The Role of God the Father

Jesus Christ and some of the apostles made some remarkable statements about God and Father. One of those is found in Matthew 11, verse 25. Let's go over and turn there. Matthew 11, verse 25. Because of this particular passage here, Jesus Christ said something very remarkable about God and Father. So that's where we're going to begin the message today, Matthew 11, verse 25. It says at that time, Jesus answered and said, praying to his Father. He says, I thank you, old Father, Lord of heaven and earth. Brother Jesus Christ called his Father the Lord of heaven and earth here in this particular verse. Think for a moment about what those verses mean. They tell us that God the Father is the supreme ruler. He's the supreme ruler over the entire universe. You know, this is really a remarkable statement, a remarkable revelation, if you will, by Jesus Christ, that his Father is Lord. And he is Lord over the heaven and earth. He's Lord overall. He's a supreme being, the supreme ruler over the entire universe. I'll refer you can turn here, too, but over in John chapter 14 and verse number 28, John chapter 14 and verse number 28, this is a section of Scripture where Jesus says, my Father is greater than I. My Father is greater than I. Jesus told us very, very clearly and very, very plainly as he's witnessing the truth that he says, my Father is greater than I. I'll refer to another Scripture, Matthew chapter 11 and verse number 27. Matthew chapter 11 and verse 27, that Jesus said part of his responsibility or part of his role was to reveal the Father.

He was going to reveal the Father to make him know. Now, I don't know how many here are Star Trek fans. You know who I'm hearing, Star Trek fans? No, who's not? Okay, Mark, you haven't even answered. All right. So that was trying to help. Well, there's been a lot of different Star Trek series, so the one that I'm going to refer to, and you may know this one, you may not, but it's the one where the captain is Frenchman Jean-Luc Christ. Jean-Luc Christ.

Now, when that series first came out, they did not immediately reveal this personality. In fact, the one that is second in command, also known as number one, or commander right there, if you know your story, some of you may not know.

But on the first show, or the first couple of shows in the series, they showed basically commander right there waiting for this captain, and he is the one that's responsible and in charge of things, and he's a very incredible personality. He's very capable, and he's a great leader, and you're thinking, wow, this guy will be the captain.

And then, eventually, Jean-Luc Picard is actually the one who's the most powerful, and he is even more capable than the soldier. And he's a very, very good captain.

Well, brother, this is interesting because there's some commonality here that Jesus Christ refers to the Father.

He says the Father is greater than God. And yet, a lot of Christianity out there exalts Jesus Christ and thinks about Jesus Christ and the role that he plays as the most important.

And we're hopefully going to see today, as we discuss the role of the Father, that the Father has incredible responsibility. He has not put wronged himself in day-to-day operations when it comes to looking at his sons and daughters.

We'll cover some other extraordinary statements by Jesus here in a moment. But first, let's go over to Ephesians chapter 1.

Ephesians chapter 1. We're going to pick it up in verse 3 because now the apostle Paul makes a very remarkable statement about the Father here.

Ephesians chapter 1 and verse number 3. And this statement comes really in his very early introductory comments of this letter to the Church of Ephesus.

Let's take a look at what it says.

Ephesians chapter 1 and verse number 3. There's a lot of information here. He's speaking already and he says, Bless be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

Paul says some very remarkable things here as we try to dissect the Scripture a little bit. Some very remarkable things here. He makes it crystal clear that this God, the Father, is the God of Jesus Christ. You see that here? Verse number 3. You see that?

And he's also not only the God of Jesus Christ, he is also the Father of Jesus Christ. That's amazing here in verse number 3. So this supreme being is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. So Paul understood that this supreme being was the God of Jesus Christ. That Jesus Christ himself has a God.

And it is his heavenly Father, the Savior. Now notice Paul goes on to say this verse, that God the Father is he who has blessed us. He's talking about you and me, not only to the Corinthians, brethren, that God the Father is the one that has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. In the heavenly places. In or through Christ, as it could be translated. So God works through his son Jesus Christ, no doubt. But God is the one.

