And in this episode, the Pharisees and Sadducees come out, and John says to them, he tells of Christ and says in verses 11 through 12, he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit in fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
The short of it is he will gather his people, the wheat, while judging the unrepentant, the chaff.
And so right after this foretelling by John, what do we read? Verse 13, then Jesus came.
Matthew's making it overtly obvious, just with that one word, then, that Jesus is the one of whom John spoke.
Of course, God's declaration of his son will make that abundantly clear, but even here in verse 13, we have enough to demonstrate Jesus is greater than John.
We also learn from verse 13 that Jesus identifies with his people.
Jesus identifies with his people.
Continuing there, Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him.
Matthew begins his gospel account with a genealogy in chapter 1, verse 1.
That genealogy, if you recall, is organized around the Babylonian exile.
He gives 14 generations before the exile, 14 generations in the midst of exile, and 14 generations after exile.
Although, for Matthew and the Old Testament, for that matter, they speak in such a way that the exile never really truly ended.
There's never full reconciliation with God.
There's never the Davidic king long-awaited, long-expected, that would rule forever.
The temple is not quite what you expect at the end of the Old Testament.
And so there's this sense of, we're still not home yet.
Things are not all right.
And just one example of how Matthew views this ongoing exile
is his fulfillment quotation from Jeremiah 31, verse 15,
which says,
Now Matthew quotes this in chapter 2, verse 18,
after Herod has killed a bunch of children.
And then Matthew says this passage is fulfilled.
Yet, Jeremiah, in his context,
is speaking of a time when God's people are led in captivity.
So this is one indication, among many,
that Matthew views his present moment,
first century A.D., the time of Christ,
as still yet a time of exile.
Israel is not made at home.
In fact, when you look at every one of the fulfillment quotations
in Matthew chapters 1 through 4,
of which there are many,
every single one is speaking in a context of exile.
And so Matthew sees this ongoing exile,
and he makes it clear, too, in chapter 1,
that the cause of this exile is sin.
Just as Israel was led in captivity in the Old Testament
due to their idolatry and wickedness,
so, too, in Jesus' day,
did the people remain in exile for their sin.
He indicates this not only by the baptism of repentance
that we're reading about,
but in chapter 1, verse 21,
the angel of the Lord says to Joseph,
of the Christ child,
he says,
you shall call his name Jesus,
for he will save his people
from their sins.
Okay, so,
here's how all this ties in
to Jesus identifying
with his people.
Jesus comes
to be baptized
in the Jordan,
in the wilderness.
So, again,
Matthew is playing on this exile theme
to say something about
Christ.
There's a lot of symbolic imagery
conveyed by baptism.
The submersion of baptism
signifies being under the wrath of God.
Of course, you think of this
because of the flood
in Genesis 6.
You also might think
of the Exodus account
when Moses leads Israel
through the Red Sea.
It's parted.
God parts it
so they can pass through safely,
but then he collapses it
to crush Egypt,
Pharaoh's army.
So, it is both a salvation
for Israel
and a judgment
on Egypt.
And so,
I think Matthew
intends our minds
to think about
all these things.
Perhaps most directly,
though,
he intends us to recall
Joshua.
For one,
Joshua's name
is the same as Jesus's,
and we translate it in English
or transliterate
as Joshua.
In Hebrew,
it's Yeshua.
But Jesus is just
the Greek transliteration
of Yeshua as well.
So, it's the same name.
You might call
the book of Joshua
the book of Jesus
in a sense, right?
Same name.
And it simply means
God saves.
And more so,
recall
the Jordan
in Joshua.
In Joshua chapter 3
through 4,
God parts the Jordan
so Joshua
can lead Israel
out of the wilderness,
out of the exile,
so to speak,
into the promised land
and conquer
it.
So, Jesus,
in great humility,
is identifying
with his people Israel.
He does this
by reenacting
their entire history.
And Matthew
shows us this.
It began in the genealogy,
continues in chapter 2
where he's persecuted
by Herod
and has to flee
to Egypt
like Moses
was persecuted
by Pharaoh.
further still now
in chapter 3
the baptism
reenacting
several significant
Old Testament moments
in the story
and life of Israel.
And it goes on
if you read chapter 4
Jesus goes further
into the wilderness
to be tempted
by the devil
while he's hungry.
