The Father Heart of God (Part 1) (Luke 12 & 15)
- Because our parents were imperfect, we can have problems with God as a parent figure.
- It is so important to correct this so that we can experience the intimacy and security that the Father offers us.
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- This is the first week of two sermons on this topic—it is too important to squeeze it all into one!
1. Problems with God as a Parent Figure
Introduction
- You may have heard Christians saying at different times that everything we do should be Christ -centered
- and that is absolutely right.
- In the last few decades, there has been a renewed emphasis on the Holy Spirit
- an emphasis that had been lost for many years
- But the Father rarely receives due emphasis
- Paul teaches almost as much about the Father as about Jesus
- In fact, one of the main purposes of the cross was to reconcile us to the Father [Eph 2:16]
- Many Christians find if much easier to relate to Jesus than to God the Father
- Sometimes we are more comfortable praying to him because we feel he is more approachable than the Father
- So this raises the question—why do we find God the Father less approachable than Jesus ?
- There are some very clear Scriptures, but we can have trouble taking them into our hearts, e.g.
- God the Father is a parent figure, and all of us have had imperfect parents
- Now I know that some of us have had wonderful parents
- but even the very very best human father or mother is not going to be up to the job of giving us an image of God
- The problem when we come to our Heavenly Father is that we bring all kinds of baggage with us
- We bring our experiences of imperfect parents, who can’t really love us as they should because they are flawed and human
- What we have to do is to detach our imperfect parent experiences from our image of God
- I want to emphasize that this is possible, even with the most abusive parents
- Now I know that some of us have had wonderful parents
Our Earthly Parents
- What kind of flaws do you think earthly parents can have that we can unintentionally project onto God the Father ?
2. Why this is so Important
Our intimacy with God
- An autobiography I read recently about a man who grew up with an abusive father
Our anxiety/security
- One of the main things that good parents provide is security
Luke 12:6–7, 24–32 God will Provide
- Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight.
- Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
- Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds?
- Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?
- If then you’re not able to do even a little thing, why worry about the rest?
- “Consider how the wildflowers grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these.
- If that’s how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he do for you — you of little faith?
- Don’t strive for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don’t be anxious.
- For the Gentile world eagerly seeks all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.
- “But seek his kingdom, and these things will be provided for you.
- Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom.
CSB
Our sense of value and destiny
- More on this next time, but one of the verses I will look at is not being slaves but sons or daughters
- Our identity flows out of this, our position, our destiny
- This is critically important!
3. The Teaching of Jesus
Our Heavenly Father
- We must take our eyes off from our earthly fathers, no matter how imperfect they were
- and let the Scriptures describe the true father
- The Scriptures sometimes present a deliberate contrast between the two
- Jesus was very intentional about helping us approach the Father.
- What Jesus is essentially saying is that the the gentle and loving character he displays is a perfect reflection of the Father
- Jesus came to earth to show forth the Father’s love
- Parable of “the lost son”, or better, “The loving, forgiving and rejoicing father”
Luke 15:11–24 Parable of the Loving Father
- He also said, “A man had two sons.
- The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them.
- Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.
- After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.
- Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
- He longed to eat his fill from the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything.
- When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger!
- I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
- I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.” ’
- So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.
- The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’
- “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
- Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! ’ So they began to celebrate.
CSB
- If you are not a Christian right now, then this is the perfect picture of what you need to do...
- Let’s use this beautiful story right now to come to the Father in prayer
- Take a moment to imagine the joy on his face that you are coming towards him
- He is running towards you!
- He hugs you as we start to pray