The Father is the one that has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Brethren, God the Father is an essential part of the process of salvation. Many overlook the role of God the Father in this whole process of salvation, this journey that we're on. So again, the title of the message is the role of God the Father. And my purpose, my specific purpose today, is to focus on the role of God the Father when it comes to salvation. Because sometimes I think we can be influenced by some of the thought out there that puts Jesus Christ in the primary role.

And of course, he has his role. And we will cover that another time. But I want to make sure that we are recognizing what God reveals in Scripture. The Scripture pays us for the role of the Father as well. Let's make sure we understand. Because again, many focus exclusively on the role of Jesus Christ and they open the role of the Father. So today's message is going to focus on the role of the Father and that this role may be much greater than what we realize.

So let's begin to explore from the Scriptures some of that role. Well, one of those roles is that God the Father called us. God the Father is the one who calls. He's the one that draws us to his Son, Jesus Christ. It's God the Father that does it. Let's go over to John 6.

John 6. And let's take a look at that from Scripture. John 6, and we're going to pick it up in verse number 43. Let's begin to take a look at what Jesus Christ tells us about part of the role of the Father. John 6 and verse number 43. Jesus therefore answered and said to them, Don't murmur among yourselves. No man can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise you up at the last day. Brethren, it is God the Father who drew you.

It was God the Father who called you individuals. He is the one that opened up your mind. He looked down and said, I'm going to take the blinders off of that person because that person knows you well enough to know that we would most likely respond to him in a positive way. When I counsel someone for baptism, we redo that. That it is the Father that began to work with him individually.

He knows who should be called and the proper time in which their eyes should be opened. And when he starts to draw them. So it's God the Father that looked down and made them. Jesus reveals that this beginning of our salvation, this journey of our salvation, begins with the Father.

Now, Jesus Christ has many responsibilities, but it's not one of them to do the calling. He has other important responsibilities along this journey of salvation that we're on, but that is one that he relinquishes to the Father. He says, you know what? That's the Father's responsibility. And so for us to come to this point in our lives where we begin to understand the truth, that was our Heavenly Father that worked with you and I individually. Let's go over to Matthew 11.

Actually, we've already been there. We read a part of this verse about how the Father is the Lord of Heaven and Earth. But there is more here as we keep reading that ties into this point about this new Father that calls us, the Father that draws us, and that Jesus Christ defers to the Father's in that responsibility. He says, you know what? I've got a lot of responsibility, but this isn't one of them.

This is the Father's responsibility. He's praying to God the Father here, and we're going to pick it up here in verse number 25 of Matthew chapter 11. It says, at that time Jesus answered and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent, and you have revealed them to Baal. You know, Jesus is musing on this. You know, this is part of the Father's responsibility. He's musing on this, and he sees the wisdom of this, and he says, you know what?

I've been on the earth here for a while, and I see the wisdom in this, and he's thanking God for this, how he has hidden some of these things from the wise and the prudent, and he has revealed them to babes. Notice verse 26, even so, Father, for so is seen good in your sight. God said, that's the way I'm going to do it. And Jesus said, I see the wisdom in this. The choices that you made, the way you're performing this role, I see that this makes perfect sense to me.

Let's notice another scripture, which reveals is the Father that called us, or that calls us. 1 Peter 5. 1 Peter 5. And we're going to pick it up here in verse number 10. 1 Peter 5 and verse 10. Peter now is writing to God's people. And he says, but may the God of all grace who called us, we'll look at that in a moment, that this is the Father, may the God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory by or through Christ Jesus.

So we're talking about the Father. The Father called us, and it goes on to say, to his eternal glory. Wow! Sometimes we can just read over these words. God the Father, the God of all grace, called you and me to his eternal glory. He wants to share that eternal glory with you and me. And he is the one that has called you and I to it. And notice it through Jesus Christ. May the God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered for a while.

