Father's Day 21
Notes
Transcript
Faith to be faithful. God sees us as we will be and asks us to see our circumstances the same way. As they will be. Romans 4:17 reminds us of Abraham believing the promise of God.
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.”
Singing - Melodic contrast, ‘oh Lord my God’ and ‘then sings my soul’; men’s voices vs women’s. Matt on the mountaintop.
Notice the ‘melody’ of the chapter: contrast of God’s justice and the unjust judge. The contrast between the snobby Pharisee and humble tax collector. Between those who brought children to Jesus and those who shewed them away.
The back and forth between those who were stuck in their self-reliance and self-honor and those who had faith to be faithful. ‘Whoever does not receive like a child will not enter’ is a line in this melody.
Here’s who I get to preach to today:
Me
Men - father or not, had a father or whose father was absent
Boys - one day you may be
Girls - because if you marry, you’ll want to marry as God leads
Women - wives or not, mothers or not, as a member of this body of Christ, you have a role in raising up boys to be Godly men and fathers.
So to all of us: be a child. Take the words of Jesus to heart and receive the kingdom of God as a child. So how does a child see, experience, believe the kingdom?
Take it at face value. The kingdom is the surest reality in all of creation. It is the realm where God is king. Not just in heaven, but on earth. “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is being done in heaven”.
Trusting wholly. A small child will squeal with joy as his father throws him in the air. Why? Because he knows his daddy will catch him. There is complete trust.
A little boy playing tag with his dad at a family gathering… ”Do you trust me on that?” It all depends on who you trust.
Faithfully obeying.
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Last year on this day I told you: If you dont have a heart to see the rest of our community (those outside your family)reached with the message of the Gospel, ask Him to change your heart. How’s that going for you?