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Are You Forgetting Something?

Explore the role of God the Father in the Bible and how our experience of earthly fathers influences our understanding of God as Father. Discover the character and roles of God the Father as Creator, Sovereign Ruler, Holy Judge, Compassionate Reconciler, and Him to whom all things return. Learn about the analogies of our relationship to the Father as Potter, Shepherd, Husband, Master, Vinedresser, and Shepherd.

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Are You Forgetting Something?

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  1. Are You Forgetting Something?

  2. GOD THE FATHER THE FORGOTTEN MEMBER OF THE TRINITY Reconceiving Fatherhood

  3. THE FATHER IS GOD The Bible presupposes and reiterates that the God of the Old is the God of the New Testament. Usually the NT term “God” (theos, c. 1350x) designates God the “Father” (used c. 254x for deity). Many NT phrases refer to him. • “God the Father” Jn 6:27 • “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” *Eph 1:3 • “the glorious Father” *Eph 1:17 • “one God and Father of all, who is over all, through all and in all” 4:6 • “Father of Light” Jas 1:17 • “the Alpha and Omega… who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty” Rev 1:8

  4. HOW DOES OUR EXPERIENCE OF A FATHER INFLUENCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF GOD AS FATHER? 1. Consider the cultural context: What is the place of a father in African culture? Middle Eastern? Chinese? Latin America? 2. How is a father portrayed in Western society? In the media? 3. Consider the experience of children of chemically addicted fathers, abusive father relationships (physical or psychological), or broken families through separation, adultery and divorce.

  5. Youth Increasingly Live in a Fatherless Society • 40% of all US youth (27 million) today live apart from their father; one-third of them rarely if ever see their dad. • 75% of children from one-parent families will experience poverty before they turn 11 years of age (NRI, Religion Today, June 18, 2001, crosswalk.com). • Of the fathers of youth who became criminals, 42.1% were unknown, 6% in prison, 5.3% deceased, 9.5% lived in other cities, 12.4 % lived separately in the same city. Only 24.6% had fathers living at home. (“Why Do Kids Become Criminals?” Investor’s Business Daily, Dec 20, 1993)

  6. GOD AS FATHER: RECONCEIVING FATHERHOOD BY UNDERSTANDING THE GOD OF THE BIBLE

  7. TO WHOM IS GOD FATHER? 1. ISRAEL Ex 4:22. Qumran’s Thanksgiving Hymn: “Thou are a father unto all Thy true sons” 2. CHRIST *Mt 3:16-17; 11:27; etc. 3. ALL BELIEVERS *Ro 8:14-16; Gal 4:4-7 4. OTHER “The Father of glory” ( Eph 1:17); of angels (“sons of God” Job 1:6); “of the fatherless” (Ps 68:5); “of all” (Eph 4:6)

  8. THE FATHER’S CHARACTER AND ROLES 1. CREATOR Genesis 1:1 The Father is the fons divinitatis, the Divine Fountainhead of all existence, the Originator of everything including human life (*Ac 17:24-25; *Rev 4:11). He has life in himself and gives life to all else through the Son and the Spirit.

  9. THE FATHER’S CHARACTER AND ROLES 2. SOVEREIGN RULER Eph 1:3-14; *1 Tim 6:15-16 God the Father is revealed as Transcendent Ruler of all existence. There is nothing above or behind him. All things come forth from him, together with the Son and the Spirit. The plan of all time and space is his—the purpose and ends of creation, the decree regarding the elect. The Sovereign God does not need us (or anything of any creation). Yet he chooses to relate to creation in an exceedingly personal way.

  10. THE FATHER’S CHARACTER AND ROLES 3. HOLY JUDGE “LORD CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE UNIVERSE” *2 Pet 3:10 As the supremely just Judge who exists in unapproachable light, the Father is the Moral Absolute of all existence. All that is contrary to the divine nature must be brought to justice in an ethical universe.

  11. THE FATHER’S CHARACTER AND ROLES 4. COMPASSIONATE RECONCILER Jn 3:16 2 Cor 5:18-19 “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.”

  12. THE FATHER’S CHARACTER AND ROLES • Jesus Christ is our substitute for sin. The Spirit applies Christ’s work in our lives. Yet it is especially by the Father we are: • Called to salvation (Ro 8:28f), • Forgiven (Jn 3:16), • Justified (Ro 3:24; 4:24f), • Made sons & daughters (Jn 1:12), • Adopted as heirs (Gal 4:6), • With whom we are brought into • fellowship and service (2Co 5:17f).

  13. THE FATHER’S CHARACTER AND ROLES 5. HIM TO WHOM ALL THINGS RETURN 1 Cor 15:24-28: “Then the end will come, when he [Christ] hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he [Christ] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death…Now when it says that ‘everything’ has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him [God the Father] who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.”

  14. WHAT ARE OTHER ANALOGIES OF THE BELIEVER’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE FATHER? • Potter and clay • King and kingdom • Husband and bride/wife • Master and servant • Vinedresser, True Vine and branches • Shepherd and sheep

  15. GOD THE FATHER IS: CREATOR SOVEREIGN RULER HOLY JUDGE COMPASSIONATE RECONCILER HIM TO WHOM ALL THINGS RETURN POTTER SHEPHERD HUSBAND FATHER

  16. Lessons for Fatherhood from God the Father As the Father is Profoundly Good, so fathers should be men of goodness and integrity. Purity. As God the Father is Eternally Wise, so fathers should be thoughtful, wise, plan well for our loved ones. While embodying absolute truth, the Father is InfinitelyCreative;fathers ought to encourage new, fresh ways. As the Father Loves the Son, so we are to truly love our children; talking and listening are essential.

  17. Lessons for Fatherhood from God the Father As God Disciplines his Children, so the good father guides and disciplines his children; not harshly, but firmly. As God the Father Calls for Respect, so fathers ought to act in such a way that requires respect; not in pride but dignity. As the Father Leads in the Trinity, so fathers should bring order and direction to a family. 8. As the Father is Self Giving toward his creation, especially persons, so fathers should be characterized by generosity and sacrifice for others.

  18. TWO QUESTIONS HOW IS GOD A FATHER TO YOU? HOW DOES HE WORK IN YOUR LIFE AS FATHER?

  19. THE LORD’S PRAYER Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:9b-13

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