“The Fatherhood of God”
Psalm 27:10
It been noted that it seems that typically on Mother’s Day in our churches we applaud the mother’s and on Father’s Day we scold the fathers for not doing a better job. Well I don’t want to do that today. Although I do not feel compelled to preach a Mother’s Day and a Father’s Day message each year, today I want to take this opportunity to speak on the very important subject of “The Fatherhood of God.”
What we know about human fathers and what we have experienced as children will affect how eagerly or apprehensively that we approach the concept of the Fatherhood of God. If we had a great human father we gladly embrace the biblical picture of God as our heavenly father.
But some have grown up with fathers who came far short of the ideal. Father’s who were cold or distant, who were angry or critical; or whose own struggle’s sapped all their strength. Those kinds of things can impact one’s ability to relate to God as your heavenly father. If your father was abusive, emotionally distant or physically absent, it may take a concerted effort to overcome the distortions and misconceptions and come to truth about our father God.
Because of what they have experienced some people turn to their Father in Heaven looking for a parent who was different from their biological father. David captures the sense when he wrote, “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me” (Psalm 27:10).
The importance of understanding our relationship with God as our Father cannot be overestimated. Author and theologian J.I. Packer wrote, “If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means he does not understand Christianity at all.” [J.I. Packer. “Knowing God.” Intervarsity Press, p. 182]
Understanding the father-child relationship with God can provide us with a profound sense of being loved. Everett Fullam a missionary to a remote tribe in Nigeria relates the salvation experience of one of the local natives. The native revealed some profound theological understanding when he spoke of the awesomeness of his new experience with God by saying, “Behind this universe stands one God, not a great number of warring spirits, as we had always believed, but one God. And that God loves me!” [as quoted in Kent Hughes. “Abba Father: The Lord’s Pattern for Prayer.” (Wheaton, Crossway Books, 1986) pp. 22-23.]
I believe that we should all share in the won-der that this man felt that the God of the Universe loves us! It is through this sense of being loved that we can come to truly understand forgiveness and the wholeness that comes from being loved and forgiven.
Indeed this is so important that it is the dividing line that separates Christianity from all the other religions of the world. Christianity is the only religion, if I can use that term, that even envisions the possibility of a personal relationship with God, as our Heavenly Father.
There are three simple but profound questions I want us to address today.
First, What does it mean to be a “Child of God?”
In response to being asked to teach His disciple’s how to pray (Lk 11:1) Jesus taught His disciples to begin their prayers by saying, “Our father who is in Heaven” (Luke 11:2). In two short words, “our father” Jesus profoundly changed the way that people looked at God. It is hard for us to understand just how amazing this concept was. But the Jewish society to which Jesus spoke, thought of God as distant and unapproachable in His holiness, to be taught that God was the “Father” was revolutionary.
Jesus is not teaching that we should just begin our prayers not with the words “our father” but with the understanding that God really is “our father in heaven.” He is not saying that we should merely say the words, but that we believe that He is our Father and we should relate to Him as a Father.
What Jesus is teaching here is pretty dramatic. The word that Jesus almost exclusively uses for “father” is “Abba” and is really an untranslated Aramaic word. This word was not a formal word but was the common Aramaic word with which a child would address his father – the word “Abba”. Of course everyone used the word, but no one under any circumstances used it in connection with God. “Abba” meant something like “Daddy” but with a more reverent touch than we use it today. It meant something like, “Dearest Father.” The fact that God is our “dearest father” is to be foundational awareness in prayer. Paul tells us in letter to the Galatians, “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” (Galatians 4:6)
Wrapped up in the expression “our father” is a new dimension in intimate communion with God, the same intimacy that exists between a child and their father is to exist between them and God. The beginning of effective prayer is the recognition that God possesses a father’s heart, a father’s love, a father’s strength and a father’s concern for the best interest of his children.
If we wanted to set up a meeting with a high ranking government official, we would have to go through official channels, making arrangements days if not weeks in advance. But when I wanted to talk to my dad, what did I do? I simply dropped by his house or I picked up a telephone and called him. Why, did I have that kind of access? Because we’re family!
It is impossible to come to God as our Father except that we are born into his family through faith in Jesus Christ. It is for this very reason that Alan Redpath in his book on the Lord’s Prayer calls this prayer the “Family Prayer,” because it is based on a relationship with God through faith in Christ and can only be uttered by those who are in the family.
Now understanding what means to be a “Child of God” we move on to….
Secondly, How does one become a “Child of God?”
How are we to understand this, and in what sense are we the sons and daughters of God? Some say that the Fatherhood of God is universal, and that every man, from the fact of his being created by God, is necessarily God's son, and that therefore every man has a right to approach the throne of God, and say, "Our Father which art in heaven." Unfortunately it is not true as many believe today that being born into the human race makes you a part of the family of God. God is every man’s Creator but he is not every man’s Father. The Bible uses two word pictures to explain the process of how one becomes a part of the family of God.