That sounds a lot
like Israel
in the wilderness.
And then chapter 5
Jesus ascends the mount
and gives
teaching on the law.
Well, that sounds a lot
like Moses
and Israel.
And this goes on
and on and on
throughout Matthew
but you get the point.
Matthew is carefully
weaving this story
to show how Jesus
identifies
with Israel.
He is
the new Israel.
So in his great humility
in his great wisdom
and mercy
Christ is symbolically
saying
through the act
of this baptism
I will take on
my people's exile.
I will take on
their sin
by going in
to exile.
I will bear
what they have
born.
Now by itself
that doesn't make
sense.
How does Jesus
entering exile
help his people?
And since he is
without sin
born of the virgin
why would he
participate
in a baptism
of repentance
to begin with?
This kind of thinking
I think
is what led
to John's objection
in verse 14.
Did you notice
he would have
prevented him
saying I have
need of you
but you come
to me?
So why would
John
baptize Jesus?
Why would Jesus
initiate this?
Well we then
learn from Jesus
response that
Jesus
is the savior
of his people.
Jesus is the
savior
of his people.
Go ahead
and look at
verse 15.
Jesus answers
John saying
permit it for
now in this
manner it is
fitting for us
to fulfill
all righteousness.
Now Jesus
is not saying
that the act
of baptism
saves us.
This is not
a proof text
for so-called
baptismal
regeneration.
We are saved
by grace alone
through faith alone
apart from
works of the
law.
Just one
example
consider the
thief on the
cross whom
Jesus forgives
and promises
today you
will be with
me in
paradise.
Clearly the
thief in his
final moments
of life on
the cross was
saved yet
without
baptism.
So this
can't be what
Jesus means.
Nor do I
think Matthew
is talking about
the imputation
of righteousness.
Now doctrinally
speaking I do
believe that
Christ's righteousness
is imputed to
believers.
Paul makes
that clear in
Romans 4 verse
3 he writes
Abraham believed
God and it
was counted to
him or reckoned
as righteousness.
So that idea of
imputed righteousness
is true it's
biblical it's
essential it's
wonderful but I
don't think that's
what's being
discussed in
Matthew 3 15.
I think people
who say
otherwise have
a case of
right doctrine
but wrong
text.
Rather in
Matthew the
term righteousness
usually conveys
salvation or
more commonly
in Matthew a
ethical
righteousness as
an actual good
works.
And this does
not mean Matthew
is preaching a
different gospel
than Paul.
It's not a
contradiction between
the two at all.
It's just that he's
emphasizing something
different using
the same work.
And this is why
people can get
confused.
So an example
of the ethical
use of righteousness
or the good works
sense of it is
Matthew 5 10.
Blessed are those
persecuted for
righteousness sake.
Clearly Jesus
intends in that
passage those who
are persecuted for
living righteously
by doing the
right things
being the right
kind of person.
An example of
righteousness used
to convey salvation
in Matthew would
be Matthew 6 33.
Seek first the
kingdom of God
and his
righteousness.
The coming of
the kingdom
inheriting the
kingdom entering
the kingdom.
These are all
ways to describe
salvation and
God's rule and
reign.
And so in
chapter 6 verse
33 Matthew puts
kingdom of God
and righteousness
in tandem.
It's a package
deal.
So in our
text chapter 3
verse 15 I
think both these
uses of
righteousness are
in play.
Jesus is saying
that in the
manner of
baptism we will
fulfill all
righteousness.
Both this ethical
righteousness by
keeping the law
doing good works
perfectly but
also the long
awaited salvation
that Israel
longed for
in exile.
He's saying I
will bring this
about as your
just and
righteous king.
So Jesus is
saying something
about the manner
in which he will
save his people.
He is our
savior we've seen
that but he's
also saying
something about
the manner in
which he will
save us.
But we already
saw it's not
baptism that saves
so what is
he showing
us?
What is it
that saves
us?
What is
Jesus saying?
Well this is
the next thing
we learn.
Jesus is saying
he will suffer
for his people
to bring peace
and new creation
through the
spirit.
Jesus will
suffer for his
people to bring
peace and new
creation through
the spirit.
Go ahead and
look at verse
16.
when he was
baptized
immediately
Jesus came up
from the water
and behold the
heavens were
open to him
and he saw
the spirit of
God descending
like a dove
and coming to
rest on him.
