God The Father: The fatherhood of the world

Lucille Ball was the first lady of American comedy. In her interview with Merv Griffin, she was asked the questions, “What’s happened to our country? What’s wrong with our children? Why are our families falling apart? What’s missing? She said, “Things are falling apart because Papa’s gone. (Piper and Grudem, 378)

However, when Papas’ are in Christ they are back, and Papa has a brand new bag: faith, love, and hope, and the greatest of these is love.

Timothy B. Bayly wrote an article piece, "Father Hunger Among A Lost Generation. He observed that when Harry Chapin sang “Cat’s in the Cradle,” the tears of a fatherless child marked our nation’s conscience. His son grew up to be just like him, to busy to spend some with time.

when Harry Chapin sang “Cat’s in the Cradle,” the tears of a fatherless child marked our nation’s conscience.

There is no denial of the formative influence of mothers in the lives of their children, but the harm suffered by children who have been raised in a home where the father is absent, cruel, or silent is an open sore in the church.

There are many troubled families in our country. They may be working with you, your next-door neighbor, or sitting next to you in church. They have family problems. They are (35 to 40 per cent) dysfunctional (that is, one is so troubled that they lack the ability to properly socialize children so that they grow up fairly mature, emotionally, physically, spiritually, etc.). Accord]ing to Charles Sell, family Ministry, dysfunctional families are usually created by a problem person: one who is alcoholic, abusive, ill-tempered, or mentally ill. Even so-called workaholics or sex addicts or those with eating disorders can make a home malfunction. [1]

Since the mid-eighteenth century, American men have walked out on their God-given responsibility for moral and spiritual leadership in the homes, schools, and Sunday schools of the nation.[2]

“If there is anything needed in our world it is good fathers. As the head of the household men have a golden opportunity to mold lives and develop character.[1] (note: , created man first to care for the garden; 2.18, God instituted the family)

[1] Charles M. Sell, Family Ministry. 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1985), 47.

[2] Piper and Grudem, Rediscovering Manhood & Womanhood, 379.

“If there is anything needed in our world it is good fathers. As the head of the household men have a golden opportunity to mold lives and develop character.[1] (note: , created man first to care for the garden; 2.18, God instituted the family)

[1]Kettler, Steven C.: Biblical Counsel : Resources for Renewal : An Annotated Topical Bibliography of Works Containing Biblical Counsel for Persons Seeking Lasting Solutions to Life's Problems. Newark, Del. : Lettermen Associates, 1993, S. 492.

However, at the close of the OT, God promise, "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.

[1]Kettler, Steven C.: Biblical Counsel : Resources for Renewal : An Annotated Topical Bibliography of Works Containing Biblical Counsel for Persons Seeking Lasting Solutions to Life's Problems. Newark, Del. : Lettermen Associates, 1993, S. 492.However, at the close of the OT, God promise, "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.

However, at the close of the OT, God promise, "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.

—, nasb 95

“Therefore there is a call for fathers with a Elijah spirit to bring the family (the basic building block of society) in compliance to God’s rule before “the great and terrible day of the Lord.”

Yet most I thank thee, not for any deed,

But for the sense thy living self did breed

That Fatherhood is at the world’s great core.

George MacDonald1

1 From the unpublished, handwritten dedication of MacDonald’s first book, Within and Without, to his father, in 1857.

Timothy B. Bayly, “Father Hunger Among a Lost Generation: The Pastor’s Opportunity,” in Pastoral Leadership for Manhood and Womanhood, ed. Wayne Grudem and Dennis Rainey, Foundations for the Family Series (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2002), 117.

To get to the meaning and purpose of fatherhood, we must start with the fatherhood of God. Our Lord taught us to pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven …”

When we address God as “Father,” we are confessing that He is the archetypal father and has imprinted His fatherhood on all creation. This is the significance of the apostle Paul writing, “For this reason I kneel before the Father [pater], from whom all fatherhood [patria] in heaven and on earth derives its name” (, niv marginal reading).

The fatherhood of God is a peculiarly Christian understanding, revealed from heaven and given as comfort to those who believe in the Father’s only begotten Son.

Pastoral Leadership for Manhood and Womanhood God the Father, from Whom All Fatherhood Gets Its Name

Note that God does not get the name father from earth, but earth gets the name father from heaven. The late F. F. Bruce wrote, “God is the archetypal Father; all other fatherhood is a more or less imperfect copy of his perfect fatherhood.”2

The late F. F. Bruce wrote, “God is the archetypal Father; all other fatherhood is a more or less imperfect copy of his perfect fatherhood.”2

2 “ probably means that God is ‘the Father [pater] from whom every fatherhood [patria] in heaven and on earth is named’ … every patria is so named after the pater.” Colin Brown, ed., The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 3 vols. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1976), s.v. “Name,” by Frederick Fyvie Bruce, 2:655.

Timothy B. Bayly, “Father Hunger Among a Lost Generation: The Pastor’s Opportunity,” in Pastoral Leadership for Manhood and Womanhood, ed. Wayne Grudem and Dennis Rainey, Foundations for the Family Series (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2002), 119.

Kings, presidents, governors, judges, law enforcement officers, mayors, principals, teachers, and professors bear the image of God’s fatherhood. Elders and pastors are fathers after their heavenly Father and are to demonstrate His character as they shepherd His flock. Thus Question 124 of the Westminster Larger Catechism reads:

Question: Who are meant by ‘father’ and ‘mother’ in the fifth commandment?

Answer: By ‘father’ and ‘mother,’ in the fifth commandment, are meant, not only natural parents, but all superiors in age and gifts; and especially such as, by God’s ordinance, are over us in place of authority, whether in family, church, or commonwealth.

I. The Infinite One (9:1) : The affairs of all people are in the hands of God.

II. The Instructions (9:7–10)

A. Enjoy life with your wife (9:9).

B. Whatever you do, do well (9:10).[1]

[1]Willmington, H. L.: The Outline Bible. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 1999, S.

Come here sister, Papa’s in the swing

He ain’t too hip, about that new breed babe

He ain’t no drag

Papa’s got a brand new bag

Come here mama, and dig this crazy scene

God The Father: The fatherhood of the world

Scriptural Text: Ephesian 3:14-15

Yet most I thank thee, not for any deed,But for the sense thy living self did breed That Fatherhood is at the world’s great core. George MacDonald1

God the Father, from Whom All Fatherhood Gets Its Name

God the Father, from Whom All Fatherhood Gets Its Name ()

The Prayer: (a) addresses God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came into the world to reveal God, to show men just what God is like () (b) addressed to the Father of the whole family of God.

Note that God does not get the name father from earth, but earth gets the name father from heaven.

MEN ARE IN THE HAND OF GOD ()

REMEMBER: When Papas’ are in Christ they are back, and Papa has a brand new bag: faith, love, and hope, and the greatest of these is love.