Maybe you had a great relationship with your earthly father and maybe you did not. Maybe your relationship with your earthly father is on-going. This study seeks to acquaint you with facts about God as your Father and to spark joy in your heart for Who God is and how He desires a fatherly relationship with you.

So far we have examined what the Bible says about God, as your Father; Biblical examples of fathers; what Jesus told about God, as your Father. Next let’s examine what Jesus Christ taught about God, your Father, when you mess up.

Next let’s examine what Jesus Christ taught about God, your Father, when you mess up.

You and I live in a fallen creation. Sin and death have entered the world. Everyone is born in the likeness of Adam, with a nature in rebellion to God. When you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He makes you new with a new nature that wants to live life God’s way. That new nature is in conflict with your sin nature.

You remember the parable. The publicans and sinners came to hear Jesus Christ and the Pharisees and scribes murmured about Jesus’ receiving sinners and eating with sinners. Jesus Christ used that situation as an opportunity to tell about your Father’s love.

What did the son do? Luke 15:

¹¹ And he said, A certain man had two sons:

¹² And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

¹³ And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

¹⁴ And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

¹⁵ And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

¹⁶ And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

¹⁷ And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

¹⁹ And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

What did the father do?

²⁰ And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

Lessons about God, your Father

Your Father sees your circumstances. You don’t have to explain anything.

Your Father has good, positive feelings for you. Notice the absence of anger, rebuke or scorn?

Your Father waits for you. He does not harass you or impose Himself on you.

Your Father takes action. He will respond and meet you where you are.

Your Father shows His love for you.

While it is true that sin gets in the way of your relationship with your Father God, sin never changes or diminishes that relationship. Is there a better way to phrase that? Sin interferes with the closeness of the relationship but sin never diminishes the relationship. When you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, God is your Father. He will not change. He will not disinherit you. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sin. So all you need do is come to your Father and confess you sin. He will receive you. He will forgive you.

Questions for Reflection

• What about God, as your Father, matters most to you?

• What lesson do you see in the parable of the prodigal’s father?

• Are you fully living your relationship with God, your Father?

• How has God, your Father, shown His love for you today?

• Can you see God, your Father’s, love for you through the stages of your life?

Grace Greater than Our Sin – Julia Johnston, 1910

1. Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
   Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured, There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
   • Refrain:
     Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
     Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold, Threaten the soul with infinite loss;

Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold, Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide; What can we do to wash it away?

Look! There is flowing a crimson tide, Brighter than snow you may be today.

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, Freely bestowed on all who believe!

You that are longing to see His face, Will you this moment His grace receive?

Grace = God giving us what we do not deserve

Romans 5:

²⁰ Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

²¹ That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hebrews 12:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good

plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through   you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti