God is the Father We Dreamed About Having

Introduction: Wanting our father around.

In 1996 we were living in Lindenhurst while I was attending Trinity. The brakes on our car needed to be replaced and I decided to do the work myself to save money. I had the car on jacks and tried to get the first brake drum off but it wouldn’t budge. I tapped it with a hammer to no avail. I kept trying and trying and trying. It wouldn’t move. I called a friend who’s an auto mechanic, described the problem and asked for advice. He said to get a bigger hammer. He told me to whack away. It wouldn’t hurt anything. I did what he said and it still didn’t come off. At that moment in time a thought came to my mind that surprised me. No it wasn’t profanity. I thought “I wish my dad were here.”

That surprised me. I had been out on my own for years and I didn’t have a great relationship with my dad. Yet there I was stuck with a problem and wished he with me.

How do we describe God? Father . . . [listen to responses]

How many of you have had a similar experience when you were in a situation and wished your dad were there? Does someone want to give an example?

Jesus makes more than 150 references to God as Father.

Jesus makes more than 150 references to God as Father.

Proposition: We want an accepting, affectionate (love us), and active (present  and involved), father who provides, protects (make us secure), supports and guide us.

A few years ago, a German scholar was doing research in New Testament literature and discovered that in the entire history of Judaism—in all existing books of the Old Testament and all existing books of extrabiblical Jewish writings dating from the beginning of Judaism until the tenth century A.D. in Italy—there is not a single reference of a Jewish person addressing God directly in the first person as Father.

There were appropriate forms of address that were used by Jewish people in the Old Testament, and the children were trained to address God in proper phrases of respect. All these titles were memorized, and the term Father was not among them. The first Jewish rabbi to call God "Father" directly was Jesus of Nazareth. It was a radical departure from tradition, and in fact, in every recorded prayer we have from the lips of Jesus save one, he calls God "Father." It was for that reason that many of Jesus' enemies sought to destroy him; he assumed to have this intimate, personal relationship with the sovereign God of heaven and the creator of all things, and he dared to speak in such intimate terms with God. What's even more radical is that Jesus says to his people, "When you pray, you say, 'Our Father.'" He has given to us the right and privilege to come into the presence of the majesty of God and address him as Father because indeed he is our Father. He has adopted us into his family and made us coheirs with his only begotten Son ().

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/qas/what-does-it-mean-us-call-god-our-father/

“Wanted: The Perfect Father!”

Bottom Line: We want an accepting, affectionate and active father who provides, protects , supports and guides us.

This is something everyone wants, it’s built into every person who has ever lived because all families are based upon the model of the family of God. Paul says, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,” that is it’s characteristics. .

The only way to understand God as Father is to experience Him as Father.

We want an accepting, affectionate (love us), and active (present  and involved), father who provides, protects (make us secure), supports and guide us.

This is something everyone wants, it’s built into every person who has ever lived because all families are based upon the model of the family of God. Paul says, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,” that is it’s characteristics. .

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.tells us that the model of families comes from God the Father.

But we have a problem.

Problem

“Wanted: The Perfect Father!”

We have pictures of God as Father, descriptions. Those only give glimpses.

The only way to understand God as Father is to experience Him as Father.

Our sinful disobedience messed up God’ plan in lots of ways. Sin separated us from God and changed us. Now, there is no righteous, no not one.

God created our first parents, Adam and Eve perfect. If they had not sinned Adam would have been a perfect Father. But they did sin and no one has ever had a perfect father. Yet this doesn’t stop of from wanting one even when we are older, well past the time when we should depend upon our fathers like children do. No matter how old we are we still want what only a perfect father can give us; acceptance, affection, active involvement, provision, protection, support and guidance.

If you had a good father, you’re blessed. You have been given a glimpse of what fatherhood was meant to be. All of us have a father shaped hole in our hearts that we want filled. Perhaps your good father has filled part of it. For some of us the hole is empty. We all want it filled.

And there are times when it hurts that it is empty. When we are alone, afraid, or insecure about something we would love to have a wise father right beside us who knows us and what to do.

