Is God well pleased with us?

I am preparing a sermon on the baptism of Jesus as I teach line by line through the book of Matthew. It is a labor of love as I seem to never find the bottom of the well, but must stop going deeper at some point, because Sunday will come!

In studying Jesus' baptism and the Father's words to/about Him, "this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17b), I was struck by the relationship between Adam, Jesus and us!

All was created "very good" by God, but he was not pleased with Adam/Eve when they sinned. God was often not pleased with Israel, because they too sinned against Him. Remember the gold calf, their failure to enter the land after the first spies went in, and the later removal of Israel from the land by their enemies.

God's disposition toward sinners is not positive -

Psalm 5:4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil dwell with You.
⁵ The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
⁶ You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. (NKJV)

Now consider what Jesus says about those who believe upon Him -

John 17:20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (NKJV - Underlining added for emphasis)

God the Father is well pleased with Jesus and, for those who believe and are in Him, we are the recipients of the same kind of love the Father has for his Son!

God is not well pleased with sinners, but He is well pleased with us if we believe upon Jesus, for His sake and for His glory! 

Thank you Father, Son and Spirit!

 "Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."