Our
Father in Heaven
Lk.
2:41-ff Mary & Joseph lose Jesus in Jerusalem - They find Him in
the temple where He knew He should be about His Father's
business.
vs.
49 - The first reference in the NT of God as "Father"
Jesus
was subject to both His earthly
father and His heavenly
Father.
Later,
Jesus taught His disciples to call upon God as "Father" :
Mt.
6:5-15 "Hallowed be Your name"
"Hallowed"
[hagiazo]
= Holy, sanctified, set apart - indicates worthy of honor.
Eph.
6:1-3 Children are to honor
their parents.
"Honor"
[timao]
= To value - To hold in esteem - respect.
Our
heavenly Father also deserves honor
:
Mal.
1:6 "A
son honors his father, and a servant his
master. If then I am the
Father, where is
My honor? And if I am a Master, where is
My reverence?"
Israel
had failed to honor God in obedience - This was reflected in the
unacceptable sacrifices they offered & in their
attitude.
We
owe our Father due respect & honor as our "Creator"
:
Mal.
2:10 "Have
we not all one Father? Has not one
God created us?..."
Gen.
1:26-28 As His children, we bear His image.
As
any good father does, He gave us responsibility--dominion.
Psa. 139:13-16 David speaks of our physical
entry by God's doing.
Being
a father requires more than bringing another life into the world
:
To
be a father is to be a PROVIDER
Lk.
11:9-12 Ask & the Father will give us as we
need.
Eph.
1:3 "Blessed
be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us
with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly
places in Christ."
2
Pet. 1:3 "As
His divine power has given to us all
things that pertain to life and
godliness,
through the knowledge of Him who called
us by
glory and virtue."
To
be a father is to be a TEACHER
Eph.
6:4 "And
you fathers, do not provoke your
children to wrath, but bring
them up in the
training and admonition of the Lord."
Heb.
12:3-11 The Father chastens
(trains)
His
children. When
they submit, they
benefit:
Prov.
3:11-12 "My
son, do not despise the
chastening of the Lord, nor detest
His
correction; (12) For whom the
Lord loves He corrects, just
as a
father the son in whom he delights."
To
be a father is to demand RESPECT
out of LOVE
Jn.
14:15 (Jesus)
"If you love Me, keep My
commandments."
Jn.
15:10 (Jesus)
"If you keep My commandments,
you will abide in My love,
just as I
have kept My Father's
commandments and abide in
His
love."
We
get to choose
our father
Jn.
8:37-47 The Jews had chosen the devil as
their father.
Jn.
1:11-13 "He
came to His own, and His own did
not receive Him. (12) But
as many
as
received Him, to them He gave the right
to become children of
God, even to
those who believe in His name:
(13)
who were born, not of blood, nor of the
will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God."
How
do we become His children? :
1
Pet. 1:22 - 2:3 We are born again of
incorruptible seed - the word of
God.
Rom.
1:16 "For
I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ, for it is the power of
God to
salvation for everyone who believes, for
the Jew
first and also for the Greek."
Jas.
1:17-18 "Every
good gift and every perfect gift
is from above, and comes
down from
the Father of lights, with whom there is
no
variation or shadow of turning. (18)
Of His own will He
brought us forth by
the word of truth, that we might be a
kind of first fruits of His creatures."
vs.
21 "Therefore
lay aside all filthiness and
overflow of wickedness, and
receive with
meekness the implanted word, which is able
to
save your souls."
INVITATION
Jn.
3:1-18 Jesus tell Nicodemus, "you must be
born again" of
water and of the Spirit.
Mk.
16:16 "He
who believes and is baptized will be
saved; but he who does
not believe will
be condemned."