So the reality is God says, the Father says that that's something that's part of this journey. After you have suffered for a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and celebrate. Now, the Apostle Paul is talking about two separate beings here. I don't want to be presumptuous here, but make sure we understand. God the Father is the God of all grace who has called us to his eternal glory. Why? He wants to share it with us. And he's in the process of perfecting us, and establishing us, and strengthening us, and settling us. And it is, of course, also through Jesus Christ. He's a part of this process.

And so it is the Father that has called you and I into the church, into the ecclesia, Greek word ecclesia, which doesn't mean a building, but it means an assembly of called-out people. The church is a group of people.

It's an assembly. Who calls the assembly? It's the Father. It's the Father who does this. So we are therefore the ecclesia of God. We are the assembly of God. So the assembly called by the Father. Now, what did God intend? I believe that through Scripture, He intended that we look primarily to Him. But the Bible says we look primarily to the Father. Now, I'm not diminishing the role of Jesus Christ, because it's an important role.

But I'm saying that we are to look primarily to the Father. That He is the Supreme Creator. He is the one that Christ came to reveal, and point us to Him.

Now, we must not neglect the scriptural record of the Father in His role. Many Christianity have under-emphasized the role of the Father, and mainly focused on the role of Jesus Christ. And again, I don't want to diminish the role of Jesus Christ, because that's an important role. He is our inner-septor. He is our high-priest. He is a coming King. We are to look to His example. We are to imitate Him.

And so, He has a very important role. We are to have His mind. We are to have His nature. We are to walk the way that we are. He shows us how to live. We'll rise to meet Him in the air, the resurrection, and He comes back. And we'll serve with Him in the Kingdom. So He has a very important role.

Now, what's interesting, I think some think of the Kingdom, just in terms of Jesus Christ. And yet, the Kingdom of God is actually a reference to the Kingdom of our Father. It's the Father's Kingdom. Let's take a look at that in Scripture. Let's notice that in Matthew chapter 26. Matthew chapter 26, in verse number 29. Matthew chapter 26. And we're going to pick it up here in verse number 29. Jesus is speaking here. He said, But I say to you, I am not going to drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it new with you. Notice in my Father's Kingdom. Jesus Christ refers to His coming Kingdom as my Father's Kingdom. We're in Matthew. Let's go to Matthew chapter 13 just two pages back. Matthew chapter 13. And we're going to pick it up here in verse number 43. Matthew 13 and verse number 43. Jesus again speaking. He says that the righteous will shine forth as the Son in the Kingdom of their Father. So we're talking about the Father's Kingdom, Mark. Hopefully you and I are there. And we'll have this righteous clothing, this fine linen of the saints, white and clean. And that the righteousness will shine forth as the Son in the Kingdom of their Father. So Jesus literally says that this is the Father's Kingdom. And of course, you remember the Lord's Prayer. A lot of us can recite that from memory. It's from the model. We're not supposed to do any ropes in a sense. But part of that prayer, Jesus says, He says, Pray for, He says, Pray your kingdom, and He says, Your kingdom is free to the Father. And He says, Your kingdom is free to the Father. Now I want to show further how this plays out, at least in part in some other scriptures. Let's go over to Revelation chapter 5. Revelation chapter 5. There's a reference here where it portrays the angels in God's throne, and they sing a song here in verse number 8. So we're going to pick it up. Revelation chapter 5. And verse number 8. Talking about the 24 elders, they fall down before the Lamb, each having a heart, and the golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. So what if a church is a church? Well, the church is a church. And the church is a church. And the church is a church. So they call it the heaven. And then they do that. And then they do this. How do we get down? If there's a church overdoes it? Then what happens? Does God Tomb in heaven? Don't be THIS old. Don't be!!!! He's peaked. He's cast away. That just doesn't exist. So we see this as an desire. A desire built toward it. We're ready to take the scroll. I was talking about Christ is worthy to take the scroll. And I opened its seals, for you were slain, and you have redeemed us to God by your blood. What John uses the word God here, overwhelmingly it's a reference to the Father. We're redeemed to God the Father. That's who we'll redeem to. Verse number 9, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, verse 10, and has made us kings and priests to our God. Now, if you think about the kingdom in terms of Jesus Christ, you might read this and say, well, we're going to be kings and priests of Jesus Christ. No, I don't think so. Jesus Christ made us kings and priests to our Father.

