This is the manuscript of my sermon on Father's Day 2020.When Christmas rolls around, the spotlight settles on baby Jesus; his mother, Mary; the shepherds; the angels; and the wise men. Have you ever heard a sermon about Joseph, Mary’s husband, who functioned as Jesus’ human father? The Roman Catholic Church has canonized Joseph, calling him St. Joseph. But we Protestants have virtually ignored him. He deserves better. He had to have been a remarkable man of God to be chosen from all the men on earth to serve as Jesus’ earthly father. Let's use this Father’s Day to give him some honor. Click the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript for an audio recording of the sermon.
This is the day we honor our fathers. It is interesting how Father's Day began. In 1910 there was a lady named Senora Dodd in Spokane, Washington. She was sitting in a church service on Mother's Day and as she was listening to a sermon about mothers, she thought about her father. Her father was a Civil War veteran. Her mom had died early in life so for all of the years of her life and the years of her siblings, they had been brought up by their father. He was a very devout and godly man. She thought it would be a wonderful thing to have a special time to honor her father and all fathers. Because he was born in the month of June, she was able to have a special day honoring her father on the third Sunday of June in 1910 in Spokane, Washington.
Many years later, 56 years later, in 1966, Lyndon Johnson signed the proclamation declaring that the third Sunday in June would be set aside as Father's Day, a day when we would recognize and honor and pay tribute to our earthly fathers.
Now for you ladies I want to give you a men’s thesaurus because we don’t always say what we mean so ladies, please allow me to translate for your future benefit:
When a man says “IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO EXPLAIN”
He means: "I have no idea how it works"
When a man says "TAKE A BREAK, HONEY. YOU ARE WORKING TOO HARD’’
He means: "I can’t hear the game over the vacuum cleaner"
When a man says ’THAT’S INTERESTING DEAR.’
He means: "Are you still talking?"
When a man says: "IT’S A GUY THING"
He means: "There is no rational thought pattern connected with this, and you have no chance at all of making it logical"
When a man says "CAN I HELP WITH DINNER"
He means: "Why isn’t it ready yet?"
When a man says "UH HUH, SURE HONEY,” or “YES, DEAR"
He means: Absolutely nothing – It’s a conditioned response.
When a man says "YOU KNOW HOW BAD MY MEMORY IS."
He means: " I can remember the phone # of the first girl I ever kissed & the vehicle identification numbers of every car I ever owned – but yes, I forgot your birthday"
When a man says ’I CAN’T FIND IT.’’
He means: "It didn’t fall into my outstretched hand, so I’m completely clueless"
When a man says “I HEARD YOU.”
He means: "I haven’t the foggiest clue what you just said and I am hoping desperately that I can fake it well enough so that you’ll not spend the next 3 days yelling at me."
When a man says "YOU KNOW I COULD NEVER LOVE ANYONE ELSE"
He means: "I am used to the way you yell at me and realize it could be worse."
When a man says "YOU LOOK TERRIFIC!"
He means: "Oh please don’t try on one more outfit, we’re late and I’m starving."
When a man says "I’M NOT LOST. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE.’’
He means: "No one will ever see us alive again."
When a man says, “I don’t remember saying that.”
It’s because he means: “Anything I may have said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all past comments become null and void after 7 days.”
When a man says, “that’s not what I meant.”
He means: “If something I said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, I meant the other one.
Okay enough with the jokes.
If you have your Bibles open them to;
Scripture:
Matthew 1:18-25 NLTThis is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
Text
Matthew 1:24 NLT When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.
Introduction
During Christmas, the spotlight is on baby Jesus; his mother, Mary; the shepherds; the angels; and the wise men. Have you ever heard a sermon about Joseph, Mary’s husband, who functioned as Jesus’ human father? I preached one few years ago that mentioned him but was not about him and I certainly haven’t heard many sermons about him.
The Roman Catholic Church has canonized Joseph, calling him St. Joseph. But we Protestants have virtually ignored him. He deserves better. He had to have been a remarkable man of God to be chosen from all the men on earth to serve as Jesus’ earthly father. Let's use this Father’s Day to give him some honor.
Matthew records the most information about Joseph in the gospels. The genealogy at the beginning of Matthew shows that Joseph was a descendant of David.
Matthew 1:11-16 NLT Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon). After the Babylonian exile: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud. Abiud was the father of Eliakim. Eliakim was the father of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Akim. Akim was the father of Eliud. Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan. Matthan was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
Joseph maintained a dignity and kindness that reflected his family heritage.
He witnessed Jesus’ birth, he saw the shepherds’ adoration,
Luke 2:15-17 NLT When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
Joseph led Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod’s slaughter.
Matthew 2:13-15 NLT After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”
Joseph took Jesus to the temple at least twice—once in his infancy to present Him to the Lord as the Law required.
Luke 2:22 NLT Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents ( that would have been Mary and Joseph) took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
Then again when he was twelve years old Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast.
