I Believe in God the Father

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Matthew 6; Lord's Day 9
Psalters: 377, 145, 278, 347
  1. The idea.
    1. The Fatherhood of God is eternal.
      1. It has its beginning within God’s own being in the relationship of the First Person to the Second.
      2. Secondly, the Triune God is Father of the Mediator.
    2. To reveal His Fatherhood outside of Himself God created the heavens and the earth as the setting for this revelation.
  2. God follows various steps to become the spiritual Father of His adopted children?
    1. First, He predestinated us unto the adoption of Christ by Jesus to Himself according to the riches of His.....(Eph. 1:5).
    2. Then, in the fulness of time God sent His Son to redeem us, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Gal. 4:4,5).
    3. Then God's Son gave His Spirit (the Spirit of adoption) to testify with our spirits that we are God's children (Rom. 8:15,16).
    4. Our adoption is to be fully realized when we are glorified in heaven (Romans 8:23).
  3. The Father gives two great promises to His children.
    1. First, He promises to provide me with all the things I need for both body and soul (Matt. 6:32; Phil. 4:19).
    2. Second, God as Father will make whatever evils (bad things) He sends turn out to my advantage.
  4. How can we be sure and possess this great comfort?
    1. Because our Father is willing and able.
    2. Therefore I can rely on my Father in every circumstance of life so entirely that I have no doubt.
    3. Before this heavenly Father let us “bend the knee” (Eph. 3:14).
    4. May earthly fathers learn what it means to be a father from Him - strive always to reflect Him.