It says in verse 10, made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. We're in Revelation. Let's go over to Revelation chapter 1. I'm going to pick it up here in verse number 4. Revelation chapter 1 and verse 4.

John said, the seven churches which are in Asia, it says, Grace to you, and peace from him who is and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne. I think we're talking about the Father's throne here. He who is and who was and who is to come. It is a reference to the Father, verse number 5, and from Jesus Christ.

We've got two separate beings here. In verse 4, he's talking about the Father, and then he references Jesus Christ in verse number 5. He gets confused. He mentions two separate beings here. He's referring to Christ, the Heath of Faithfulness. He's the firstborn from the dead and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own love. So he's referring to Christ in verse 5 along with Matthew. Verse number 6, And referring to Christ has made us kings and priests to his God and the Father. So there's no confusion here.

It's very, very clear. That God, Jesus Christ, is making us kings and priests to his God and his Father. And he is a priest. Pretty clear. Okay, let's go over to Daniel chapter 7. Now we'll go back to the Old Testament. And the book of Daniel is one of my favorites and it's referenced in Beyond Today.

A short book. It's fascinating. The Daniel is a prophet, but God revealed much to him. It's a very short book and covers God's Father. It covers a lot of ground and revelation about what's to come. Different, you know, moving empires that are to come. It's really a whole short story of human history and of human future before the Kingdom of God comes. Let's take a look here at Daniel chapter 7. Jesus Christ has a kingdom, but it's a kingdom that he receives from the Father.

We'll take a look at that here in this promise. And that's what you see. It's the kingdom of God and the ministers through Jesus Christ. Let's look it up here in verse number 13. Because the Scripture is at its point here that this kingdom is a kingdom coming from the Father to Jesus Christ. Let's notice that in verse 13, Daniel chapter 7. Daniel says, I was watching in the night visuals. He says, of the old one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the ancient of days.

So we've got two separate beings here. One like the Son of Man is referring to the Word or the one who became Jesus Christ coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the ancient of days. We must talk about the Father here. And they brought him, the Son of Man, near before him, the ancient of days, verse number 14. Then to him was given dominion.

Something was given to the Son of Man. Something was given to Jesus Christ. And it had to be given to him. He didn't have it of his own. It had to be given to him. It was given to him from the Father. Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom. To the Son of the Father.

To the Son of the Son of the Father. To the administered total Jesus Christ. And it says that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away. And his kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed. Because the other world knows the kingdoms before this and the Word is destroyed. They all came to an end. But once this world-related kingdom comes from the Father, through Jesus Christ it will not be destroyed. So it is indeed the kingdom and it's a reference of Christ. It is the kingdom of the Father which is given to Christ from the Father to administer. If we go back to the book of Revelation, let's go ahead to Revelation 11.

Do we have a seventh trumpet that's blown? Notice the last trumpet. We have a resurrection. God the Father sends his Son Jesus Christ to the earth. And the kingdom is then set up in the earth. We'll see a reference then to the kingdom. And let's see how it's described here. Pretty familiar Scripture which is probably covered during the Feast of Trovets and or the Feast of Tabernacles. Let's look closely to what it is is revealed here.

We will see a Scripture here that's very clearly related to the Father and not just to Jesus Christ. Those included Christ as well. Revelation 11 and verse 15. Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. So there you go. We've got the Father here and there's Christ. Our Lord is referring to the Father.

And his Christ is referring to Jesus Christ. And he shall reign forever and ever. So once this kingdom begins, it's not going to end. It says we've got the Book of Daniel. So rule is going to be established. It says that God the Father, our Lord, and his Son, or his Christ, rather, is referring to Christ and are establishing their rulership. So the point is this. We're not eating it too much here. God the Father and Jesus Christ are both intimately involved and always have been. They always have been. There was never a time that the Father took a secondary role.

