Wk 25 Good Plans 2

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1 John 3:17–19 NLT

17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? 18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.

OFFERTORY SONG: Good Plans

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LESSON

The Way To The Father by Col. Gary Nelson (ret)

Recently, at a well-known Bible College, a seminary professor was surprised that so many of his students were having trouble conceptualizing God the Father.  It was obvious from their papers and sermons that they did not fully comprehend the teaching on the character of the Father. They did not understand His Father’s heart. Then he hit on an idea.

So, He asked them to draw a picture of God the Father.  He was shocked! 

Some drew a tyrant on his throne, with a giant club, waiting to lower the boom on His servants. 

Others drew a wishy-washy man, with a confused, perplexed face, unable to make a decision. 

While others drew an empty throne. 

Only a few showed God the Father with open, outstretched arms and eyes of mercy and compassion, seeking to bless His children.  

The students all had the same teaching on the Character of the Father. So, what was the difference? 

As he interviewed them, he discovered that, despite the teaching, they were unable to overcome the reality of the dysfunctional homes in which they grew up. 

They were unable to understand God as a Father. 

They could not find the way to the Father.

In John 14:6 Jesus says: 

“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”. 

If someone was coming over to your house you might ask him or her, “do you know the way”? 

Jesus is saying that He is the Way, the path, the road, to the Father. 

Jesus goes on to say: 

“No one comes to the Father except through Me.  If you had known Me you would have known my Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him”.

A very effective tactic of our enemy…

One of the devil tactic is to distort the character of God so that we will live in constant fear of Him. 

So it’s been said that over 80% of young people in the system were raised in a home without a father — OUCH!

To them, a father is someone who is…

absent, uninterested, unapproachable and to be feared.

So who is our Father? (Luke 15:11)

5 Truths about God the Father to teach your kids and live as an example to others.

God is the actual, literal Father.

To help kids understand this, we can highlight the following five truths, which paint a profound (yet still incomplete!) picture of our heavenly Father:

1. He is the source of life. 

Fathers have an important part in contributing to the life of children.

As you lead your kids, help them recognize how their heavenly Father is the source of all life.

As we visit zoos, aquariums and arboretums, hike, bike ride, camp out and together enjoying the vast outdoors— we can discover God the Creator of life. Without Him none of this would not exist. We should also emphasize that following God’s plan is the path to abundant life (John 10:10).

John 10:10 NLT

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

And when we accept His Son as our Savior, we are given new life — adopted into the Father’s family (Romans 6:23).

Romans 6:23 NLT

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. He lovingly corrects us. 

As the true Father, God’s discipline and correction are always done out of love (Hebrews 12:5-11).

Hebrews 12:5–11 NLT

5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children?* He said, “My child,* don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”* 7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?* 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

Help your kids recognize the ways that God’s Spirit corrects us in our everyday decisions and interactions with others,

how we can feel Him prodding us toward decisions that reflect His love and truth, and

how we feel convicted when we choose to disobey.

3. He provides for our needs. 

Show your kids all the ways God provides for our needs.

Celebrate

rainstorms and

apple trees and

lakes full of fish.

How much joy the true Father must receive when we enjoy all the good gifts that He has provided through creation (Matthew 7:11).

Matthew 7:11 NLT

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Celebrate Life—God’s Life

4. He gives us His wisdom. 

We need to help our kids learn life skills and encourage them in their gifts and talents.

But help them see that true wisdom comes from our heavenly Father.

His inspired Word is the ultimate source of wisdom and truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17d).

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NLT

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

5. He always welcomes us back. 

In Luke 15 we see the parable of the prodigal son.

Luke 15:1–3 NLT

Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! So Jesus told them this story:

100 Sheep and the one that got away

The woman who lost her silver coin

They both rejoiced and celebrated on finding their lost item.

Luke 15:10 NLT

In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

So Jesus told another story…

Luke 15:11–32 NLT

11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. 13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. 17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.” ’ 20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.*’ 22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ 28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ 31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’ ”

We forgive our children when they mess up, and we try to help them make better choices in the future.

Help your kids recognize that this is just a glimpse of God’s role in our lives.

He is the ultimate model of forgiveness.

We all mess up, but our true Father is constantly on watch for our return, running to us with joy when we turn back to His family (Luke 15:11-32).

(© 2016, 2025 Focus on the Family by Vance Fry)