Becoming Our Father’s Children

Well, since the founding of the world, as I mentioned, I guess, in the announcements, I started giving my sermon. But since the founding, before the founding of the universe, in that word in Ephesians 1, 4 is cosmos, it can't be translated, not just world, but universe, before time began. When we look at Scripture, it reveals to us that God has desired to have sons and daughters. God has desired to have a family, a family composed of spirit beings who have his mind, his character, and his variouses. And we've learned a lot about that through the years. And yet, it was with the coming of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the church, the ecclesia of God, that God began to reveal more and more of his plan about having a family comprise, ultimately— is he talking about a few people in his family? No, he's talking—God thinks big, generously. He's ultimately—we know he's going to offer this opportunity to be members of his family to every human being. So, if it's seen, we're talking about billions and billions and billions of people. And how? And all? We understand the plan in broad form, but it's going to be an amazing thing. It's one of those things we have to believe and know that it will come to be, because God says it will. And God is God. God the Father sent Jesus Christ to reveal to humanity the plan that he and the Father have, whereby human beings will be created in God's image. It's a process going on still today. Genesis says that God created man in his image, and until—I know until God opened my understanding, the understanding was, here we are. We're made of clay. This is it. But as God usually seems to do, this is not it. When we think God is given all, God seems to have more. And we know, even now, he's in the process of helping us to become like he is, those that receive and have his Holy Spirit in them. And so God's in that process today. The process requires that we believe God, and that we choose to change who and what we are, how we live, how we think. And so today we'll turn to Scripture, and starting with God's promise to Abraham, a promise about his seed, we'll see how God reveals his plan for the salvation of humanity, how he's going to do that through a son. Through a son who would make possible the opportunity for every human being to become a child of God, child of God the Father. And we'll also consider, for this is very important, we'll also consider how those called now to be God's children must be living. How must we be living as children of God? And so I've entitled the message today, and again with an ear towards Father's Day, I guess you could say, the title of this message is Becoming Our Father's Children. Becoming Our Father's Children.

And I'd like for us to begin, if you turn back with me, let's go back to the book of Genesis, book of Genesis chapter 12, and we'll read verses 1 through 4. And what we see is the start of a covenant God made with Abraham, an agreement God made with Abraham. Now this was, this is now getting closer to almost 4,000 years ago. And again, talk about plans, talk about the secret plans and things going on behind the scenes. There's something totally different going on that the world has absolutely no clue about, and we didn't either until God opened our hearts and minds to understand these things. We should be so very grateful for that. And as we read here in Genesis 12, verse 1 through 4, what we see is that Abraham believed. Abraham believed God. When God said he would make of him a great nation, and that through him all that he would bless all the families of the earth. So we see Genesis 12, verse 1. Now the Lord had said to Abraham, he told Abraham this, get out of your country from your family and from your father's house and to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. And so Abraham departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him, and Abraham was 75 years old when he departed from Huron.

And so God told him do this, and what was Abraham's response? He believed, and then he acted. It's an important sequence. He believed, and then he acted. Then in Genesis, let's turn a few more pages over. Genesis 15. Genesis 15, verse 2 through 6. Now he and Sarah were old. We already saw that he was 75 when he took out on this interesting journey, leaving everything he knew for most of his life. Leaving it behind for a land God had told him to go to in Canaan. But because he and Sarah were old and barren of children, Abraham talked to God, and he expressed his concerns to God. And of course, that's the example we should do, too. He expressed his desire for a son and heir. Genesis 15, verse 2. But Abraham said, Lord God, what will you give me, seeing I go childless? And the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus. Then Abraham said, Look, you have given me no offspring. Indeed, one born in my house is my heir, meaning his servant. And behold, verse 4, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir. And then God brought him outside, had him go out and look at the stars. And he said, Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them. And he said to him, So shall your descendants be. Now, how many descendants did he have of his own right now at that point? None. None. How many stars could he count? Probably more than we can see through our light pollution right now. And of course, they got all their telescopes, right? Super telescopes. And how many stars are out there? Billions. And they point the telescope in a blank spot, supposedly blank spot in the sky. And what do they discover? More stars?

Infinity. Physical infinity, maybe. So shall your descendants be, like the stars. And verse 6, and what did Abraham do? And he believed in the Lord. And he, God, accounted it to him for righteousness. And so understand, Abraham believed God. He believed, and that made him righteous.

