Mark 1:11 With Whom is God Well-Pleased?

Quite naturally, we view the world through our own eyes. In doing so, the panorama in our heads revolves around - me; around - us. Quite naturally, I’m at the center of my world.

But we are not to think naturally. We are to think spiritually. Our eyes do not provide the perspective that is most important, much less most accurate. It is as we depend on God’s Word that we find the proper perspective. Here we find that the world, the universe - heavens and earth - revolve around God. And this world, as we know it, revolves around Jesus. How do we know this? Let’s read our text.

Mark 1:9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; ¹¹ and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

John is out there baptizing at the river, and here comes Jesus. As you remember, John is inviting people to a baptism of repentance, a preparatory act confessing that things are not as they should be - that I am not as I should be - and I am humbled even as I await God’s arrival.

And here comes Jesus, wanting to be baptized. John says, “No, not you. You don’t need this.” But Jesus says, “Yes, I don’t; but you (all) do. I’m doing this for you.” And so, Jesus is baptized, identifying with a people who desperately need salvation, though they don’t know how it will come about. And yet, it is coming about even as they dry the river off themselves.

The remarkable thing in this passage is the voice from heaven. We don’t hear these voices often. Like, never. But here, on this day, at this place, Jesus is baptized, and there is a voice from heaven. “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

Quite naturally, when I am pleased with myself, I assume that God also is pleased with me. Likewise, at those moments when I am disgusted with myself, I assume that God also is disgusted with me. It is my natural view of the world through my own eyes and feelings.

But spiritually, Scripturally, we find here that the pleasure of God is found in one Person only - “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” God’s Pleasure is found in Jesus alone. If you and I are ever going to experience the good pleasure of God, it will be because we are found in Him; in relationship with Jesus. To go back to our devotion title, Jesus is the First Thing, the First Person, the only One with whom God is well-pleased. But from faith of (and in) Jesus, He is delighted to share that pleasure with us, regardless if our day is excellent, or crummy.