22 Mar Fatherhood of God

Fatherhood Of God Overview

In this powerful sermon on the Fatherhood of God, the pastor explores the profound difference between knowing God’s acts versus knowing His ways. Drawing from Israel’s experience of receiving God’s provision while Moses experienced His presence, this message challenges believers to move beyond simply asking God for things to truly knowing Him as Father. The sermon emphasizes how worship isn’t just about what God does, but about who He is. Through the lens of Ephesians 3:13-15, we discover that every family in heaven and earth derives its name from God’s fatherhood. Jesus came not just to perform miracles, but to reveal the Father’s heart to humanity. The message illustrates how true relationship with God transforms our prayer life from constant begging to confident praise, knowing our Father supplies our needs before we ask. This teaching calls believers to mature from spiritual infancy into deep relationship with God, understanding His character and experiencing His presence rather than just His provisions.

Fatherhood Of God Outline

• 0:00 – From Worship to Knowing the Father: Introduction connecting the worship series to understanding God’s fatherhood
• 5:30 – The Difference Between Acts and Ways: Contrasting Israel’s knowledge of God’s acts with Moses’ understanding of God’s ways
• 12:00 – Foundation Scripture – Ephesians 3:13-15: Exploring the Greek concept of ‘patria’ and the fatherhood principle
• 18:45 – Understanding Apostolic Function: Jesus as apostle, priest, and king revealing the Father’s character
• 25:20 – When in Heaven Do as the Heavenly: Living according to heaven’s culture as God’s children
• 32:15 – Growing Beyond Spiritual Infancy: Moving from ‘me nuts Papa’ to mature relationship with God
• 38:00 – Drawing Near to God: Jesus’ teaching on relationship versus religion from John 5:37-47

Scripture References

Ephesians 3:13-15, Mark 11:24, Matthew 6:8, John 14:9, James 4:8, John 5:37-47, Matthew 16:18, 1 Peter 1:23

Key Takeaways

• True worship involves knowing who God is, not just experiencing what He does for us.
• There’s a profound difference between knowing God’s acts like Israel did and knowing His ways like Moses did.
• Prayer should shift from constant begging to confident praise when we understand God as our loving Father.
• Jesus came primarily to reveal the Father’s heart, not just to perform miracles and meet needs.
• The Greek word ‘patria’ shows that all fatherhood in heaven and earth derives from God’s paternal nature.
• Mature believers draw near to God for relationship, not just for what they can receive from Him.
• As God’s children, we should live according to heaven’s culture, not the world’s patterns.

Fatherhood Of God Notes

This compelling message on the Fatherhood of God challenges believers to mature beyond a transactional relationship with the Almighty into genuine intimacy with their heavenly Father. The pastor begins by establishing the connection between worship and understanding God’s paternal nature, explaining how true praise emerges not from desperation but from confidence in our Father’s character and provision.The sermon draws a powerful contrast between two biblical examples of relating to God. Israel consistently experienced God’s miraculous interventions—deliverance from Egypt, provision in the wilderness, victory in battle—yet they only knew His acts. Whenever crisis arose, they cried out to God, He responded, but the relationship remained superficial. Moses, however, established a tent of worship away from the camp where he could encounter God’s presence. While others could have joined him, Moses alone pursued this deeper intimacy, resulting in his unique understanding of God’s ways rather than just His works.The foundational scripture in Ephesians 3:13-15 reveals a profound truth about divine fatherhood. The Greek word ‘patria,’ often translated as ‘family,’ literally means ‘fatherhood.’ This indicates that every expression of paternal relationship, whether in heaven or earth, derives its essence from God’s fundamental nature as Father. Phillips’ translation captures this beautifully: ‘the whole fatherhood in heaven and earth is named’ after God.The pastor explains how Jesus functioned as apostle, priest, and king, but His primary mission was revealing the Father’s heart. Using the historical context of Roman apostles who negotiated truces and brought regions under Roman protection and provision, he illustrates how Jesus offers humanity something far greater—citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven with all its benefits and protection. Just as Rome provided roads, education, healthcare, and military protection to surrendered territories, our heavenly Father provides immeasurably more to His children.The message includes a touching personal illustration about the pastor’s granddaughter, whose vocabulary consisted mainly of ‘me nuts Papa’—always asking grandfather for peanuts. While such childlike dependence is initially acceptable, God desires our spiritual maturation. He wants us to progress from simply asking for things to knowing His character, understanding His ways, and experiencing His presence.A crucial distinction emerges between seeking God’s hand versus His heart. Many believers remain stuck in perpetual petition mode, constantly asking God for provision, healing, breakthrough, and blessing. While God certainly provides these things, He desires something deeper—genuine relationship where we draw near to Him for who He is, not just what He gives. James 4:8 encapsulates this principle: ‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.’The sermon concludes by examining Jesus’ words in John 5:37-47, where He confronts religious leaders who studied scripture extensively but missed the heart of God revealed in His Son. They knew biblical facts but lacked experiential knowledge of the Father. This serves as a warning against religious activity without relational intimacy.

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