This is just plain wrong. We shouldn’t have to feel this way. We shouldn’t have this unmet longing in our hearts. This is a problem we all share.

We know this but it doesn’t stop us from wanting a perfect father.

Guide

Jesus is Our Guide

Throughout time, everyone has struggled with this issue. Here is something I read this week by R. C. Sproul.

A few years ago, a German scholar was doing research in New Testament literature and discovered that in the entire history of Judaism—in all existing books of the Old Testament and all existing books of extrabiblical Jewish writings dating from the beginning of Judaism until the tenth century A.D. in Italy—there is not a single reference of a Jewish person addressing God directly in the first person as Father.

There were appropriate forms of address that were used by Jewish people in the Old Testament, and the children were trained to address God in proper phrases of respect. All these titles were memorized, and the term Father was not among them. The first Jewish rabbi to call God "Father" directly was Jesus of Nazareth. It was a radical departure from tradition, and in fact, in every recorded prayer we have from the lips of Jesus save one, he calls God "Father." It was for that reason that many of Jesus' enemies sought to destroy him; he assumed to have this intimate, personal relationship with the sovereign God of heaven and the creator of all things, and he dared to speak in such intimate terms with God. What's even more radical is that Jesus says to his people, "When you pray, you say, 'Our Father.'" He has given to us the right and privilege to come into the presence of the majesty of God and address him as Father because indeed he is our Father. He has adopted us into his family and made us coheirs with his only begotten Son (). https://www.ligonier.org/learn/qas/what-does-it-mean-us-call-god-our-father/

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/qas/what-does-it-mean-us-call-god-our-father/

Plan:

Jesus has a plan to restore our relationship with the Father.

One problem that we face is that we have either inadequate or absent fathers.

John 14:6 NIV

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 17:1–3 NIV

1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

came to restore our relationship with the Father.

Another problem is that we aren’t great kids.

Inadequate or absent fathers.

John 14:6-

John 14:6–10 NIV

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

John 17:1–3 NIV

1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

The Father gives life.

The Father gives:

Life ;

Family ;

Abundance ; ,

What we need and more, all good things

Access

Acceptance

Affection , ; ; ;

Advice

Guidance

Wisdom

Instruction ;

Correction ;

Absolution

Afterlife

Eternal life with God

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 NIV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Provision

An iInheritance ;

Good things

2 Corinthians 5:17

Guidance

Forgiveness

Abundant life

Jesus reveals what the Father is like.

1. Jesus revealed what the Father is like.

A. He is good.

The Father gives us family.

Matthew 7:9–11 NIV

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:11 NIV

11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Inheritance

A healthy family

B. He is affectionate.

Matthew 25:35–36 NIV

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Matthew 24:40 NIV

40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.

The Father teaches us.

Matthew 25:40 NIV

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:31–40 NIV

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

What we should do.

C. He is forgiving.

Luke 15:21–24 NIV

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

What we shouldn’t do.

Luke 15:11–32 NIV

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

The Father corrects us. Hebrews 12:3-11

D. He is caring.

Matthew 6:25–26 NIV

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

F. He guides us.

John 16:13 NIV

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

G. He teaches us.

John 14:26 NIV

26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

2. Jesus removed the obstacle of sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 NIV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

3. Jesus reconciles us to the Father when we trust in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:17–19 NIV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:1

Call to Action:

A. Trust in Christ to be restored to the Father.

John 1:12 NIV

12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

B. Embrace the truth that God is the Father you’ve dreamed of having. ;

John 17:25–26 NIV

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Matthew 11:27 NIV

27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Pray: Each day ask God to help you see him as your loving Father.

Think: Meditate on the verses listed above.

Act: Each time you feel alone, remember your identity as God’s child and choose to act as one God loves.

Two Outcomes

Success:

1. Success: You feel accepted, loved.

Galatians 4:6 NIV

6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”

Failure:

2. Failure: You keep trying to fill that Father shaped hole with worry, fear, alcohol, drugs, sex, anger, fantasy, food.

Discussion questions:

Share one time when you wished your father was with you.

Is it easy or hard for you to think of God as your Father?

Why do you think our society does not seem to value fathers?