THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT

Program Air Date – 6-7-09

LESSON TITLE: “WHO IS GOD?: GOD THE FATHER”

WELCOME

Good morning! Let me welcome each of you to our program this morning. It is always a privilege to have you with us to hear the Living Word of God. We are excited that you have chosen to give this time of sacrifice to our God. Won’t you take advantage of every opportunity this morning to give your own reverence to God, as we together offer this time of worship to Him. May all things be done, to God, for God and unto His glory? Let’s begin our offering to God with a prayer!

(PRAYER)

One of the greatest blessings we have through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is that we become new Creatures, through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ. This morning we want to begin with a song that helps us to focus on this wondrous truth. So, won’t you join in with the congregation at this time as we sing together, “A New Creature?”

(SONG # 1)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

We just finished singing a song that proclaims to the world that we are victors in Christ because we have become new Creature according to God’s Precious Will. So, what does it really mean to be born of God? Read with me from 1 John 5:4, where it says, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith.” Notice that because of our faith we can and have overcome the world. This means we have chosen God and put Him first. We have set God at the top of our priority list and put the things of this life after Him.

Also consider those things which we have overcome in this world or in this life. What about the trials and tribulation that come our way? Consider, the problems and heart aches we often suffer. And what about the sin and wickedness that completely surrounds us in our day and time? The reality is we have been able to endure these things, make corrections and even put them behind because of our great faith in our Creator above. Therefore, He is there with us, beside us, helping us every step of the way.

Another verse which helps us with this encouraging idea is found in Romans 8:35-37, where Paul said, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” With God on our side we truly are more than conquerors, because there is nothing in this life that can really harm us or affect us as long as we have the Lord on our side!

Now, let me ask you, could there be any greater motive than this to cause us to follow the Lord Jesus Christ? Could anything encourage us more to want to do His Will? If you are not a follower of God, choose today to do that which is according to His Word. Knowing that through your faith and obedience to His Will, you surely will be victorious in this life!

Today we will be continuing our series of study entitled, “Who Is God?” Our main lesson of the morning will deal with, “God The Father.” I hope you will continue with us for this important study of the day.

So please stay with us this morning and after our next song together, I will return and lead us in our main thoughts of the morning. But for now let’s join together in our second song of the day. The name of this hymn, “Faith Is The Victory.”

(SONG # 2)

LESSON

By Ray Sullins

We’re glad you’ve stayed with us today as we continue looking to the Word of God to find out more about who is God. You might have noted last week we really continued our study well in considering the concepts of knowing what the Trinity is all about, the manmade word there used “Trinity,” and the idea that the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are three persons referred to in scriptures that are said to be the Godhead, yet the three make up but on God. The scriptures amply testify to the fact that there is one true God. Well today we continue our thought of not only looking at “Who Is God?” but specifically knowing in the Godhead who is the Father? Then next week, we’ll look at the Son and then the Spirit and so on and so forth. But today, looking at the Father, the Father God.

You know if there is one aspect of God that there is very little question or confusion on or has there been very little confusion on, it is the fact of God the Father. If you were to go back to the Old Testament and the New Testament and talk about the God that is spoken of, most would probably very quickly accept and admit that this is the Father, God the Father. So as we look at God the Father, we want to look a little bit deeper and see what the scriptures have to say about God the Father since it is primarily accepted. Then when we finally get into our discussions in the next several weeks about the Son and the Spirit, hopefully that will help us to tie in the fact that also they are acknowledged as God.

Now if you’ll look at the idea of God the Father, I think first of all that the fact that as I was growing up, I had a Father and certainly you had parents. You had a father and a mother. We also think now that many of us have the privilege of being fathers or mothers. In that fact, what is it that parents do? How special I would say. How perfect it is that out of all the ideas and concepts that God could have used, He identifies Himself as the Father, our Father. In that fact then, what does that mean to us? Well, if I think about my father, I think of someone who loves me. Who loves me in what ways? Who loves me in every way. That he might do what? A father that might provide for me. When you’re growing up, how is it that you have the house that you need and the food and the clothing? Well your parents, those who are in authority over you and primarily in the scriptures we find that to be a loving Father. Certainly a mother is involved as well and we would include that in our discussion, but what we are looking at is this concept of a father. A father not only provides, but a father protects. A father is one who is willing to do what? Give His life, not only for the wife as we read in Ephesians chapter 5, but also give his life for the family. As parents, we know that if we had the opportunity to love enough to even die for those that we care about, certainly I don’t think it would be very difficult at all sometimes to step in the place of a dear child or a beloved child and to be able to show ourselves and show the world how much we love in protection.