Luke 2:41-42 NKJV His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.
Then Joseph disappeared from the historical accounts of the Gospels. It is very likely that he died when Jesus was a young man.
Although little is written about Joseph, we find enough facts to know that he was a great man.
1. We know that Joseph was a just man.
Matthew 1:19 NKJV Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
The Bible is very frank and at the same time tactful about Jesus’ conception by the Holy Spirit.
Joseph was sensitive to society’s moral standards.
He could not ignore what people would think and say. All his life he had been abiding by this high standard. Apparently Joseph had no dynamic, overwhelming personality. He was a good man with ordinary abilities, but he put those abilities in God’s hands, and God used him. God wants to use us in the same way.
Joseph was sensitive to his own reputation.
When people say, “I don’t care what people think as long as I think I’m right,” they are only trying to fool themselves. Being right is important, but what others think of you is also important. You may be right, but if people think you are wrong, you may have lost your opportunity to help them. A godly person’s reputation is very important.
Joseph was sensitive to Mary’s situation.
Matthew 1:19-20 NKJV Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Joseph delayed any rash judgments and did not want to believe the worst. He considered Mary’s dilemma and was willing “to put her away privately, if that would protect her from hostile neighbors. His emotional balance in this crisis is amazing.
Matthew 1:18-25 NLTThis is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
Text
Matthew 1:24 NLT When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.
Introduction
During Christmas, the spotlight is on baby Jesus; his mother, Mary; the shepherds; the angels; and the wise men. Have you ever heard a sermon about Joseph, Mary’s husband, who functioned as Jesus’ human father? I preached one few years ago that mentioned him but was not about him and I certainly haven’t heard many sermons about him.
The Roman Catholic Church has canonized Joseph, calling him St. Joseph. But we Protestants have virtually ignored him. He deserves better. He had to have been a remarkable man of God to be chosen from all the men on earth to serve as Jesus’ earthly father. Let's use this Father’s Day to give him some honor.
Matthew records the most information about Joseph in the gospels. The genealogy at the beginning of Matthew shows that Joseph was a descendant of David.
Matthew 1:11-16 NLT Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon). After the Babylonian exile: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud. Abiud was the father of Eliakim. Eliakim was the father of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Akim. Akim was the father of Eliud. Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan. Matthan was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
Joseph maintained a dignity and kindness that reflected his family heritage.
He witnessed Jesus’ birth, he saw the shepherds’ adoration,
Luke 2:15-17 NLT When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
Joseph led Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod’s slaughter.
Matthew 2:13-15 NLT After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”
Joseph took Jesus to the temple at least twice—once in his infancy to present Him to the Lord as the Law required.
Luke 2:22 NLT Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents ( that would have been Mary and Joseph) took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
Then again when he was twelve years old Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast.
Luke 2:41-42 NKJV His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.
Then Joseph disappeared from the historical accounts of the Gospels. It is very likely that he died when Jesus was a young man.
Although little is written about Joseph, we find enough facts to know that he was a great man.
1. We know that Joseph was a just man.
Matthew 1:19 NKJV Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
The Bible is very frank and at the same time tactful about Jesus’ conception by the Holy Spirit.
Joseph was sensitive to society’s moral standards.
He could not ignore what people would think and say. All his life he had been abiding by this high standard. Apparently Joseph had no dynamic, overwhelming personality. He was a good man with ordinary abilities, but he put those abilities in God’s hands, and God used him. God wants to use us in the same way.
Joseph was sensitive to his own reputation.
When people say, “I don’t care what people think as long as I think I’m right,” they are only trying to fool themselves. Being right is important, but what others think of you is also important. You may be right, but if people think you are wrong, you may have lost your opportunity to help them. A godly person’s reputation is very important.
Joseph was sensitive to Mary’s situation.
Matthew 1:19-20 NKJV Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Joseph delayed any rash judgments and did not want to believe the worst. He considered Mary’s dilemma and was willing “to put her away privately, if that would protect her from hostile neighbors. His emotional balance in this crisis is amazing.
2. Joseph was sensitive to a heavenly vision.
Like Paul, in his experience on the way to Damascus, Joseph was not disobedient to his vision from heaven. A supernatural birth required supernatural proof.
Matthew 1:20-21 NKJV But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus , for He will save His people from their sins.”
After his dream, he had no more doubts and accepted Mary as his wife. They had perfect faith in each other.
Joseph was a faithful father.
He provided Jesus with a human example for his teachings about God as our heavenly Father. Some people have had such unreasonable treatment by fathers that they even have trouble praying the Lord’s prayer because it starts by acknowledging God as our Father. In cases like that people have an uncomplimentary picture of God as our heavenly Father.
Jesus' example of a faithful father can be summed up like this.
Matthew 7:11 NKJV If you then, being 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!
Conclusion
Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son is perhaps most revealing about our heavenly Father.
Luke 15:11-24 NKJV Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. ’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
This moving story could also be called “the parable of the loving father.” The best part of the story is the boy’s return from a far country. We know from the story that the father never stopped looking for him.