So immersion
really matters
to understand
this imagery.
This isn't just
a Baptist
shtick.
This matters.
Jesus goes
under the
water.
He's not
dabbled by it.
He goes
under.
And significantly
this signifies
death.
Being under
the wrath
of God.
And Paul
certainly
understood it
this way.
Romans 6
4.
He says
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
father
we too
might walk
in newness
of life.
Now Jesus'
audience in
Matthew
would have
understood
this imagery
as the
Old Testament
often has
negative
connotations
for water.
So again
this is largely
due to the
flood as I
already referenced
that would be
a big
symbolic
thing in
their mind
when it
comes to
water.
So in
Matthew 3
16
Jesus is
foreshadowing
his own
death.
This is why
he says in
verse 15
in this
manner.
In other
words in
a way
similar to
what I'm
about to
symbolically
enact
we will
fulfill
all
righteousness.
Christ
goes down
into death
to identify
with his
people but
importantly as
verse 15
says he
comes back
up
immediately
and so
thus he
foreshadows
his
resurrection
and the
resurrection
of all
believers.
But this
is not all
that is
signified in
this scene.
The imagery
goes on
and it
reminds us
that the
gospel is
not merely
a free
get out
of hell
jail card.
As great
as that is
as much
as I
love that
it is
even better
more full
more rich
more satisfying
Jesus
brings peace
and new
creation
through
the spirit.
In the
Greco-Roman
world there
was a
common
practice
called
augury.
This was
a practice
where augers
would examine
birds,
their flight
patterns,
their cries,
what types
of birds
and these
kinds of
things.
And after
they examined
all this
information
on a given
day it
would reveal
the will
of the
gods.
If you
want to
know what
this looks
like,
come find
me on
a Saturday
morning.
You may
recall this
from the
movie Troy
if you've
ever seen
it.
They look
at the
birds and
they're like,
oh yeah,
we're going
to be good.
But then
they're not,
so the city
is besieged.
But nonetheless,
that would be
an example
of augury.
It's a big
deal,
very widespread,
very common.
Even Jews
probably participate
in this,
you know,
the ones who
were less
faithful to
Yahweh.
And
significantly,
certain birds
were associated
with certain
omens.
The eagle
was favored
because it
signified strength,
military superiority,
and prosperity.
This was the
preferred bird
for kings
and generals,
and this is
why the
Roman armies
carried an
eagle standard
and not a
duck standard.
Right?
And likewise,
it is why
Nazi Germany,
even the
United States
of America,
and many
other nations
since then
have used
eagles
as a symbol
for their
military.
It is a sign
of strength,
superiority.
On the other
hand,
you have
the dove.
One of the
less respected
birds in
augury.
The dove
symbolized
peace,
gentleness,
love.
That sounds
great to us,
to a Roman.
I'm going to
bully you.
Right?
That doesn't
sound that great.
You don't want
the dove.
It kind of
makes you look
a little weak.
You want
the eagle,
especially if
you're a king.
You want
the eagle.
So you can
imagine the
shock when in
Matthew's
gospel,
which is the
royal gospel,
the kingly
gospel,
where we are
constantly
reminded that
Jesus,
the son of
David,
is king and
lord.
The shock
when a bird
descends from
heaven,
and it's
not an eagle.
It's a dove.
He did not
come to
conquer the
Romans and
lead a
military campaign.
He came to
bring peace to
sinners stuck
in exile who
need to be
made bright
with God.
Further,
this dove
symbolizes new
creation.
So keep in
mind,
it is the
spirit of God
coming in
the likeness
of a
dove.
This
calls to
mind
Genesis
chapter 1
verse 2,
which says,
the earth
was without
form and
void,
and darkness
was over
the face
of the
deep,
and the
spirit of
God was
hovering over
the face
of the
waters.
Now that
verb,
hovering,
is a
word often
used to
describe
birds.
And a
lot of
ancient
interpreters
connected
this hovering
word with
the dove
that we
read about
in Matthew
3.
More
concretely
though,
the dove
recalls
Noah after
the flood.
In the
narrative of
Genesis,
God wipes
out humanity
with a
worldwide flood
and essentially
starts creation
over.
First Adam
messed up,
well,
I'll make a
new Adam.
