01 Mar Fatherhood Of God

Fatherhood Of God Overview

This powerful sermon explores the fatherhood of God as the central theme of the entire Bible, revealing how Jesus came to restore our relationship with God the Father through 167 references to the heavenly Father. The message examines how understanding God’s fatherhood liberates believers beyond just knowing what God does to experiencing who He truly is. Drawing from Ephesians 3:13-15 and the example of Job, the sermon demonstrates how every earthly fatherhood should reflect God’s paternal nature. The teaching contrasts praise (acknowledging God’s actions) with worship (intimate relationship with His character), emphasizing that Moses knew God’s ways while Israel only knew His acts. Through practical applications about workplace integrity and family relationships, the sermon shows how worship means living in rhythm with God’s heartbeat, moving from a law-based relationship focused on justice to a grace-filled relationship centered on mercy and intimate connection with our heavenly Father.

Fatherhood Of God Outline

• 0:00 – Introduction: The Most Important Biblical Revelation: Establishing fatherhood of God as the Bible’s central theme and Jesus’s mission to reveal it.
• 3:00 – Review: Every Fatherhood Named After God: Exploring Ephesians 3:13-15 and how all earthly fatherhood reflects heavenly fatherhood.
• 8:00 – Job’s Example: Prophet, Priest, and King: Demonstrating God’s fatherhood through Job’s restoration and inheritance to daughters.
• 12:00 – From Elohim to Yahweh: God’s Progressive Revelation: Understanding how God reveals Himself from Creator to intimate Covenant Keeper.
• 18:00 – Worship vs Praise: Knowing His Ways: Distinguishing between knowing God’s acts versus His intimate character and presence.
• 25:00 – Living in Rhythm: Practical Worship: Applying worship principles to work, relationships, and daily life integrity.
• 32:00 – From Law to Grace: Jesus Reveals the Father: Contrasting Moses’s law-based justice with Jesus’s revelation of fatherly mercy.

Scripture References

Ephesians 3:13-15, Genesis 1-2, John 8:37-47, Psalm 103:7, Psalm 68:11, Romans 8:32, Joel 2:28-29

Key Takeaways

• The fatherhood of God is the central theme of the entire Bible, more important than any other revelation we can receive.
• Every earthly fatherhood should reflect and model the character of our heavenly Father, showing no partiality between sons and daughters.
• Worship differs from praise in that praise acknowledges what God does, while worship cultivates intimacy with who God is.
• Living in rhythm with God means maintaining integrity in all our agreements and relationships, including our workplace commitments.
• Moses knew God’s ways through intimate relationship, while Israel only knew His acts through distant observation.
• Jesus came to reveal mercy over justice, transforming our relationship with God from law-based fear to grace-filled intimacy.
• God’s presence literally changes us in ways that praise alone cannot accomplish, requiring quiet surrender to His character.

Fatherhood Of God Notes

The fatherhood of God stands as the Bible’s most crucial revelation, yet it remains the most misunderstood aspect of our faith journey. When Jesus walked the earth, He referenced the Father 167 times, facing hatred and rejection from religious leaders who couldn’t grasp this intimate relationship. His mission centered on restoring something even greater than Adam’s original connection with God – a filial relationship that transforms everything about how we approach our Creator.Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:13-15 reveals that every fatherhood in heaven and earth derives its name and character from God the Father. The Greek word ‘patria’ emphasizes that all earthly fathers should model heavenly fatherhood. Job exemplified this perfectly, functioning as prophet, priest, and king while demonstrating God’s inclusive love by granting inheritance to his daughters – unprecedented in that culture but reflecting God’s heart for all His children regardless of gender.The progressive revelation from Genesis shows God moving from Elohim (the Triune Creator) to Yahweh (the intimate Covenant Keeper). This transition reveals God’s desire for relationship beyond mere acknowledgment of His power. While the seven redemptive names of God describe His functions – Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Shalom, Jehovah Rapha – His identity as Father transcends what He does to encompass who He is.The distinction between praise and worship becomes crucial here. Praise celebrates God’s mighty acts and answered prayers, filling our hearts with gratitude for His interventions. Worship, however, requires silence and surrender, allowing His presence to transform our very nature. Moses exemplified this difference – while Israel knew God’s acts through miracles and provisions, Moses knew God’s ways through intimate presence and conversation.Practical worship extends into every area of life, particularly our work relationships and commitments. When we agree to employment terms, worship means honoring those agreements completely rather than complaining about compensation we previously accepted. This integrity reflects God’s faithful character and demonstrates our rhythm alignment with His heart.Jesus’s confrontation with religious leaders in John 8 illustrates the stark contrast between law-based relationship and grace-filled fatherhood. Under Moses’s law, even gathering sticks on the Sabbath resulted in death – justice without mercy. Jesus brought grace and truth, revealing that the Father desires mercy over sacrifice, relationship over ritual, and intimacy over mere obedience.This fatherhood revelation liberates believers from limitation into abundance. Romans 8:32 promises that God, who didn’t withhold His Son, will freely give us all things. Yet many believers relate to God only during crisis moments, like children who only approach parents when they need something. True sons and daughters simply enjoy being in their Father’s presence, finding transformation through intimacy rather than just provision through petition.

Frequently Asked Questions