The Father has always had the primary role. The primary role. He works. Literally, Jesus Christ. Let's notice something else here in Acts chapter 3. Acts chapter 3 in verse number 13. I'm going to put my watch up there. I can keep an eye on the time. There's no fox anywhere here. You may have one on your wrist. Let's notice something here in Acts chapter 3 in verse number 13. Sometimes we can tend to go back and say, well, here's what Christ was doing. Now the Father is doing it.

No, brethren, I don't think so. God the Father and Jesus Christ, both of them, have always been involved in this process of salvation. Always. And in fact, the Father has had the primary role. And he works through his Son, Jesus Christ. Whether it be in the Old Testament or whether it be in the New Testament.

It's pretty much the same role that Christ has had in the Father, this day. Let's take a look at Acts chapter 3, verse 13. It says, And he was determined to let him go. More than the Father was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. See that there in verse number 13? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers glorified his servant, Jesus.

Isn't that something here that the Father refers to Jesus as his servant and Jesus? Of course, he wasn't. He was a wonderful servant. He was willing to serve. He has a heart of a servant. And so the Father was the God of the Israelites under the Old Covenant. Yes, Jesus as the Word was the God being that talked to Moses. He was the God being that the Father was working through that talked to Moses and communicated to the prophets.

He's the Word. He's the Logos. He's a spokesman. He does what God the Father asks him to do. And so we don't want to be confused. I know we've sometimes said that Jesus was the God of the Old Covenant. Well, in what way? He was the supreme being over the Israelites. No, the Father was. The Father was the first one to think about this plan of salvation.

And Jesus Christ said, I will help you. I will assist you. And so Jesus Christ was the God being that spoke to them, spoke to Moses face to face. But was he God in the sense of being the supreme being over the Israelites? Jesus deferred to the Father, referring to him as the mind of God. Let's go over to John 12. Jesus was the Word who communicated with them. He was the God being who talked to Abraham and Moses.

But as the Word, he performed the same role in the Old Testament as he did in the New Testament. Let's take a look at John 12. Verse number 49. John 12. And verse number 49. Jesus said, I haven't spoken on my own authority. But the Father who sent me gave me a command what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his command is everlasting life. This is the toughest desire. He's trying to do everything possible for you anonymous, his created sons and daughters, to be in his family forever. His command is everlasting life. Therefore, Jesus said, understanding this, whatever I speak, it's just as the Father has told me.

So I speak. The Word, the one who became known as Jesus Christ, was a message. He brought these words from the Father to both the Israelites and the spiritual Israelites. The Christian is the New Testament church. He's brought them to mankind, both under the Old and the New Covenant. It's called Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1.

If you've also followed or stood all of this, and already touched on some things in the book, have you read already? In the writing of the Ephesians. Let's see what he says. It's here in chapter 1, verse 1. It says, God, and I think we'll see it's referring to the Father, God, in what times pass spoke to the fathers by the prophets, as in these last days spoken unto us by the Son.

We don't often think about it. God the Father spoke through his prophets. He spoke through Daniel. He spoke through Daniel. He spoke through Jeremiah. He spoke through Isaiah and all the other major and minor prophets. God, in times pass, who spoke to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. It's not in this state. God the Father has always been involved. He was always directly worked with. The plan of God is his plan. The Church of God is his ecclesia. It's his Church. The Kingdom of God is his kingdom. So, we live in a society, though, where many believe that Christ is the one that's doing most everything in their eyes.

We can be influenced by that. We don't want to be. We want the Scriptures to be done. That comes out there in a lot of different Christian circles. The Bible clearly says it is our Lord and is Christ. The Father has always been involved. He has administered over Jesus Christ. The Father calls us. He's chosen us. And that's his own rule. Jesus Christ hands off basis. He says, you know what?

