Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased
Contrasts make things more visible. For instance, if you are presenting a diamond, it is most visible on black velvet. That is almost a cliché, but it is true. Contrasts help us to see things more readily. In Matthew 3 we see a stark contrast between the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were socially and religiously elite, and John the Baptist, who wore eccentric clothing, ate eccentric food, and was not part of a polite society but was God’s messenger. You see a stark contrast between these religious leaders who rejected Christ and John the Baptist who was the forerunner of Christ.
In verse 9 John is basically pointing the finger at these Pharisees and Sadducees who reject Christ, and he says, “Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” The bottom line was that these religious leaders felt entitled, as if God owed them. God had said that through Abraham He would make a great nation, and they were Abraham’s descendants. How could God have a great nation were it not for them? John says, “Look, God can raise children to Abraham out of these stones.” So, there is a stark contrast between the religious leaders and John.
That contrast just paves the way for the drastic contrast between the religious leaders and God the Son, Jesus Christ. John said that there was coming One whose baptism would be greater. He would be greater. John said, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me… shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” Jesus came “from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.” John protested this and basically said, “Look, I should be baptized by you. I should not be baptizing you. Who am I?” Jesus replied, “No, this is what ought be done.” The heavens opened and God from Heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
So, on the one hand you have the Pharisees and Sadducees who felt smug because they were Abraham’s children, and then you have the Son of God Who was God’s only begotten Son yet showed incredible humility.
When you read in Matthew about the life of Christ, what is astounding is not the miracles that Jesus did because you would expect God to be able to do whatever He wants to do. What is amazing are the things you would think He would not have to do yet He did do. For instance, Jesus was baptized. Believers ought to be baptized, but why Jesus? In the subsequent chapter Jesus prayed. Consider God the Son praying to God the Father, but Jesus prayed during His earthly ministry. So, Jesus did things only Jesus could do, but Jesus also did things that you and I should do. This highlights the differences between the Pharisees, who felt entitled by their position, and Jesus, Who modeled humility even though He is God in a body.
I think the bottom line for today is that people who feel entitled cannot be good examples. Maybe you have a position and have accomplished a lot, but at the end of the day in your heart you feel entitled to this leadership or position. You don’t realize that even God the Son gave us an example of service and humility. If Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son yet insisted on being baptized by John, prayed to the Father, and was an example of things I ought to do, then certainly I should follow His example. Always be thankful for what God has given and never feel entitled to what is simply the grace of God in my life.