Knowing God … as Father
… as Father
Many people are fortunate to have had a very positive experience of parenting and it’s easy to think of God as a loving and caring Father. But that’s not true for everyone. Sadly we live in a world where some parents fall far short of the standard expected of loving parenting. Then, thinking of God as Father is more difficult to come to terms with.
Whatever our experience of parenting though, we can all understand the benefits of having a loving Father. This week’s topic considers the characteristics God displays which present him as a loving Father.
I would strongly recommend The Shack by Wm Paul Young. 
This gives a really dynamic view of God and makes you think about God’s character and personality. I won’t spoil it by quoting from it – you should buy it and find out for yourself!
In church on Sunday we sang the 1980′s song ‘Father God I wonder’. The words go like this:
Father God I wonder how I managed to exist
Without the knowledge of your parenthood
And your loving care.
But now I am your son, I am adopted in your family
And I can never be alone
‘Cos Father God you’re there beside me.
I will sing your praises. I will sing your praises.
I will sing your praises for evermore.
The words highlight how fantastic Christians find it to be in a loving relationship with God as Father. It’s not something to be envied, but shared and enjoyed!
Mal spoke on Sunday and here’s his notes:
Knowing God as Father – jireh 6.02.11
Greatest privilege is to call God ‘Father’
1. Descriptions of God – metaphors or anthropomorphic – trying to describe undescribable!
2. Not gender specific – ‘God is a Sprit..’ Genesis 1:27 So God created humans in His own image; in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. Descriptions too (anthropomorphisms) Isaiah 49:15 “ Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you”.
So knowing God ‘paternally’ incorporates ‘maternal’ elements too
3. History – role of Father (Patriarchal society)
Leader, respect but also provider, protector, sustainer of the Family – these should be understood as very positive aspects of God’s character
4. Who is God Father to? Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethrenonly, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectorsdo so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Creator – ALL He has made
Loving father (prodigal son)
‘perfection’ not a moral statement but a character statement – loving, compassionate & tender, as displayed by Jesus
5. Old Testament – virtually never called Father – only in relation to Israel – ‘father of the nation’
In New Testament – God described as ‘Father’ +245 times
6. Jesus shows us the FATHER – John 14: 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves’
Religious leaders – blasphemy.
Disciples – new and exciting. To know God intimately
7. ‘Abba’ – ‘dearest father’ or ‘daddy’ – imagine if you heard this for first time ever and goes further than anything you’ve been taught before.
Jesus used this expression in Mark 14: 36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
The cup – ‘the sin of the world & the wrath of God’ – daddy – recognition of intimately devised purpose of salvation
Because Jesus fulfilled completely ‘Abba’s’ purpose we, the redeemed, can now call God ‘Abba’ (a transliteration of Aramaic)
8. Who can call God ‘Abba’ – Romans 8: 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Galatians 4: 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Those indwelt by Holy Spirit, those who are saved, redeemed, reconciled – can call God ‘Abba Father’
9 Transposition, transference – human fathers imperfections onto God – Blaise Pascal ‘God made man in his own image and man returned the complement’
We desire a father who gives us quality time – yet we often expect to know God as father as ‘Abba’ without spending time with him
God is everything we desire in a father and some
10. What about us? Our identity.
Thief of enjoyment as children of God – self image, self worth. Be what people expect, want
OUR IDENTITY IS IN CHRIST and AS HE IS ONE WITH FATHER – IN ABBA
God loves you (theologically he has to!) – God likes you too
In Abba’s Child, Brennan Manning gives a wonderful picture of God’s love and grace. He tells the story of a priest who went to Ireland on vacation to celebrate his uncle’s 80th birthday. On the great day, he and the uncle got up early, dressed, and walked by a lake, stopping to watch the sunrise. Standing side by side, not a word was said as they watched the rising sun. Suddenly his uncle turned and skipped down the road. He was radiant, beaming, smiling from ear to ear.
His nephew said, “Uncle Seamus, you really look happy.”
“I am, lad.”
“Want to tell me why?”
His uncle replied, “Yes, you see, my Abba is very fond of me.”
Do you know “Abba is very fond of you?”