Everlasting Father

Due to the frailties of earthly fathers, many people struggle to embrace God as a Heavenly Father. If you have ever wanted to know what God the Father is like, look no further than His Son.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. -Isaiah 9:6

Why the Fatherhood of God Is Important

• If God wanted us to approach Him as a boss, Jesus would have come as a worker.
• If God wanted us to view Him as a general, Jesus would have come as a soldier.
• If God wanted us to treat Him as an idea, Jesus would have come as a philosopher.
• Since God wanted us to engage with Him as a Father, Jesus came as a Son.
• The greatest hindrance in understanding your Heavenly Father might be processing the baggage of your earthly father.
• The greatest cure to your religious distance would be to learn how to embrace God as your Dad.

What Jesus Taught About the Father

John 14:1-11

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.”⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

• Our instabilities bring us fear, but God’s faithfulness offers us courage (14:1; cf. 13:21-38).
• Jesus described heaven as a spacious house provided by an intentional Father (14:2-3).
• There is no way to go, no truth to know, and no life to grow outside of Jesus (14:4-7).
• The best way to understand the heart of the Father is by learning from the life of His Son (14:8-11).

How Jesus Showed Us the Father

• Your Father knows all about your issues and still wants you anyway.
• Your Father is aware of all your hurts and still wants you to talk to Him about it.
• Your Father is able to protect you from anything or anyone who threatens you.
• Your Father is intentional to seek you even when you neglect Him.
• Your Father is willing to discipline you with temporal means for your eternal benefit.
• Your Father is working behind the scenes for your good.
• Your Father never minds getting His hands dirty to clean up your mess.
• Your Father is never bothered by a single one of your needs.
• Your Father has an everlasting commitment to you, so you never have to fear being abandoned.