21, August 2005
Dakota Community Church
Show Us the Father
Introduction:
It is possible to know a lot about somebody without actually knowing them!
I have read Don Cherry’s autobiography, I know a lot about him though we have never met.
Kathy has been researching U2 - we are not friends with Bono.
Information is not the same as intimacy. When info is all we have - image can deceive.
Last week we saw that Jesus said if we had seen Him we had seen the Father. So what did he show us? What is the Father like?
John 14: 6-9
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
Jesus answered: "Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ’Show us the Father’?
Psalm 103: 1-6
Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
- Forgives all your sin.
- Heals all your diseases.
- Redeems us from hell and protects us.
- Rewards us.
- Promotes us.
- Gives us recognition.
- Satisfies our desires with good things.
- Rejuvenates us with youthful energy.
- Defends us and gets us justice when we are oppressed.
The Father is:
1. Loving and patient.
Luke 9: 52-56
They entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”
But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
2Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Joel 2: 12-13
"Even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."
Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love
2. A close friend and companion.
John 15: 12-13
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Hebrews 13: 5
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
Psalm 139: 7-10
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.
3. Our supernatural protector.
Matthew 8: 23-26
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!"
He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
Psalm 91: 14-16
"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
Think about all you go through to protect your baby from himself!
4. The healer of all sickness.
Matthew 12: 14-15
But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick.
Exodus 15: 26
"If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you."
Isaiah 53: 5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.
All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has made to light upon Him the guilt and iniquity of us all.
Psalm 107: 19-20
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.
5. The source and supplier of every need.
Luke 12: 29-32
"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom
Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
6. Our teacher and life coach.
John 13: 15-16
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you.
Psalm 32: 8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.
John 16: 12-14
"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
7. The giver of good gifts.
Not only will God provide for our needs, He is a giver of good gifts!
John 17: 22-26
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
James 1: 13-18
When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.
Luke 11: 9-13
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
It’s hard to believe that Samson made it into the faith list of Hebrews 11. Samson was no role model. He was gifted but not godly, a Dennis Rodman of the Old Testament. God is in the gift giving business. But with each gift comes certain responsibilities. A study of the life of Samson shows us an example of what not to do with the gifts God has blessed us with.
8. Everything a Father should be!
Romans 8: 14-17
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family --calling him "Father, dear Father." For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we will share his treasures--for everything God gives to his Son, Christ is ours, too. (N.L.T.)
Have confidence in this and enjoy life!
Malachi 3: 6
"I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
Hebrews 13: 8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
PowerPoint available on request - dcormie@mts.net
