Earthly Fathers and "Our Father Which Art in Heaven"

Thankful today for my earthly father and father-in-law (who I knew all too briefly, before he was called home), thankful to be a father to four, thankful for my Father in heaven!

In reflecting on how Jesus taught believers to relate to God as their heavenly Father in prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), I am reminded too of the reverence for and dependence upon our earthly fathers that should be the norm of our experience as children. I think this is part of the way mankind, even in a fallen state, reflects the image of their Creator God. But even if you never knew your earthly father, or did not have one who was holy and cared for your needs, if you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you become a child of the heavenly Father, who is worthy of all honor and praise, and who provides for your needs, pardons your sins, and protects you from evil. If you are a father, the greatest thing you can do for your children is to teach and model for them the character of God.

Ephesians 6:1-9 Sermon: Living for Christ at Home and at Work

October 5, 2008 - Rumney Baptist Church, Rumney, NH (church website) - sermon on Ephesians 6:1-9 (audio) (manuscript) (arc)