Jesus' View of the Father

Jesus taught us major truths about God being his nature is holiness is justice is power, his sovereignty is omniscience's care is prominence. When you know something in all of that we still haven't touched on the main lesson Jesus taught us about God that title for God is simply this angry judge someone who wants nothing more than to stop vanity from having fun. Now if someone has such a view of the Almighty, he or she could never enjoy God and yet the psalmist says believers are to delight in God. But practically, how do you do that.

Find out on grace to you as John MacArthur begins a study titled enjoying God. John, this is not a new idea is actually the first answer to the shorter catechism that man's chief duty is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. But a lot of people don't think in those terms.

We think about being humble before God or fearing him or honoring him.

Does he really expect us to enjoy him. Yeah, I think he does. We should be filled with joy and if you talk about Christian joy. The further spread love, joy. Rejoice always and again I say rejoice, rejoice in the Lord and right to rejoice in the Lord is exactly what's being said in that catechism that we should find our joy in the Lord. We should rejoice in the Lord and what does that mean it doesn't mean necessarily that there's some attribute of God. You pick out and you express joy over that although that is something we do practically do that and singing hymns right right we express joyfully our our gratitude to God for his character in the hymns that we sing, but I think rejoicing in God is not so much, just in who he is, but in the reality of his work in your life. So when when you rejoice in the Lord your rejoicing in his mercy, your rejoicing in his grace your rejoicing in his wisdom, your rejoicing in his word and for me, your rejoicing in his providence. Your your rejoicing and in the hand, the invisible hand of God that is ordering the flow of your life that that's when you're enjoying God your your enjoying the forgiveness that he gives you day in and day out for your sin. The strength of the spirit who indwells you all the illumination of the word of God. This is the source of all of our spiritual joy so we can have a great time in this study, we launched today. It's titled enjoying God and were going to do just that.

Were going to look at John chapter 5 a Jesus view of the father and also Isaiah 6 experiencing the presence of God will examine the relationship we have with God and why we should enjoy him as our father and our Redeemer. The study is about putting aside the speculation about what God is like and truly understanding him from his word and enjoying his presence will stay with us.

Yes, knowing God deeper so you can experience the full joy of your salvation.

That's what this study will help you do and it's really really important stuff. So let's get to it.

Here's John helping you make sure you are enjoying God. Jesus knew God better than anybody better than the theologians who have spared no Inc. in writing about them through the centuries better than the erudite philosophers and thinkers who have voluminous efforts of thought regarding deity better than the profits receive their information by revelation better than the apostles who the same, received it by revelation better than any human sources mind is limited by the confines of humanness. Jesus knew God better than any Jesus that you can trust God, see Jesus and spent all of eternity past in the presence of God. There never was a beginning of God, and there never was a beginning of Jesus.

As always they had been together and in John wanted says they were processed fun thing on Jesus was face to face with God. In fact, in his high priestly prayer in John 17.

He says father give me back the glory I had with you before the world began. Anybody knows about God.

He does he says you can trust God with your life. So I begin to think about that if I really want to know what God is like now to listen to what Jesus said and what does Jesus say about God.

First of all, he gives us a great presentation of God. A great presentation of God, in his words in the Gospels in John 424 he tells us about the nature of God. He says God is a spirit in John 1711. He tells us about the holiness of God.

He says hello.

Only father and in John 1725. He says all righteous father and then Jesus repeatedly tells us about the justice of God. In Matthew 2133 and following it tells about a vineyard owner who literally destroy the wicked husbandmen who had ill treated his servants and his son and that vineyard owner is God and he judges soon. In Matthew 22. He tells about a man who refused to wear the wedding garment and was cast into outer darkness. In Matthew 25 he tells us about five foolish virgins who came too late and were left out in Matthew 25 at the end of the chapter. He even tells us as he dies on the cross that he is dying. In effect under the devastation of divine judgment, so Jesus tells us about the justice of God about the holiness of God about the nature of God in Mark 1027 he says with God all things are possible and so he tells us about the power of God. In Matthew 2322. He talks about heaven being the place of the throne of God and thus he teaches us regarding the sovereignty of God in Mark chapter 6 and verse four.

He says the father who sees in secret and thus he tells us of the omniscience of God.

In Matthew 632, he says your father knows you have need, and he goes on to tell how if you close the grass of the field will clothe you to and thus he tells us about the care of God.

In Matthew 545. He says he makes the rainfall on the just and the unjust, and thus he defines the providence of God you want to know about God. Listen to Jesus he's no-name forever.

Jesus taught us the major truths about God being his nature is holiness is justice is power, his sovereignty is omniscience is care in this province but you know something in all of that and there's more.

