Romans 8:14-27
Preached Father’s Day June 20, 2010
Introduction:
If he’s wealthy and prominent, and you stand in awe of him, call him “Father.” If he sits in his shirt sleeves and suspenders at a ball game and picnic, call him “Pop.” If he wheels the baby carriage and carries bundles meekly, call him “Papa” (with the accent on the first syllable). If he belongs to a literary circle and writes cultured papers, call him “Papa” (with the accent on the last syllable).
If, however, he makes a pal of you when you’re good and is too wise to let you pull the wool over his loving eyes when you’re not; if, moreover, you’re quite sure no other fellow you know has quite so fine a father, you may call him “Dad.”
William Buel Franklin (1823–1903)
As you all know, I am a pastor. I come with several titles, some could call me Reverend, some Pastor Carpenter, some even mistakenly call me Father, but only four people in this world can call me dad. There is a special relationship that I have with Bethany, Katie, Zachary and Sarah that no other person in this universe shares. I love my friends, my church, and my relatives, but there is a very special bond between a father and his own children.
Our passage this morning tells us about a relationship we can have with God. We have the opportunity to call Him Abba, Father, or “Daddy”. Think of it. No matter what your earthly father was or is like, you have the chance to call the loving Creator of the universe “Daddy”! This is a special and exclusive relationship with God. Not everyone shares that relationship. Not everyone can truly call Jehovah God, “Daddy”. As we meditate upon these truths surrounding Father’s Day, ask yourself this spiritual question: Who’s your Daddy?
I. God is not everyone’s Father.
A. All of us start with an abusive father.
John 8:44
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
B. God paid the price for our adoption
Galatians 4:4-5
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
1. We bore the shame of our natural father, Satan.
2. We bore the condemnation of our natural father.
Romans 3:10,23
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
3. Jesus paid the price for sin in order to buy us out of that dysfunctional family.
Isaiah 53:6
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
C. We are adopted at the moment we accept our new Father.
John 1:12
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
The Armenian Orthodox Liturgy has a beautiful introductory statement to The Lord’s Prayer:
And grant us to open our mouths with cry of bold voice, to call upon Thee O Heavenly Father, to sing and say Our Father…
II. Daddy calms our fears – He really loves His own children!
A. Adopted not enslaved.
Romans 8:15
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
B. Fear is replaced with power, love, and a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
C. There is no fear in Daddy’s perfect love – even when He is angry at our sin.
1 John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
III. Daddy keeps us safe
John 10:27-30
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.
A. We are in the Creator’s hands
B. We are in healing hands
C. We are in calming and loving hands
D. We are in nail scarred hands
E. Anyone that would try to hurt one of Daddy’s kids is in for a heavy hand!
Matthew 18:6
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
On a dangerous cliff stood a little company of rescuers planning how they might let someone down over the precipice to search for one who was lost and carry to him the rope with which he might be rescued. They wanted to use a little shepherd lad, but he drew back unwilling to go until he saw his father coming, when he said: “Yes, I will go if father holds the rope.”
IV. Daddy gives good gifts
A. Daddy knows what His children need – if it is a good gift, it is from Daddy.
James 1:17
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
B. If we want a good gift, all we need to do is ask Daddy.
Matthew 7:7-11
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
V. Daddy loves us enough to discipline us
Hebrews 12:5-8
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
A. Chastisement shows our unique relationship as children
B. Chastisement shows God’s love.
C. Chastisement shows that deeply cares about how we turn out – that’s what Daddies do!
When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.
Mark Twain (1835–1910
VI. Daddy has an inheritance for us.
A. The Divine Nature
2 Peter 1:3-4
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
B. A home with Him forever.
Romans 8:17
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Conclusion:
Either God is your judge and Satan is your father or Satan is your enemy, and God is your Father. If you have received Jesus by faith as your Savoir, you have been adopted. Daddy calms your fears. Daddy keeps you safe. Daddy gives you good gifts. Daddy disciplines you. Daddy has a great inheritance for you. There is a question you must answer before you leave. The answer should cause you to either receive Christ, or walk out of here with your head held high, knowing that you are loved in a very special and unique relationship with God.
“Who’s your Daddy?”