God blessed them, he and Sarah, with their own son, Isaac. Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah 90. What a time to be new parents. But God is faithful, isn't he? That's what we see. God is faithful, and Abraham believed, and it happened. Now let's turn over a few more pages. Genesis 22. Genesis 22, verse 10 through 12. Years later, God would test Abraham's faith. He would test his faith. He did that by ordering Abraham to offer up Isaac. Isaac was now, it depends on what you read, a youth, a young man. He was not a little kid. God ordered him to offer up Isaac as a burnt offering. As a burnt offering. Now imagine, just imagine that, being told to do that. I stress that because sometimes we can read these accounts in Scripture as just a story, as just part of a novel or a tale in history. Well, they're definitely history, but what happens is we can sometimes intellectualize these things and don't really think about what that must have been like. And I hope we can appreciate when you think about this, that Abraham, at that moment, he would have been facing and doing the hardest thing he would have ever have done in his life. This, can you imagine, offering up your only son, the son of promise that he had received, he and his wife received from God. What did he do? He believed God. He believed God, and he trusted God. And he chose, then, he made a choice, to obey. Verse 10, And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham. And so he said, Here I am. And he said, Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me. And God learned at that moment, and God has to know. God learned the depth of Abraham's belief.

And so, again, this reveals to us that Abraham's belief and faith also is not just some kind of intellectualized stance. It was a living faith. So many times we hear people say, Do you believe in God? Oh yes, I believe in God. I believe in God. I'm saved. I believe in God. But what we see is there's much more must be involved besides belief. You show your belief in how you live it.

And so Abraham had a living faith. It was a faith requiring courage in choosing and acting to obey God. It's the sort of faith we need. And if I recall, I believe Mr. Moody gave a sermon last Sabbath about faith. James 2.20 tells us that faith without works is dead. It's not faith.

Faith without works is dead. Abraham had living faith, and so must we. But there's more to the story. Verse 15 through 18. And then the angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time out of heaven and said, By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, Because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, blessing I will bless you, multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. So this descended to be great people and powerful people over their enemies. And verse 18, In your seed all nations, what does all mean? All. All nations. Sometimes it's translated as peoples. All nations, all peoples of the earth shall be blessed. And why? Because you have obeyed my voice. He believed, and then he obeyed.

This final sentence is important. Abraham believed God, and he proved his faith by obeying him. And God chose to reward him with great blessings. And in your seed. We're going to come back to that. Now let's turn to Genesis 26. Genesis 26, 4-5. It's decades later now, and now the Lord God appeared to Isaac. Isaac is a grown man now. Genesis 26, verse 4, and the Lord appeared to Isaac with the same message of promise. He said, verse 4, And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven. I will give to your descendants all these lands. And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.

And look at why. Because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. And we should do no less.

Let's next turn Genesis 28, another few pages over, perhaps, in your Bibles. Genesis 28, verse 14.

Again, more decades later, keep fast forwarding that timeline. So now we're decades later beyond that. And now God is speaking to Isaac's son Jacob. Jacob, as we recall, is later going to be named Israel. And he gives the same promise. Genesis 28, verse 14. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth. You shall spread abroad to the west and the east to the north and the south. And in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

And so we see a repetition here, don't we? We can trace a line.

God blessed the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob very clearly. And it was a promise of more to come. Let's turn to Exodus 4.22. Exodus 4.22. Exodus 4.22, centuries later now, and after the children of Israel had settled in Egypt during Joseph's time, the children of Israel had become a nation of many people. Seventy-some had entered Egypt, and as we're going to leave being led by God during that time of the Exodus, there'd be several millions of people. And God was about to deliver them, deliver Israel, because God loved Israel as a father loves his son. That's what we're told. Exodus 4.22.

He instructs Moses, then you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord, Israel is my son, my firstborn, my firstborn. A father's firstborn son is so important, especially in that culture. Let's also read Exodus 19, verse 5 through 6. Exodus 19, 5 through 6. And here, we see a little more specifically that God considered Israel as firstborn son, but also how he had a special purpose for Israel. Exodus 19, verse 5, Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to me above all people, for all the earth is mine. And you, you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.

