When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, a golden dove descended from heaven and the voice of God declared,"Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased." Why was God pleased? Jesus had not preached a sermon, He had not performed any miracles, He had not healed any sick, He had not even started His messianic mission. In fact, Jesus had been living a quiet, unobtrusive life as a carpenter apprentice for thirty years in the sleepy little town of Nazareth. He grew up through childhood, teenage, and maturity in obscurity, and very little is known about His life during those thirty years. He no doubt was admired by His mother, who devotedly instructed Him in the Scriptures, and I'm sure his father was happy with his industrious and skillful pupil. His brothers were probably irritated because He did not participate in their boyish pranks and did not react to life's frustration as most boys would. We don't know anything about His social life, but I imagine He was very dedicated to His work and to being helpful around the home. We are told "that He increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52). What was it about Jesus' life that caused Him to find favor with God and His associates, and where did He get this wisdom? What had He been doing all those thirty long years in Nazareth that merited such praise?
Chapter five of the book of Matthew records what is commonly called "the Sermon On the Mount." Actually, it wasn't a sermon at all, but it was a private chat that Jesus had with His disciples on a grassy spot on a mountainside. In this chat Jesus revealed to His disciples His basic philosophy of life, the principles which had guided Him in His daily walk among men. These principles had been garnered from His mother and father and probably from His communion with His Heavenly Father through prayer and meditation on the Scriptures. These principles were to be an example of a godly life for His disciples then and in the future. He said that if you are going to be perfect in God's sight and please Him, you must be humble, be meek, be merciful, be a peacemaker, be tasteful like salt, be energetic like light, agree with your adversary, don't be angry, don't seek revenge, don't swear, don't fight back or retaliate, love (respect) your enemies, turn the other cheek, pray for those who persecute you.
Jesus was telling His disciples, don't just do as I say but do as I do, and you will be found perfect in God's sight. These principles of a disciplined godly life were what guided Jesus as He lived among men, and it is no doubt why He found favor with God and men, and why God was well pleased with His Son. If we follow His advice and example, and put into practice the basic principles which He outlined to His disciples on that mountainside, then we also will be "pleasing God."