How can you know better than I do, whose eyes should be opened and whose eyes should we stay closed for now? Do you know it? And so it's the Father who opens our eyes. It's the Father who forgives us. Christ is the intercessor. The Father who gives. The Father who sends the Holy Spirit. He sends it through Jesus Christ. We see that in Acts chapter 2 verse 33. He sends the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. So the Father and Jesus Christ are intimately involved in everything that we do. But the Father is greater. He's not at a distance. He's not off in a way.

As any father or family is, a good father would not be. We're in Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1. God, who at various times and various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he, referring to the Father, has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.

Who made the worlds? The Father or the Son, which he wasn't. So it was both. It was both. The Father made the worlds by his Son, through his Son, Jesus Christ. In other words, the Father was the architect. He was the instigator. He's the one that had this thought first in his mind. He was the designer. And Jesus was the active thinker. He's the one that implemented the Father's insight. Verse number three. Who, being the brightness of his glory, this is referring to Christ being the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person, and upholds all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself, purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

The Father is the Majesty on high. Jesus sits at his right hand. He says the Father is greater than him. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and verse 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and verse 1. Yes, I'm not, again, I'm not demeaning the role of Jesus Christ as our Lord. We'll talk about that another day. He has an incredibly important front story. 1 Corinthians chapter 8. Let's make sure we understand their roles as the Bible reveals. 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and verse number 1. Paul's talking about things that are offered to idols.

But then, because of this question, he gets into talking about the God entity, and the nature of God. There's almost a side note. I'm glad it was an issue, because he shared some things with us here. 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and verse number 1. It says, Now, concerning things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge pops up with love edifies.

Verse number 2. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he wants to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him. Verse 4. Therefore, concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and there is no other God brought on. There is no other God. That's interesting. He doesn't say there's no other God that they.

He says there's no other God but one. That's what it's actually written here in the Greek. Verse number 5. For even if there are so-called gods, and that's what the small G is, we're talking about gods that don't really exist, or false gods.

Even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as there are many gods, many lords, we're talking, of course, about gods and false gods. Verse 6. Yet for us there is only one God. And then he identifies who that one God is, the Father. That means what it says. Of whom are all things. For whom? The God the Father generated the plan of adding the family. That's why he's the Father. And that's why we are sons and daughters of our equivocal. We are children of the Father. We're not children of Jesus Christ. We're children of God the Father. The thought and the plan began with him. He offered this whole place.

He generates the plan. He generated the purpose and the calling. He generates the focus. The Father's goal includes being God overall, including Jesus Christ. Verse number 6, And we for him and one Lord Jesus Christ through whom are all things.

So Jesus' role includes being Lord and also being involved in the creation process that the Father originally made. Jesus' role includes being Lord, and that's a message all of its own that we will address in the future. So it says the Father is the one God, the one God overall, including Christ. It's not saying that Jesus isn't a God being, because he is. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 8, I think that makes that pretty clear.

Let's just go over there. Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 8. The Father is speaking. Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 8. He's speaking about his son. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 8. But to the Son, the Father says this, Your throne, O God, is forever. Remember, the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness.

You hated lawlessness. Therefore God, your God, you bring Jesus having a God again. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you. He is the King of Kings. He's anointed you with oil of gladness more than your companions. But you notice verse 8, God the Father is referring to Jesus, his Son, as a God. Your throne, O God. So Jesus is a God being. There's no doubt about that. You see that. It's not saying Jesus is a God being, because he is. But it's referring to the fact that in referencing God, most of the references in the scripture are to the Father. And it is speaking about the Father of whom he is.

He's the original. He administers through Christ. He creates through Christ. And he works with his children through Christ. Christ being able to grow. Now, there are some roles where the Father reserves some things strictly to himself. We've covered most of those. He is the one who draws. The Father is the one who calls. You and I were individually called by the Father. Think about that. The Ekklesia of Gethsemane called out ones out of God and found them. We are children of the Father. Children of God. We're not children of Christ. And when you and I pray, we pray to the Father.

