The Heart of the Father - Trusting in God's Divine Fatherhood

Good morning. You know, I was thinking this morning about small group and how I recently moved into the wise guys group, which I'm not officially a wise guy. There's like some sort of initiation process and I still I'm still working through that process, but the younger men's group, I was informed that they have a running tab on the words that I say that are kind of funny and not accustomed to the country accent. So hopefully things come through clearly. We are sort of like a house divided, you know, because Samuel and Cece certainly have more of a Cajun flair to their accent, but Matthew and Maverick are certainly country.

There are things they say that leave us like scratching our head like we just it doesn't we don't understand it. We don't understand it. So you work with me and we will continue to work with you. So no seriously good morning Grace Life Church family and obviously happy, happy Father's Day. Just coming behind what Brother Keith said this morning, I certainly want to begin by expressing how truly grateful I am to be surrounded by so many God-fearing fathers here at Grace Life Church, Brookhaven, men who are not ashamed to lead their family faithfully and boldly in the church, men who lead faithfully and boldly in the home, in the workplace, fathers who strive to lead in a way that brings honor and glory to our heavenly Father and it certainly all starts with our pastors and our elders.

Your example is is powerful. You are setting a standard for the next generation of young men, showing them what it means to walk in wisdom, to walk in true strength, and how to walk in humility. I sincerely thank God that our family is here, that our children are here for the leadership, the integrity, and the spiritual guidance you provide. You are such a blessing to this church and to your families and our families. So once again, happy Father's Day and if we're being honest, what a great privilege to be a dad. You know this morning I was fixing breakfast and Matthew came up to me and he said, "Dad, shouldn't you have the day off?

It's Father's Day." And I just thought to myself like I would never want to take a day off from being a father. I'd certainly want to take a day off from work but not from being a father. It's the best job in the world. So this morning let me begin with a question. What comes to your mind when you hear the word "Father"? What comes to your mind when you hear the word "Father"? For some, the word "Father" brings comfort. For some, the word "Father" brings strength. For some, the word "Father" brings love. For others, it may bring memories of absence. It may bring pain or it may bring disappointment.

Now let me rephrase that question just a bit. What kind of Father do you believe God is? What kind of Father do you believe God is? See, regardless of your earthly experiences, Jesus invites us to see God as the perfect Father in our text this morning. The one who is always present, always good, always loving. The one who is always just, always merciful, and always gracious. The one who is relational, who is generous, and who is perfect. It is appropriate that this invitation comes to us from Jesus because it is only through Jesus that we can know God as Father. Only through Him, only through Christ can we know God as Father, Church.

In this morning's passage, Matthew chapter 7 verses 7 through 11, Jesus gives us a powerful picture of God's divine fatherhood. He invites us to approach God not as some distant deity, but as a loving Father who listens, who responds, and a loving Father who gives good gifts to His children. A loving Father who gives perfect gifts to His children, and He gives them right on time every time. Let's read the passage together, Matthew chapter 7 verses 7 through 11. I'll be reading from the ESV. Starting in verse 7, "Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives and the one who seeks finds. And the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?" Now, context is king, so let me provide some brief high-level context around this passage. For the sake of time, we will be very brief here.

But if you have been around church for some time, you are probably aware that Matthew chapters 5 through 7 is known as the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount is an authoritative teaching or message delivered by Christ to His disciples. It can be viewed or summarized as a guide to kingdom living. William McDonald provides the following commentary on the Sermon on the Mount. This, in my opinion, is a great summation of the Sermon. William McDonald says this, and I quote, "This sermon is not a presentation of the plan of salvation, nor is its teaching intended for unsaved people.

It was addressed to the disciples and was intended to be the Constitution or the system of laws and principles which was to govern the king's subjects during his reign. It was meant for all, past, present, or future, who acknowledged Christ as king. When Christ was on earth, it had direct application to His disciples. Now, while our Lord reigns in heaven, it applies to all who crown Him king in their hearts." In Matthew chapters 5 through 7, Jesus refers to God as Father roughly 15 times, roughly 15 times.

And as we dial into the specific portion of the sermon that we are looking at this morning, Matthew chapter 7 verses 7 through 11, Jesus is specifically talking about prayer. And you will see that He argues from the lesser to the greater as He makes His point. As we work through this passage of Scripture, I would like for us to highlight a few characteristics of God's fatherhood, God's fatherhood. So let's start with the first characteristic of God's fatherhood. Number one, God's fatherhood is relational. God's fatherhood is relational. Look at verses 7 and 8 with me again. "Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find.

Knock and it will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives and the one who seeks finds. And to the one who knocks, it will be open." Jesus begins with three simple commands, three simple commands. Ask, seek, knock. These are not one-time actions. They are continuous. The Greek verbs imply persistence. In other words, the believer should keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. Kent Hughes explains it this way. Ask implies asking for a conscious need. The word also suggests humility in asking, for it is commonly used of one asking a superior. The next step, seek, involves asking but adds action.

