Matt 3:17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

I preface this illustration as a kid born in the early 70’s. I recall a commercial for a brokerage company called EF Hutton, the company has since been bought and sold a few times and I believe is now a part of Citi Group. In the commercial, two business professionals would be engaged in conversation about advice given to them by their broker. The commercials always had the same ending with the professional who had EF Hutton as a broker was asked what his broker thought. Here take a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6ua5xCOlhM (not responsible for any other media on youtube). So much weight was given to EF Hutton, that everyone would drop everything just to hear what valuable information was about to be revealed. The commercial was successful because it was very memorable and the company obviously lasted a long time.

So what does that have to do with the bible or with this verse??? Well, while everyone back in the 70’s really cared about what EF Hutton had to say, today very few seem to care about what God has to say. God speaks in many different ways to His children, but He spoke audibly on only 3 occasions in the New Testament. You would think that God would carry a lot more weight than a brokerage company and I want to share why we should be listening.

The first time God spoke audibly was at Jesus’ baptism; He wanted to world to know two things: Jesus was His beloved Son and everything about Jesus pleased Him. If you recall, John the Baptist was telling the world about the coming Lamb of God who would take away all the worlds sins. When Jesus showed up and was baptized by John, it was there that God spoke aloud about His Son. “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

God loves Jesus; every bit of Him, every part of Him; every inward part and everything associated with Him. Why is that important? Because when you understand how much God loves Jesus, it will help you understand just how much He loves you and I. You see as much as God loves Jesus, He was not willing to spare Him from suffering in order to demonstrate the love He has for us… John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. He SO loves us and He will never let us forget it!!!

He was also pleased with Jesus; the Hebrew word; (eujdokevw) actually means to take pleasure in, to be favorably inclined towards one. Layman’s terms…God takes great pleasure in His Son and He shows Him great favor. That sounds awesome don’t you wish God would feel the same way about you? Check this out, the Hebrew word “in” here in this text means in, by and with. So God is pleased with Jesus and everything in Jesus, everything done by Jesus and every one of us who are with Jesus. You should get with Jesus… back to God’s pleasure… Jesus and everything “in Him”

Nearly 90 times in the New Testament the words “in Him” (not in him) are used to express the things in Jesus Christ. Therefore, that which is in Christ also brings pleasure to God. 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. John 3:15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” If these verses are representative of your life then you are in great shape. However if not….let’s change that. NOW!!! Believe in Jesus and begin your new life “in Him.”

….Up Next When God Talks…We Should Listen!! (Part 2)