Father of Jesus and Father of Me

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Ephesians 3; Lord's Day 9
Psalters: 377, 336, 85, 347
  1. The name “Father” conveys a wonderful, most intimate and close relationship.
    1. The Fatherhood of God has its beginning within God’s own being as the Triune God.
      1. God’s Fatherhood is found first in the relationship of the First Person to the Second.
      2. Secondly, the Triune God is Father of the Mediator.
    2. To reveal His Fatherhood outside of Himself God created the heavens and the earth.
      1. He, by speaking (Ps. 33:9), created all things out of nothing, not needing previously existing material.
      2. He created in six 24 hour days.
    3. Of whom is God Father?
      1. He was the Father of all, from the viewpoint of creation because He made man in His own image and likeness.
      2. Only some have obtained the right to be His adopted children, an act of infinite mercy, for His Son = s sake.
  2. The reality is that God is my Father.
    1. This is true only through and because of His Fatherhood of the Mediator, Jesus Christ.
    2. How does God become the spiritual Father of His adopted children?
      1. First, He predestinated us unto the adoption (Eph. 1:5).
      2. Then, in the fulness of time God sent His Son, that we might receive the adoption of sons Gal. 4:4,5).
      3. Then God = s Son gave His Spirit to testify with our spirits that we are God = s children (Rom. 8:15,16).
      4. Our adoption is to be fully realized when we are glorified in heaven (Romans 8:23).
  3. There are implications which arise from this relationship.
    1. This restricts God’s Fatherhood.
    2. Our Father provides us with all things necessary for our body and soul (Matt. 6:32; Phil. 4:19).
      1. Our heavenly Father watches out for us, turning all evils to our profit and making us more than conquerors.
      2. Thus the Sovereign God is our Father - able and willing to give us all good and to change all evil to good.
    3. I can rely on my Father in every circumstances of life.
    4. Before this heavenly Father let us “bend the knee” (Eph. 3:14).
    5. May earthly fathers learn more and more to reflect their heavenly Father.