• Born Again.
The first is what, Jesus describes to Nicodemus in John chapter three as being “born again” (John 3:3). The second is the concept of “adoption” (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5, Ephesians 1:5) Both analogies help us to understand that frequent use of the terms “sons of God” and “children of God.”
The picture of “born again” is given to explain how we gain eternal life. It is by being “born again” that we become a part of the family of God. The man Nicodemus that we are introduced to in John chapter three was a good man, a religious and upright man. And yet Jesus says to him in verse three, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
We would have to say that Nicodemus is not only a Jew – one of the chosen people, but he was also a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin, and a highly respected teacher of the Old Testament Scriptures. And yet Jesus told Nicodemus that of that was not enough to get into the family of God! With one sentence Jesus sweeps away everything that Nicodemus had lived by, and turned this man's world upside down. Nicodemus has never heard such a thing before, this means that everything that Nicodemus has done in his life to this point means absolutely nothing. Jesus tells this remarkably good man: "If you want to get to Heaven, if you want a relationship with God that begins now and lasts forever then you must go about it in a totally different way, you will have to be born again...” In other words, Jesus is saying: “You can’t do it, Nicodemus, but God can! He can make you a new man! And he wants to do that for you... if only you’d let him!”
Two things about being “born again”
? Being Born Again Is Universal. (v. 7)
Jesus also makes it clear that what he is saying applies not only to Nicodemus but to everyone. In Greek there is a distinction between the singular and the plural form of “you.” When Jesus “you must be born again” he uses the plural form. It is a little easier to see in the King James Version, “Marvel not that I have said to thee (singular – meaning Nicodemus) that ye (plural – meaning everyone) must be born again.” The point is that this is not a private principle which only applies to Nicodemus but is a truth about how each of us becomes a part of the family of God.
? Being Born Again Is Not An Option!
We need to also note the use of the strong word “must.” Jesus is not saying that being born again is just a good idea for some people. It is not just something He is recommending; it is an imperative!
• Adoption.
Whereas being “born again” refers primarily to the means of entering God’s family, “adoption” high-lights the privileges of this new relationship.
You may have been adopted, or you may have adopted a child yourself, or you may have been raised in a home with that included adopted children. If any of those things are true you prob-ably have a better understanding of the biblical teaching about adoption than those who have not had these experiences. When Paul talks about adoption he is not referring to the Old Testament (because there is not much about adoption there) rather he is referring to the Roman practice of his day.
Paul explains adoption to the Romans, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." (Romans 8:15). In Roman culture, the adopted person lost all rights in his old family and he gained all the rights of a legitimate child in his new family. This verse tells us that we have been delivered from the bondage of fear and that we have been adopted into the family of God.
The word "adoption" (huiothesia) means to place as a son. The picture of adoption is a beaut-iful picture of what God does for the Christian. In that ….
? The adopted son was adopted permanently.
He could not be adopted today and disinherited tomorrow. He became a son of the father--forever. He was eternally secure as a son.
? The adopted son immediately had all the rights of a legitimate son in the new family.
Adoption not only gave one a new name
and it also meant the old life was gone. The adopt-ed son was looked upon as a new person -- so new that old debts and obligations connected with his former family were cancelled out and abolished as if they never existed.
When we came to Jesus, we were taken out of our old sinful life and adopted into Jesus. We have a new Father! Now, in Jesus, we are bought into a close relationship with our new Heavenly Father. A relationship so close that we are permitted to address Him as "Abba" or "Daddy."
Not only are we the heirs of God, but we have been made joint-heirs with Jesus. Literally, we are given an equal share in the wealth of our Father. Under Jewish Law, the eldest son would be given a double portion of the father's wealth. However, under Roman Law, all sons were treated equally.
Now established how one becomes a “Child of God” we move on to….
Third, What are the obligations of being a “Child of God?”
What do you expect from your own children?
Listen long enough and you are sure to hear stories of how children have failed to live up to their par-ent’s expectations or how they broke their hearts. We have all heard of children who when they finished school and moved out of the family home to start their own lives never seem to visit or at least call anymore. We have heard about children whose choices in the way they conduct their lives seem to turn their back on everything they were taught at home.
• He desires our love. (Matthew 22:37)
Jesus once faced a lawyer who asked him the
question; “Which is the most important commandment in the Law?” (Mt. 22:36). Jesus responded by saying, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Mt 22:37)
Like even human parents, nothing pleases the heart of God more than receiving the love of His children. Most of the time when our children come and tell us they love us, we respond by asking, “What do you want?” And to have our children tell us that they love us at some unprompted time when they are not asking for anything, brings us great joy. We should never get so big, in our own estimation, that we do not come to our Heavenly Father, and just say, “I love you!”