And so that's the message God wanted Moses to convey to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Israel was to be a holy nation. Now, if they're truly to be like their father Abraham, Israel needed to be like Abraham in that very special way. They needed to be faithful to believe God and to obey him. They needed to be putting aside their pride, their wants, and their desires, many of which, of course, we know from the Bible were contrary to God.

In the history of the Old Testament, it proves rather clearly that Israel was incapable of being righteous like Abraham for very long. And Scripture tells us they were not righteous very long because they lacked a right heart. They lacked the right spirit. And you can jot down Ezekiel 36, 26 for that reference. I'm not going to turn there, but there you'll see a prophecy of a future time when God would freely, abundantly give to the descendants of Israel in the time of the Kingdom, to the remnant, and after, he would give them a right heart and right spirit. But most of the Old Testament reveals a history of Israel's rebelliousness to God. And we know that God finally chastened Israel, both the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. He chastens them severely through exile.

But God is always a loving father. God is a loving father. He's a loving father to Israel. He's a loving father to all humanity in the sense that God created all humanity, and God views one day that he will certainly be the father in the fuller sense. He intends. He plans. He is a loving father to Israel, and God is faithful to keep his promise to Abraham about a seed through whom all families of the earth would be blessed. And that seed would be a king. That seed would be a king. And how do we know? It's in the Bible. God made that promise to David, to King David. Let's turn to 2 Samuel, chapter 7. 2 Samuel, chapter 7. And we'll be reading verses 12 through 16. 2 Samuel 7, 12 through 16. 2 Samuel 7, 12 through 16. And what we see here is, what we're going to read here is a message God spoke to David through Nathan the prophet. Through Nathan the prophet. And through Nathan, God promised to David to establish from his seed, from David's descendants, a king, a kingdom, a house, and a throne forever. And so we read there in verse 12. Speaking to David, When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, with the blows of the sons of men. But my mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Verse 16. In your house, David, and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. You, your throne, shall be established forever. Now, many assume that this prophecy pertains to King Solomon and his reign, and it does. And it did. You can look that up. First Kings chapter 8, verse Kings 8, 24 through 28. First Kings 8, 24-28. Solomon speaks at the dedication of the temple, and he essentially says these very same things. But we also know that after so many years Solomon did not prove faithful to God. He was captivated by all his wives and their pagan worship, and he began, he turned away from God, and began to worship idols. And it was a terrible, terrible disappointment, a terrible thing. But this prophecy about this reign also is a shadow of that coming seed of David, a different seed, that seed being Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, who shall be king and reign on earth in the kingdom of God. And we get that sense of that shadow, that foretelling of Christ's time to come in Isaiah chapter 9. Let's look at Isaiah 9. I'm certain you're familiar with this bit of the prophecy. Isaiah 9, verses 6 through 7. And much of this prophecy reads, parallels, I guess you could say, God's words through Nathan the prophet. And so Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6 through 7. Verse 6, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of peace. And of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this. And so Jesus Christ, as we're going to see, Jesus Christ is the Son who will establish God's eternal kingdom on earth. Jesus is the Son of God. Let's look. Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1. In Luke chapter 1, 31 through 32, the angel Gabriel revealed to Mary the lineage of the son she would bear. And it was a wonderful lineage. Luke 1, verse 31.

Gabriel tells her, And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the highest. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David. And if we turn also to Romans chapter 1, Romans 1, 3 through 4, we see that Paul declared Jesus to be both the descendant of David and the son of God. He taught the message that Jesus had taught them. Romans 1, verse 3 through 4.

Again, Paul declared Jesus to be the descendant of David and the son of God.

Romans 1, verse 3. Concerning or pertaining to his son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh. He was the son of man. We're going to see that too. He was a human being and declared to be the son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness and by the resurrection from the dead. And so he lived. He buried three days, three nights. He was resurrected, glorified. He said to God, the Father's right hand is our high priest in heaven, making interventions for us. Jesus is the son of man. The phrase son of man can mean a human being.

I'm a son of man. You are a son of man. It just simply means we're human beings. We're human beings. God called Ezekiel son of man 93 times. I guess he got the point. You're a son of man. Jesus was also a son of man, human, conceived in the womb, and born of Mary. And Jesus called himself the son of man. That's how he often referred to himself. We see as an example there Matthew 16, verse 13 through 17. Let's turn there. Matthew 16 verses 13 through 17.

