Father’s Day

“And God said . . . . “

Psalm 103: 1-22

Romans 8: 12-17

Matthew 6: 9-13

After creating the heavens and the earth and all that they contain,

God created Adam and Eve.

The first thing God said to them was

“Don’t”

“Don’t what?” Adam asked

“Don’t eat the forbidden fruit,” God said.

“Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit?

Hey Eve! We have forbidden fruit!”

“No way!”

“Yes way!”

“Don’t eat that fruit!” God said again.

“Why?” They both asked.

“Because I’m your Creator and I said don’t!” God said rather sternly.

Just a few minutes later God saw the two of them eating the forbidden fruit, and became angry.

“Didn’t I tell you not to eat that fruit!?”

“Uh-huh,” Adam sheepishly replied

“Why did you eat it then?” God asked.

“I don’t know,” Eve replied.

Adam quickly jumped to his feet and pointed accusingly at Eve and barked,

“She started it!

“Did Not!”

“Did So!”

“Did Not!”

“Did So!”

And God said,

“I can’t wait until you have children of your own!!!”

• And so it started. That endless cycle of parents saying to their children, “I can’t wait until you have children of your own!!”

• The mystery has been solved! After the debacle in the Garden, when everything changed, that God, who was the only one with the power to create life, would leave that one thing intact in His creation, the ability to create life, knew exactly what He was doing! It’s known as “Pay Back!”

• But as much grief as Adam and Eve had caused God He responded with the love of a father :

  • He didn’t kick them out of their home without a plan and a place and a provision for their well-being.

    • Psalm 103 : As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him =

      • Fear = Hebrew meaning “to stand in awe of”

      • Pities = Hebrew meaning “to show compassion to; give compassion to”

      • Father =

        • Noun : a word used to name a person, place, thing, quality or action = a person from whom one is descended; one that creates, founds or originates; a first form which varieties arise or imitations are made = master, original

          • Greek = pater = meaning one who nourishes; one who protects; one who upholds

• Romans 8 = “. . . . abba, Father.” = literally means” from the heart of a child” as well as “unreasoning trust” = “Father, I trust You!”

• Matthew 6 = “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.”

  • Our Father. . . . God has lovingly and graciously condescended to be our Father = He is the First, the master, the original and He has claimed us as His own = we are His children

A point of clarification needs to be made here –

God is our Father, not our best friend!

As our Father, God discipline us,

Corrects us,

And even tells us don’t!

And it is in and through His for us as our Father,

That He maintains that relationship!

But here’s the difficulty for us –

Ephesians 5: 1 =

Be imitators of God as dear children!

The parental standard for us as God’s children is to

Be imitators of Him.

If God maintains the proper relationship

With us as His children,

We are to maintain a proper relationship

With our children.

Parents = You cannot be your children’s best friend

And maintain a proper relationship with them.

They need your discipline,

Your correction,

And they need, more now than ever,

To be told,

Don’t!

And

No!

And when they do when they are told don’t,

They need to be disciplined!

You can be their parent,

Their mother and their father,

But maintain the proper relationship.

You can still love them,

Have fun with them,

Enjoy life with them,

Be loving and gracious with them,

But Always Be The Parent!

• The proper relationship with God , our Father, is maintained from our perspective as well:

  • “. . . . . hallowed be Thy name.”

    • God’s name – the name by which He is known – is always and forever Holy, Reverent, Sacred = set above all created things!

God is our Father and He wants us to trust Him completely and absolutely,

But to maintain the proper relationship with Him,

We must always be reverent and respectful =

Reverence : verb : to regard with great awe and devotion

Respect : verb : to have a high opinion of; honor

These same qualities need to be instilled in our children –

They will have reverence and respect for you

Only if you maintain the proper relationship:

Through loving discipline,

Gracious correction,

Proper punishment,

Well mixed with love,

Grace,

Joy,

Smiles and laughter.

Sometimes God’s best for us as His children

Comes in the form of

Discipline

Wrapped up in words like

Don’t

And

No

And

You will not . . . .!

But sometimes it comes in the form of

Love

And

Grace

And

Joy

And

Peace

But always and forever,

No matter what form it takes,

God will always do what He does

Because He loves us.

But always and forever,

No matter what form it takes,

As the parent always do what you do

Because you love your children.

“And God said. . . . I love you, but don’t even think about it!”

Pastor Art