The Role of the Father The Father s Love on the Cross 1. Giving Identity. Biblically, fathers would name the child. They would be known as the Son of... Women before being married off were under the covering of their fathers. 2. Giving Confidence. Jesus confidence came directly from His relationship with the Father. 3. Giving Care. The Father s role was to care for and provide for (Psalm 103:13) (Matthew 6:8). 4. Giving Models. See (John 5:19) (John 8:44). Everyone is looking for models. Everyone s been fathered by someone- that someone may be T.V., the internet, the local drug dealer, etc. 5. Giving Stability. Fathers are foundations. God created the man first, and made him the father or the foundation of the human race. God took Abraham and made him the foundation of a new nation. Satan is aiming to shake the foundation. When there is a strong father figure, there will be stability and peace. With the absence of fathers, our society is under a curse. Ideally, we would have the primary foundation of God as our Father and then the secondary foundation of a godly father. We would then have the benefit of both. Yet, more than everwith the instability of that secondary layer, we need to be fathered by God. For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in. (Psalm 27:10) We need to connect with our heavenly Father. 1. Find our identity in Him (Hebrews 12:9). My quality comes from Him. My parents were just the retailers, He s the manufacturer. 2. Receive confidence from Him (Deuteronomy 31:6). God is for us, who can be against us! (Romans 8:31)
3. Trust in Him to care for us (Matthew 6:8). We worry when we don t trust Him. 4. Make Him your model (Ephesians 5:1)(Matthew 5:48). You cannot be fathered over email or social media, but time spent together. Spend time with the Father. 5. Receive stability from Him (Isaiah 9:6). When you know your Everlasting Father you will know supernatural peace. Also see (2 Peter 1:2). God Unveiling Himself As Jesus hung on the cross, the veil in the temple tore from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). It was a thick curtain, some scholars even suggest it was three feet thick. What was behind the curtain? It was the very presence of God, the Father. Therefore, it was called the Holy of Holies. As Jesus was on the cross, giving up His life, God was removing the veil. The purpose of the veil is always to cover up. This was without coincidence, for through the cross God was revealing Himself to humanity, that is why it tore from top town, it was not us discovering, but Him revealing. On the cross, God blew His cover. Creation reveals God s hand, but the cross reveals God s heart - Spurgeon. On the cross, God got very vulnerable with us. He bore His soul. Prior to the cross, a few people knew God, but never like this! God revealed parts of Himself, but never was God more vulnerable and exposed as on the day Jesus died. When God ripped the curtain open, He was simultaneously ripping his heart open on the cross, so you could see Him, feel Him, and know Him. Jesus was physically uncovered on the cross. That towel that he has on the photos are added by the artists. But, Jesus was never so exposed and vulnerable as when He was the cross. Crucifixion was very public. Without coincidence, a spear went through Jesus side, reaching His heart (see John 19:35). Opening the door from His outer flesh to His physical heart. That is how blood and water gushed out of His side. That spear created a hole in His
chest, so we could look into His physical heart. Well, on the cross, you can also look into His heart for humanity. This further confirms what was happening on the cross, God was revealing Himself as never before! You will not get a clearer picture of God, than the sacrificial love that was displayed on the cross. There is an unveiling of God at the cross. It wasn t an angry Father and a merciful Son. But, God the Father and God the Son were working together to expose Himself to us- so we would be forever impacted by His kindness! that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19) But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." (John 10:38) There is no close relationship apart from sharing of hearts. God took the necessary first step. On the cross, He put His heart on a silver platter and made it clear, I love you, I care about you, I want to be in a committed relationship with you...i have strong feelings for you. On the cross, He was most vulnerable, exposing His heart for us, in hopes of having a close and committed relationship with you and I! Have you ever been with friends, and once someone gets vulnerable and shares something very personal, others get inspired to follow suite? On the cross, God was making the first move. Saying, I ll be vulnerable with you. Now, you can be vulnerable with me. Sometimes, we think of God like a scary boss who is impossible to please. We think we can t show our weakness or admit our needs. Many of us go through life putting on a mask that we are strong and competent. We put our best foot forward. Yet, on the cross, God reminds us to just get real with Him. He bore His soul to you, and you can bare your soul to Him.