The idea is not merely to express one's need but to get up and look around for help. It involves effort. Knock includes asking plus acting plus persevering, like someone who keeps pounding on a closed door. Three simple commands from Christ this morning we see in the text. Ask, seek, knock. This is not about manipulating God or earning his favor. It's about, it's not about naming it or claiming it, which is a popular teaching or position today. That's not what this is about at all. What it is about is relationship. It's about relationship. God is not a vending machine. He does not give you a blank check.

He is a father who invites us into ongoing honest and bold communication. Jesus is saying in this text for us to come to our Heavenly Father because he's listening, he's near, and he's ready to respond. Now perhaps his response is not exactly what you expected or envisioned. If we are being honest and vulnerable this morning, his response is not always what we think it should be. But trust me, his response is exactly what we need. Exactly what we need. Look at verses 9 through 11 again with me. 9 through 11. Or which one of you, if his son asked him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asked for a fish, will give him a serpent?

If you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him? Jesus now transitions with a question, a rhetorical question. It almost sounds humorous. He uses a simple analogy coming off of verses 7 and 8 to get his point across. What parent would give their child a stone when they ask for bread or a snake instead of a fish? I believe the answer here is obvious. No loving parent would do that. Even flawed, sinful human parents know how to care for their children. That said, Jesus is making a powerful point.

Even imperfect parents can give good gifts. So how much more can your perfect heavenly Father be trusted? See, one of the most important aspects or one of the most critical components of relationship is trust. Trust. So how much more can we trust the one who is perfect in love, perfect in wisdom, and perfect in power? See, this is not just about provision. It's about relationship. He wants us to come to him, to speak to him, to ask him just like a child would with a loving parent. He is a relational God Church and he wants you to come boldly. Listen, not because you're worthy, not because I'm worthy.

He wants you to come boldly because you are his. Believer, this morning you are his. Be reminded of that. Let the weight of that sink in. You are his. So come to him boldly. This is the heart of God's relational nature. Church, God is not just powerful. He is good. Look at Psalm 34 verse 8. "O taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." Psalm 100 verse 5. "For the Lord is good and his love endures forever. His faithfulness continues through all generations." How about Nahum 1.7. "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him." Romans 8.28.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." James 1.17. "Every good gift and every perfect gift..." Let me repeat that. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." How about Luke 18.19. "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good except God alone." Church, God is not just powerful. He is good. God is not just holy. He is loving. Look at Deuteronomy 7.9.

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations." Psalm 86.15. "But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." Jeremiah 31.3. "I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." How about John 3.16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." How about Romans 5.8. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this.

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." How about 1st John chapter 4 verses 8 through 10. "Whoever does not love God does not know God because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us that God sent his only son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love. Not that we have loved God but that he loved us." How about Ephesians 2, 4, and 5. "But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. It is by grace you have been saved." Church, God is not just holy, he is loving. God is not just sovereign, he is near.

Psalm 34, 18. "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Deuteronomy 4, 7. "For what great nation is there that has a God so near to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call upon him?" Psalm 145, 18. "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." How about Matthew 28 verse 20, the great commission, right? "And behold I am with you always even to the end of the age." Acts 17, 27. "God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him though he is not far from any one of us." Philippians 4, 5, and 6. "The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving. Present your requests to God." James 4, 8. "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you." How about Hebrews 13, 5? "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." Church, God is not just sovereign, he is near. Now if you've taken that roller coaster ride with me, all these truths point us toward one profound reality. The fatherhood of God is relational. Relational. He delights in hearing your voice. He knows what you need and longs to give it. Remember verse 11. This is Christ making his case from lesser to greater.

If you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him? How much more this morning? Church. Regardless of how good of a father you are, regardless of how good of a father I am, there's only one perfect Father, our heavenly Father, and he is relational. The second characteristic of God's fatherhood. God's fatherhood is generous. God's fatherhood is generous. Look at verse 11 again.

"If you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?" We as parents, as humans, are limited in our wisdom. We are limited in our patience. Some more limited than others. Maybe that's just our house. Maybe we're the only ones limited in patience. We are limited in our resources, but God, he is not. He is not limited in any way, church. God's generosity flows not from obligation. God is not generous because he must be or because he is obligated in any sort of way. God's generosity flows from his very nature, his nature.

He delights in giving good gifts to his children. See, God is not stingy. He is not reluctant. He is not holding back. So the question is, are you hesitant to ask God for what you need? Church, do you believe that God wants to bless you? God wants to bless you. Now, that blessing is not always with exactly what you want, but it is always with what is good, and it is always with what you need. He is a generous Father. Jesus concludes verse 11 with such a beautiful promise.