Matthew 16, 13. When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I, the son of man, am? Now, I know the editors in your Bible is probably upper case the son of man. They capitalize it to give it that title. But as he spoke it out loud, it wouldn't have caused any great offense to the ears because every human being was a son of man.

But Jesus used that term for himself, knowing a little bit more behind it, perhaps, or putting a little more substance to it. And so he said, Who do men say that I, the son of man, am? And so they said, Well, some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. And he said to them, But who do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the son of the living God.

And Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed us to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Now, in calling himself the son of man, as we see here as an example, Jesus was indicating something more significant about himself. He's giving a clue about himself that most would not understand or did not understand. He's talking about himself as being the son of man in something more than just a strictly human sense.

If we turn back to Daniel 7, Daniel 7, Daniel relates a vision he had, and in that vision, as he speaks, he talks about a son of man. He saw someone who looked like the son of man, and Daniel identifies the son of man as the Messiah or the Christ. Daniel's vision pertains to the coming of Christ to establish God's kingdom on earth.

So Daniel 7, verse 13, Daniel states, I was watching in the night visions, and behold, one like the son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He came to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And then to him, to Christ, to the Messiah, was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages would serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.

Again, we hear echoes of the prophet Nathan and the prophet Isaiah, and here in Daniel. And so Jesus Christ is both son of God and son of man, and he will return when the ancient of days, who is the ancient of days? The Father, and the Father sends him. But of that day and hour, no one knows, Jesus said, but only my Father. Even Jesus is under God's authority, and he has to wait to find out when that time is. And I guess he must always have to be ready, too.

Is there anybody else that has to be always ready for the return? We do. Christ has to be ready, too. And that reference was Matthew 24, 36. Only the Father knows that day and hour. Jesus Christ is the seed of Abraham, the seed of David, the son of God, the son of man. And through Christ's death, in our place for sin, in his resurrection, humanity has the hope of salvation, though most people don't know that yet.

And Christ will reign on earth. And just as God fulfilled his promises in the past, so will he do. We know it will happen. We're talking about God. And God is faithful.

And that's good to know, because I know right now some of you are troubled and worried about events going on in the world. And we should not be shocked. We are warned in Scripture these times would come, the end of times. There would be more troubles and tribulations and disturbing things. But what's good to know is that no matter our troubles or tribulations, God's plan is set. It's happening. And we're a part of it right now. It will occur. It will occur.

But now let's turn our attention a little bit and talk about our part in God's plan of salvation. What must we do? What must you and I? What must we do?

We might summarize it this way. We must be learning and living the lesson of Abraham.

We must be learning and living the lesson of Abraham.

Let's turn to Galatians chapter 3, because that becomes part of the discussion Paul gives, or part of the instruction, I should say, not discussion, but more of the instruction Paul gives to the Galatians and he gives to us as Christ's followers.

In Galatians chapter 3, Paul presents Abraham as an example of how we must believe and obey God. We have to obey, believe God, and obey God with living faith. It's not enough to say, I believe. There must be more. Paul explains that God does not give us his Holy Spirit because of our righteous works, but because we believe. Galatians 3, verse 5 through 8, verse 6, just as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. It requires belief, and if we believe God, then we're going to choose to do what he says. Verse 7, therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham, and the scripture, for seeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, In you all the nations shall be blessed. And so again, we're reminded that Abraham believed God with a living faith. Belief in faith made him righteous in God's sight. He believed and went to a land he did not know. He believed and fathered Isaac when very old. He believed God would make of him a great nation, and that his descendant, a seed, would be a blessing to all peoples, all nations, all families. Abraham believed, and God blessed him because he obeyed. Remember? As Genesis 22, verse 18. But belief came first.

And Christ is the seed. Continuing on, verses 13-14 now. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse to us. For it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. Of course, Jesus Christ was crucified. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon—he did that, so the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, upon all people. And that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Through faith. Now, I hope we need to be clear here that Paul is not calling God's law a curse. God's law is not a curse. It's wholly just perfect law. The curse of the law is death, which we incur when we sin by disobeying God's law. The curse of the law is death because we break it. We get the penalty. Wages of sin is death. In Christ paid humanity's penalty so that all through faith in Him might be forgiven and receive eternal life. So he came that all he made the way possible for every human being, according to God's time schedule. Continuing in verse 16, Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He does not say, and to seeds as of many, but as one. And to your seed, who is Christ? Again, Christ is that promised seed.