His name's
going to be
Noah.
I'm going
to keep
him and
his little
family alive
and wipe
out everybody,
wipe out
the land.
I'm going
to start
over.
Let's see
how this
goes.
Not that
he knows
how it's
going to
go,
but you
get the
idea.
So in
the narrative,
you're
expecting,
okay,
things are
going to
get better.
We got
a new
Adam,
second
chance,
right?
Well,
not so.
He floods
the earth
and things
don't go so
well for
Noah and
his family
later on
due to
sin.
And so
you're still
awaiting
this new
Adam,
this new
Noah.
But in
that story
with Noah,
he becomes
this new
Adam,
tragically
fails,
but the
key to
this is
Genesis
8.
In that
passage,
Noah is
on the
ark,
the flood
is ending,
he doesn't
know if
it's over
yet,
and so
to test if
there's
land,
he's on
a ship,
right,
the ark,
he sends
out a
dove.
And of
course,
the dove
does not
return to
him once
he sends
it out,
and so
that's how
Noah knows
it's safe
to get
out.
There's
land.
The dove
went
somewhere.
So
notice
here,
this
context
is
hinting
at a
new
creation.
When you
string all
these threads
together,
as I believe
Matthew intends
us to,
the picture
is clear.
Jesus
will suffer
for his
people to
bring peace
and new
creation
through
the
Spirit.
It's
just as
John the
Baptist
said in
Matthew 3.11,
he will
baptize you
with the
Holy Spirit.
He does
so as
the
anointed
one with
the
Spirit to
bring about
the promised
new covenant
in which
all members
will receive
the Spirit.
Now,
just in
case someone
thinks I'm
being a
little too
creative here
making this
up,
just consider
what Paul's
understanding
of baptism
is once
more.
We already
saw from
Romans that
Paul understands
baptism as
death and
life imagery.
In 2 Corinthians
5.17,
we get a
little further
insight into
Paul and
how he
understands
baptism.
He says,
therefore,
if anyone
is in
Christ,
he is a
new creation.
The old
has passed
away.
Behold,
the new
has come.
That really
enhances how
we understand
Paul in
Romans 6.4,
which I read
earlier,
when he
says that
we are
in newness
of life.
This is
all new
creation
language.
When we
baptize
someone,
we as
a church
and they
as an
individual
are making
a public
proclamation
that so-and-so
is in
Christ,
so-and-so
is a
Christian,
so-and-so
is part
of the
new
creation.
this was
anticipated
by the
Old Testament
prophecies
of the
new
covenant.
You think
of Ezekiel
36,
26-27,
which says,
God speaks
and he
says,
I will
give you
a new
heart
and a
new
spirit
I will
put
within
you,
and I
will
remove
the
heart
of
stone
from
your
flesh
and
give
you
a
heart
of
flesh,
and I
will
put
my
spirit
within
you
and
cause
you
to
walk
in
my
statues
and be
careful
to
obey
my
rules.
So,
notice
again
that
new
creation
language,
new
heart,
new
spirit,
referencing
the
Holy
Spirit
who's
given.
So,
I think
it is
clear then
that
Matthew
3-16
is
presenting
the
baptism
as
a
new
creation
act.
This
is the
beginning
of the
new.
And
one
major
implication
of these
truths
that I've
just
expounded
is that
we
Baptists
got it
right.
Baptism
is only
for those
who are
actually
in
Christ.
I love
our
Paedo
Baptist
brothers
and
sisters,
but they're
just wrong
about this
one.
Just
try and
find a
passage
where
someone
is
depicted
as
new
creation
who
is
not
also
saved
and
elect.
Right?
You
won't.
So
why
would
we
baptize
persons
signifying
they are
of the
new
creation
when
in fact
we have
no idea
and believe
it possible
for them
to not
be
elect
a new
creation?
It just
doesn't
really
compute
with the
Bible.
So
baptism
is for
those
publicly
recognizing
they are
in
Christ
within
the
context
of a
local
church
that
shares
that
assessment.
