.

TCC–1284
1
GOD IS A LOVING FATHER
A. Introduction: We’ve begun a series on how Jesus wants us to live, according to eyewitnesses, the men who
walked with Jesus and recorded His words and actions in the New Testament. We have more to say tonight.
1. The New Testament gospels tell us that Jesus called men and women to follow Him. To follow Jesus
means to seek to be like Him, to copy Him, to imitate Him. Matt 4:19; Matt 8:22; Matt 19:21; etc.
a. To appreciate what this means we need to understand who Jesus is and why He came to this world.
Jesus is God (the second Person of the Trinity), became fully man, without ceasing to be fully God.
1. Two millennia ago God the Son (Jesus) incarnated, or took on a full human nature and was born
into this world. This is a mystery beyond our comprehension. I Tim 3:16
2. Jesus took on a human nature so that He could die as a sacrifice for sin and open the way for
sinful humanity to be restored to God through faith in Him. Heb 2:14-15; I Pet 3:18
b. When a man or woman acknowledges Jesus as Savior and Lord, God can forgive that person’s sin,
on the basis of the Cross. God then indwells that person by His Spirit and makes him or her His
literal son or daughter, through a new birth. John 1:12-13
1. Jesus, in His humanity, is the pattern for God’s family. While on earth, Jesus showed us what
sons and daughters of God look like. Rom 8:29—For God, in his foreknowledge chose them
to bear the family likeness of his Son (J. B. Phillips).
2. When a person believes on Jesus and is indwelled by God’s Spirit, a process of transformation
begins that progressively restores us to what we are meant to be—sons and daughters of God
who are like Jesus in character and behavior.
A. In the context of calling men and women to follow Him and seek to be like Him, Jesus said
that He is meek and humble, and that His followers are to be meek and humble. Matt 11:29
B. The one who is humble sees himself a servant of God and a servant of man. The one who
is meek is gentle, controls his anger, and treats others as he wants to be treated.
c. To follow Jesus’ example in humility and meekness we must expose and deal with selfishness and
pride, that tendency in us to exalt self and put self first. Jesus called this denying self. Matt 16:24
1. All of us are born with a corruption inherited from Adam that inclines us to selfishness and
pride (Isa 53:6). Most sincere Christians realize that neither selfishness nor pride is good.
The problem is that both selfishness and pride can be difficult to recognize in ourselves.
A. Most of the time, pride and selfishness are expressed not so much by what we do, but by
why we do it, by the motives and attitudes behind our actions.
B. We can do something good and right, such as praying or giving, but our motive is selfish
and prideful—to get praise or recognition for ourselves. Matt 6:1-4; Matt 6:5-6
2. We must honestly examine why we do and say things. Is it to elevate ourselves and make us
look good? Is it to raise us up and lower someone else? That’s all selfishness and pride.
2. In the last two lessons we looked at some indicators of selfishness and pride to help us spot those traits in
ourselves—and we have several more lessons like those still to go.
a. These lessons are difficult to hear because they expose ugly stuff in all of us, since we all have pride
and selfishness. And these traits don’t automatically go away when we decide to follow Jesus.
1. Selfishness and pride must be exposed and dealt with—and that can be painful. But it’s a
necessary part of the process of growing in Christ-likeness.
2. It’s easy for a sincere Christian who hears these lessons to feel condemned, overwhelmed, and
hopeless about themselves because the standard for our behavior seems impossibly high—to be
like Jesus in character and behavior. And we are well aware of our many shortcomings.
b. This is why it’s so important that we consider this information in terms of the big picture—why God
created us and what He is working to accomplish in our lives right now.
.

