3/12/11
Greetings,
This week we are going to be focusing on the Father’s heart. We often find it easy to identify with the person of the Godhead named Jesus. After all, He is the one that died for us. It is also in the power of the name of Jesus that we pray. Even regarding the works of the Holy Spirit, the purpose is to bring glory to the Son. The gospel we preach is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Where does the Father fit into this and what is His heart?
In the Old Testament, we find a lot of information regarding the Father. He calls Himself Jehovah, El Shaddai, I AM, YHWH, and many other names. In the process of reading the Old Testament, it is not uncommon for people to get disillusioned. When they see the strictness of God and the way He destroyed the enemies of Israel and at times the nation of Israel itself it creates questions. When they see descriptions of God as angry or jealous (consider Judges 2:14) some have concluded that He must be bitter. With this perspective it becomes almost necessary to view Jesus as our “get out of jail free card.” In other words, Jesus is the only reason that we can find love or favor from God.
This problem is compounded by the nature of men and the faults they have as earthly fathers. Jesus is Jesus, and there is only one. However, the word “father” will always come with a lens. When I put on pink sunglasses, everything is tinted pink. Likewise, when I put on black sunglasses, everything is tinted black. Our “lens” impacts the way we process what we are experiencing.
The word “father” will first bring memories and associations we have made with our natural father and other father figures in our lives. These memories become a lens through which we initially view our heavenly Father. If our father figures were abusive, that will be our initial perspective of our heavenly Father. If our father figures were distant, that will be our initial perspective of our heavenly Father. In other words, we project our earthly experience with father figures onto our heavenly Father.
When it comes to understanding the “Father’s heart” this phrase will initially mean many things to many people. It will have as many meanings as there are earthly experiences with fathers. Anytime we approach teaching on the Father, terms need to be defined, and barriers need to be broken. What issues are you overcoming when you consider your earthly father? When you consider the thoughts that immediately come to mind when posed with this question, you have an initial idea of what stands between you and embracing the truth of the Father’s heart towards you.
The crux of the matter is found in the following verse:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
The essence of the Father’s heart is love. Every characteristic of the Father, whether found in the Old or New Testament must be understood through this lens. This is the only lens of truth. Any other revelation of the Father’s heart that excludes His love is false, erroneous, and unacceptable. Without the Father’s love, there would be no Jesus. Jesus is the express image of the Father (Hebrews 1:3).
Think about what was necessary for God to send the Messiah. Before Jesus could begin His ministry, a forerunner had to come. This forerunner was John the Baptist. What do you think was meant when the Bible says he had to make straight the paths?
“As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Mark 1:2-3)
John the Baptist preached a message of repentance. He was actually Elijah who was prophesied to return (Matthew 11:14), and His mission was to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers and the hearts of the fathers to the children. In order to prepare the way for Jesus, the people first had to be prepared to embrace the Father. This was the root, the source, the inspiration, and the great underlying motive of John’s work. Think about that. The work of Jesus was only permitted after a work of reconciliation between the Father and the children. The work of Jesus was a result of the Father’s heart; it was not in spite of it. When people heeded John’s preaching he would baptize them in water for the remission of sins. Bringing reconciliation between the Father and the children made straight the paths for Jesus.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Malachi 4:5-6)
It is amazing to think that we can accept the love of Jesus and reject the love of the Father, but believe it or not this is true for many Christians. For instance, how is it possible for a perfect heavenly Father to accept us when our imperfect earthly father rejected us? Within the human mind this naturally presents a gap in logic. It simply makes no sense that perfection could love and accept what imperfection despised. Furthermore, how can we trust a being with infinite power and authority when we have had our trust betrayed by men with extremely limited power and authority? The fear of having our trust betrayed by God can be crippling. This is even worse in cases where the enemy has deceived individuals into believing that their trust has already been betrayed by God.
The question remains: What is the Father’s heart towards you? He sings over you and has true and passionate joy over you (Zephaniah 3:17). A full expression of Him and His heart could kill your mortal body (Exodus 33:20). Not even the death of His own Son would hinder His purpose to provide a means of eternal acceptance for you (John 3:16, Ephesians 1:6). He wanted Jesus to die for you more than Jesus Himself wanted to die for you—remember that Jesus asked the Father if there were any other way (Matthew 26:39). You are the reason why it pleased the Father to bruise His Son (Isaiah 53:10).
It is one thing to view ourselves in perspective with the Father’s heart. It is another revelation entirely to view our brethren with this perspective. God’s heart is the same towards all of His children, and His desire is that we look upon each other through His eyes. Unity is the Father’s heart for us. He wants us to become one, and this unity is to be established under the umbrella of the revelation of His love for each of us. He wants us to see ourselves and our brethren as He sees us, and regard ourselves and our brethren as He regards us. Consider that Jesus only spoke what He heard His Father saying.
“For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.” (John 12:49)
In the following prayer of Jesus, we will see Him revealing the Father’s heart for those that would go on to believe in Him. He prays that we would be united in the same way He and the Father are one. Unity is a work of reconciliation and therefore it is a work of the Father’s heart. For many of us, this thought seems out of touch with reality, but whose reality is winning in your life… yours or God’s?
“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” (John 17:11)
Discussion
1. How has the relationship with your earthly father affected your ability to relate to your heavenly Father?
2. Have you forgiven your earthly father for the ways in which he has let you down?
3. When you think about your heavenly Father, what are the first thoughts that come to mind?
4. How can your embrace of the Father’s love impact your ability to love others?
5. What is the Father’s heart for the body of Christ?
