“Adoption by our Abba”, Father’s Day 2019

Introduction

  • “Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behaviour from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love.” (Ephesians 5:1–2 MESSAGE)
  • Can be challenging day
    • Lost your father
    • Difficult relationship with father
    • Inability to become a father
    • 35,000 children will enter the care system this year in the UK alone
    • We need fathers
  • However, can celebrate the good in fathers and father-figures
  • Questions: 
    • “Who were/are the important father figures in your life?”
    • “What did you learn from them?”

1. God our Heavenly Father Adopted Us

  • “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” (Ephesians 1:3–6 NIV11)
  • He chose us
  • Felt so lost
  • Remember that feeling?
  • Have that feeling?
  • What does this mean…….?

2. We have a real relationship with our Father

  • “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”” (Romans 8:15 NIV11)

“Before you were conceived as a bundle of cells, you were conceived in his heart. Before you were born into an earthly family, you were adopted into His family. Before you were able to form a smile, he beamed over you with pleasure. He was your Father, first.”

Talk – pray. Let him talk to you – Bible. Only way to get to know him better.

3. We care about what & who our Father cares about

  • “Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the LORD. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” (Psalm 68:4–6 NIV11)

What might your response be to the fatherless, widow, lonely, prisoners?

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.

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“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John