Father God: Knowing Him and Living in His Love
Theme: God reveals Himself as Father, inviting us into a loving, personal relationship through Jesus Christ.
Key Verse: Matthew 6:9 – “Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.”
Introduction
Today, we are exploring one of the most profound truths of Scripture: Who is Father God, and how can we be in a relationship with Him?
Many of us may approach the idea of God as Father through the lens of our earthly experiences. For some, the word “father” evokes love, protection, and care. For others, it may carry pain or distance. But Scripture presents Father God as the perfect, loving parent—unlike any earthly father.
Our time together will focus on three truths:
Who is Father God?
How does He invite us into a relationship with Him?
How can we respond to Him as our Father?
1. Who is Father God?
Let’s start with Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:9:
“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.” (NLT)
This verse is the opening line of the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus introduces a revolutionary concept: God as Father (Greek: pater), which conveys intimacy, authority, and care. In the Hebrew mindset, God was often revered as the Creator and Sovereign Lord (Yahweh), but Jesus invites us to address Him as a loving parent.
In the Old Testament, God is called “Father” in a more corporate sense, as the Father of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:6).
But here, Jesus personalises the relationship, showing us that God desires an individual connection with each of His children.
Recognise that God is not distant or impersonal. He is your heavenly Father, full of love and compassion.
Approach Him with both reverence and intimacy. He is holy, yet deeply personal.
Imagine a young child running into the arms of a loving parent. That’s the picture Jesus paints of our relationship with God—complete trust and dependence, knowing we are fully loved.
A.W. Tozer wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Let your view of God as Father shape your life and faith.
2. How Does Father God Invite Us into a Relationship with Him?
Romans 8:15-17 says: “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’ For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.” (NLT)
The apostle Paul uses the metaphor of adoption (Greek: huiothesia), a powerful image in Roman culture. Adoption granted full rights and privileges to the adopted child, making them equal heirs with biological children.
Through Jesus’ sacrifice, we are brought into God’s family. The Spirit enables us to cry out “Abba” (Aramaic for “Daddy” or “Papa”), a term of deep affection and trust. This relationship is not based on fear or obligation but on love and grace.
Accept your identity as God’s child. You are not defined by your past, your failures, or your circumstances. You are an heir of His promises.
Embrace the Holy Spirit’s role in your life. He confirms your status as God’s beloved child.
Think of an orphan being adopted into a loving family. They are no longer alone or forgotten. That is what God does for us—He takes us from spiritual orphanhood into the security of His family.
J.I. Packer wrote, “If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child.”
3. How Can We Respond to Father God?
John 14:6 tells us: “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” (NLT)
Jesus makes it clear that the only way to know God as Father is through Him. The word way (Greek: hodos) means the road or path. Jesus is not just a guide to God; He is the means of access to the Father.
Ephesians 2:18 echoes this: “Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.” (NLT) This access is a gift of grace, not something we earn.
Respond by placing your faith in Jesus. He bridges the gap between you and the Father.
Live as a child of God—trusting Him, obeying Him, and sharing His love with others.
Imagine standing before a locked gate. You can’t open it on your own, but someone hands you the key. Jesus is that key, granting you access to the Father’s presence and love.
Billy Graham said, “The greatest truth you will ever hear is that God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you.”
Conclusion and Call to Action:
So, who is Father God?
He is the holy, loving Creator who desires a personal relationship with you.
He invites you into His family through adoption, making you His child and heir.
He provides the way to Himself through Jesus Christ.
Encouragement and Application:
If you already know God as Father, rest in His love and share it with others.
If you’re struggling to see God this way, take time to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His Fatherly love to you.
Invitation to Faith:
If you’ve never entered into a relationship with Father God, today is the day. Jesus said in John 3:16:
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (NLT)
Will you accept His invitation? Let’s pray together.
