Luke 3:21-22

Luke 3:21-22 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Luke 22:19-20 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

In Luke 3 we see God blessing Jesus with the words, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” In Luke 22 we see Jesus telling the disciples that his body is going to be broken, and his blood will be poured out for many. Jesus was baptized in water, not for his sin, for He was sinless, but for consecration: a stamp of approval from God was placed on him at his baptism. He, from that time on, was considered a holy vessel, a perfect cup for God's wrath, a perfect lamb for sacrifice. This is hard for us to understand, for Jesus was good, harmless, but the wrath of God had to be carried out on a sinless one, a perfect lamb. The first Adam broke the oneness people enjoyed with God. He betrayed God; he undermined God's purpose for mankind. He betrayed the "family spirit" of love. Death had to be the result of his betrayal, for sin cannot exist with God.

However, out of love, God removed Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Sin and death was now their inheritance, rather than God and life. Without a redemption plan, Adam and Eve and their progeny would face permanent death. Jesus Christ' death and resurrection was that redemption plan. His death, his sacrifice, restored righteousness to man, a "right relationship" with God to all who would believe in Jesus as the Son of God and accept him by faith as their Savior. As the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus Christ's sacrifice sealed the fissure created by sin between God and man. He became the cup or vessel of God's wrath. Jesus partook fully of this cup of wrath. Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39) His sacrifice satisfied permanently the wrath of God.

Jesus, the Lamb of God, died for us out of love. He gave us unmerited grace, mercy, and love from God. He sealed permanently that which was broken seemingly forever. He accomplished that which the angels could not imagine. Now, because of Jesus' sacrifice, instead of hearing words of displeasure from our Father God, we can hear: "You are my son (daughter), whom I love; with you I am well pleased." We who are IN CHRIST have the wonderful privilege of knowing God as our father. We who are IN CHRIST have the privilege of communicating directly with the Father God through the blessed Holy Spirit, our comforter. We have been placed on a pedestal because of the work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, because we are so privileged and loved by God, we should love others as we love ourselves or more rightly as God loves us. We should be the light of the world; we should be the salt of the earth that brings savor to humanity. WE SHOULD BE HIS HAND EXTENDED TO A WORLD THAT NEEDS FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.