• He deserves our honor. (Malachi 1:6)
At the end of the Old Testament the Prophet Malachi asked the leaders of Israel some soul searching questions: “A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts…” (Malachi 1:6)
We have been given the privilege of addressing the Creator of the Universe by the most inti-mate of terms – “Abba.” But we must never forget that he is the sovereign LORD of all that He has created. Everything we have and everything we are…. is because of Him. He desires our thanks and our worship.
• He wants us to be like him (Eph. 5:1-2)
In every human family there is some resemblance passed on from parent to offspring. I hope that the knowledge that you in some way resemble your parents does not make any of you teenagers suicidal. Just this week I had the opportunity to visit with my uncle. One of the things he said really struck me, “He said, Johnny the older you get the more you look like your Dad.” At this stage in my life I took that at a huge compliment. And I hope that is true of all of us as Christian’s; the older we get, the further down the road we have traveled the more we resemble our heavenly father.
The Apostle Paul said this way, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. (2) And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Him-self for us…” (Eph. 5:1-2)
I think author and Pastor Erwin Lutzer catches it well when he said, “When a believer says, I am a son of God, we should expect that his life will have at least some trace of the character of God.” [Erwin Lutzer. “You’re Richer Than You Think.” (Victor Books, p. 55)
[I found the booklet “God Our Father: What It Means to Be His Child” by Mart De Haan very useful- www.rbc.org/uploadedfiles/Bible_Study/Discovery Series/PDF/God_Our_Father.pdf
Conclusion
I want to close with this story. A seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg, TN. One morning, they were eating breakfast at little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and whispered to his wife, "I hope he doesn't come over here."
But sure enough, the man did come over to their table. "Where are you folks from?" he asked in a friendly voice. "Oklahoma," they answered. "Great to have you here in Tennessee." the stranger said. "What do you do for a living?" "I teach at a seminary," he replied. "Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've got a really great story for you." And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the couple.
The professor groaned and thought to himself, "Great... Just what I need... another preacher story!" The man started, "See that mountain over there? (pointing out the restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place he went, he was always asked the same question, 'Hey boy, Who's your daddy?' That was a particularly hurtful question because although he knew who his father was, he had never married his mother. And to make things even worse born in the South in the years following the Civil war (1870) his father was a physician who had served with the Union Army.
Yet as the story goes when he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, 'Who's your daddy?' But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher, not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, 'Son, who's your daddy?'
"The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in the church looking at him. Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question, 'Who's your daddy'. This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to that scared little boy... "'Wait a minute' he said. 'I know who you are. I see the family resemblance now. You are a child of God.'
With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, 'Boy, you've got a great inherit-ance. Go and claim it.' The boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out the door a changed person. He was never the same again. Whenever anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them, 'I'm a Child of God'."
The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, "Isn't that a great story?" The professor responded that it really was a great story. As the man turned to leave, he said, "You know, being told that I was one of God's children, changed everything!" And he walked away.
The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress over and asked her, "Do you know who that man was who just left that was sitting at our table?" The waitress grinned and said, "Of course. Everybody here knows him. That's Ben Hooper. He's the former governor of Tennessee!” (1911-1915)" [www.sermonillustrator.org/illustrator/sermon3b/who_is_your_daddy.htm] When checked with snopes.com some aspects of the story are unverified, but Ben Hooper was real, he was the governor of Tennessee and he was a life-long practicing Christian.
The Fatherhood of God
Psalm 27:10
First, What does it mean to be a “Child Of God?”
Secondly, How does one become a “Child of God?”
The Bible uses two word pictures to explain the process of how one becomes a part of the family of God.
• Born Again. (John 3:3).
? Is Universal. (v. 7)
? Is Not an option!
• Adoption. (Romans 8:15).
? Was permanent.
? Gains his right immediately.
? Not only gave one a new name and it also meant the old life was gone.
Third, What are the obligations of being a “Child of God?”
What do you expect from your own children?
• He desires our Love. (Matt. 22:37)
• He deserves our Honor. (Mal. 1:6)
• He wants us to Like Him. (Eph. 5:1-2)
The Fatherhood of God
Psalm 27:10
First, What does it mean to be a “Child Of God?”
Secondly, How does one become a “Child of God?”
The Bible uses two word pictures to explain the process of how one becomes a part of the family of God.
• _____ ______. (John 3:3).
? Is _________. (v. 7)
? Is Not An _________!
• __________. (Romans 8:15).
? Was ___________.
? Gains his right __________.
? Not only gave one a new ____________ and it also meant the old life was gone.
Third, What are the obligations of being a “Child of God?”
What do you expect from your own children?
• He desires our ______. (Matthew 22:37)
• He deserves our _________. (Malachi 1:6)
• He wants us to _____ Him. (Eph. 5:1-2)
