Son of God

Today, we look at Son of God. Isaiah prophesied about this promised Son upon whom the government would rest in the familiar Advent verse, Isaiah 9:6.

After 700 years of waiting, the fulfillment comes in the New Testament. When John baptizes Jesus in the River Jordan, the Father declares that Jesus is His Son.

After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and  settling on Him,  and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is  My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3:16-17

24 times in the Gospels, Son of God is used to refer to Jesus. In most of those verses, Jesus isn’t the speaker. When Satan tempts Jesus, he says, “If  you are the Son of God.” The demons proclaim that He’s the Son of God–yet they don’t worship Him. His enemies accuse Him of blasphemy, saying He’s claiming the title falsely. They taunt Him with it when He’s on the cross.

“If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” – Matthew 27:40ff

Some, however , say it with reverence. His disciples understand He truly is the Son of God. Even the centurion standing guard at the crucifixion declares, “Truly, this man was the Son of God.”

But Jesus didn’t flaunt His Sonship, preferring the term, “Son of Man.” Why? He didn’t need to flaunt something He was secure in.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. – Philippians 2:5-7

What a sacrifice. God became man. As the Son of God and the Son of Man, Jesus came for a purpose: to save the world.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” – John 3:16-17

In this time of Thanksgiving, I am most thankful for His sacrificial love.