SERMON NOTES (July 24 2016): We Believe in God the Father - Matt 28:18-20

We Believe in God the Father- Matt 28:18-20

Are all religions the same? Do all monotheistic religions worship the same God? Are there many roads to heaven? What do we believe about God?

Introduction: Baptist Faith & Message (2000): God the Father

There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.

A.     God the Father: God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men.

READ MATT 28:18-19- What does mean God is Father? How we understand Father? Why not mother? Why this relationship?

I.                   Father- CREATOR of Everyone

1.      OT Prophets - Is 64:8 But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.

2.      Jesus - Matt 6:9 - Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

3.      NT Apostles - Acts 17:24-29 - The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;  and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.

4.      Witnessing to Atheists –

·         Foolishly denies the existence of God (Ps 14:1). The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

·         Usually discounts the validity of anything that cannot be physically measured (Heb 11:3). By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

·         Atheists can be introduced to the Father through your experience with Him more than your arguments about Him.

   5. ILL. Suwannee Meditation Tract-When Human Dies, There is Nothing. Athiest- Humanist New Age Selfgod

II.                Father- SIRE of the Son Jesus

1.    Eternal “Today” Relationship - Ps 2:7; Heb. 5:5; “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”.  (JWs) John 3:16

2.    Eternal “Way” Relationship – John 14:6-7 - Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

3.    Witnessing to Unitarians –

·         Denies that God is a Father other than Creator (1 John 2:23).  Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.

·         Liberally denies original sin, punishment of hell, and the inerrancy of the Bible.

·         Unitarians can be introduced to Jesus Christ, God the Son, through our humility to His righteousness over our works for salvation.

III.             Father- ADOPTER of Jesus’ Brothers

1.      Spirit of Adoption - Rom 8:14-15 - For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery [a]leading to fear again, but you have received [b]a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

2.      Order of Adoption - Rom 8:29 - For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren

3.      Witnessing to Mormons

·         Holds to nonbiblical teachings about God the Father- They believe God is flesh & blood; is same species as humans.

·         Denies that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God.

·         Believes that God was once just a man who gave birth to Earth’s spirits.

4.         ILL. Dr. Helen Roseveare, English missionary doctor to Congo 1960s. Central African mother died in child birth, premature baby & 2 year old daughter. Tried to fill only water bottle they had to keep baby warm on chilly night. Student midwife broke bottle. Baby near fire. Next day with orphanage, prayers at noon. Ruth, 10 y.o. orphan: “Please God, send us a water bottle; it’ll be no good tomorrow God; they baby’ll be dead; so please send it this afternoon.” Helen gasped. Ruth added: “And while You’re at it, would you please send a dolly for the sister so she’ll know you really love her?” In 4 yrs, no parcel. If one came, who would put a water bottle for Africa at equator? That afternoon, message came- car waiting at front door. By time I reached home, car gone; 22 lb parcel. With 30 orphans helping, they opened, knitted bandages for leprosy patients, raisins & sultanas; water bottle! Ruth shouted, “If God sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly!” At bottom of box, dressed dolly. Can I give it- Jesus loves her?

IV.             Father- DADDY to Heirs

1.      There is a heart cry to Daddy. Gal 4:6 - Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

2.      Witnessing to Muslims –

·         Denies the Fatherhood of God

·         Denies that Jesus is God’s Son

·         Considers the Trinity blasphemous

·         Rejects any Biblical truth about God.

·         ILL. Little Girl at the Beach “Daddy, Wow! Crab legs!” How much spiritual life we miss when we lose sight of a Heavenly Daddy who wants to walk with us on life’s shores.