We pray to the Father. It's the bodily answers. Now, sometimes, you know, we see in the Bible prayer, Jesus said, when you pray, do it like this in this manner. Say our Father. So we pray to him. It's the bodily answers. Now, whether he sends an answer to the angel or to Jesus Christ, we see here that God's people are preaching to him. We're talking to him. Let's go over to Matthew 20. Matthew 20 in verse 20.

This is the time when the mother of the 70s sons came over and said, you could make my two sons be the ones that sit at your right hand and your left hand. And that's something we talked about in the past, about the ability to be a servant. But let's see if there's something else that Jesus Christ shares that ties into the topic today. Matthew 20 in verse 20. Break something out a little bit different than the moment we bring out in such prescription. Matthew 20 in verse 20. Talking about the mother of 70s sons came to Jesus with her sons, kneeling down and asking him something from him. Verse 21, and he, referring to Christ, said to her, what do you wish? She said to him, grant that these two sons of mine may sit one on your right hand and the other on the left in your feet. That's a reference to the kingdom being Christ's. Again, he comes from the Father. Let us know something here, verse 21. But Jesus answered and said, you don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am able to come upon to drink? And to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with. And they said, we are able. Verse 23, so he said, you will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit on my right hand and on my left, he was not mine to give. Isn't that interesting? He defers to the Father. But it is for those for whom it is prepared by my Father. That's part of the scripture we don't often look at. Jesus said, that's not my responsibility. That's not my responsibility. That's the Father's response. That's His role. It's not mine to give. Jesus said, the Father is going to make that decision. He's here. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 3. Again, reinforcing the fact that the Father is intimately involved. He is not this distance, nor has ever been. He's never waiting to get involved. He's involved now. And intimately involved with each of us as individuals. Where is individual's son's involvement? He's our individual Father. He's not going to be afraid of the Father. He's not involved. He's waiting, getting more bullied. That's not what the scripture seems to be. Look at chapter 1 and verse 3. Paul again shares a little more information with us. This time he's writing with the book of Luke. Look at chapter 1 and verse 3. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine, making requests for you all with joy. For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing that he who has begun a good work in you, Christ the Father is the one that began this good work in us, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day that Jesus comes. We're talking about those who's ever beings again. We're talking about the Father in one hand. We're talking about Jesus Christ on the other. And the one who has begun a good work in you is your heavenly Father. He's the one that started it.

Let's go over to James chapter 1, verse number 17. There's no question of Philippians. It's a reference to God the Father. It says, He began the work, and He'll complete it. He's not waiting to get involved. It's His work. The work of God is the work of the Father in you, in you. James chapter 1, verse number 17. Let's go over to Matthew. I'm going through this here. Let's get there. James chapter 1, verse number 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. And it comes down from the Father of lights. To do there's no variation or shadow of heaven. Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from the Father. He decides what gift you and I receive. He's the one that gives these gifts. Verse number 18. And of His own will, He brought us forth. This is talking about a new birth. We may not see it necessarily in the New King James translation here, where it talks about how He brought us forth. You know, when you talk about bringing somebody forth, it's really talking about a bird. A bird does what some of the translations say. Of His own will. Brother the Father did this. This is His will. We didn't necessarily have a part in it. You know, we were born in that sense. You know, you don't have much choice in that manner in a sense. But this is His will. Father's will. Verse 18. Of His own will, He birthed us. He brought us forth by the word of truth.

It's the word of truth that's going to bring forth the first fruits.

We've got a fast synonym of truth. As Jesus said to the Father, your word is true. He brought us forth by the word of truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.

Father's creatures.

In the Bible, God uses sometimes agricultural things to help us understand the things. He uses trees. He uses harvests. He uses fruits. He uses vines in their care to teach us many valuable lessons about what God the Father is doing. You know, I mentioned in the past that we've got this within walking distance of our home. There was a space that used to be an old greenhouse that tore it all down, and they planted a vineyard. We've talked about that over the years. Probably about the full growing season now. Sometimes, you know, I refer to it as Harvish.

Because we saw it from scratch. It's vastly in the process.

But we've watched it over the years here, and it's owned by two owners. And boy, have they worked hard.

