Matthew 23:34-39
“Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Romans 8:12-17
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
“Abba.” It’s a term of endearment. “Abba.” A term of intimacy. “Abba.” While it is usually translated “father”, it’s a term that can only really be understood today in the example of love and intimacy of a small child when it calls out “mama” or “dada.” It represents a close and very personal relationship. One so close, that words can barely begin to fully describe it. Only the thought of those words, “mama” and “dada” coming from the lips of a child whose love is without question can begin to represent the level of intimacy.
One would not usually think of an adult using “mama” or “dada,” and yet, that is exactly the word used by Jesus when he directly addresses God in the garden of Gethsemane. It is further not a coincidence that Paul uses this same word in our text today to describe our relationship with God. That one little word, gives us a world of insight, changes our view of God, and changes our paradigm for relating to God. For centuries, people had related to God in terms of something far off. God was something out there. So much so, that in reverence, they couldn’t even say the name for God “Yahweh” out loud.
Now compare this to Jesus calling God “Abba.” Instead of a name so removed it can’t even be said aloud, Jesus uses this term of such close endearment and intimacy that we can’t really see adults using it.
Jesus brought a new understanding of relating to God. God is not far removed, God is not something out there, something so… “perhaps feared” is the word, that we can’t even utter his name aloud. No, he is much more close, and he wants a much more intimate relationship more like what we see in the example of Jesus. One thing we must understand, it was not simply just Jesus’ love for God that is represented by the term “Abba,” but also God’s love.
Being a new parent, I am beginning to understand the love of a parent that simply beams for your child. And it is this kind of love that God has for his children. For all his children. And this comparison of a parents love is a very weak one at that, for God’s love is so much greater and so much deeper. It’s one that, much like the term “Abba,” goes beyond words. The best representation I have of this idea comes from Max Lucado’s A Gentle Thunder that I would like to read an excerpt from.
---God, I have a question: Why do you love your children? I don’t want to sound irreverent, but only heaven knows how much pain we’ve brought you. Why do you tolerate us?
We complain about the weather. We bicker about our toys. We argue over who gets which continent, and not a second passes where someone, somewhere, doesn’t use your name to curse a hammered thumb or a bad call by the umpire. We ignore the Word you sent us. And we killed the Son you became. We are spoiled babies who take and kick and pout and blaspheme.
And yet… your love never ceases.
How do we explain it?
Perhaps the answer is found in yet another question.
Moms: Why do you love your newborn? I know, I know; it’s a silly question, but… why do you?
For months this baby has brought you pain. They made you break out in pimples and waddle like a duck. Because of them you craved pickles and threw up in the morning. They punched you in the tummy. They occupied space that wasn’t theirs and ate food they didn’t fix.
You kept them warm. You kept them safe. You kept them fed. But did they ever thank you?
Are you kidding? They’re no more out of the womb than they start to cry! The room is too cold, the blanket is too rough, the nurse is too mean. And who do they want? Mom!
Don’t you ever get a break? I mean, who has been doing the work the last nine months? Why can’t Dad take over? But no, Dad won’t do. The baby wants Mom.
They made you scream… swear. You bit bullets and tore the sheets. And now look at you. Your back aches. Your head pounds. Every muscle strained and stretched.
You should be angry, but are you?
Far from it. On your face is a for-longer-than-forever love. They have done nothing for you; yet you love them. They’ve brought pain, yet you treasure them. Their face is wrinkled and eyes are dim, yet all we can talk about is how good they look. They are going to wake you up every night for the next six weeks, but that doesn’t matter. I can see it on your face. You’re crazy about them.
Why?
Why does a mother love her newborn? Because the baby is hers? Even more. Because the baby is her. Her blood. Her flesh. Her hope. Her legacy. It bothers her not that the baby gives nothing.
So I ask in relation, why does God love his children? Because we are his. The entire Trinity is at work to bring us into full adoption where we receive a full share of the inheritance. We are bound with God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus.
And Paul reminds us that through Christ and through the Holy Spirit, we indeed are his children, and furthermore, we are all brothers and sisters. Yes… I can stand up here and say to you… “My brothers and sisters.” We are, incredibly, the body of Christ. And though we may not act like our Father, there is no greater truth than this: We are his. Unalterably. He loves us. Undyingly.
And now, my brothers and sisters, I turn to where the rubber meets the road. Sure, I think we all know that God loves us. I do no believe that we still live in an age where God is so feared that we can not say his name out loud. I’m sure many of you have memorized John 3:16, “For God so loved the world.” We know he is full of love, it is not “breaking news!” And yet, I think we all fall short of having the kind of relationship with him that is represented in the example of Jesus.
How many of us would ever think of calling God “dada” or “mama” the way a small child does? I fear we are far, far removed from that kind of relationship. We get into the habit of reserving one hour on Sunday each week for him. We think about praying, even want to pray, but forget or get to tired and we may have a whole day… or several days where we don’t speak to him at all. Perhaps some of the old paradigm still exists, and we think God is something far out there, something far removed from us.
The example given to us by Jesus, and written for us by Paul speaks quite differently. Our relationship with God should be one that is far more intimate. We should think of God as a newborn thinks of its parents; loving, dependent, and safe. Brothers and sisters, it is my hope that we can at least begin to reexamine our relationship with God, and look to the ways we can start to live not only as Christians, not only as disciples, but as children of God. And that we may think and live in a way that cries out to God… “Abba.”
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