And
this
is why
the
elders
when
they
baptize
someone
here
say
John
Doe
having
made a
credible
profession
of
faith
we
baptize
you
in
the
name
of
the
Father
the
Son
and
the
Holy
Spirit
you
have
been
buried
with
Christ
in
baptism
and
raised
to
walk
in
the
newness
of
life
coming
from
Romans
6
4
new
creation
language
so
we'll
come back
to this
in our
application
but I
hear now
why this
new
creation
thread
is on
your
minds
because
it is
hard
to
follow
so
I
wanted
to
mention
that
now
so
Jesus
is going
to
suffer
he's
going
to
bring
peace
he's
going
to
bring
about
this
new
creation
through
the
spirit
but who
is
Jesus
that he
can
do
all
this
well
this
is
the
next
thing
we
learn
about
Jesus
it
jumps
off
the
page
at
you
in
verse
17
Jesus
is
son
of
God
and
king
of
kings
Matthew
3
17
God
speaks
from
the
opened
heavens
and
says
this
is
my
beloved
son
with
whom
I'm
well
pleased
God
makes
this
declaration
of
his
son
to
his
son
and
the
crowds
over
here
and
what
a
wild
scene
and
that
Jewish
crowd
would
immediately
recognize
these
words
God
is
combining
two
passages
from
the
old
testament
we
read
one
of
them
this
morning
he's
combining
psalm
2
7
and
isaiah
42
verse
1
psalm
2
7
says
the
lord
said
to
me
you
are
my
son
there's
that
echo
today
i'm
begotten
isaiah
42
verse
1
reads
behold
my
servant
whom
i
uphold
my
chosen
in
whom
my
soul
delights
i've
put
my
spirit
upon
him
and
he
will
bring
forth
justice
same
word
for
righteousness
to
the
nations
now
psalm
2
is a
coronation
psalm
you heard
nathan
preach on
this
just a
couple
weeks
ago
this
psalm
speaks
of
in
its
original
context
David
but
in
its
messianic
ultimate
context
Christ
and
this
psalm
was
likely
read
in
Israel
whenever
a
king
was
coronated
crowned
and
so
it's
significant
that
jesus
would
choose
to
quote
this
at
the
baptism
this
is
the
crowning
of
the
king
he's
making
it
clear
this
is
my
son
the
king
of
kings
and
likewise
psalm
2
speaks
of
god's
eternal
plan
with
his
son
to
judge
the
wicked
to
save
the
righteous
how
they
laugh
at
the
plans
of
the
wicked
and
how
christ
son
will
conquer
all
and
so
in
this
baptism
god's
indicating
i'm
going to
conquer
the
world
not
through
war
not
through
military
might
through
peace
through
sacrifice
through
my
son
in
whom
i'm
well
pleased
so
this
is
the
king
of
kings
he's
being
recognized
as
king
in
this
baptism
and
then
the
reference
to
isaiah
42
likewise
evokes
the
wider
context
of
isaiah
particularly
the
servant
songs
as
they're
known
of
isaiah
40
through
55
i'm
not
going
to
read
all
that
but
this
passage
depicts
the
coming
messiah
as
a
servant
pleasing
to
the
lord
the
servant
will
bring
justice
to
the
nations
like
psalm
2
says
this
servant
will
die
for
the
many
for
their
transgressions
to
make
atonement
see
that
in
isaiah
53
in
short
so much
of what
we have
already
seen
and talked
about
that we've
seen
symbolically
in the
act of
this
baptism
is made
explicit
by these
quotations
in the
declaration
from
the
father
and so
in closing
friends
all i can
say is
behold
your
god
king
jesus
the
beloved
son
of
god
empowered
by the
spirit
came
to
save
his
people
from
their
sin
and
exile
by
identifying
with
them
and
suffering
for
them
to
secure
peace
and
begin
the
new
creation
so
in
closing
i just
want to
offer
a few
reflections
and
applications
number
one
repent
and
believe
right
do you
know
this
king
have
you
repented
of
your
sins
and
placed
faith
in
him
why
wouldn't
you
what
or who
is
greater
that
would
prevent
you
and
have
you
publicly
made
this
repentance
and
believe
clear
by
obediently
being
baptized
you
are
under
the
wrath
of
God
you
are
in
that
exile
and
the
day
of
judgment
is
drawing
near
so
don't
presume
on
tomorrow
right
go to
the
Lord
today
secondly
guard
the
membership
at
Providence
Baptist
Church
we are
an
elder
led