They planted, they set up the trellises. You know, first they determined the location where it was going to be. They cleared the land. They took out all of the stones. You know, they fertilized the land. They prepared the soil of the beach to acidic. They went through all these tests. They set up the trellises, you know, and then the wires of these little seedlings can begin to grow up. And then they begin to scatter, and then they prune them, and then they tie some of the, you know, the vines. They trained the vines, and then they tied them with these little plastic, twining things.

They monitor the vineyard for insects, for birds, you know, they're going to eat the fruit. They have all these different things that they do. There's a lot of work to be a vineyard.

And yet these two have said it's a labor of love.

It's a labor of love. So what do Isaiah 5 and verse 1? We're going to see something here. The Father is the owner of the vineyard. Isaiah chapter 5. Take a look at that.

God uses this to help us understand.

Isaiah chapter 5 and verse number 1.

He says, Now let me sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved regarding his vineyard.

So my well beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill.

He dug it up. He cleared out its stones. And he planted it with the choices of mine. It was a fruitful hill. It was isolated. It was protected. He cleared out the stones. He did all these things. It says he built a tower in its midst. A tower is for protection. It's for protection. And, you know, for storage, also for rest. And hot sun, you can sit down a little bit, cool off. And that tower helps you with that. So it's a lot of work that the orders of the vineyard have to do.

Who's the owner of our vineyard? Let's go over to John chapter 15, verse number 1.

John chapter 15, verse 1, we'll see a role that the Father plays here. Jesus is explaining to his disciples, in the final night before his crucifixion, how things work.

And he used the picture of a vine. John chapter 15, verse number 1.

Who's talking this way?

Behind you.

No peeking.

John chapter 15, verse 1, Jesus says this.

He says, I'm the true vine. He knows his role. I am the true vine. He knows, and my Father is the vineyard.

My Father is the owner.

We see two separate proposals.

Jesus is the vineyard.

The Father is the vineyard.

Today's message was shown, focusing on the Father's role.

Father is the one who attends the vineyard.

He's the owner.

Think about that.

You know, the Father's involved a whole lot more than what we've done.

These two men had in their minds the plan to commit their fruit.

The Father is the one that had in his mind the plan of the vineyard.

He's the owner. And the bear fruit.

He determined the fruitful location. He determined the quality of the soil. He determined what variety of choices were arriving that would be planted. He set up the trellises.

He planted. He trained the young vines and the branches. He monitored the vineyard for insects and for birds and craters to destroy the fruit. He built the top.

He built the hedge.

He protects. It's a lot of work.

It's a lot of work.

It's a labor of work.

It's a labor of work.

The vine dresser is extremely busy.

And he is involved.

He's involved. He pays a lot of attention to the share of every year, pruning, and digging, and fertilizing.

He knows the work that's necessary.

Verse number 2, John 15, verse 2, Every branch in me, Jesus says, that does not bear fruit, he's the one that decides whether that branch is taken away or not.

He's the only. And every branch that bears fruit, he, referring to the Father, prunes.

That it may bear more fruit.

There is a function of the vine. It's very important, isn't it? It's a function that Jesus Christ has as the vine.

The function of the vine is to transfer nutrients to the branches.

Think about it, brother. The fruit is born by the branches of fruit. We're supposed to bear fruit through Christ.

The Father is working all along the way to help you and I to bear more fruit.

The vine dresser is the owner, the original.

He's the one that decided to start the process.

Without the vine dresser, there would be no vine. There would be no vine.

There would be no vine.

And, thankfully, no vine.

This is how I'm going to help him.

The Father has been involved all along the way, working through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Rather than they've always been intimately involved.

And they always will be.

The Father's not waiting to invest himself in the process of salvation.

He initiated the process.

It's His plan.

It's His Church.

It's His people.

It's His house.

It's His temple.

It will be His kingdom that He administers through the Son of Jesus Christ.

Brother, let's not forget the way Scripture reveals us. Let's not forget to focus on the Lord, the Father.