Have you ever served as a reference for someone? A couple weeks ago a close friend of mine applied for a job and sent me a text saying, “Listed you as a reference for a Part time job. Say nice things about me.” Obviously, my friend was being tongue in cheek, but we all know how important a good reference or endorsement is when you’re trying to land a new job, get your child into a new school, choose a new physician, or simply decide if a particular book is worth the investment of your time. Endorsement, reviews, confirmations of character really matter in life. They help us access places we cannot go on our own and they help us be as certain as we can about our major decisions. 

At the beginning of the Gospel of Luke, Luke tells his readers that his goal in writing his Gospel was to make us as certain as possible about the most significant of life decisions. In Luke 1:3-4 he wrote, “…it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” Luke wants us to have certainty that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God and that, by trusting in Him, we can have eternal life in His name. He wants us to have certainty, and our passage this morning reads like the greatest endorsement—the greatest reference in all the universe—that confirms that Jesus really is God’s Son.

Luke 3:22b — “…and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’”

The Father’s endorsement reveals the big idea of our passage this morning:

Be certain that Jesus is God’s beloved Son.

Our passage provides three reasons why we can be certain that Jesus is God’s beloved Son. Each of these reasons takes us deeper in our relationship with the Son of God. This morning, we’ll take our passage in three parts.

Be certain that Jesus is God’s beloved Son. Why?

1. The Baptism (3:21a)
2. The Spirit (3:21b–22a)
3. The Voice (3:22b–38)

THE BAPTISM

When you read the Bible, it’s important to ask the Bible questions. Asking questions rescues you from mechanical or mindless reading.

Question: Why was Jesus baptized?

In Luke 3:21a it says, “Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized…” In our passage from last week, we learned that John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins because God’s people needed to make a U-turn in their hearts and lives in order to be ready to receive Jesus.

So why did Jesus receive a baptism that was meant to prepare God’s people for Jesus? Why did Jesus receive a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, given that the Bible is clear that though He was tempted in all the ways we are, He never sinned?

Answer: Jesus was not baptized because He was a sinner. Jesus was baptized in order to identify with sinners.

Jesus’ baptism shows that He is God’s Son who identifies with sinners to save us from our sins. Maybe think of it this way: by being baptized, Jesus was retracing Israel’s steps.

In the Old Testament, Israel was saved out of slavery in Egypt through the waters of the Red Sea and brought into the wilderness. However, in the wilderness Israel disobeyed God and turned to idols. They were unfaithful.

But Jesus retraced Israel’s steps. By going into the waters of baptism, Jesus retraced Israel’s passage through the Red Sea, identifying with them. Next week we’ll see that Jesus retraced Israel’s steps by going from the water into the wilderness, where—like Israel—He was tempted by the devil. But unlike Israel, Jesus succeeded in obeying the Father in every way that Israel—and all of us—have failed to obey Him.

He’s the new Israel, faithful where they were unfaithful.

Do you see what’s happening? Jesus isn’t a sinner; He is God’s beloved Son who identified with sinners through His baptism so that He could save us from our sins. He retraces our steps but remains faithful where we were faithless so that He can save us from our sins.

Jesus was not baptized because He was a sinner. Jesus was baptized because He is God’s beloved Son who identifies with sinners.

And this means that Jesus’ baptism is good news for you. The baptism shows that Jesus is God’s beloved Son—sinless—and yet aligning Himself with you to save you from your sins. He is full of grace toward sinners; He identifies with you in order to save you.

There are at least two ways to apply this to your life, and both have to do with baptism.

Romans 6:3–4 — “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

In His baptism, Jesus identified with us. In our baptism, we identify with Him.

When someone is baptized, they go under the water, identifying with Jesus who died to wash away their sins. When they rise out of the water, they identify with Jesus in His resurrection, which promises eternal life.

So the first application is this: identify with Jesus through repentance, faith, and baptism. Have you identified with your Savior, God’s beloved Son? If not, check baptism on the Connect Card to begin the conversation.

The second application is to live in light of your baptism. Romans 6 says we are raised out of the water so that we can walk in newness of life. If you’ve been baptized, then you’ve aligned with Jesus in His death and resurrection—so walk away from your sins. Put them behind you. Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Walk in newness of life each day.

It’s not you alone against your sins. The sinless Son of God is aligned with you as you put sin to death and walk in newness of life. Live in light of your baptism.

You can be certain that Jesus is God’s beloved Son because of His baptism.

THE SPIRIT

Recently, my son mentioned to my wife and me that he’d really like to go to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He’s been there several times but really wants to go back. That’s great with me, because I like the medieval armor room and especially love the Monet exhibit.

One way you can identify an authentic Monet from a replica is pigment. Monet only used pigments available in his lifetime. So if a “Monet” contains synthetic colors that didn’t exist yet, you know it’s not original. You can be certain you’re looking at a Monet because it has the right pigment.

Similarly, you can be certain that Jesus is God’s beloved Son because the Spirit descended on Him.

Luke 3:21–22a — “Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove…”

Seven hundred years earlier, God promised this would happen.

Isaiah 42:1 — “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him…”

The Holy Spirit’s descent authenticated Jesus as the long-promised Messiah, the Servant of the Lord, and God’s beloved Son.

Throughout Luke’s Gospel, Jesus’ entire ministry is empowered by the Holy Spirit—His conception, temptation, preaching, miracles, and mission. The Messiah was promised to be Spirit-anointed, and the Spirit descended on Jesus to empower Him for life and ministry.

This is wonderful news for us, because the same Holy Spirit lives in everyone who has repented and believed in Jesus Christ.

Acts 1:8 — “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…”

The Spirit who empowered Jesus now empowers us to resist sin, proclaim the gospel, and pray in faith. That’s why we are called to ask the Father for the fullness of the Spirit.

Luke 11:13 — “How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

When you need fresh power to resist sin, pray, speak the gospel, or glorify God, ask the Father for the fullness of the Spirit purchased for you by the Son.

You can be certain that Jesus is God’s beloved Son because of the baptism, because of the Spirit, and finally because of…

THE VOICE

Luke 3:22b — “…and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’”

The Father’s voice combines Isaiah 42:1 and Psalm 2:7. Heaven speaks, and the verdict is clear: Jesus is God’s beloved Son.

This matters because what follows is Jesus’ genealogy, which traces His line all the way back to Adam—“the son of God.” Jesus is the Second Adam. The first Adam disobeyed, and death reigned. The Second Adam obeyed perfectly, and life now reigns through Him.

Romans 5:17 — “Much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”

Through Christ, we are adopted as sons of God. As J.I. Packer wrote, “Adoption is the highest privilege of the gospel.”

And if you are in Christ, what the Father says of Jesus, He now says of you:
“This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Be certain that Jesus is God’s beloved Son.