He is the Son of God, the Son of Man. Jesus was faithful to his Father. He never sinned. He willingly suffered and sacrificed to pay humanity's penalty of death, our penalty of death.

And so that all might believe God, repent, be baptized and forgiven, and receive God's Holy Spirit, and so become children of God. That's the process conversion outlined by Peter in Acts 2.38.

And so when we believe God and through faith in Christ's sacrifice, commit ourselves forever to obey and serve God, and we do that at baptism, then the Father gives us his Holy Spirit, by which we become his begotten sons and daughters, his begotten children. And so Paul explains in verse 26-29, he says, verse 26, still in Galatians 3, For you are all sons of God. He's speaking to members in Galatia who have been baptized and received God's Spirit. He's not talking to everybody in the world yet, but those who have believed and been baptized. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. We become a part of Christ. We become a part of that body. Now let's also turn to Romans 8, verse 11. Romans 8, verse 11. It ties in. Paul continues to the Romans some of the similar discussion. And I just want to highlight what he says about God's Spirit. Romans 8, verse 11. And so when the Father places His Spirit, His life essence in us through the laying on of hands, we also are receiving at that point a guarantee. Whose guarantee? The Father's guarantee. We receive the Father's guarantee. That's what's called Ephesians 1.14. We receive the Father's guarantee of receiving everlasting life at Christ's return. In Romans 8, verse 11, it says, But if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, the Father's Spirit, which dwells in you. And so again, God's Spirit begets in us a new life. Verse 14 through 17, we rehearsed this during Pentecost. Verse 14, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, you have to choose to follow God's Spirit. Again, thank you, Mr. Lucas, for the sermonette today.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption. It actually should be sonship, by which we cry out, Abba, Father. Some translations say, Dad, Daddy.

Verse 16, The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may all be glorified together. Notice if we suffer with him.

I suspect we understand that when we say we believe God and we have faith in God, we will have some suffering. We will be suffering because of choices we make and obedience to God. The world and people around us may not always like that. And, of course, there's also something I'm going to talk about here for too long about how God, as a loving Father, will correct us. He wants us so badly to be in his kingdom, he will correct us as a loving Father would correct his child. And so, Paul, if we turn now to John chapter 1, John 1 verse 12. John 1 verse 12, John was inspired here to tell us, kind of give us an overview of Christ's purpose and who he was. He is a word who was with God, was God, is God. And so what Paul is talking about, it affirms, I guess it'd be the right word, what Paul is saying here affirms the words John was inspired to write in John chapter 1 verse 12 to 13. In John 1 verse 12, he wrote, John wrote, But as many as received him, received Christ, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who, what? To those who believe in his name. And if you believe in his name, it's not that you have to figure out how to pronounce Jesus's name correctly in some language, or no, the name has to do with the authority, the power, who he is. We believe he is the Son of God, the Son of Man. To those who believe in his name, who were born, the better word there is begotten as canow, not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. And so when we believe God and receive his Holy Spirit, we become children of God, a new creation. We become the first fruits of salvation. There's been others before us, there'll be others probably after us, it's according to God's will. But we're just the first part, first of billions and billions God plans to call. We then must live lives of faithful obedience to God. In Christ's return, we shall be born into God's family as immortal spirit beings, glorified children of our heavenly Father. And Jesus Christ will be our elder brother in the full sense. And so we should take time to think of these things, and we can say, as John does in 1 John 3, 1, Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, on you, on me, that we should be called children of God. And sometimes we might shake our head and think, why? What? Me? Really? You better believe it. You better believe it, because that's what it says. We have an exciting future ahead of us.

But now, while we wait that day and hour, then only the Father knows, how should we be living now? How should we be living now as our Father's children? Yes, we're in that begettle stage, but how should we be living now? Because God considers us. Scripture tells us we are children of God if we have received His Spirit. Belief in living faith, again, is much more than an intellectual stance. There are things we have to be doing.

Faith without works is dead. So let's turn to some scriptures. Let's turn to a few scriptures and get some action points. Let's turn to scripture, which speaks to us as God's children.

So let's look at the first action point. Number one, how should we be living now as our Father's children? Number one, walk as children of light. Walk as children of light.

