God Is My Father

In this part of the sermon: Pastor Martin explains that this sermon continues a New Year's series, focusing on essential biblical truths as 'ballast' for the soul. He briefly reviews the first two truths…

The imagery of barrels of water as ballast in ancient sea vessels is used to represent fundamental biblical truths stored in the soul, preventing believers from being tossed about on the sea of life.

have to take two more evenings to complete that New Year's message. And so, God willing, I will leave the final head that I announced last week and will announce this evening, and that will have to await. Our time together, God willing, next Lord's Day evening. Using the imagery of the barrels of water that acted as ballast in the belly of ancient sea-going vessels, or sea vessels of any bygone day, I sought to identify those fundamental biblical truths that you and I need desperately to have stored away in the deep recesses of

0:45 - 1:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Conceive of God as Father in precisely the way He's revealed Himself to us as Father, with Jesus Himself as the focal point.

Martin illustrates the error of idolatry by describing how people project negative or positive experiences with earthly fathers onto God, creating a distorted image of Him.

Now when I say that, it's vital that I say what I'm about to say. And I trust you'll listen very carefully, for there's a lot of nonsense going around in the name of Christian truth, particularly with respect to this matter of how the Christian is to conceive of God as his Father, particularly his Father who is in heaven. And the first thing we must understand is that the Christian is not to take our experience with our earthly fathers or with any other earthly fathers and project them

12:53 - 13:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Live honestly with your Father, knowing that you cannot hide from Him, and let this knowledge bring both liberty and conviction.

This story illustrates how children try to hide their disobedience from their earthly father, highlighting the importance of understanding God as an all-seeing, all-knowing Father from whom nothing can be hidden.

all-seeing and all-knowing. And I'm beginning, I think, to understand why he did this. You see, you can't live honestly with your Father if you think you can hide from him. And that happened with you kids. If you think you can do something naughty and secret and your Father

28:15 - 28:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not project an unprincipled, easily manipulated father onto God; recognize Him as a principled Father who will chasten when necessary.

The biblical example of Eli is used to illustrate an unprincipled father who withholds correction, contrasting with God's principled fatherhood.

For what son is there whom his father chastens not? I'll tell you the one that doesn't chasten him. And on principle. Mushy, soft, unrighteous father doesn't chasten his son.

33:29 - 33:39 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not project an unprincipled, easily manipulated father onto God; recognize Him as a principled Father who will chasten when necessary.

This anecdote describes a little girl who knows how to manipulate her father to get what she wants, illustrating that God is not a 'push-button pop' who can be cajoled or worn down.

His sons are guilty of sins and he barks out a few complaints. But God indicts him and says, you restrain not your sons. You weren't a principled father. Don't project upward to God a father that you may have had and you could wear him down being cutesy.

33:46 - 34:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not project an unprincipled, easily manipulated father onto God; recognize Him as a principled Father who will chasten when necessary.

The story of Job is used as an example of God's dealings having the 'appearance of ruthlessness,' yet being the actions of a principled Father working out cosmic issues and bringing Job to deeper self-discovery.

He may say, like my mother would say to my father, give him some more, dad. He's not sweet yet. And God's dealings with us at times can have the appearance. Of ruthlessness, the appearance of ruthlessness.

34:29 - 34:44 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: God is a principled Father who cannot be conned or worn down. He fathers His children in perfect love, equity, and justice, chastening those He loves. His dealings, though…

Paul's repeated prayers for the removal of his thorn in the flesh illustrate God's principled fatherhood, where He withholds what seems good to Paul for a greater purpose: to keep him from being puffed up.

Get close to where Paul was praying. Those three times he gave himself to intense seasons, no doubt in my judgment, of fasting. For he says in fasting's off as well as in hunger imposed upon him. Three times he lays hold of God in intense season of prayer saying, Oh God, this thorn in my flesh, I can't go on and serve you with it.

36:30 - 36:55 Read in full sermon

The point: Approach God with reverence and awe, never forgetting that He is our Father 'in heaven,' majestic and holy, not a 'buddy-buddy' or 'daddy' in a casual sense.

This example critiques the casual, irreverent approach to God, such as saying 'Hi, Daddy,' arguing that it misrepresents the biblical concept of 'Abba' and ignores God's majesty as 'Father in heaven'.

Because he becomes our father. And there is some of this teaching that makes me sick. That says if you really appreciate the grace of God, you'll come tripping into God's presence anywhere, anytime. Plop up on his lap and say, hi, daddy.

42:21 - 42:36 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Jesus' constant emphasis on 'Father in heaven' underscores that intimacy with God does not negate His majesty, holiness, and awesome power. Martin rebukes casual, 'buddy-buddy'…

The imagery of sinless creatures veiling their faces and crying 'Holy, holy, holy' before God's throne in Revelation is used to emphasize the reverence and awe due to God, even as Father.

He sits upon his throne. Before him are these creatures who've never known the stain of sin, veiling face and feet and crying as they fly about the throne, not in dread, but in overwhelming ecstasy of delight in his majesty. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty. Look at those pictures in the book of the Revelation that we considered last Lord's day.

44:42 - 45:08 Read in full sermon