Heavens were opened unto Him.
This great sight
1. Great in the Object.
2. Great in the Person.
3. Great in the Mysteries.
Trinity Sunday
I. The three persons in the holy trinity.
1. Jesus of Nazareth.
2. The Holy Ghost miraculously exhibited.
3. The Holy Father.
II. A vivid representation of gospel salvation.
1. Here was salvation embodied in Jesus Christ.
2. The Holy Ghost falls on Him.
3. The Holy Father’s solemn attestation of the sufficiency of Christ and His salvation.
III. The privilege of believers here confirmed in the person of Jesus Christ.
1. We view Him as our Federal Head and Representative.
2. In this capacity He received the Holy Ghost.
3. In this character the Father delighted in Him, and also in His people.
(1) What a practical view of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.
(2) Have we a personal interest in this great work?
(3) Let the power of these truths be seen in our lives. (F. Close, M. A.)
Divine testimony to the Tri-unity of the Godhead
I. Demonstrate from Scripture the Tri-unity of the Godhead.
II. Prove Christ’s perfect union in the Godhead, as the true ground of Christian faith.
III. How great a blessing this glorious doctrine is for all God’s people. There may be mines of precious wealth, of minerals, gold, silver, jewels, in a domain only partially known; so with this doctrine. God the Father planned the way of redemption. God the Son willingly came to accomplish our salvation. And God the Spirit guides us into all truth. The whole Trinity joins in man’s salvation.
1. How great the condescension of Jehovah thus to reveal the nature and perfections of mercy.
2. How much all revelation testifies of God the Father’s delight in His beloved Son.
3. How God is well pleased in the soul’s salvation by Christ. (J. G. Angley, M. A.)
Christ’s baptism
I. Christ’s submission to the ordinance of baptism.
1. Jesus humbly waits upon the Baptist. The fortitude with which to meet publicity.
2. He is privately discovered to John.
3. The Saviour meekly persists in His obedient resolution. How lovely this conflict of humility!
4. Jesus at last receives the sign from His forerunner.
II. The honours Christ received at His baptism.
1. The opening of the heavens.
2. The descent of the Spirit followed.
3. The proclamation of the Father closed the scene of wonders. (J. Bennett, D. D.)
I. Here is a declaration of the dignity and endearedness of the Saviour, “My beloved Son.”
1. The dignity of His Person.
2. The endearedness of the Son.
II. The father’s complacency in the son. Complacency takes place.
1. In Creation: “All things were made by Him.”
2. In redemption: “He hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
3. The Father is well pleased with Christ in His incarnation and mediation.
4. He is well pleased with Him in all His people. (H. Budd, M. A.)
Here we have
(1) the rising of the morning star, John the Baptist;
(2) The more glorious rising and shining of the Sun of Righteousness Himself;
(3) A messenger from heaven. The Spirit of Christ is a dove-like Spirit. The dove was the fowl offered in sacrifice; so Christ offered Himself without spot unto God.
(4) A voice from heaven. As the Holy Ghost manifests Himself in the likeness of a dove, so God the Father in a voice. This voice speaks God’s favour to Christ.
1. Expresses the relation He stands in to Him.
2. Expresses the affection the Father hath to Him. Observe God’s favour to us Is Him. He is My beloved Son, IN whom I am well pleased. Consider what God is out of Christ, and what God is IN Christ.
I. What God is out of Christ to the sinner.
(1) An angry God;
(2) a threatening God;
(3) a dishonoured God;
(4) a distant God.
II. What God is in Christ.
(1) A reconciled God;
(2) a promising God;
(3) a glorified God;
(4) a near God. (Ralph Erskine.)
The arithmetic of heaven
A gentleman, passing a church with Daniel Webster, asked him, “How can you reconcile the doctrine of the Trinity with reason?” The statesman replied by asking, “Do you understand the arithmetic of heaven?” The application is evident. (Anon.)
The heavens are never shut while either of the sacraments is duly administered and received; neither do the heavens ever thus open without the descent of the Holy Ghost. (Bishop Hall.)
1. The Person that did hear witness.
2. The manner how He testified to the honour of His Son.
3. The authority of that voice from heaven.
4. The Person to whom the witness is borne.
5. What is witnessed of Him in respect of Himself.
6. What is witnessed of Him in respect of our consolation, we the beloved in Him. (Hacket.)
As the Father sent His voice from heaven to earth, let our lips be full of prayers, that we may send our voice from earth to heaven. (Hacket.)