In fact, in my study of Scripture, I find that God is not attracted to human strength and self-competency. He s attracted to our weakness, our brokenness, and our desperate dependency. - Paul wrote When I am weak, He is strong (2 Corinthian 12:10). - David wrote how God is near to the broken-hearted (Psalm 34:18). - Jesus taught that the poor in spirit receive the backing and blessings of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 5:3) On the cross, He looks so weak and helpless. Jesus was known as a physically strong man, but on the cross He looked so weak. He was saying, I m not just high, lofty, and untouchable. I ve been through stuff, and you can find comfort in Me. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) Disarming the Devil At the cross, Jesus disarmed the devil. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Colossians 2:15) Satan s primary weapon is lying. He is the Father of lies (John 8:44). Satan took control of this earth through his lies, and that is why his kingdom is the kingdom of darkness (Colossians 1:13) or ignorance. Specifically through blinding people with deception, so we can t see the truth (2 Corinthians 4:4). Satan s primary target to fire his lies is upon the character and nature of God. He knows if he can mess you up theologically, he can mess you up psychologically, and then he can destroy us sociologically. Let me explain, in the Garden, Satan attacked the image of God and made Adam and Eve believe that God was keeping good things from them- insisting that God could not be trusted. He attacked theologically. Adam and Eve sinned and now
they were tormented psychologically with guilt and shame- causing them to literally hide from God. As a psychologically damaged race, soon it effects them sociologically, and society began to suffer as Cain kills his own brother Abel. The young, 21-year old- caucasian who walked into that church in Charleston, South Carolina- and fired away, killing nine African Americans, he had problems psychologically, and I guarantee that he had some problems theologically. Society has been affected by that event. A sick theology leads to a sick psychology, resulting in a sick society. We need to be healed in our understanding of who God is! The primarily way to destroy the kingdom of darkness is to bring light or illumination, revelation, unveiling. Jesus said that if the truth would be unveiled to us we would be free from the Kingdom of darkness (John 8:32). On the cross, Satan thought that he had Jesus right where he wanted him, but Jesus knew exactly what he was doing and why He was doing it. Jesus had come to reveal the Father. Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, Show us the Father? (John 14:9) The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. (John 12:45) The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1:3) (Also see Colossians 1:15). If Satan knew what would happen, he would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8). Satan was working towards this execution. But, killing Jesus meant erecting an eternal monument of the deep love of God for humanity. Those who look at that monument, receive salvation, healing, and deliverance (see Numbers 21). Satan thought he was destroying Jesus, little did He know that He was destroying his own kingdom. 7 Windows into the Heart of the Father:
I m sure you have heard the says, People are like toothpaste, what s inside comes out when they are under pressure. As Jesus was under pressure, His heart was further exposed. Experience the heart of your heavenly Father through these 7 statements of Jesus Christ under pressure, while hanging on the tree. Remember, He was unveiling God. 1. "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34) This reveals the merciful and compassionate nature of God. These people who were torturing Him - were being puppets of the devil, because they were in the dark. They had sick theology and psychology. God wants us to see the truth! He is a forgiving God. That's not reason to take advantage, but fall in love. 2. "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43) This reveals God's primary will is not to damn people. Even those everyone has given up on, if he or she would just call upon the Lord, there is hope! He is a con, who has literally been condemned to death. The man is a criminal of criminals. Nevertheless, even someone who had butchered his own life, it wasn't too late for him. He wouldn't have to burn in hell- contrary to everyone's expectations. I m sure those words from Jesus brought him great comfort. Even though people would probably not forgive him for his crimes, God would. That's another reason to love Him more. That's the Father unveiled. He desires to save more than condemn. 3. "Behold your mother...behold your son." (John 19:26-27) This reveals God's nature to care for our relational needs. I know there are many lonely people, yet God will bring divine connections about. He is the one who sets the lonely and puts them in families (Psalm 68:6). He raises up churches, just because He knew you would need a family. He knew there would be a huge vacuum in the heart of Mary and Jesus was sensitive to that. God made us relational beings. He is not demanding isolation and utter loneliness, but will provide divine connections! Trust him to meet your
relational needs. Don't go out there and get with Ms. Jezebel and Mr. Herod. You don't need to caught up hanging with the wrong crowd. Even when you lose a loved one, the Lord is sensitive to that, and will help bring people into your life for healing. It was prophesied that Mary would be deeply hurt as Jesus would take the cross (Luke 2:35). The baby she nursed, was now hanging on a tree. Yet, John was to bring healing to her. Sometimes healing doesn't come directly from God in an instant, but through the body of Christ or disciples of Christ gradually. 4. "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:45-46) This reveals the Father's nature to sympathize with us. Jesus felt what we felt. He would chose to put himself in the place of a condemned sinner, to take our place, but also to feel the pain of being separated from the Father. This is because of His great compassion. Compassion means to suffer with. He wanted to know the pain we feel in our lost state. Jesus was forsaken on the cross, as He took our place. He was making a statement that He was willing to take our place so we could take His place. He was willing to feel our rejection, in order that we may feel that Father's acceptance. He was making a statement that He was willing to switch places with us and feel our pain. He was saying, "I'll put myself in your shoes, but you need to then put yourself in my shoes...and know the Father and His love like I do." (see 2 Corinthians 5:21) 5. "I am thirsty". (John 19:28-29) This reveals the Father's desire to feel our physical pain. The greatest emotional pain we can feel is rejection, maybe the greatest physical frustration we can feel is thirst, since we are made of mostly water. Crucifixion was the most excruciating pain known to man. He wasn't going to take an epidural. Jesus could have alleviated his suffering by in-taking wine. But He was not willing to take it. He wanted to feel the full suffering that we feel. Since He endured the pain, we can be assured that He is compassionate towards us in the now. Solomon tested the two women (see 1 Kings 3). The one
who bore in pain would be the one more trustworthy to care. The Father is compassionate. He can be trusted. 6. "It is finished". (John 19:30) Jesus completed His mission on this earth, to give us an eternal picture of His Father. He was painting the Father's image throughout his 3.5 years of ministry. Finally, he would leave with the most astounding, profound picture of the Father's love- suffering on the cross. He was putting together a puzzle, and the biggest piece was the cross. At the cross, everything is supposed to make sense perfectly and all fit together. Firework shows have a the grand finale where they show you so much more than they did before. The cross was that grand finale- so to speak! Bringing further illumination of who God is. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. (1 John 2:8) 7. "Father, Into Your hands I commit my Spirit" (Luke 23:44-49) Jesus showed us that we can trust the Father with death. Death is not something to fear, but something we commit to God. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? (1 Corinthians 15:55). When we die, we ought to trust that we will go to our Father. Our spirit came from Him and will go back to Him. I don't have to be afraid of death, which is the greatest uncertainty. If you don't even fear death, what will you fear? If you can trust the Father with your eternal destination, you can trust Him with your destiny. If you can trust Him with your eternity, can t you trust Him with your today and tomorrow. Allow the Father to deliver you of your fears with His love.