Our Good Father

Key Scripture:

Matthew 7:11 (KJV)   If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

SUMMARY

This sermon note talks about how godly fathers ought to be in a culture permeated by something like a “fatherless generation”. Taking key points from the scripture, we learn the characteristics our Heavenly Father has, that we must emulate and lead our generations in the path of life.

SERMON POINTS

A Fatherless Generation

If we go out into the world today, we stare at a fatherless generation. There are many struggling through life without godly fathers who ought be as God purposed them to be. Some of the causes that has given rise to this fatherless generation include:

1. Dysfunctional families: wherein domestic violence and abuse are the everyday norm. Children need to grow in a healthy family environment but that is very hard in the midst of rising cases of infidelity and divorces.
2. Irresponsible or erratic fathers– Fathers who take no responsibility over their families and are given into their own selfish pleasures and addictions. Forgetting to bring up their families.
3. Identity issues  (homosexuality)- with homosexuality gaining popularity and acceptance, families especially the children struggle with identity issues having no real father figure to guide and lead them.

4.Independant children– No one likes to listen to anyone. There is a rise in a generation that likes to be independent. We have brought this about by placing gadgets in the hands of children and are letting them get ruled by it. This has brought about the horrors of child pornography and disobedience to parents.

At such a time as this, we need godly fathers to take up a stand to model God’s love in their homes and communities. The Bible talks about 3 kinds of fathers.

Fathers in the Bible

1. God as our Father

 Exodus 4:22,23 (KJV) And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:  And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

 God is introduced as our Father up to 15 times in the Old Testament alone. He calls Israel His firstborn. We have been given the right to become His children when we receive Jesus Christ into our lives (John 1:12)

2. Spiritual leaders as our fathers

 1 Corinthians 4:15 (KJV) For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

God has placed spiritual leaders over us as our fathers. Elisha respected Elijah as his father (2 Kings 2:12). Apostle Paul talks about how the church may have many teachers but only a few fathers in the faith to guide them. We need to respect those who teach and admonish us in the Lord as our fathers in Christ.

3. Earthly fathers

Ephesians 6:2-4 (KJV) Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

The first commandment with a promise is this, to honor your father and mother so that all may go well with you. The Bible also talks about obeying them in all things except on matters that come against our faith.

The Bible asks fathers not exasperate their children in the sense not to provoke them or lead them to sin. This is a big responsibility. Fathers have a mandate to bring their children up in training and instruction of the Lord.

Sometimes at this, earthly fathers fail, spiritual leaders fail but God our Heavenly Father will never fail. Those of the earth can disappoint us. We ought to pray for the them so that they will model the heart of God. 

Characteristics of God who is our Father we should emulate. 

Ephesians 5:1 (KJV) Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

 We are expected to follow God as His dear children, to imitate Him and follow His example. He expects us to be like Him in everything.

J I Paker was once asked, “Who is a Christian?” To which he answered, “The one who has God as his Father.”

Similarly our Lord Jesus Christ came to manifest God the Father (Matthew 11:27). That was one His missions on earth. His first and last words on earth were about the Father. The Son reveals the Father to us and more we get close to Jesus Christ and receive Him, we are all given the right to become His children and call on God as ABBA Father.

In the New Testament, we see God as our father almost 200 times. We can draw closer to this Father by drawing closer to Jesus Christ. This is not a one-day happening but it’s a progressive journey we must willingly take.

1. Compassion

 Psalms 103:13 (KJV) Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

 Our God is the Father of compassion (2 Corinthians 1:3). It is His compassion or tender mercies that we are not consumed (Lamentations 3:22,23). We must emulate this compassion of God (Ephesians 4:32). Compassion is moving out for the world, for others, being quick to forgive and kind in deeds.

2. Holiness

1 Peter 1:14-17 (KJV)  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

 Holiness is our God’s attribute and He commands us to be holy just as He is. He wants us to be set apart for Him alone. Jesus Christ prayed that we who are in the world, will be protected from the world by the power of His name (John 17:11). And for this very reason, God disciplines us so that we may share in His holiness (Hebrews 12:10). God wants us to be one with the Father just as Jesus was, that doing his will, will be our food and we will never be separated from Him.

The Lord God desires that we become holy in our character and conduct by not conforming to evil desires that cause you to involve in sinful activities (Hebrews 12:14).

Another important aspect of holiness also includes making every effort to live at peace with everyone even those who irritate and offend us.

 

3. Love

 1 John 4:11 (KJV) Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

God is love. We get a glimpse of His limitless love, when we look at the cross. God proved His love for us on the Cross-. We are to showcase God’s love to those around us. The apostle tells us that when we love the world and the things of the world, that would mean that God’s love is not in us (1 John 2:15). When we begin to put our affection on the Lord, with that we lose all the idols and pride of life in us.

When God’s love is made complete in us we begin to love one another. We become missionaries of His love and passion, doing more things for the Lord.

  

4. Goodness

 Luke 11:13 (KJV) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Our God is good and His mercy endures forever. We need to shine forth His goodness. God’s goodness is His Spirit. When His Spirit comes in us, we become storehouses of His goodness. The Holy Spirit brings forth the fruit of goodness in our lives. We need to long to ask and receive the Holy Spirit.

 

CONCLUSION.