TCC–1284
2
1. Salvation is about the restoration of human nature by the power of God so that we can be
returned to our created purpose. Almighty God created us to be sons and daughters, who live
in loving relationship Him, and are fully pleasing to Him in every way.
2. We were created to live in voluntary submission and obedience to God, as sons and daughters
who are like Jesus in character and behavior. Salvation is a return to normal, a return to what
we were created to be, what we are meant to be.
3. Following Jesus does not mean: More stuff I have to do, more rules I have to keep, more hoops I have
to jump through. It doesn’t mean: If I have a second piece of pie, I’m sinning because I’m not denying
myself. Or, to deny myself, I have to give away everything thing I own and live in a cardboard box.
a. Following Jesus means changing the end for which you live, changing your aim or purpose in life,
from pleasing yourself to pleasing God even when it’s hard. That is the place of full joy and peace.
b. A right understanding of what Jesus has called us to and how He wants us to live, should encourage
and comfort us, not discourage and dishearten us. For the rest of this lesson, we’re going to pause
from trying to identify pride and selfishness in ourselves, and remind ourselves of the big picture.
B. Here’s the big picture. Men and women are lost in sin and lost to their created purpose—to be blameless,
holy sons and daughters of God. Jesus came to earth, on behalf of God the Father, to seek and save the lost.
1. At one point, while Jesus was in Jericho, He encountered a publican named Zacchaeus. Publicans were
Jews who collected taxes for the Roman government. They were despised by their fellow Jews for it.
a. Jesus told Zacchaeus that He was going to dine with him in his home that day, which greatly
displeased the crowds that had come to see Jesus. In response, Jesus said: I, the Son of Man, have
come to seek and save those like him (Zacchaeus) who are lost (Luke 19:10, NLT).
b. On another occasion, when religious leaders criticized Jesus for eating with publicans and sinners
He answered them by telling a parable about a lost son, the Prodigal Son. Luke 15:11-32
1. The son of a wealthy man took his inheritance, left his father’s house, moved to a far country,
and spent his inheritance on sinful living. Reduced to living in a pigpen in a time of famine,
the son eventually came to his senses and returned to his father’s house.
2. Although the story is known as the parable of the son, it is actually about the father, since it
describes the father’s response to the son. When the son came home, his father was moved
with compassion, welcomed his son, cleansed and restored him—and celebrated his return.
2. One of the main things Jesus did during His three plus year ministry prior to His crucifixion, was to
introduce God as a loving Father who loves His children.
a. Jesus was born into 1st century Israel. The people of Israel had no concept of a loving, individual
Father and son relationship between God and man. God was Father to Israel only in a general
sense, as their Creator who redeemed them from Egyptian slavery. Ex 4:22; Jer 31:9; Hosea 11:1.
b. Their concept of God was based on His appearance to the entire nation at Mount Sinai after He
delivered them from Egypt.
1. When the Lord appeared to them at Sinai there was thunder and lightning, smoke, and fire.
The ground shook, a trumpet blast was heard, and the Lord’s voice thundered so that all could
hear (Ex 19:16-20). The people’s response to this was fear and trembling.
2. They told Moses to go talk to God without them: You tell us what God says, and we will
listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us. If he does, we will die. Don’t be afraid, Moses
said, for God has come in this way to show you his awesome power. From now on, let your
fear of him keep you from sinning (Ex 20:19-20, NLT).
A. God wasn’t different in the Old Testament. His purpose was to show Himself as the Only,
All powerful God—Almighty God—to a world filled with idol worshippers
B. God was emphasizing certain aspects of His character in order to work important concepts
.

TCC–1284
3
into human consciousness, in preparation for the coming of Jesus: The Lord is holy and
separate from all evil. Sin is an offense against Him and its consequences are deadly.
Human beings are powerless to fix their lost condition.
c. But, even in the face of these power demonstrations, there were clear indications of God’s love for
His lost family. When Israel finally reached Canaan after their deliverance from Egypt, Moses
reminded them: You saw how the Lord your God cared for you again and again here in the
wilderness, just as a father cares for his child (Deut 1:31, NLT).
3. Down through the centuries, God gradually revealed Himself and His plan for a family up until Jesus
was born into this world. Jesus is God’s fullest revelation of Himself and His plan.
a. Heb 1:1-3—Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the
prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son…The Son reflects
God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly (NLT).
b. When one of Jesus’ apostles asked Him to show them the Father, Jesus said: Anyone who has seen
me has seen the Father…The words that I say are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does
his work through me (John 14:9-10, NLT). Jesus revealed God the Father to His followers through
His actions and through His teachings.

