Sermons

GOD IS LIKE A LOVING FATHER

God lavishes His love on His children.

(1 John 2:29-3:3) Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him. Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him. Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.

1. LIFE Giver

A. God gives temporary life to everyone.

(Isaiah 64:8) Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we all are the work of Your hands.

B. God gives eternal life to some.

(Romans 8:9-10) You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

(Romans 8:14-16) All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children.

2. LOVE Giver

(1 John 3:1) Look at how great a love the Father has given us…

A. We can trust Him to take care of us in the areas where we DON’T recognize our need.

B. We can trust Him to take care of us in the areas where we DO recognize our need.

(Matthew 6:25, 31-33) “Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?. .. So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”

3. LIKENESS Giver

A. Fathers often pass on their likeness to their children.

B. God always passes on His likeness to His children.

(1 John 3:2) We are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him.

(3:3) Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.

(1 Pt 1:14-16) As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct.