Father pt II

Reverence

05.04.25

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Quote:

"The contemplation of God is the most excellent and most useful occupation of the soul."

St. Thomas Aquinas

Recap

Last week we introduced this series and saw that God being revealed as Father is far more than a religious concept

It is the way that God chose to reveal Himself to us

it is an expression of God that He designed in order for us to see Him for who He really is

have you ever thought about that? in all the ways He could have revealed Himself, He chose Father

what does that say about the most powerful being in the entirety of the universe?

to me it shouts from the highest height, I am love and the thing I desire most is relationship with the ones i have created!

because As with everything we discover about God, none of what is revealed about Him is accidental

It was thoughtfully designed before life itself

It has existed for eternity in the heart of God that is eternal

And as humanity, it is our joy and privilege to discover more and more about who He is

As The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit

The trinity, three in one

Which is why when we as human beings try to project our earthly and limited understanding onto a perfect and infinite God we come up short

Then>> we inevitably get frustrated… and as a result we grab a hold of things that we think will bring security or happiness

because the things we can see and understand based on our experience are far easier to accept

but what if easier is not better?

and what if the things we have seen are no longer good enough?

and if this is so…what are we willing to do in order to return to who we were created to be?

because the issue is never that God, as Father, has withheld from us

Romans 8:31–32 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

so the issue is not on His end

but rather in how WE see Him, WE approach Him, and the access WE give Him

He has invited us to see more and more and more about Him each and every day

And this morning we are going to get into

what this looks like for us in how we approach Him

what this requires of us

But as we said last week, the first step is to know that it has been made available to us

This morning we are going to turn to Matthew 11 to read another beautiful prayer of Jesus

because in His prayer, the relationship with The Father is put on FULL DISPLAY for us

Matthew 11:25-30 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

How does He start?

“I thank you”… starting place being gratitude is so key

I have been so blessed in my life, deserving of very little, but if I can say there is one thing I have learned and would love to pass on to anyone who will listen it is this

gratitude is everything

it positions us, it postures us, and it prepares us

if you want to go after more, start by being thankful for what you have been given

“Father, Lord of Heaven and earth”…

once again introducing God as Father…so offensive to the Pharisees

but pay attention to the order

Both titles are so appropriate and so very true and yet He intentionally calls God Father FIRST

What is your view of God?

What is your starting place when you see Him?

I want to tell you this morning that it matters

If it mattered to Jesus as THE SON it must matter to us

We must recognize the significance of all that is communicated in this title of Father, this expression of God, and the identity He revealed to us

Revelation

What is Jesus thanking the Father for?

That He “has hidden these things from the wise and understanding”

who are they?

The ones who think they know, the one who proudly take their identity from knowing better

in other words, the ones who embrace what they know and what they see

the ones more impressed with their wisdom without understanding who gave them the ability to have it in the first place

“And has revealed them to little children”

Why is this important?

For a few reasons:

Jesus said this about coming to Him like children

Matthew 18:2-4 and calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

humility is knowing who we are and who He is in the proper perspective

not thinking more highly of ourselves and own intellect than we ought to

Luke 18:15-17 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Why?

Once again when we go back to original design

We were designed to walk in relationship with the Father

But this relationship is not as employees, as slaves, as servants…and certainly not as co-workers or peers

The relationship from the beginning was that He is creator, He is provider, He is protector, He is the source of all

We were actually designed, as humanity, to receive from the Father

What is the picture of children?’

It is those who receive, those who learn, those who grow as a direct result of what they receive from their parents

In Matthew 13 the disciples ask Jesus why He speaks to them in parables

Matthew 13 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

what causes some to see and others to not see?

It is the childlike desire to seek after more

for Kids, when they find something they like or something they want, they can be relentless until they get what they want

“Daddy, can we, can we, can we, can we”

it is also the childlike understanding that there is so much more to be found

and the understanding that I don’t actually know all there is to know, so i am going to ASK 1000 questions

and this is all beautifully summarized by Jesus when He says this about the Kingdom

Matthew 13:44-46 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

and it is the beautiful understanding that as a Good Father He is actually walking with us as we discover more and more about who He is

It is His pleasure to do so…

Luke 12:32 ““Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

it’s not withholding, it is an invitation to discover!

so the first requirement in being able to see is to seek, to seek Him, like a child

Rest

And the results are some of the most beautiful in scripture

at this time i am going to ask those serving at the communion table to get ready to come forward (not yet)

and as we begin to prepare ourselves for this remembrance of Jesus we are going to read these words

remember verse 27 says

27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

it is The Son who reveals ALL THINGS of The Father to us

and what He reveals to us is this:

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

we think what we will receive by going after what we think we need, THEN we will finally be happy

then we will find joy, peace, and contentment

but we have to understand that the only way to true rest is by coming to THE FATHER

This morning before we come to the table I want to ask this question

Salvation call

Lord Jesus, This morning, I choose you, as savior, and as Lord.

I confess, that my life without you, will always fall short.

But in you, through your death, and resurrection, I have a new beginning.

Today, I ask for your forgiveness, and I commit my life to you, In Jesus name I pray. Amen

1 Corinthians 11:23–25 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”