Matthew 3 (NRSV)
16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw God’s Spirit descending like a dove and alighting on him. 16 And a voice from the heavens said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
God’s love is not based on what you do, but who you are.
Here are some questions for reflection:
1. Do you have difficulty wrapping your head and heart around the truth that you are beloved by God? Or has this truth brought you freedom? How so?
2. God knows each of our cries uniquely. The infinite Creator of the universe listens to our cries, God not only knows the difference in each cry but the answer for each. Our prayers are a confirmation with our creator of what God already knows. What can we do in our prayers to ensure we hear and accept that specifically tailored response from God? How can this knowledge help shape our prayers and our responses to our prayers?
3. What experiences have you had with loving others without ulterior motives? Was it easy or hard to love someone without ulterior motives on your part?
4. God’s perfect love for the perfect Son shared space with the grief of what God knew was to come. God’s perfect love for mankind exists knowing how we would receive the Son of God and how we would often disregard God’s word. We can choose to look upon each other either with unrelenting love or with hostile animosity. How can we ensure we look upon each other with the same love that our Father looks upon us (AND our opposition) with?
5. No matter His position of authority or status as beloved by the Father, the devil was there to try and tempt Jesus. Satan will try to tempt those that walk in faith and righteousness rather than those that have already strayed off the path. When you find yourself tempted or suffering tribulations, how can this idea help reaffirm the path you’re on?
6. In this one small excerpt of scripture, we see all three aspects of the Trinity enter the stage at once. How does this significant moment deepen our understanding of God’s Work in the World? What, if anything, does it speak into about our posture after following Jesus into Baptism?
7. Does anyone in your life now make you feel like you have to earn their love? Or has anyone in your life made you feel like you had to earn their love? How healthy is your relationship with that person? Are you more likely to make someone you don’t like earn your love rather than someone you do like?
8. Take a moment to look at yourself in the mirror and repeat these words, “I am a beloved creation of God.” Let that sink in, pause, look at yourself, and give it the weight it deserves. What feelings arise? What mislabels start fall off like scales when you realize who you actually are in Christ? How can you create opportunities within your community to hold up a mirror for others so they can see their “belovedness” too?
If you’d like to dig a little deeper, consider the following:
1. Your mere existence brings God joy. Like with our children, in that joy there is a desire to be close with you and to know you (Matthew 7:23.) What do you do to bring yourself closer to God and to ensure God knows you?
2. What is the importance of God’s voice affirming Jesus as the beloved Son? How does it not only prepare Jesus for what He will face and for the society in Jesus’ time for His arrival, but also prepare us individually today to be His followers?
3. In His messages through John in Revelation to the seven established churches, Jesus identifies that Satan often uses persecution, seduction, and deception to tempt the people of faith. Where do you broadly see evidence of this in our society today? More inwardly, in which of these areas are you most vulnerable spiritually? Where and about what might Satan be harnessing a stronghold in your own life?