Even today, we still haven't touched on the main lesson Jesus taught us about God. There is one lesson that supersedes every other lesson he ever gave there is one title for God that is repeated in the Gospels 189 time 124 of those times in the Gospel of John alone and that title for God is simply this father father more than anything else. More than any other concept of God more than any other theme about God. Jesus majored on the fact that he was a father father was always Jesus special way of referring to God. He said my father, our father, your father and just plain father. In fact, you remember something. The first words Jesus ever uttered in the chronology of his life occur in the place of the temple. His parents have begun their journey home. He's only 12. They notice in the entourage that he isn't there. They go back and they say, what are you doing here son in a fact you remember what he said, don't you know I must be about what my father's business. Father was ever and always the theme of Jesus teaching about God and I believe people in that wonderful passage in Luke two that you have in the primary confession of Jesus, the germ of all his teaching about God, God more than anything else is my father. What did Jesus teach us about the fatherhood of God. Let's go to John chapter 5 verses 17 to 24 and find out. This is the theology of Jesus regarding the fatherhood of God concentrate with me on this. Verse 17 Jesus answered them, my father worketh hitherto, and I work. Stop right there 10. What's going on.

Jesus just healed a man something he should of been commended for frankly but because he had done on the Sabbath.

He was indicted as one who broke the rabbinical tradition, one who broke the law and because he did this healing on the Sabbath he had provoked a Jewish reaction and they literally were manifesting hatred and persecuting him, and even plotting his murder. And now Jesus gives them a speech which is meant to justify his healing on the Sabbath but inherent in that speech, where he justifies his healing on the Sabbath is a tremendous statement about God that's introduced in verse 17 and I believe he gives here five great qualities of the father that become in my mind the standard for father listen. God did not get his title of father from a human analogy man gets his definition of father from God. The big difference. God is the father and we see five qualities of his fatherhood as the Lord talks about it number one. The father is one with his son.

The father is one with his son look at it in verse 17, my father works hitherto, and I worked know what to say he saying God works on the Sabbath and I work on the set I am one with God.

So like God. I work even on the Sabbath now this.

Believe me people is an astounding statement in Jewish years listed in Mark 227 Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man say when I went a minute when God created six days he rested on the seventh know he only rested from his creation. If you'd arrested everything he made would've fallen apart. He ended the work of creation. He began the work of sustaining all that he had made.

God doesn't need any rest.

I just want to encourage you about that in Isaiah 4028 it says the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth faints not, neither is weary. God doesn't have to rest the rest that he spoke up from creation was to set a pattern for man who needs a day of rest needs a day to focus on worshiping him, but Sabbath was made for man, and so God isn't bound by it, and of God wants to heal on the Sabbath heel heel and Jesus.

In effect, says, and so will I and saying that he is making himself what equal with God, that's exactly the message they got verse 18. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said that God was his father making himself what equal with God 10 something below. It's hard to understand what he was equal with God he was God one thing true about the father is one with his son is one with his son Jesus further emphasizes this in verse 19. Then said Jesus unto them, verily, verily, I say to you, the son can do nothing of himself. But what he sees the father do for whatever things you do.

If these also do with the sun in the same manner. He says we are one work together. We do things together. The point is this close and intimate communion between the father and the son. I think that it's aptly illustrated in the great prayer of our Lord in John 17. In verse one.

These words spoke Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said father, the hours come. Glorify thy son that thy son also may glorify the I have glorified the on earth I have finished the work. Dallas given me to do and now will. Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with DB for the world was in verse 21 he prays that they all may be one as thou, father, art in me and I in the that they may be one in us. In other words, over and again, Jesus knew that being a son of God meant that he was one with the father is the second thing here about the father from Jesus perspective. Not only is the father one with the sun.

But secondly, the father loves his son look at it in verse 20 couldn't be simpler for the father loves the son stop right. Jesus knew the father loved it. It's a unity of love and back again to the 17th chapter where Jesus prays again in these words expressing this tremendous love. He says I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one with the world may know that thou hast sent me and has to love them, as thou hast loved the he knew the father loved it.

Verse 26 I have declared under them thy name and will declare that the love with which thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them was you want to know what Jesus taught about God. He said God is a father. What is it mean that he's a father. Jesus give me Jesus with his son. What else does it mean it means he loves his son. As for God himself.

How many times did he say this is my what beloved son first and foremost object of the father's love is the son there's 1/3 thought here.

The father blesses the son. Verse 20 again and shows him all things that he himself doing and he will show them greater works than these.

The father spares nothing for the sun shows him everything that he knows everything that he has everything that the son could ever do and beyond what the sun it even seen in his human experience.

God would allow him to see and do spare nothing, nothing. The father blesses the son.

