The Written Word

Day 25 (Kingdom Series) – The Son, the Spirit and the Father

Day 25 (Kingdom Series) – The Son, the Spirit and the Father

By Shirley Rosemarie Evans and Christopher Dryden

After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.

Matthew 3:16-4:1 NLT

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Ephesians 1:5 NLT

Son, Spirit and the Father

Sonship is important. The surname Johnson establishes that one is the son of John. Being known as Johnson shows that one belongs to John. It’s not just the name; the character can also resemble John.

The good news of the Kingdom of God establishes that the Father created beings in his image to reflect how His rule in heaven would be seen on earth. Despite humanity's choice to rebel, God sent His Son to fulfil the mission so those who believed in Him could return to sonship. The Son fulfilled that mission by the indwelling Spirit of God. In short, the Father affirms, the Son exemplifies as the Spirit empowers and enables. Let’s see how that was played out at the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

The Son. Jesus was baptised to do what pleased His Father. He knew who He belonged to, and that belief motivated His behaviour. Once He was baptised, God directed and ordered His movements. As He did these things, He left a crucial example for all His followers to observe and enact. Belonging to the Father means doing what pleases Him.

The Spirit. After the baptism, the presence of the Spirit marked two very important moments that influenced all who follow Jesus to be active Kingdom subjects. The first was His appearance, which was the prelude to what the Father pronounced. That is to say, the Spirit operated to indicate what the Father was doing. The second is how the Spirit appeared externally above and dwelling and motivated from within. Leading and prompting, the Spirit’s role was pivotal in the actions of the Son.

The Father. Everything starts with the Father. The Kingdom is His, the Mission is His, the instructions are His, and it’s all for His glory. Yet even in that position, His role in this episode is to affirm and encourage. He is delighted to acknowledge His Son and is keen to support His Son in His endeavours. This provides comfort and reassurance; this highlights how important He views relationships as the basis for what will happen. The Son did not have to do anything to merit the acknowledgement; the Father delighted in offering it. This is the same Father who calls us to Himself and sends us out with that assurance, comfort, affirmation and support.

As we reflect on these figures and their importance in the lives of all who follow Jesus, we can embrace these truths. That stimulates action to encourage others by hearing the good news of the Kingdom and considering joining this family business – belonging to the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit.


Ask: What do the Son, the Spirit and the Father do at the baptism stage and in the wilderness?

Seek: Reflect on what the Son, the Spirit and the Father do in your daily life.

Knock: Thank you, Father, for giving us your Son and leaving your Spirit till the work on earth is done. (Melody Green, There is a Redeemer)

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KPM is an initiative birthed from a desire to follow the number one priority of the Lord Jesus Christ - to promote, encourage and expand the reach of the Kingdom of God....

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