"How much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?" It's a promise that God will give us what is truly good, what is best for our souls, what is best for our growth, and what is best for our eternal joy. Sometimes we ask for things that seem good to us, but you see this morning, church, God sees the bigger picture. God sees the bigger picture. He doesn't just give what we want, he gives what we need. Church, are you living with the confidence this morning that your Father is generous, that he is not withholding good from you, but instead he is working all things for your good, all things for your good.

I think about Pastor Chris and his family and what they are going through right now with the loss of his dad. I think about Scott and the young family and what they are going through with his mom right now. I think about Evan and Devin and Allie Jane and the seemingly long and winding road they have been on, and that remains in front of them. There are other situations within the church that are challenging, and some of you are faced with difficult circumstances. Some of you are faced with uncertainty.

I also think about the number of situations that people within our church family have experienced and endured over the last year, the last two years and even further back, right? There are wounds within our church family. Our body has scars. For some the wounds have healed. For some the wounds are still fresh. For others the wounds have not fully formed yet. But listen church, no matter your circumstance, no matter your situation, mountaintop or valley low, the truth that we serve a generous God does not change. Let that truth bring joy to your heart this morning regardless of your circumstance, regardless of your situation.

God's fatherhood is generous. It's generous. The third characteristic of God's fatherhood. God's fatherhood is perfect. God's fatherhood is perfect. Let's look at verse 11 one last time. "If you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?" This is the heart of the message, church. God's fatherhood is not just relational. God's fatherhood is not just generous. It is perfect. It's perfect. The truth is that as a father I get it wrong a lot. I get it wrong a lot. Compared to worldly standards, perhaps some would say I am a good dad.

Some might even say I'm a great dad. But I am certainly not perfect. And when measured against the ultimate standard, the comparison is not even close. It cannot even be made. The gap that exists is the Grand Canyon times infinity. Here are just a few ways God's perfect fatherhood is different from mine. God's love is unconditional. God's love is unconditional. As fathers we struggle with conditional love if we're being honest. We can be influenced by behavior, expectations, or emotions. Our love can hinder on how we feel at any given moment or by the circumstances that surround and pressure our life.

While God, the Father, loves perfectly and unconditionally. His love is not based on our performance. His love is not based on our performance. His love is based on His character. His character. I have loved you with an everlasting love. Remember Jeremiah 31 3 that I read just a minute ago. Another way that God's perfect fatherhood is different from mine. God's wisdom is perfect. His wisdom is perfect. As fathers we definitely make mistakes. We misjudge situations. Sometimes we give advice based on limited understanding. God on the other hand sees the beginning from the end. His guidance is always wise. His guidance is always timely.

And His guidance is always perfect. Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God. Romans 11 33. Another way God's discipline is always righteous. God's discipline is always righteous. As a father my discipline can be very inconsistent. Sometimes too harsh. Sometimes too lenient. Sometimes it is non-existent. While God's discipline is always just, is always loving, and is always for our good. The Lord disciplines the one He loves. Hebrews 12 6. Another way God is always present. God is always present. As a father who works to provide for his family, I am sometimes absent due to work.

While it is unavoidable at times, it still forces me to be absent. Unfortunately I am just not always there. That said God is omnipresent. He is always near. He is always attentive. Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you. Hebrews 13 5. Another way God provides perfectly. God provides perfectly. As fathers we may struggle to provide due to limitations or circumstances. While God provides exactly what we need. When we need it. According to His perfect will. And my God will supply every need of yours. Philippians 4 19. Another way God's patience is infinite. Don't you wish you could say that? God's patience is infinite.

Full disclosure, there are times when my patience wears very very thin. But praise God that He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. That's what we see in Psalm 103 verse 8. Lastly God's identity as father is eternal. God's identity as father is eternal as a human father. My fatherhood is temporary. It's earthly. On the other hand, God's fatherhood is eternal. He is the father of all who believe forever and ever. Our Father in heaven. That's what Matthew 6 9 says. Now coming back to Matthew 7 verse 11. The humbling truth of this text is that I am evil. I am evil. I am flawed. I am sinful as a parent.

But thanks be to God that on March 12th 2013 I was redeemed. By God's grace despite my sinful nature I do the very best I can. I have a deep desire just like many of you to give good gifts to my children. And again by God's grace sometimes I do actually get it right. But think about this. If that's true of me how much more can we trust our perfect Father? Holy and loving heavenly Father to give what is good to those who continually come to Him in faith. Listen if imperfect people like myself can show love and generosity imagine the immeasurable goodness of a God who is absolutely perfect in love, perfect in wisdom, and perfect in grace.

