Sermon: Where is My Father

I was asked to preach today tomorrow Sunday evening. When I asked if there was a theme and was told of the emphasis on fathers I said "oh I have a sermon Where is my father', I'll just use that. Right away the elder said to me "That's interesting "Where is my Father." Don't be surprised if I ask you to speak on sabbath instead.

Sure enough I received a call in the week inviting me to speak on Sabbath (today).

Usually I would just copy the sermon to the blog, but since it's from my sermon bank I will have to do a summary here.


Where is My Father?

Luke 15:11-32

Songs 92 This is My Father's world
100 Great is Thy Faithfulness

IF
By Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
but make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
or being hated, don't give way to hating,
and yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream-and not make dreams your master,
if you can think-and not make thoughts your aim;
if you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
and treat those two impostors just the same;
if you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
and stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
and risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
and lose, and start again at your beginnings
and never breathe a word about your loss;
if you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
to serve your turn long after they are gone,
and so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
or walk with kings-nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
if all men count with you, but none too much,
if you can fill the unforgiving minute
with sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And-which is more-you'll be a Man, my son!

I. Our Father in heaven is almighty.
Daniel 6:26. Living God.
Hebrews 13:8. Eternal.
1 Chron 29:12. Rev 19:6. Omnipotent.
Job 34:21. Omniscient.
Infinite.

II. Our Father in Heaven is the Creator.
Isa 40:26-28. God is Creator.

III. Our Father in Heaven is a God of Order.
He made laws for order.
Gen 1:11.
Gen 2:17
Psa 1:1-3.
Rev 22:14.

IV. Our Father in Heaven is the Holy One.
Whatever He dwells in becomes holy, including the human heart. He prepares us for heaven with
Holy law
Holy place
Holy day
Holy calling
Holy Spirit

V. Our Father in Heaven is a Loving Father.

1 John 4:8. God is love.
1 Cor 13:1-7.
John 3:16
Jesus Christ the loving revelation of the Father.

*The problem of the African diaspora in Caribbean. Where is my father?

Sunday Gleaner

The Schoolboy's Dilemma - Where is my father?
published: Sunday | October 16, 2005

Christene McDonald, Contributor

We must remember that for the most part, a child arrives at school with his character already formed. Too many Jamaicans are still not convinced of the importance of two things: One, the home; and two, the father, in the awesome task of rearing a child.

A survey conducted in the St. Catherine District Prison in the mid-1990s revealed that 98 per cent of the men on death row either did not know their fathers or did not know where he was.

Where are the fathers?

MINISTRY OF HEALING 390-392.

Head of household.

Combine affection with authority.

Heavenly father yearns in Jeremiah 3:19 How gladly would I treat you like sons...I thought you would call me Father.

God created a special day when sits and waits for us.

Most of what heavenly Father does we wont know until we get to heaven.

B. the holy righteous heavenly father is loving and merciful according to parable of Loving father in Luke 15.

v. 11-12 Sin causes presumptuous.

v.13 Sin sends us far from God.

v. 14-16 away from Father the madness of sin.

v.17-19 do not resist the spirit. You are going to come to yourself.

I will arise and go to my Father.

v.20 God is nearer than you think.

Calling families to covenant for a brand new life. Big wonderful father in heaven who cares.

He can melt the heart of mean fathers.

He can convert abusive fathers.

He can lift up the head of struggling fathers.

He can refresh the limbs of tired fathers.

And through the grace of Christ He promises rest and reward at the end of life's journey. Until then let us covenant to live in the image of the heavenly Father.