The world is struggling. There is a big vacancy for godly fathers. Everything we do stands worthless if we lose the souls of our children and those God has commissioned us to lead. We need to stop shirking from this responsibility. It’s a big role we are called to play. Let’s set a model by bringing a radical change in following the Lord and loving His word. Rededicate your life to model His compassion, love, goodness and holiness. Take responsibility to learn and lead.

Extravagant Grace-Part 2(Parable of the Father and the Two Sons -Luke 15)

Key Scripture:

2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

SUMMARY

Our Lord Jesus always used parables to explain the Kingdom of God to the multitudes. This well-known parable of the Prodigal Son has been preached through the ages. However this sermon note catches the very heart of the Father who extends grace that you can only receive freely. Let’s learn about extravagant grace in this new light of God’s love.

SERMON POINTS

 The Parable of a Loving Father

Usually we call this parable-the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The main point of the story varies as you look at it from different angles. In this parable we look at it from the loving father’s view and how He extends His grace to the one who didn’t deserved it.

There are two contexts in which Jesus could have told this story. In Luke 15:1,2 – we read that many sinners and teachers of the law came to hear Jesus. This could have been to help them understand how sinners are changed at the hearing of God’s word.

The other context is mentioned in Luke 15:10. Wherein Jesus emphasises on the great joy that is in heaven over the repentance of one sinner.

As Jesus began the parable, the Jews would have related it to the story of Jacob and Esau. But Jesus began to teach through this parable how one can discover God’s extravagant grace.

How one misses out on this Extravagant Grace?

1. Having a ‘Me, Mine’ mentality.

 Luke 15:12 (KJV)  And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

Now the younger son demands the father for his share of the inheritance. The demand itself is outrageous as he dares to ask his father s inheritance even as he lives implying that he meant to be no more . The father could have punished the son. But the gracious father gives the son his share. This son never cared about the father. All he wanted was what the father could offer him.

Most of us are like this we love the blessings God has to give us but we seldom care about God. This ‘me, mine’ mentality slowly moves us away from the grace of God.

 

2. A Consumerist mentality.

Luke 15:13 (KJV)   And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

The son goes on to commit the next grievous sin by selling off his inheritance, and squanders the money he made on reckless living.

We are stewards of the blessings, God has given us. The owner is the Lord. The same goes with our family , lands and ministry. God has trusted us. We need to make sure that we honor and uphold that trust. Let’s be examples in our communities. Giving our best, judicious in all that we use and careful in our attitude.

 

3. Friendship with the world.

 Luke 15:14,15 (KJV)   And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

 As children of God, we cannot confirm to the patterns and culture of this world. Friendship with the world means enmity with God. The younger son chose the world over his loving father. That led him to become a hired hand for tending pigs. He decided to feed himself with the pigs’ feed. Friendship with the world will have you feeding on filth. Filthy media, foul language and sickness become our portion the moment we decide to move away from the Father’s house and His grace.

Only the Father can satisfy (Luke 15:17). Let’s avoid the evil that the world tries to feed us.

4. In the Father’s house without the Grace of God.

 Luke 15:25-28 (KJV)  Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.  And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

 The son realised his father’s worth. His eyes were opened and he repents as he makes his way back to the father’s house. The father who kept waiting for his son’s return throws a big celebration forthe lost son being found.

This angered the elder son. He was in the father’s house but he had no clue of the grace that the Father exuded! Many are there in the church like that even today. Within the flock of Christ, have received the grace of God but too self-righteous to give it to others.

This son had to repent just as much as the other from his self-righteousness.

 

5. Keeping the laws of God without knowing the purpose.

 Luke 15:29,30 (KJV)  And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

 The elder son is extremely mad at his father. The main reason, that he gives in this passage is that, for all that he did his father never gave him the appreciation or the enjoyment that he could have had with his friends. He misunderstood the reason behind keeping the laws of the father. He did everything that a dutiful son would do but the intention was wrong. We need to remember why we do what we do. We serve the Lord to please Him not for our own pleasure. The elder son didn’t understand the purpose behind it all. Let us do all that we do for God to rejoice.

 

Get to the Father to get Grace!

Luke 15:20-22 (KJV)  And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

The best decision a man eating pigs’ feed could have ever made especially when he realised his mistake was to repent, get up and get to his father’s house. Many people stop with the remorse and guilt. But you need to get to the Father only He can give you this grace.

The younger son probably with filthy clothes and stink knew he couldn’t get close to his father. He rehearses a speech so that his father would accept his apology and make him at the least one of his servants.

But before he could even say that which he rehearsed his father ran! Oh he ran, fell on his neck and kissed him. With the father’s kiss, the prodigal son’s past was wiped away.

He gives him a new robe to show righteousness and royalty (Genesis 41:42). Puts sandals on his feet denoting that there’s no more guilt and slips a ring into his finger declaring that he has restored to him the covenant and authority he once held before with the father (Zechariah 2:4). This is extravagant grace. A father who ran towards a sinner and accepts him like a mother!

 

CONCLUSION.

Can you believe this grace of God and it’s extravagance over our lives? The younger son and the older don’t deserve this loving father. They did not understand the father’s heart. They were only focused on what he could give them.

We tend to be like these sons. Either we take pride in sin or in our self-righteousness. Our conception of our Father is different from who He really is. To fully experience this grace we are talking about, all we have to do is repent and draw near to the Father. He will shower us with His extravagant grace.