You see in this context evil in this context. The context of verse 11 means to be an active opposition to good. So remember from the lesser to the greater Jesus ends verse 11 with a thought provoking comparison right? Jesus says how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him? Good in the context of verse 11 means intrinsically good. Inherently good in quality and also conveying the sense of good which is profitable, useful, beneficial, or benevolent. As a father of five I often find myself reflecting on the nature of the gifts I've given my children.

It is easy to question how many of those gifts were truly good in the deepest most meaningful sense of the Word and I'm talking from the littlest things to the biggest things. Truly good in the same context as we see here in verse 11 the kind of good that reflects God's character and wisdom but if I am honest with you this morning I fear that at times I have probably indulged them rather than truly blessed them. And while my intentions were maybe loving I can see that not everything I have given was necessarily for their good but the confidence I have is this. The confidence we should rest in is this.

God knows what we truly need even before we ask. He sees the full picture for God is not just about what is good in the moment it is not about indulging for God it is about what is good for eternity. For eternity. See sometimes we ask for bread and God gives us something different. We might even say it's a stone but the truth is it's still bread. It might be wheat instead of white but it's still bread. See this is not because he's cruel but because he sees what we cannot. He is not just a provider he is a wise and loving father. Listen it's always bread. It's always fish even when it seems like it is not.

So as a church family we should rest in the truth that his heart is always for us. It is always for his children. God's fatherhood is perfect church. Don't focus on your shortcomings. Don't get lost in the difficulties. Instead rest in the perfect fatherhood of our heavenly father. So as we close this morning how should we live in light of this truth? How should we live as children of our divine heavenly father? First we should pray boldly. Come to God with your needs, your fears, your dreams. He is listening. God hears you and he cares for you. Second we should trust deeply even when the answer is wait or no.

Even when the answer looks different verse what we expected. Trust that your heavenly father knows best. And third we should reflect the father's love. Allow God to shape your heart as a child of God and as the church we are called to be a place where the father's love is made visible. Made visible and this should radiate through our compassion, our generosity and the grace and love we exhibit. God's fatherhood is relational. It's generous and most of all it is perfect. He is not like any earthly father. He is perfect in love, perfect in wisdom, perfect in generosity. Believer I am talking to you right now. Come to him. Trust him.

Rest in his arms and live each day as a beloved child of the divine father. Here's a question for you this morning. Do you approach God with the confidence or with a confidence like a child running to a loving parent like we talked about earlier? Or do you hesitate unsure if he cares or will respond? Maybe you do not approach him at all. Wondering why you are going through life being swept away by the wind in every direction it blows. See in the Sermon on the Mount this teaching we have from Jesus we see Jesus calling believers to live a super natural life. One that we are unable to live out in our own power.

We must not rely on our own understanding or strength. We must lean fully on the wisdom, the power and the strength that comes from our heavenly Father. It is his grace that empowers us. It is his presence that sustains us and it is his strength that carries us through every challenge. Remember verses 7 and 8 Jesus gives us that clear and beautiful invitation. An invitation to ask and keep on asking. Believer that's for you. That's for you this morning. To seek and keep on seeking. To knock and keep on knocking. The invitation is for his church. This is a call to persistent earnest prayer.

This is an opportunity to build a relationship with our heavenly Father. Let us be a people who pursue him passionately. Let us be a church that prays with boldness and expectation. Dads let us be praying fathers that will ask seek and knock on behalf of our children. On behalf of our families persistently trusting our wise heavenly Father to do what is best. He is a good and faithful Father. We should trust that he will provide what is best for us, for our families, for our children, all according to his sovereign and gracious will.

Now if you are not a child of God this morning, if you have never experienced God's perfect fatherhood, what's stopping you? What's stopping you? You do not have to look very far to see God's perfect fatherhood on full display. In the gospel, in the good news of redemption, we see the truth, the power, the beauty, the fullness of God's perfect fatherhood. God is the sovereign Creator of all things. He is perfectly holy. He is perfectly just and He is perfectly good. He created humanity in His image to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. Though mankind was created good, mankind rebelled against God.

Because of Adam's fall, all people are born in sin with a corrupt nature. We are all born spiritually dead. We are unable to save ourselves. But God in His perfect mercy sent His Son Jesus Christ fully God, fully man, to live a sinless life and to die on the cross as a substitute for sinners. After His death, Christ rose from the dead claiming victory over sin and death. See, salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. It is not earned by works. It is received as a gift. It is received as a gift. God in His perfect fatherhood grants repentance and faith to His children.

And all of this is accomplished through Christ for God's glory and our eternal joy. If God is drawing you this morning, stop running and come to Him. He is not like any earthly father. He is perfect. He is loving. He is generous and He is good. He will welcome you with open arms regardless of your past and regardless of where life has you today. Come to Christ this morning. Repent and believe the gospel. Trust in God's divine fatherhood for your life. So the title of the message this morning, "The Heart of the Father," trusting in God's divine fatherhood. Let's pray.