04/14/2020 —
Message Description
Because so many of us have memorized the words to The Lord's Prayer, it can be easy to miss the importance of the words "Our Father." But they had profound meaning to the disciples, and to us.
"Our Father" connotes a deeply personal connection to God that Jews of Jesus's day wouldn't have presumed to have. Even today, it's easy to think of God as distant and impersonal. But Scripture tells us that He not only exists, but that He can be known!
Only as we know Him as a personal, infallible Father who loves us more than anyone has ever loved us before can we understand what it means to honor Him, serve Him, live for Him and share Him with others.
Scriptures
Luke 11:1-4
“One day, as Jesus was in prayer, one of his disciples came over to him as he finished and said, 'Would you teach us a
model prayer that we can pray, just like John did for his disciples?'
"So Jesus taught them this prayer: 'Our heavenly Father, may the glory of your name be the center on which our life turns. May your Holy Spirit come upon us and cleanse us. Manifest your kingdom on earth. And give us our needed bread for the coming day. Forgive our sins as we ourselves release forgiveness to those who have wronged us. And rescue us every time we face tribulations'”(TPT).
Hebrews 11:5-6
"Faith lifted Enoch from this life and he was taken up into heaven! He never had to experience death; he just disappeared from this world because God promoted him. For before he was translated to the heavenly realm his life had become a pleasure to God.
"And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who give all their passion and strength into seeking him" (TPT).
Song of Solomon 2:8-17
"The voice of my beloved!
Look, he comes
leaping over the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
Look, he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows,
looking through the lattice.
My beloved speaks and says to me:
'Rise up, my love,
my fair one, and come away.
For
now the winter has past;
the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its green figs,
and the vines their blossoms;
and they give forth fragrance.
Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.
O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
in the secret places of the cliffs,
let me see your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.
Catch the foxes for us,
the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards,
for our vineyards are in blossom.'
My beloved is mine, and I am his;
he feeds
his flock among the lilies.
Until the day breathes
and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved,
be like a gazelle
or a young stag
on the cleft mountains" (MEV, emphasis added).
Key Points
-
The birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was part of a plan devised before the beginning of time to reconcile God's people to Him. He cared about each of us so much that He made a way for us to know God intimately.
-
To this day many Jewish people will not write the name "God." They express it as "G-d" so there is no possibility that they will not erase or deface the name of the One they worship. But Scripture tells us He can be known! And following the example of Jesus, we can use the most intimate of familial terms with him one that most accurately translates "Daddy."
-
Many of us and the people in our circles of influence don't understand the love of a father. That doesn't change the profound love God has for us - only our ability to comprehend it.
-
But just as God the Father bid His Son, Jesus, to come home to Heaven after His earthly ministry was complete, He calls you and me to be His children.
-
Even if you have no frame of reference for a Daddy who will never stop loving you, you can trust God the Father, because Jesus did. He is worthy of your complete trust and devotion!