Children of God
Steve W. Reeves
and Casey McDonald
stevesermons.blogspopt.com
INTRODUCTION:
A. Of all life’s relationships none is more important than the one that exists between arents and children.
. It is through this relationship that lasting impressions are made.
2. From parents we learn about self-worth, values, morality, integrity, and responsibility.
3. Even those children who grow up apart from biological parents need the care, love and nstruction that comes from foster or adoptive parents.
4. It is, no doubt, the importance of these relationships that lies behind the numerous xamples of parenthood pictured in the Bible.
5. It is these relationships that help us identify the meaning of being God’s children.
B. The greatest blessing any of us can know is to enjoy the blessings and benefits that ome from being a child of God. In this message we want to remind you of these wonderful lessings.
. GOD’S PATERNAL CHARACTER
(presented by Casey).
A. When
Jesus taught us how to pray, he began with, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be
our name” (Matthew 6:9).B. I would like to share 5 things I've learned as a father and relate them to God our Father:
1. Concern for physical AND spiritual health of my children.
a. When a little one is born, their body must transition to getting oxygen from air.
b. I remember looking at Rylan, our first born, and thinking, “Just breathe!”
c. The first thing God wanted after forming man was for him to breath (Genesis 2:7).
2. Constant attention is required.
a. Consistency is difficult, but invaluable.
b. In David’s youth and older years, he recognized the Father’s constant presence (Psalm 7:25-26).
3. Continual nurture is needed.
a. Deuteronomy 6:4-7 — Emphasizes how often fathers give spiritual nourishment.
b. Sometimes you'd think a baby never gets fed!
c. Babes in Christ need constant nurture too.
d. 1 Peter 2:2-3 — A milk only diet is only for babies...eventually solid food is required, yet ontinual nourishment is necessary.
e. The Lord requested in the model prayer, "...give us this day our daily bread..."
4. Consistent neediness.
a. Newborns will do what they want when they want and will scream to make it happen.
b. Adults can act the same way!
c. Luke 18:1-8 — Jesus taught the parable of the persistent widow to illustrate how we hould have consistent neediness toward God our Father.
5. Keep the course for your reward.
a. The first couple months of life consist of eating, sleeping, pooping, and repeating.
b. After those initial months are over, more movement occurs, eye contact is regular, smiles n response happen, and maybe even some giggles.
c. James 1:2-4, and verse 12 ensures us of good things to come if you just keep the ourse.
C. We have a heavenly father who deeply loves us (John 3:16).
1. He wants more than anything for you to be his child.
2. Isaiah 64:8-9 — God our Father is the potter and we are the clay.
II. GOD’S MATERNAL CHARACTERISTICS (presented by Steve).
A. There are many occasions where the Bible refers to God as “Father.”
1. Only fifteen of these are found in the Old Testament.
2. The New Testament, beginning with the teachings of Jesus, refer to God as “Father” 165 imes.
3. It may surprise you to learn that the Bible depicts God as having maternal characteristics s well.
B. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah said, (Isaiah 66:13), “As one whom his mother omforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
1. Isaiah prophesied 6 centuries before the birth of Christ. His ministry occurred during a ifficult and challenging time. Judah’s idolatry and disobedience to God was resulting in their ational collapse and fall into captivity.
2. Although there would be dark, difficult days ahead God also wanted to reassure His eople that they would not be forgotten. What analogy did God give to Isaiah? It was that of a other’s compassion for her children.
3. When a child is in distress they long for the nurture and care only a mother can give. hey may need the protective strength of a father but the long for the softness and tendernessof a mother.
. God is the one who comforts us when we are sin-sick. “Blessed are they that mourn for hey shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
b. God is the one who comforts us in times of tribulation. “Blessed be the God and Father f our Lord Jesus Christ who comforts us in our affliction so that we might comfort others withthe comfort with which we ourselves are comforted (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
c. God is the one who cares for us when we face stress and difficulty. “Casting all of your are upon Him for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
C. Jesus referred to this maternal instinct when he lamented over Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37. He lamented, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are ent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her hicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.”
1. God longs to protect us under the shelter of His care like a hen protects her chicks.
2. A vivid memory I have of my mother comes from a spring night fifty years ago this year. uring the middle of the night a tornado struck our neighborhood. There were no warning irens, only the roar of the wind and the crashing of debris. My mother picked me up (a hefty en-year-old) and took me to the hallway where she covered my sister and me with her own ody.
D. God cares for us not only as a father for his children but as a mother with compassion nd care for her offspring.
ONCLUSION:
A. In
the early 1970’s Fred Jacobson wrote the lyrics of a song entitled, “When A
Child Is Born.” The song was sung by several entertainers including Johnny Mathis and
Bing Crosby (who recorded it shortly before his death in 1977). It speaks of the
wonderful hope and joy that comes into life when a new child is born. One verse
says, “A rosy hue settles all around. You've got the feel you're on solid ground. For a
spell or two, no one seems forlorn. This comes to pass when a child is born.”
1. When a child is born we come to a better understanding of the relationship God
wants to have with us. He wants us to receive His love. He wants us to share our
lives with Him. He wants us to be with Him.
2. That relationship was made possible because God sent His own child into this
world in human flesh to be born, to live and to die. He did all of this for us.
B. Will you come to your Father today in love, faith, repentance, confession and
baptism? Will you live faithfully in His presen