congregational
Baptist
Church
every
member
here
has a
God
given
responsibility
to
guard
the
membership
of
the
church
this
is
not
just
a
job
for
the
elders
the
deacons
the
people
who
volunteer
a lot
this
is
for
everybody
if
you're
a
member
God
holds
you
responsible
for
the
membership
of
this
church
so
again
baptism
is
for
those
who
are
of
the
new
creation
that's
the
elect
regenerate
persons
members
of
the
new
covenant
who
are
always
regenerate
according
to
Ezekiel
so
don't
abdicate
the
responsibility
God
has
given
you
as
a
member
to
vet
potential
new
members
right
be
as
certain
as
you
can
be
that
you
are
welcoming
someone
into
the
fold
who
is
truly
a
Christian
right
to
bring
in
an
unregenerate
person
and
baptize
them
is
to
confuse
the
gospel
damage
the
witness
of
our
church
and
bring
disorder
third
be
a
peacemaker
life
is
crazy
there
are
factions
everywhere
opinions
in every
finger
misunderstandings
offenses
all kinds
of stuff
that
divides
people
leads
to
bitterness
anger
hate
and
exile
to
bring
peace
he
says
later
in
Matthew
5
verse
9
blessed
are
the
peacemakers
for
they
shall
be
called
sons
of
God
bring
peace
to
the
relationships
and
situations
within
your
spheres
right
in
some
cases
that
might
mean
for
you
that
you
need
to
seek
forgiveness
maybe
you
wronged
someone
and
you
know
it
maybe
you
need
to
be
forgiving
someone's
wronged
you
and
you're
not
letting
it
go
you
need
to
forgive
that
person
initiate
reconciliation
bring
peace
it
may
require
that
you
hold
your
tongue
and
impatiently
endure
wrongdoing
right
you might
not be
able to
bring
about
reconciliation
in every
situation
but so
far as
it depends
on you
bring
peace
be a
peacemaker
and you
will be
called
a
son
of
God
and
lastly
delight
yourself
in
Jesus
my
mom
called
me
picky
growing
up
I
prefer
that
I
have
a
complicated
pal
I
used
to think
I was
picky
but I've
realized
if I'm
with
someone
who knows
food
well
which I
don't
I can't
make
Kraft
macaroni
but if I'm
with somebody
who knows
food
well
their
opinion
is
usually
right
and so
I've
become
that
guy
at
restaurants
who
always
asks
the
waiter
what do
you
recommend
you know
it doesn't
mean I'm
going to
go with
it
but
generally
I do
and I
do this
because I
know I
don't
understand
food
I don't
really
know
what's
good
for
me
I
wouldn't
try
things
without
somebody
telling
me
that I
trust
this is
really
good
and because
of this
practice
I've
learned
to love
a lot
of dishes
and food
items
I never
would have
tried
on my
own
like
shrimp
I don't
know why
it just
looked gross
when now
it's like
one of my
favorite
things
so if
that is
all true
how much
more so
is it
true
that we
should
embrace
what
God
delights
in
I
honestly
don't
understand
it
in one
sense
like a
question
I
sometimes
ask
myself
how
can
the
eternal
God
who
knows
all
things
and is
everywhere
all the
time
and is
all
powerful
not
get
bored
how
does
he
not
become
dissatisfied
I mean
that's
just
confusing
to me
as a
fallen
human
there is
so much
I don't
know
there is
so much
I have
not
experienced
there's
so much
room
to grow
in the
few
things
I'm
competent
in
and
yet
I
get
bored
all
the
time
I
get
dissatisfied
all
the
time
yet
here
in
Matthew
3
the
father
says
the
eternal
unbegotten
father
without
beginning
without
end
eternal
father
says
he
is
well
pleased
in
his
son
who
he's
been
with
that
entire
time
now
at a
human
level
you
would
think
that
would
get
old
but
here
he
is
declaring
joyfully
this
one
is
my
beloved
son
in
whom
I'm
well
pleased
he's
never
grown
tired
of
him
he's
well
pleased
he
has
no
greater
delight
than
his
son
Jesus
so
friends
take
it
from
the
father
and
always
delight
in
Christ
his
love
his
justice
his
mercy
his
sacrifice
his
power
his
glory
look
to
Jesus
as
the
fulfillment
of
your
deepest
and
greatest
longings
let's
pray