MOTIVATE
My father… There are countless characteristics I could share and describe about my father… Yet, none of these things change the reality that he’s my father.
Likewise, there are many names of God that describe His character, competency, and compassion. And we could all communicate our story of how we came to be aware of God and are on the path of faith. While our circumstances may be different, none of them change the reality that the revelation of God as the Almighty Father who sent His only Son, who lived, died, resurrected and ascended to heaven but sent His Holy Spirit to remain on earth through His adopted children by grace through faith.
Now – that’s a mouthful. Today’s message will focus simply on the wondrous reality that God is Father, and how that can impact our daily life.
EXAMINE: God is Father
Today’s message will be slightly different than normal. Usually, I preach from a focused passage of the Bible to understand its significance. I do that so that you might see the truths and treasures of God’s word, and hopefully protect you from only hearing my (or any preacher’s) personal perspectives. The people of God need the unfiltered word of God.
God is a unique Father.
Last week we looked at Exodus 3 for the name of God, with His primary name being YHWH/Yaweh
(Haw-Yaw)[1] = I exist. His name is a verb, indicating He is known not just by eternally existing, but by His supreme perfection and ongoing powerful actions. So, in other words, God is not just an idea or philosophy, He’s a living being.
Today’s name of God is father (אָב = av/abba).[2] Our passage today will not be a single text but several texts with an aerial perspective from OT to NT to understand the fatherhood of God.
J.I. Packer, “If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much they make of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls their worship and prayers and their whole outlook on life, it means they do not understand Christianity very well at all. For everything that Christ taught, and everything that makes the NT better than the Old, everything that is distinctively Christian, as opposed to merely Jewish, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God. ‘Father’ is the Christian name for God.”[3]
In the OT, God is Elohim (strong one), or Yahweh (existing one). God reveals Himself to Israel as Yahweh, a covenant keeping God who can be trusted for all His promises (cf. Ex 20:6).
There are few times in the OT, 18x specifically, that God is referred to as “Father.” 10x God is described as Father not to any individual but to the nation of Israel (Ex 4:22; Dt 32:6; 63:16; 64:8; Jer 3:4, 19; 31:9, 20; Mal 1:6; 2:10). In 5 other passages, God is called the Father of Israel’s king in the fulfillment of His promises to David (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 17:13; 22:10; 28:6; Ps 89:26). Then, there are 3 Psalms, which do describe God personally as
- “Father of fatherless and protector of widows” (68:5),
- “God is my Father, the Rock of my salvation” (89:26), and
- “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him” (103:13).
Predominantly, God in OT settings is only described as a father to the collective nation with personal closeness and the presence of Almighty God dwelling with His people as rare, rather than common.
- There’s an old spiritual and nursery song lyrics:
“He’s got the whole world, in His hands.
He’s got the whole world, in His hands.
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got the fishes of the sea, in His hands………—
He’s got the little tiny baby in His hands…—
He’s got you and me, brother, in His hands…—
He’s got you and me, sister, in His hands…—
He’s got everybody here, in His hands…—
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
This song lyrics affirm the fatherhood of God for the whole earth. Like Psalm 96 says, “Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all the gods….let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD.”
So, people of faith affirm the fatherhood of God in all creation. That means in contrast, people of faith do not affirm the concept of “Mother Nature/Earth.” In other words, we must guard the sole deity of YHWH without competition or comparison, and not deify anyone or anything else. Few of us are tempted to praise “Mother Nature,” but when we neglect praise to God and time in His presence, then we are relying on our earthly resources rather than the Lord’s. So, let us pause to wonder, worship, and rest in the presence of our unique Father God. The practical step is to prioritize gathering weekly with the Lord’s people (Act 2:42; Heb 10:25).
God is an unveiling Father.
While relating to God as a personal Father in the OT was rare, the NT strikingly unveils a vitality and intimacy with Father God. Jesus was sent by the Father and called upon God as Abba/My Father dozens upon dozens of times. And it’s why the Jews condemned Jesus to death, for what was viewed as blasphemous to claim unity and intimacy with the Father (Jn 5:18). Further, the Bible describes God as a personal Father for Christians almost 200x in the NT.
Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (Jn 10:30), and “He who has seen Me, has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). In fact, some have confused a theology of the Fatherhood of God that in Heaven God is only the Father but on earth God is only the Son. Likewise, God is expressed as the Spirit on earth. Thus, God is only one person with different modes. This is popularly known as “Modalism” or “Oneness” theology, more common among some Pentecostal type churches. And while the Bible does affirm one God, it also expresses God as a distinct Trinity of separate persons. To erase the Trinity is to disorder Jesus’ prayer life, distort the meaning of the cross, and eclipse God’s power in the resurrection. Undoubtedly, when Jesus was on the cross spoke to the Father, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34), and “Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit” (Lk 23:46). Further, Jesus teaches that from His grace, we can have a relationship with the Great I AM, calling Him our Heavenly Father.
Illus: There’s a story of a military family. Like many such families, they have traveled around to locations for brief stays. Such a life is not only challenging for father and mother, but also difficult for the children. One particular season the father was deployed but had established an intended help to his children. He placed a picture of himself inside a frame where the mother could bring it to tuck the children into bed at night. They could look at the frame and know their father was thinking of them. Many nights, the child slept with the frame right by the bedside for their father to look over them through the night. However, one particular night the child was upset and crying. The mother came to the bedroom to discern the matter. The child simply said, “I want my daddy to come out of the frame.”
Our lives are like children going through the hard seasons and trying times. And we need God to come out the frame and touch us with His comforting peace, loving embrace, and wise guidance. God has unveiled His presence and power through sending His Son, Jesus Christ.
