Father - iV

Entering Into God’s Presence

Knowing Who God Is: His Names

Father

To Study and Ponder

• Jesus calls God “Father” 189 times in the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). It is normal for us today to talk about God as Father, but it was very unusual in Jesus’ time. Jesus talked about God as Father ten times more than he is called Father in the whole Old Testament!  This frequent usage of “Father” was revolutionary.

• In Matthew Jesus uses “Father” only when praying or talking to his disciples & crowds. He calls God “Lord”  or “God” when talking to the religious leaders.

• To call God “Father” spoke of a closeness  that was shocking to the Jewish leaders – they considered it to be blasphemous and could be punished by death (John 5:18).  This is why John says  See what an incredible quality of love the Father has given shown us, that we should be permitted to be called the children of God! And so we are! 1 John 3:1 (Amplified Bible, adapted)

• God is a father who loves, protects, cares for and guides his family of sons and daughters who put their trust in Him.

  • And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. Isaiah 64:8

  • For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

  • And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.  2 Corinthians 6:18

  • when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:4-7

• God is a compassionate, loving father to those in need (In Old Testament Hebrew ‘compassion’ means to love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection)

  - The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. Psalm 103:13

  - Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families ... Psalm 68:5-6a

  - The prophet Hosea tells about the deep, compassionate love of the Father for Israel who was like a child that ran away from him. Hosea 11:1-8

  - Jesus told stories to show how the Father is filled with joy when His children return to Him: The Lost Sheep(Luke 15:4-7), the Prodigal Son(Luke 15:32)

  - Paul writes about God the Father:- All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

• As children we are to show others what God is like – loving, compassionate etc.

  - Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. Ephesians 5:1-2a

  - Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Col 3:12

Meditation/Memory:

Lower Grades:

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! 1 John 3:1a (NLT)

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.  Ephesians 5:1-2a  (NLT)

Middle Grades:

And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. Isaiah 64:8 (NLT)

The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Psalm 103:13-14 (NLT)

Upper Grades:

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.  1 John 3:1-2  (NLT)

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)