Not only in protection, but what about the guider? How is it that we sometimes know which way to go or the direction to take? Well we learn from many, but what about our parents? Again, our father helps to teach us many lessons by example and also through discipline and also through teaching and instruction. So we as well have that opportunity through God that we might be guided.

Then we might also talk about the continuous care that we have from God. On and on we could go. A father is usually considered as a figure that is willing to do whatever it takes to provide all aspects of the life of a child. Now tie that into our discussion of the day. We are the children of God and our God is our Father. If we are the children and He is the Father, what does that entail? It entails the same thing we find in the Old Testament.

When we look at the children of Israel, we find this concept of a God who chose a nation and once He chose the people, what was He willing to do? Provide for them. He was willing to give them food. Do you remember even the Israelite nation when they came out of Egypt and God would give them the manna as well as the quail to eat? God giving them the water to drink. God protecting them. In fact, God even said, “I will fight your battles for you.” God also guiding them, also. How? Remember the cloud in the day and the pillar of fire which was at night that would go before them that they might know where they should go or know where they should dwell? You know we see the picture of a loving God and Father who cared enough not only to acknowledge His people as children, but to be there every moment, every step of the way to help in every facet of their lives and to give them all that they need.

It didn’t start there though. We can back up all the way to the Garden of Eden and what did God do? He made a garden that was perfect for Adam and Eve. They sinned and were cast out of it, but that wasn’t because of God. God had given them a perfection, provided for them and all that they needed and then they blew it!

We go from there and we see great individuals like as well Abraham.

We see great men like Moses.

What did God do? What is the common thread which God provided in every case? He loved them. He loved them enough to be their Father. So therefore, we read throughout the Old Testament that God was a Father. To whom? To His people, to the faithful.

One such place is Jeremiah 31 where it says, “God was a Father to Israel.”

We also read there in Isaiah 63 and verse 16 where Isaiah proclaimed that, “You God are our Father.”

You see, God has always been acknowledged and willing to be acknowledged as a Father God which gives us an element not only to understand who He is and the desire to know who He is, but also a peace and comfort and solace that otherwise we wouldn’t find because we can look up and say, “I have a Father. I have a Father.” You know you think about children sometimes who don’t have parents and how sad that is. We have a Father spiritually who has loved us so much that everything that can be fathomed as we would need or want or all that we have as needs in guiding us or protecting us. God has done it all. Why? He is our Father!

It is also interesting that in the scriptures, Jesus often refers, as on the earth, to God as Father. It shows us that He as well understood that the Father concept was an enduring and comforting concept. What are some of those times that we read of?

One that stands out to me is the idea of when He even gave His disciples the great example to pray there in Matthew chapter 6. You might recall there in verse 9 that He says that they were to pray and they were to say, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name,” So there the concept of Father. God is our Father.

In Matthew 23 later, He also challenged the Jews to know guess what, “there is One who is your Father.” What was the problem that was taking place there? Some were trying to look to others for spiritual fathers or to try to claim that there were men who were their fathers. Well we have physical fathers on this earth, but spiritually, even Jesus says, “I don’t want anybody calling Me Father for there is but One who is your Father.” Who was that? The one is heaven. God the Father! You know that title in the spiritual sense is reserved for one and one alone and that is God the Father. Now that probably is confusing to some in our day and time because as you well know and I well know there are many in our day and time and even many religions that actually have individuals that call themselves “Father.” Well that would be a bit odd sense the fact that God has chosen that title, that title as the Father God and none of these men are God, how then can they bear such a title when Jesus Himself refused such before men.

Look at verse 9 with me of Matthew 23. He says, “Do not call anyone on earth your Father.” What is he talking about? Look at the context, a spiritual context. Don’t call anyone your spiritual Father on earth. But why? “There is but One who is your Father.” Brethren, that shows us spiritually… Spiritually, who do we look to? Not some man, not some priest on this earth. We look to God for God is that lone provider, caregiver, protector. God alone is God and all I need for salvation. The scriptures tell us He is God.

Isn’t that also why we find even in situations like the baptism of Christ? Do you remember there when John the Baptist was approached by Jesus that he would be able to baptize Him? We read there in several places, but we’ll reference actually Matthew 3 again. In Matthew 3, we find here the concept where it was there that they went down in the water, he baptizes Christ, and then it says, “A dove descends from heaven and then a voice from heaven says, ‘This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.’” Who spoke that? “This is my (what?) Son…” If this is My Son, who was speaking? Father. And it even tells us there in the same text that the dove in verse 17 was the spirit of God. Now that’s what we talked about last week somewhat. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and that’s why we’re going to look at each of these persons of the godhead individually to understand what scriptures say about them, but God obviously as Father was in heaven while the Spirit descended from heaven and while the Son of God was in the water being baptized to fulfill as He said, “All righteousness.” Once again, God the Father is the Father that shows us that we must not only know Him, believe in Him, obey Him, but also follow Him.