I suppose it's what that's why Jesus was full of grace and truth because God gave them not the spirit by what I measured the show the sun everything, spare nothing, even the cross had its joys. Bible says he endured the cross for the joy that was set before so the father is one with his son. The father loves his son. The father blesses his son is aforethought. The father gives authority to his son. Father gives authority to his son. Verse 21. Look at this for as the father razor thought good dad and give him life. Even so the son giveth life to whom he will. For the father judges. No man, but hath committed all judgment onto the son listening, only saying he is saying equal authority is given to the son he will give life he will bring to pass the judgment and I believe what he saying there in verse 21 is both a physical and a spiritual resurrection power. I believe it is the son who with the father gives life spiritually, I believe it is the son with the father in the end will give life to physical bodies as they come to the resurrection and so we see that he was equal in power is equal in authority is equal in his right to rule and reign and judge. Verse 25. Further expresses this. The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God, and they that hear shall live.

For as the father hath life in himself sought to given to the son to have life in himself, and is given him authority to execute judgment itself, so the father is given authority to the sun. Now watch this to act in the father's behalf, to act in the father's behalf. Tremendous thought I was father is one with his son. Father loves his son. The father blesses his son. The father gives power and authority to his son.

Finally, Jesus says of the father and I love this, he honors the son he honors the son verse 23 and he calls all the world to that honor, that all men should honor the son even as they honor the father he that honor is not the son honor is not the father, who hath sent him. And by the way, verse 24 brings the sum of it even hears my word and believes on him that sent me hath everlasting life.

If you listen to this command to honor the son. If you kiss the son, if you embrace the son you will be raised to everlasting life. If you do not you will come in the judgment. And so the father honors the son let me sum it up God as a father from Jesus perspective was one with his son loves the son blesses his son empowers his son and honors his I believe people that is probably the most concise theological statement. Jesus ever made about the father.

It sums it up so beautifully.

How did he see the father in those five ways. So let's nice for him, but after all, were not deity as it had to do with us but were not sinless perfection where sinful imperfection where man, not God. Jesus was God.

Jesus even said in John 14. If you have seen me, you have seen the father.

I mean how does this apply to us is God.

Such a father to me as he is the Christ is God. Such a father that he would make me one that he would love me and bless me and give me power and authority and honor God. Such a father to me. Listen Hebrews chapter 2 look at it.

Hebrews chapter 2 in verse 11. This is just a tremendous statement list for both he that sanctifier.

Now who is the only person in the universe who can sanctify God for believe that sanctifier and they who are sanctified are all of what one for which cause he that is Christ the Lord is not ashamed to call them what brother is a great is God.

Such a father to me of the is the Christ. Yes verse 12 says it saying I will declare thy name under my brothers in the midst of the church will I sing praise under the listen to this people. Jesus sees himself here in this magnificent prophecy of Psalm 22 standing in the assembly of the redeemed and standing with mom and are the brothers who belong to the family and together raising praise to God. Jesus sees himself as one of us and calls us brothers is God. Such a father to us as he is to Christ Jesus called us brothers be called us brothers in Romans chapter 8, there is yet another word in verse 14 for as many as are led by the spirit of God. They are the sons of God. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, then errors the heirs of God and what joint heirs with Christ. Heirs with Christ is God. Such a father to us as he is to Christ. Yes, that's exactly what Paul is saying, that's exactly what the writer of Hebrews is saying.

Peter said it this way. Listen to his words. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power is given unto us all things pertaining to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that is called us to glory and virtue by which are given unto us exceedingly great in precious promises. Now listen that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature was when you became a Christian, you became a partaker of the divine nature.

When you believe in Christ you became in Christ when you were saved you became one with the Lord Jesus his life is imputed to you. Nevertheless, you live yet not you, but what Christ lives in you. God sees you as one with his son as one with himself as the equal recipient of all that is fatherhood in its benediction may mean Jesus talks about father is just talking from selfish talking for you and for me. Thank you father thank you Joy that's in our hearts because you ran one day through your arms around us when we weren't working when we didn't deserve it but she loved us anyway thank you for being such a father to us that you are to Jesus Christ, making us one with you loving us blessing us giving us authority praising Jesus.

This is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us. John is a pastor, author and Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary is lesson today was the first installment in a new series enjoying God.

Now this brief study on enjoying God is one, you're sure to want to review long after it ends on Friday and like all of John series. You can download it for free at our website to download John study enjoying God or to purchase the two CD album. Contact us today, you'll find all of our free resources online@jidety.org and keep in mind that downloads will have a lot of material that we just don't have time to error on the radio again to download the sermons or the transcripts go to TTY.org or if you'd like. Enjoying God on CD you can order the album when you call 855 grace can also get it@ourwebsitetty.org and friend. This radio series is just one example of our commitment to taking biblical truth to people around the world and it's listeners like you that make it possible to keep that commitment.

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