God is Father
Most of us find comfort and security is the concept of God’s divine Fatherhood.
Jesus refers to God in prayer as ‘Father’
Matt 11:25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from {the} wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Luke 11:2 And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Luke 22:42 saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. Luke 23:46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Having said this, He breathed His last. John 11:41 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
And encourages believers to address God in this way
Matt 6:9 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Luke 11:2 And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
Jesus describes the Father as
HOLY
John 17:11 "I am no longer in the world; and {yet} they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, {the name} which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We {are.}
RIGHTEOUS
John 17:25 "O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me;
LOVING John 16:27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.
LIVING
John 6:57 "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me.
OMNIPOTENT
Mark 14:36 And He was saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will."
FORGIVING
Matt 6:14 "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Luke 15:21-23 "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;
MERCIFUL
Luke 6:36 "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
PERFECT
Matt 5:48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
OMNISCENT
Matt 6:4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees {what is done} in secret will reward you. Matt 6:8 "So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Matt 6:18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees {what is done} in secret will reward you.
GENEROUS
Matt 5:45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on {the} evil and {the} good, and sends rain on {the} righteous and {the} unrighteous. Matt 7:11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will {your} heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"
In the teaching of Jesus,
The Father reveals truth
Matt 16:17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal {this} to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Luke 10:21 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from {the} wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.
Answers prayers
Matt 18:19 "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.
Exacts Justice
Matt 18:35 "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."
Sustains Life
John 6:32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.
Unique Relationship between the Father and the Son (The incarnation of Christ)
Father determines the precise movement of his Son’s return Matt 24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Mark 13:32 "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father {alone.} Acts 1:7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;
Jesus said,
He had seen the Father, John 6:46 "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.
He had knew the Father, John 10:15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep,
He had loved the Father, John 14:31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here.
He had honoured the Father, John 8:49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honour My Father, and you dishonour Me.
He had been taught by him John 8:28 So Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am {He,} and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. John 15:15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
He manifested and declared him to others John 14:6-11 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." Philip *said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus *said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and {yet} you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how {can} you say, 'Show us the Father'? "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves..
The many ‘Signs’ he performed before men were ‘good works from the Father’ John 10:32 Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" John 10:37 "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
Exercise
List the things learned
If God is our Father and we are his children what are we expected to do