Luke 15:20 NKJV “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
The father “ran,” showing his own eagerness for reconciliation. He joyfully welcomed his son back home with a robe, ring, shoes, and a joyous feast. The father said to his other son, “Thy brother . . . was lost, and is found” (v. 32).
Luke 15:32 NKJV
Jesus said that God is like that. Though you may have wandered away from him, he is a loving Father who longs for your return. He will forgive you and restore your place as his son or daughter if you will turn from your old life and look to him.
It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”
Yes Joseph is often the forgotten father but our Heavenly Father is the most wonderful Father of them all. He is the one Jesus referred to as “My Father” fifty-three times in the Gospels. But, when Jesus talked about the Father, He did not just call Him “My Father.” He also called God “Our Father” Jesus clearly shows us that those who believe on Him share the same relationship with God in Heaven that He Himself shares
Matthew 6:9 NKJV In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Luke 11:2 NKJV So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
And, if you do the research, you will find that it gets even better than that! Jesus calls God “your Father” twenty-one times in the Gospels as well!
This relationship is very personal. At the instant that you make your confession of faith and accept Jesus into your life you are brought into a very personal relationship with the God of the universe. You are actually “adopted” into the family of God. The word “adoption” literally means “to place as a son, or daughter” That person instantly becomes a child of God in heaven.
Romans 8:15-17 NIV The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “ Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
In adoption a son or daughter is brought into a family and is given the same rights as a child who is born into that family.
John 3:1-2 NIV See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
This is also a permanent relationship. When God adopted us into His family, He did not do it for just a while. He did it for all eternity! You see, adoption, as it was practiced in biblical times, could not be undone. A man had the right to disown his natural children; but an adopted child was a child for life. He or she could never be disowned by the father. This is the same guarantee that we have today.
John 10:28-29 NIV I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
John 6:37-40 NIV All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Philippians 1:6 NIV being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
What God does when He saves someone is a done deal. It's forever. That’s our Father!
Like Paul, in his experience on the way to Damascus, Joseph was not disobedient to his vision from heaven. A supernatural birth required supernatural proof.
Matthew 1:20-21 NKJV But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus , for He will save His people from their sins.”
After his dream, he had no more doubts and accepted Mary as his wife. They had perfect faith in each other.
Joseph was a faithful father.
He provided Jesus with a human example for his teachings about God as our heavenly Father. Some people have had such unreasonable treatment by fathers that they even have trouble praying the Lord’s prayer because it starts by acknowledging God as our Father. In cases like that people have an uncomplimentary picture of God as our heavenly Father.
Jesus' example of a faithful father can be summed up like this.
Matthew 7:11 NKJV If you then, being 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!
Conclusion
Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son is perhaps most revealing about our heavenly Father.
Luke 15:11-24 NKJV Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. ’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
This moving story could also be called “the parable of the loving father.” The best part of the story is the boy’s return from a far country. We know from the story that the father never stopped looking for him.
Luke 15:20 NKJV “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
The father “ran,” showing his own eagerness for reconciliation. He joyfully welcomed his son back home with a robe, ring, shoes, and a joyous feast. The father said to his other son, “Thy brother . . . was lost, and is found” (v. 32).
Luke 15:32 NKJV
Jesus said that God is like that. Though you may have wandered away from him, he is a loving Father who longs for your return. He will forgive you and restore your place as his son or daughter if you will turn from your old life and look to him.
It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”
Yes Joseph is often the forgotten father but our Heavenly Father is the most wonderful Father of them all. He is the one Jesus referred to as “My Father” fifty-three times in the Gospels. But, when Jesus talked about the Father, He did not just call Him “My Father.” He also called God “Our Father” Jesus clearly shows us that those who believe on Him share the same relationship with God in Heaven that He Himself shares
Matthew 6:9 NKJV In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Luke 11:2 NKJV So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
And, if you do the research, you will find that it gets even better than that! Jesus calls God “your Father” twenty-one times in the Gospels as well!
This relationship is very personal. At the instant that you make your confession of faith and accept Jesus into your life you are brought into a very personal relationship with the God of the universe. You are actually “adopted” into the family of God. The word “adoption” literally means “to place as a son, or daughter” That person instantly becomes a child of God in heaven.
Romans 8:15-17 NIV The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “ Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
In adoption a son or daughter is brought into a family and is given the same rights as a child who is born into that family.
John 3:1-2 NIV See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
This is also a permanent relationship. When God adopted us into His family, He did not do it for just a while. He did it for all eternity! You see, adoption, as it was practiced in biblical times, could not be undone. A man had the right to disown his natural children; but an adopted child was a child for life. He or she could never be disowned by the father. This is the same guarantee that we have today.
John 10:28-29 NIV I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
John 6:37-40 NIV All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Philippians 1:6 NIV being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
What God does when He saves someone is a done deal. It's forever. That’s our Father!
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