Dependable Dad
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Happy Father’s Day!
Happy Father’s Day!
It is your special day dads, future dads and those who is as a father-figure to some young life.
My boss greeted me at this work this morning “Happy Father’s Day, Ramon! Enjoy the pampering.”
To which I replied, we don’t really get pampered like moms on Mother’s Day, and we don’t want to be pampered.
Men we just want to get the job done even on Father’s Day.
We don’t really want to get pampered, but we appreciate the recognition today - let’s hear it for our dads!
Fatherhood in America is changing. For many years, you have heard of the gloomy picture on American Fathers, that the role of fathers is being diminished
Pew Research.
1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” 5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Christianity is a faith that we can relate to God as our Father.
Jesus began his prayer, “Father,” not because he wanted people to equate God with their human fathers.
Some have fathers
God knows and we know human parents can hurt as well as heal. Jesus prayed “Our Father” realizing that God’s identity far exceeds our ability to understand or explain Him.
But he also knew that we human beings, with our limited knowledge, need to make comparisons between God and what we know. We know about family relationships, at least what they could be.
The prophet Isaiah portrays God as a mother, picking up her young and carrying them when they are tired. Jesus himself depicts God as a mother hen shielding her people under her wings.
Jesus taught us that God is “Our Father” ...
We are reminded that even with their limitations, we expect human fathers to be loving.
Jesus defines our relationship with God both by the similarity between earthly fathers and our Heavenly Father and also by its contrast.
Human fathers you are supposed to be loving and yet you are sinful.. In spite of your being sinful, you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more your heavenly father.
Jesus defines our relationship with God both by the similarity between earthly fathers and our Heavenly Father and the contrast.
So picture this.. the nature of love from a Father’s heart, minus the limitation and sin of humanity - that defines what kind of Father God is to us!
We love our fathers and most of us have great fathers, some of which have already gone home to the Lord, we honor and cherish their memories.
Jesus is reminding us that we have a Heavenly Father Who is infinitely greater and more deserving of honor that all our human fathers.
Some of us here have fathers who failed us, and in many some ways have hurt us, to a few even leaving scars from wounds they have inflicted, a lot of times during childhood..
Jesus is reminding us that we have a heavenly Father Who will never ever fail us.
God is a dependable Dad!
If we break down the components of the Lord’s prayer.
BTW, this is a prayer that can be prayed only by Christians.. Bible says we cannot call God Father unless we have a relationship with Him..
We see that God is ever-dependable.
1. Dependable in His relationship with us.
2. Dependable in His Holiness and Goodness.
3. Dependable in His Power and Accessibility.
4. Dependable in His Provision.
5. Dependable in His Mercy.
6. Dependable in His Grace.
7. Dependable in His Protection and Guidance.
Father - dependable in His relationship with us.
Our Father in heaven.
Hallowed be thy Name - dependable in His Holiness and Goodness.
Your Kingdom Come - Dependable in His Power and Accessibility.
Give us each day our daily bread - Dependable in His Provision.
and forgive us our sins - Dependable in His Mercy.
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us - Dependable in His Grace.
And Lead us Not into temptation - Dependable in His Protection and Guidance.
Tell the person next to you: God is a dependable Daddy!
Hallowed be thy Name - dependable in His Holiness and Goodness.
Your Kingdom Come - Dependable in His Power and Accessibility.
Give us each day our daily bread - Dependable in His Provision.
and forgive us our sins - Dependable in His Mercy and Grace.
And Lead us Not into temptation - Dependable in His Protection and Guidance.
Tell the person next to you: God is a dependable Daddy!
Then for the rest of the text this morning, Jesus tells us a parable of the Friend that comes at midnight. This is a test of true friendship.
“Friend lend me three loaves...”
“do not bother me, my family is asleep”.
It is the custom, to offer a guest from a long journey freshly baked bread..
We now live in a caller ID generation. Be honest now… :) who among you declines my calls?
Even our doorbells have video cameras.. I have “The Ring” or just Ring. I can decline, especially those who disregards my big “No Solicitation Call” sign on the front door.. Jehovah’s witnesses.
In first century Palestine… Houses were small and close together.. people have to knock.. the whole neighborhood hears.
This is another study of contrast..
This is another study of contrast..
The friend may eventually open the door and give the friend what he needs because of his own self-interest..
He just wants his friend to stop. Everyone in the neighborhood is hearing, he does not want to be thought of as selfish and uncaring.
Secondly, he just wants to go back to sleep and for his children to stay asleep.
God our Father is different:
God responds to us for our own good and interest, not for His.
9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
Luke 11:
Keep asking God for that long-standing prayer. Do not give up.
Keep Seeking for answers, above all Keep seeking His face.
Keep knocking at Heaven’s door.
God is a dependable Dad!
Notice in this parable, that the friend’s need is not out of a desperate situation. It’s not life or death. It is to save him from embarassment from his guest.
In fact, the natural response if someone comes to us with this kind of request is to think, why aren’t you prepared, why didn’t you stack your fridge for something like this? Our tendency is to blame and to grudge over a friend’s shortcomings.
Well the friend is poor and cannot afford groceries. People still have a blame for that, then why accept the guest if you can afford it?
Why send get into a loan for your child if you don’t make enough money?
Why send your kids to the best schools if you can’t afford it? Now you are borrowing from me? You are bothering me, I make all the right choices and you don’t?
The example of a request that Jesus gave is not a desperate situation.
We sometimes think that some of our prayers to God are trivial or so unimportant to Him.
We sometimes think that some of our prayers to God are trivial or so unimportant to Him.
Our situation at work. Preparing for that big presentation.
Injustice brought upon you by someone. You were accused of something false.
“Oh I won’t bring these personal problems to God. Only the Big Ones. Like sickness or severe financial issues. Oh I will only present to God prayers involving His Kingdom”
These personal issues of my honor and vindication, I got these. I will take care of it.
Listen:
We have been taught, there is no problem to big God cannot solve it (song in the 80s).
There is no detail in your life that is too small for God to care about.
Bible says even the hair on your head is numbered. Imagine that, who cares about that detail, how many to be precise, how many hairs that pastor Ramon have on his head? No one cares to that level of detail! People only know I have less hair than others that’s it!
God cares! Nothing is trivial or meaningless to Him when it concerns His children
Say it again with me: God is a dependable God!
11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:
God is a dependable Father, He is a good God.
God does not give us only what we need. He gives us the best.
Notice that God’s response is not commensurate to the request - fish or egg. God gives something above and beyond what we ask for.
There’s a saying: “Give man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
In God’s economy, he gives us something better:
“How much more will He give His Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
“The Holy Spirit is the best gift. Guarantees God’s presence and power to live all the days of our life.
God gave us His very best.
32 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?
not some.. all..
God from eternity, when He sees us calling.. He’s got the perfect caller ID.. when He opens the door..
“I will never leave you nor forsake you”
“I am your God that heals thee”
In the midst of the storms of your life:
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Jesus, the perfect image of Our Heavenly Father says:
“Peace, be still.”
Say it one last time: God is a dependable God!
We thank you that you are an awesome dependable Father to us.
We have a relationship with You that is not easily broken, it cost you the blood of Your Only begotten Son.
We thank you that we belong to You our most awesome, loving Father. Thank you that we can call You Daddy.
I thank You for all the dads here today. I pray your greatest blessing upon them. Bless their relationship with their children and empower them to be leave a lasting impact and legacy to these lives. We pray this in the matchless Name of Jesus. Amen.