C. The Sermon on the Mount was delivered early in Jesus’ ministry (Matt 5-7). It gives us a good sampling of
what Jesus taught as He travelled around the land of Israel during His three plus year ministry.
1. In the Sermon Jesus introduced the concept of Almighty God as a good Father who is better than the best
earthly Father. Jesus referred to God the Father seventeen times in His sermon, and sixteen of those
times Jesus called Him your Father. This was a revolutionary concept to 1st century Jews.
a. Jesus taught His followers: When you pray to your Father in Heaven, He hears you and will answer
you. He knows what you need before you ask. Matt 6:5-8
b. Jesus taught His followers: Don’t worry about what you’ll eat, drink, or wear. Your heavenly
Father will take care of you because you are valuable to Him. Your Father in Heaven is better than
the best earthly Father. Matt 6:25-34; Matt 7:9-11
2. The first time that Jesus mentioned the Father in the Sermon on the Mount, it was in the context of
putting a light on a lamp stand so that it gives light to all. Jesus said: In the same way, let your light
shine in front of others. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will praise your Father
who is in heaven (Matt 5:16, NIRV).
a. Jesus was beginning to prepare men and women for the fact that, through His death and resurrection,
He would open the way for men and women to be indwelled by God’s Spirit, become His sons and
daughters by new or second birth, and then be progressively transformed and restored to normal.
b. God created human beings with the capacity to receive Him (His Spirit) into our being and then
reflect His glory to the world around us. Sin made that impossible. But because of the Cross of
Christ, we can be restored to our created purpose as God’s sons and daughters through faith in Him.
3. Jesus’ next reference to God our Father was made in the context of how we are to treat our fellow man.
Jesus told His followers that we are to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
a. Matt 5:45—In that way you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For He gives
his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too (NLT).
b. Jesus went on to say: But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect (Matt 5:48,
NLT). Just as Jesus, as an obedient Son, reflected the Father’s character, so the rest of us are to do.
1. The Greek word that is translated perfect comes from a word that means to set out for a definite
goal. Perfect means that which has reached its end or limit and is therefore complete.
2. Jesus died to open the way for sinful men and women to be made perfect or complete—to
become sons and daughters of God who are like Him in character (attitudes and actions). That
.

TCC–1284
4
is ultimate perfection—full conformity to the image of Christ, fully like Him.
c. When the statement that we must be perfect is made, our mind immediately goes to performance—
what we have to do to be perfect. And there are things that we must do. But the will to be perfect
(like Jesus in attitudes and actions) comes before performance.
1. Note that immediately following His statement that sons and daughters of God are to be perfect
even as their Father in Heaven, Jesus emphasized motives, or why people do what they do.
2. Jesus referenced the religious leaders of that day (the Pharisees) who prayed, fasted, and made
offerings—all good, righteous acts. Jesus said that their motive was to be seen and praised by
men, not God. But sons and daughters of God should seek praise from God. Matt 6:1-6
3. Purpose, intent (motive) is as important as performance. Your heart can truly be set on doing
things God’s way (denying self) but it takes a while to learn what He wants, and then to
recognize in yourself things that need to change (your selfishness and pride).
4. To be perfect as a Christian doesn’t mean you make no more mistakes, you never offend anyone, or say
or do something you shouldn’t have said or done. We must grow into perfection.
a. You may not know any better yet. You may still have bad manners that need undoing. We all
have corruption (un-Christ-like or selfish traits) in our personality that need to change. We have to
build new habits of response and reactions to troublesome people and situations. That takes time.
b. And, just as the Pharisees did the right things for the wrong reasons, we can do the wrong thing for
the right reason because we don’t know any better yet. God sees hearts. Acts 23:1-5
1. No one expects a five year old to act like a twenty year old. But he is expected to act like a five
year old. We can be perfect at our particular stage of growth, as we grow in Christ-likeness.
2. Paul called himself and others who were not yet perfect, perfect. Phil 3:12-15—I do not claim
that I have already succeeded or have already become perfect. I keep on trying to win the prize
for which Christ Jesus has already won me to himself…I forget what is behind me and do my
best to reach what is ahead (Good News Bible)…Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have
this attitude (NASB). What attitude? To grow more Christ-like in my motives and actions.
5. John the apostle was one of Jesus’ first followers and would have been present when Jesus gave His
Sermon on the Mount. John would later write the following words.
a. I John 3:1-2—How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children
of God! And that is what we are! Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, and we can’t
even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we know that when he comes we will
be like him, for we will see him as he truly is (NLT).
b. This passage gives us insight into how Jesus’ first followers understood His teaching on perfection.
Seeing the big picture is meant motivate us to copy Jesus’ example, not discourage us from trying:
And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure (I John 3:3, NLT).
D. Conclusion: Jesus made many statements about Christian character in the Sermon on the Mount which we
will begin to address next week (we’ll start with judging others). Consider one thought as we close.
1. In His final reference to the Father in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus called Him my Father (Matt 7:21).
On Resurrection Day, when Mary Magdalene first saw Jesus, He told her: Go find my brothers and tell
them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God (John 20:17, NLT).
2. God’s motive in His plan of redemption and restoration was, is, love: God so loved the world that he
gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16, ESV).
a. God desires to treat us as sons, not sinners, and He has done and is doing what is needed to make that
happen. Don’t forget that as you grow in Christ-likeness. And don’t lose sight of the big picture.
b. Phil 1:6—And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work
until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again (NLT). More next week!