Since You Have A Father

INTRO.- ILL.- A grade school teacher was asking students what their parents did for a living. "Tim, you be first," she said. "What does your mother do all day?"

Tim stood up and proudly said, "She’s a doctor." "That’s wonderful. How about you, Amie?"

Amie shyly stood up, scuffed her feet and said, "My father is a mailman." "Thank you, Amie," said the teacher. "What about your father, Billy?"

Billy proudly stood up and announced, "My daddy murders people, steals from them, and drinks."

The teacher was shocked and promptly changed the subject to geography. Later that day she went to Billy’s house and rang the bell. Billy’s father answered the door. The teacher explained what his son had said and asked if there might be some logical explanation.

Billy’s father said, "I’m actually an attorney. But how can I explain a thing like that to a seven-year-old?"

What did daddy your do? And how do explain what he did?

Since you have a father in heaven. Doesn’t this thought, this truth grab you? Shake you? Do something to you/for you? It should. He should.

I had an earthly father who wasn’t a bad man. He wasn’t perfect but he wasn’t bad or evil either. He didn’t beat mom or us kids. He provided for us and he loved us. He was better than most fathers as fathers go, but what a father in heaven we have!

ILL.- An atheist was spending a quiet day fishing when suddenly his boat was attacked by the Loch Ness monster. In one easy flip, the beast tossed him and his boat high into the air. Then it opened its mouth to swallow both.

As the man sailed head over heels, he cried out, "Oh, God! Help me!"

At once, the ferocious attack scene froze in place, and as the atheist hung in mid-air, a booming voice came down from the heavens, "I thought you didn’t believe in Me!"

"Come on God, give me a break!!" the man pleaded. "Two minutes ago I didn’t believe in the Loch Ness monster either!"

Brothers and sisters, not everyone has a loving, protective Father. Or not everyone recognizes God as a loving, protective Father! HOW BLESSED WE ARE!

PROP.- Our text speaks of the relationship that we have with our father in heaven. Since we have a father in heaven what are we to do?

1- Since you have a father in heaven - live

2- Since you have a father in heaven - live as strangers

3- Since you have a father in heaven - live in reverent fear

I. SINCE YOU HAVE A FATHER IN HEAVEN - LIVE

17Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.

We have a father who judges impartially. How wonderful! He is impartial. He doesn’t consider me over thee or thee over me.

ILL.- On one trip to visit my mother in 2002 I got to the nursing home early in the morning. I thought I would surprise mother. She didn’t know I was coming that week to visit her.

I walked down the hallway that led to mom’s room and could see her walking down the hall with her walker. She looked up at my bearded face, which she had never seen before, and said, "Is that you, Steven?" I said, "Yes, it is." She replied, "I’d rather stroke a dog." I said, "You mean you don’t like my beard?" She said, "No, I don’t."

Aren’t you glad that God is impartial? He doesn’t care whether a man has a beard or is clean shaven. We have a father in heaven who is not partial toward male or female, rich or poor, fat or thin, homely or homeless. PRAISE HIM! Now that’s not all.

Since we have a father in heaven - live! We should really live! Having a father in heaven gives a person a reason for living life to the fullest. We can have the best life there is.

John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Jesus reveals to us His father! He reveals the father’s will to us. And His will is for us to live life to the full.

ILL.- A boy is about to go on his first date, and is nervous about what to talk about. He asks his father for advice. The father replies: "My son, there are three subjects that always work. These are food, family, and philosophy."

The boy picks up his date and they go to a soda fountain. Ice cream sodas in front of them, they stare at each other for a long time, as the boy’s nervousness builds. He remembers his father’s advice, and chooses the first topic of food. He asks the girl: "Do you like spinach?" She says "No," and the silence returns.