In 1 John chapter 4:14, we also learn the fact that the Father, God, sent the Son, God, and so once again that not only the distinction but also the work of the Father. Then probably one of the most loved aspects about the gospel of John that I have always found very enduring is the idea of how Jesus continually gives such credit to the Father, and how He says, “You know when I came to you and when I spoke to you and when I gave you the commandments, these things were not My own. They were not of My own authority. They were not of My own will. They were not of My own words. They were of the Father.” Then He would turn around and say such things as we find in John chapter 12. If you’ll notice there in verse 49 He says, “For I have not spoken of My own authority, but the Father who sent Me gave Me command of what I should speak and what I should say.” You see Jesus said, “I am from the Father. The Jews often questioned Him, “And where do you claim to be from?” “I am from the Father God.” Why? He knew they had acknowledged God as the Father God and the reality was in doing so, they could also have the opportunity to be obedient in the sight of their Creator.

We also see an idea in 1 John 5:7 just one chapter over of the idea of those that bear witness in heaven. Notice among those that bear witness, the Father. Then moving into the idea of Revelation, the book of Revelation, that actually is a Revelation of Jesus Christ to many churches. The idea there time and time again is of this Father, God in heaven and the Son and the Lamb and the Spirit and the elders and all those around that worshipped God and there yet again on the throne is who? The Father God! That loving, caring, protecting… that God who is all things to all men and to all of His creation.

A verse that I’m kind of wanting to spend the rest of our time in is found over in Ephesians. In this text, it is significant because here we find those things that unify individuals. It says, “For peace and in the spirit of the bond of peace and within this context, we find something significant in relationship to what we saw last week, the Godhead: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. But also even further about the Father Himself that we’re talking about today. If you’ll notice there in order to have peace, there are certain things that we must be one or agree on. He mentions for instance in the text there verse 4, “There is one body and one Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit.” He mentions also in verse 5, “There is one Lord,” referencing Christ or Jesus, so we must believe in the one Spirit or the one Lord, both part of the Godhead. Then we also read in verse 6, “There is one God and Father of all.” Well how neat! Not only is He God, but He is Father of who? All, all of His creation as we have just said. But notice what it also states in the same text. Who is above all? Where do we generally think of God? He is in heaven and He is above us all because He is all powerful, He is all knowing, and He is perfect in every way. He is certainly above all of His creation and literally in our concepts is dwelling in Heaven above us. He also, as it states here, “Is through all.” That’s the concept of His ability to do what? To be in or work through or to accomplish all through the things of this world or life or even us. The Bible tells us even that He has taken us as His workmanship that we might accomplish His what? His good pleasure! So the Father through us!

In Matthew chapter 4, it also gives us that concept of the gospel of Christ. It also gives us the idea about how that God has stated that He will come to the earth or live or dwell in us. But then also we find a last part there in verse 6 of Ephesians 4 that He also “is in you all.”

So the question we would begin to ask is: Where is God the Father? Where would a Father be?” Well He would be everywhere He could be around us. Well what about a God who is Father? Well He is in us. He is through us, works through us. He encompasses everything. He is above. He is the Father God that loved me enough to even allow His own Son to come to the earth and to die for my sins. That ought to tell us the type of God and Father we serve. It also ought to challenge us as fathers to realize just how much more we need to do for our families and how much more committed we should be to those that we love.

Our God has proven that He loves us for He has called us His children and has proclaimed Himself our Father.

Now the question is: Have you submitted to the Father? Have you done what is commanded to be a child of God by confessing His name, repenting and turning from sin and being buried with your Lord and Savior in baptism? If you have done those things, He has added you to the church and you are a child of God. How wonderful as a child to look up and to know that your God and Father is always there, will always be there, and someday will give you the eternal reward in heaven, eternal life.

(SONG # 3 - “Farther Along!”)

CLOSING COMMENTS

Thank you again for choosing to be with us today, in giving this time to God. I hope our time together has been an encouragement and blessing to all of us. We invite you back every Sunday morning at 7:30, as we commit ourselves to this service of God!

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How glorious it is to know that God is our Father. He is a loving, giving and caring God. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

(Program closing)