righteousness is the one who is anointed with the Spirit, and who is identified as God's Son (Psalm 2:7) and as the chosen Servant in whom God delights (Isaiah 42:1).

Both of these statements sound very foreign to my ears, though I long for them to be true of me as well. I know in my heart of hearts that I am not and could never be described in such terms - though something deep within me also stirs and longs for such to be true of me.

And this is what Matthew will go on to tell us about in his story of Jesus. That those who repent, who follow him, who listen to him and build their lives on him, will find all righteousness fulfilled (there will be no "that's good, but you could do better." No "it doesn't matter, I don't really care what you do"). They will find that in this Son, through God's chosen Servant, God speaks to us as well:

"You are my son. You are my daughter. I couldn't be happier with you. There is nothing I am waiting for you to do. All righteousness is fulfilled. I love you."

Have you heard the Father say that to you?