Let's turn to Ephesians 5.8. It's where this concept comes from, the scripture, Ephesians 5.8.

Here Paul urges us not to walk in darkness, sin, and death. We should be able to say, oh, we've been there. We've done that. And we don't want to go back in that shadowy world of that way of sin and death. We need to stay in the light. So Ephesians 5.8, here's Paul's instruction. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. And then, because like you, I'd like some additional guidance, look at verses 1 through 2 of chapter 5. Same chapter, but look at the top of the chapter, verses 1 through 2. Here's additional guidance. Therefore, Paul says, be imitators of God, be imitators of God as dear children. You ever notice how little kids... now when they get older, I don't know. They may change a little bit. When they're little, what do they do? They want to do what they see their mom do, what they see their dad do. A lot of times they want to be like that. They even walk like dad. It's kind of cute. Some of us dads have weird walks, and our kids walk like us sometimes. It's cute, and it's adorable. And so he says, be imitators of God as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for His sweet-smelling aroma. And so, yes, we need to walk like God's Son. Walk like Jesus Christ, and how the children of our Heavenly Father should walk. And we know how to walk like our Father. Did you know that? We know how to walk like our Father. I'll reference a few scriptures here for you to turn to, and maybe your time later today. I encourage you to jot down John 10, verse 30. In John 10, verse 30, Jesus said, I and my Father are one. I and my Father are one. That's John 10, verse 30. And Jesus also said something else. It's recorded in John 14, 9 through 10. John 14, 9 through 10. And I know we know these. Jesus also said, remember, there is one. And then Jesus said, John 14, 9, He also said that He who has seen me has seen the Father, has seen the Father. And don't forget the next verse. The next verse is very important, verse 10. He also said, the words that I speak to you, I do not speak on my own authority. Whose words did He speak? The words of the Father. So you see, we do know how to walk like our Heavenly Father. We do know. We need to be very alert to that. And so, the action point here is that when we imitate Christ, we imitate our Father. When we heed Christ's words, we heed our Father's words. They are one. Christ and the Father are one. And so, yes, we need to walk as children of light. Number two. Number two, be obedient children.

Yep. Be obedient children.

The Scripture tells us this is 1 Peter 1. 1 Peter 1 verses 13 through 15. It speaks to us as children. It's speaking to us children of God. 1 Peter 1 verses 13 through 15.

This is how God's children should behave. Verse 13. And I know this starts out kind of strange. It says, therefore, gird up the loins of your mind. That's phraseology. We don't use a whole lot anymore. The Amplified Bible puts it this way. It says, prepare your minds for action.

Now, if you're going to prepare your mind for action, you've got to be alert. You've got to wake up and be ready to think because you're going to make some choices. We cannot just be floating along couch potato style. We have to be making some active choices about how we're going to obey our Father. And so, therefore, gird up the loins of your mind. Prepare your minds for action. Be sober. Be alert. And rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. So be alert, be aware, and focus on the goal, the kingdom. That's where God has called us to be. And as obedient children, be as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lust as in your ignorance. Yeah, back when we were stupid and didn't know any better. As we learn, we don't have that excuse anymore. And God will hold us accountable. And He does hold us accountable. But as He who has called you as holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. What does that mean? Some of our conduct? All means all in everything we do. And so, yes, we always have something more to be working on, don't we?

I heard again today, you know, the more I read the more I read the Bible, the more I see I need to be working on. I said, yeah, it's a great textbook. It never gets old. We got to be good students of it. So think, when we got to think as obedient children, we have to stop and think. We have to pause in our lives. We have to double check and say, what am I doing this for? Why am I watching this? Why am I doing this? Why am I saying this? We might ask ourselves, what would please our Heavenly Father? Because we want to be obedient children, right? What would please our Heavenly Father? Of course, He says, be holy. Well, we need to do that instead.

That means we need to reject wrong attitudes, wrong thoughts and ways. We don't conform to the world. We got to stop that. So if you're doing something, you know you shouldn't be doing it, what are you waiting for? Change it. Be obedient children. So again, action number two. Choose to submit to God, be holy. Be obedient children. And number three. Number three is, be sons of the Most High.

That sounds wonderful. Be sons of the Most High.

Luke 6 tells us that. Luke 6, 35 through 36. Luke 6, 35-36. Here is recorded the words of Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us that we have to love like our Father loves.

