Jesus, Our Eternal Father

Advent 2023  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Jesus, Our Eternal Father

Isaiah describes the Messiah as the Eternal Father. The idea is that this Messiah is divine because He is ETERNAL and his character is that of a FATHER.
This Messiah is A Father forever (without end).
It is usually the founder or leader of the nation that is called the “Father of the Nation”.
The Father of the Nation is expected to lead the nation for betterment and progress.
The Israelites in Isaiah’s time were looking forward to a Father-like figure who would lead, care, and protect the nation against their enemies.

In The OT, YHWH is their Father

Isaiah 63:16 “For You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us And Israel does not recognize us. You, O LORD, are our Father, Our Redeemer from of old is Your name.”
Isaiah 64:8 “But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter, And all of us are the work of Your hand.”
In Isaiah 64:8, Isaiah appealed to God to help. He appealed on the basis that YHWH had brought Israel into existence (clay, potter)
This is the backdropof the Promise that God will give them a savior - Immanuel (God with us)
Go with me to Isaiah 64:1 , Interestingly, Isaiah the prophet called on God to make another appearance among His people, as He had done at Mt. Sinai and at other times (cf. Exod).
The Israelites' condition was so desperate that another special visitationfrom God was what they needed. The next time God did this was at the Incarnation.

The NT teaches that Jesus is God in the Flesh

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The Incarnation is the Christian doctrine that teaches that the 2nd person of the Trinity, who existed before time, took upon himself human nature by being born of the virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit - Immanuel.
When Jesus walked this earth, Jesus was “representing” the Father all the time. Jesus declared in John 14:11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.”
We need to understand brethren, just like the Israelites in the past, today we need the Fatherly care of the Messiah, to rescue us from the punishment of our sins and to lead us to everlasting life.
So, Jesus took the role of a Father to his chosen people.
Jesus uses his divine wisdom and power to care for His people like a loving Father.

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3 Ways Jesus shows His Fatherly love to His people

I. A Father who Provides

A. Jesus provides the solution to our greatest problem – SIN.
His birth and death are necessary for our justification.
Romans 5:9–10 “9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
B. Jesus provides for his church(bride) (saving grace)
- Jesus died for His church.
- Jesus provides people with gifts for the growth of the church (preaching, teaching, serving, singing) Ephesians 4:11–12 “11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;”
- Jesus provides resources. Philippians 1:6 “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19 “19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
C. Jesus provides purpose and meaning in your life.
We are all made by God with a sense of purpose and meaning. And that meaning and purpose originates with our creator – God. A person who has not found meaning and purpose in life tends to have no joy and no direction.
He gives us purpose and meaning by surrounding us with people whom we can have meaningful relationships with. People whom we can serve and receive service as well. People who will give us a sense of belongingness – that is what the church is for!
A life without Jesus is a meaningless life because it will not last.
Application:
A. Thank Jesus that he provided us with the greatest gift of all - Himself!
B. Use your gifts to glorify Him who saved you!
Transition: Jesus cares and provides but he will not spoil us and turn us into spoiled and undisciplined children.

II. A Father who Punishes (Discipline)

Discipline = The act of giving corrective punishment
Proverbs 23:13–14 13 Do not withhold disciplinefrom a child; even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die. 14 If you strike him with the rod, you will deliver him from death.
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A. His discipline is necessary for our sanctification.
Hebrews 12:4–11 “4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; 6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
B. Jesus disciplines those whom he loves (v.6)
C. His discipline is for our good because it stems from His loving and pure heart. (vv.7,10-11)
D. Jesus uses His Word and His church to discipline believers.
2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;”
1 Timothy 5:20 “20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.”
Application:
A. Listen and heed His warnings.
B. Submit to God’s discipline through His church. Do not retaliate.
Transition: Jesus disciplines his children to protect them from greater pain and disappointments.

III. A Father who Protects

A. His protection is necessary for our perseverance.
Jesus described himself as the good shepherd who loves his sheep - John 10:1–5 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 “But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 “To him, the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 “When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 “A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.””
John 10:8–15 “All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 “He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 “He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”
B. Jesus protects us from our selfish motives, Satan, and the systems of the world.
C. Jesus will protect his church until the end.
Matthew 16:18 “18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”
D. Jesus uses His Word and His church to protect you.
Application:
A. Ground yourself in the Word so you will be protected from the lies and temptations of the enemy.
B. Hide yourself under the protection of the church by being connected and engaged.
Illustration:
I am a Father, and many of us here too are Fathers. Most of us here are parents. We make sacrifices every day for our family and our kids so that they will be provided for, and protected, and for them to become faithful followers of Jesus in the future.
Whenever our kids need help with anything, they would come to us parents and they would expect to receive help from us.
We sometimes are able to help, sometimes we just can’t (labina ug math problem sa school, or project nga wala pud ta kasabot). But we provide what we can and as much as we can because we love our children.
We also set limits for them so that they shall be protected - limit the gadgets, limit the laag, uli ug sakto nga oras, kaon saktong oras, tulog saktong oras.
and we discipline them when they don’t listen and continue doing the wrong things and harm themselves in the process…we correct them so they will walk in the right path…and avoid greater pain.
That is what Jesus is also doing to us - His children.
Conclusion:
Our earthly Fathers may fail in providing, disciplining, and protecting us, but our Eternal Father, Jesus Christ will not fail us because he is wise, powerful, and eternal. He will lead us, discipline us, and protect us…that we might experience His everlasting joy here on earth and in heaven!
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