Eph 5:1-2 “As beloved children of God, walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
God is an understanding Father.
A third characteristic on the fatherhood of God is that it’s understanding. The gospel makes theology not just profound but practical. The good news is that God is our personal and perfect Father.
Mt 5:48 “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Unfortunately, humanity has distorted the image of fatherhood.
- 1 in 4 children in U.S. live without a biological, step, or adoptive father in the home. That’s 18.4 million children… enough to fill NYC 2x or LA 4x.
- While fathers & mothers are both important, research shows when a child is raised in a father-absent home, they are affected with greater risks of poverty, behavioral problems, likelihood of committing crimes and being in prison, substance abuse, poor health. Likewise, the precise reverse is true on the positive effects for children having involved fathers in their life.[4]
- Based on the fatherhood crisis or dad deficit in society, there are unfortunate – not understanding – images of fatherhood.
- Absent fathers who are decidedly not present. This is not referencing fathers who are not able to be present in their child’s life due to uncontrollable circumstances – whatever they may be (courts, health, military, early death, etc.). These type of absent fathers have abandoned their children and intentionally chosen to leave. And this distorts the image of God as Father.
- Apathetic fathers who are physically present but unengaged. They’re married to their job and influential among others, but when it comes to wife and/or children, they’re withdrawn. Maybe it’s because they didn’t have a good role model for faithful fatherhood, or some other past life circumstance, but there are many fathers who are apathetic that cause children and families to grow up thinking God is distant and detached. They think God never cares for your suffering or celebrates your happiness.
- Authoritarian fathers. On the opposite end is fathers who are overly involved in the decisions and temperament of the home. This type of father doesn’t want children to become whom God made them, because they’re too focused on forcing children to follow in their own image and footsteps.
Rules smother and suppress the relationship. So, children with authoritarian fathers grow up thinking God is always accusatory and never offering forgiveness and opportunity to grow. - Abusive fathers are also a distortion to the fatherhood of God. Sadly, 1 in 7 children experience abuse in the U.S., and likely that stat is higher due to many cases unreported. Whether abuse is physical, emotional, mental, or sexual, a child never deserves to live or accept such behavior. For too long churches have remained silent or negligent with child abuse, and this should never, ever be! Abuse and trauma will last through a child’s life permanently, and profoundly shape their faith outlook.
- If you are a victim of abuse, you are not to blame. It’s not your fault and you did not deserve those experiences. Know that God is angry over the abuse you suffered. And despite it may not feel like reality, God hears your cries, and through His church wants you to experience real love and healing hope.
- Men – let’s resist our culture’s standards and models of manhood. Let’s rise up and show our families the heart and hands of God; let’s roll up our sleeves and engage with our church to show our communities an accurate representation of God’s design for family and faith.
- Women – don’t lower your standards for husbands & fathers; make them climb and keep them accountable through your prayers & your own participation in the things of God with His church. – – God can do the impossible & change any man’s heart – but, He often does so through the gracious perseverance of a faith-filled woman of God (cf 1Cor 7:12-16; 1Pet 3:1-6).
APPLY/THINK
In the pages of Scripture, Jesus shows us the Authentic Father. In the final moments of this message, let us understand the blessings and implications of having God as our Heavenly Father.
Identity (adoption)
Rom 8:15-17/Gal 4:6 “you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God… and fellow heirs with Christ”
We pray to God as our Heavenly Father, who promises to provide for our daily bread, guidance from troubles, and deliverance from evil. Jesus invites us to pray in His name to receive all His goodness (Jn 14:13). Having God as our Heavenly Father means we are never alone and we belong to Him. Belonging to God also creates an identity for us as His children. As one of God’s children, we should resemble our Father, who said, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:16-17). As children of God, we should honor and defend His name (Mt 6:9-10). We should expect instruction, affirmation, and discipline for when we are not meeting His standards (Heb 12). And as a child of Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we should trust Him – no matter how bleak the outlook or how burdened we feel on the inside, we must remember our Heavenly Father clothes the flowers of the field and will indeed care for the children in His family (Mt 6:25-34; Jam 1:17). When we perpetually worry, we are forgetting the profound truth that God is our Savior, our Comfort and Help, our Rock, our Provider, our Peace and Security, our Wisdom, and our Faithful Heavenly Father.
Family
Jesus said, “Whoever does the will of God, is My brother and sister” (Mk 3:35). Further, the NT describes followers of Jesus as children united in the family of God, called to do good to the household of faith (Gal 6:10), show brotherly love and honor to one another (JN 13:34; Rom 12:10; Heb 13:1; 1Pet 3:8). So, having God as our Heavenly Father means you may not get to choose your biological family, and maybe not all your spiritual family, but you can choose some of your faith family by being an active member in a local church.
God has designed our spiritual journeys that we cannot progress our life path or move forward in our faith without aligning ourselves with a spiritual community of brothers and sisters.
1 Cor 12:14, ff (paraphrased) “For the body does not consist of one member but of many. A body needs feet to walk, hands to work, ears to hear, eyes to see… and no part of the body is dispensable. God arranges each member of the body as He chose.”
Responsibility (mission)
Jesus’ last words to His followers, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, make disciples of all nations by going, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:19-20).
The aim of every church family is to turn strangers and neighbors into friends, and friends into family as brothers/sisters in Christ.
[1] https://biblehub.com/hebrew/1961.htm
[2] https://biblehub.com/hebrew/1.htm
[3] J.I. Packer, quoting self in Knowing God, p.201; from Evangelical Magazine 7, pp.19-20.
Growing Godly Generations 