We have to love like our Father loves. Be sons of the Most High.

Very powerful words. Again, speaking to us as children, God's children. Jesus said, but love your enemies. Do good and lend, hoping for nothing in return.

That's a higher mindset, isn't it? And your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For he, for God, is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. And so we have the set standard. God's selfless love must become our new mindset, our new way of life. We must take the high ground. There is a high ground. It's where God is, and that's where we need to be standing next to our Father on the high ground, that spiritual high ground, and love all people. So again, action number three is we must learn to love all people and be sons on the Most High. And number four, and this one, well, this one is, do not despise the chastening of the Lord. Do not despise the chastening of the Lord.

We find this scripture in Hebrews 12, 5 through 7. Hebrews 12, 5 through 7.

Hebrews 12, 5 through 7 tells us the gist of it is that because the Father loves us, He will correct us.

Now, He's going to correct us as a perfect, loving Father knows how.

I have never claimed to be a perfect Father, and I know I did not correct my children perfectly. But we know that God will correct us in the ways that we need it, if we're willing to learn from it.

And I think we understand, I know there will be people, philosophers and educators out there probably disagree, but children develop character in moral behavior under the discipline of loving parents, under the discipline of a loving Father. They build that character they need, the godly character from our perspective as Christians in that moral behavior. They need discipline, the discipline of a loving Father and a loving Mother. But here, let's read Hebrews 12 verse 5.

And we're told, And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons. My son do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him, for whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. Scourges is an old-fashioned word nowadays. I wouldn't recommend using that word to your children. I'm going to scourge you. I'm really winced at that. But it's the idea of discipline, and we understand there are all sorts of different ways of discipline. Some children discipline easily. Some need a little more firm and loving hand, but it's always to be done out of love. And God is always going to discipline us out of love. And so, For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, and he scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom a father does not chasten? Well, in God's family, that sort of thing is how you discipline your children out of love. You love your kids so much, you want them to have a good life. You want them to learn to love God's way. And we do it out of love. Verse 11 continues, though, and this is also true, isn't it? Now, no chastening seems to be joyful for the present. It sure doesn't. But it's painful. Nevertheless, afterward, it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. That almost sounds like a caveat, doesn't it? Discipline afterward, it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness. That means you're going to believe God, and you're going to obey God in faith by those who have been trained by it, if you're willing to learn. And human beings, sometimes we have a hard time wanting to learn. But God is very patient, and he'll keep working with us to help us learn. We know that God especially loves, he loves all humanity. He sent his son to die for every human being. And God especially loves those who bear his Holy Spirit. And he chastens us so that we might remain faithful and become more like him. And no matter our age, it doesn't matter how old we are, it doesn't matter how young we are, we are wise to welcome God's correction. We are wise to choose to change our ways for the better. And so yes, believing God and being faithful can be painful. There can be some suffering, but we understand the end goal is to be able to be in that kingdom, to be more like our Father. So the action statement number four, we must be ever teachable, always teachable, and not despise our Father's chastening.

And so today we've spent some time talking about our Father. God our Father has called you and me now to be sons and daughters in his family and in the kingdom of God. We're the firstfruits of potentially billions and billions of people, all many others whom the Father will call and give that same opportunity he has given to us now to choose salvation. Again, believing God and being faithful to obey him is challenging. It will always be challenging for us in this flesh. Becoming our Father's children is not without suffering, it is not without testing along the way. He's going to prove us and test us like he did Abraham. We shouldn't be shocked by that. We should expect it, and if we expect it, we should respond in faith and belief and do the right and godly thing. Our loving Father, in Christ our Savior and elder brother, they also give us great help. We have the help of God's Holy Spirit, we have the strength of faith we need because ours isn't strong enough, and Christ strengthens us with his own faith too so that we can endure through any trial that comes our way. Then when we trust God and have the courage to obey and serve and worship him without ceasing, well then we will not be disappointed, for the Father himself has called us to become his glorified children. We will then become our Father's glorified children. We will be there. We will be there in the kingdom. And so I encourage us today, brethren, I know times are rough, they're always going to be rough, and they'll get rougher before it finally gets better. My encouragement to us today is that we believe God and practice living faith in Jesus Christ as we obey God. Let's maintain our effort in becoming our Father's children, and let's keep moving forward to the kingdom.