Since Jesus Was Serious…We Should Relate to God as Father, While Remembering He is Holy

] Name Jesus your name is power breath and Living Water such a Marvelous Mystery yeah holy it’s the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come with all creation I sing praise to the King of Kings you are my everything and I will Adore You holy it’s the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come with all creation I sing praise to the King of Kings you are my everything and I will adore you I know Easter came last week

and my joy was full so was yours right but at what a cost our exalted Victorious Jesus sits at the right hand of the father I’m so excited to see him someday I know people that have and if they came back I think all of us would go take me now Jes Jesus but until then Lord Jesus we we cry out to you we worship you in awe and wonder we do what prophets long ago did and it changed their lives and we we do what

Saints and Angels the likes of us will do for eternity we’re told because the only way we get there is because of what you did for us help people that are here today who haven’t quite sat long enough and listened carefully enough to experience that awe and wonder of your presence your power and your tenderness to us and I pray for the littlest among us today who will go and hear more about this Jesus who’s living today and I pray that you would help their little

hearts make next steps with you give the leaders the kind of sensitivity to your spirit and for all of these things for us in the house and those joining us elsewhere we pray that today would be a deeply touching and very impactful experience for us in the name of Jesus Christ the Risen one we pray all God’s people said amen amen go ahead and have a seat everyone and kids enjoy your time in wonderful Gathering full of your friends and great teachers who will try to

try to help you stay away from the playground one more week okay how many are loving what they’re seeing out there with the playground coming huge huge I it could just be me but I hear a microphone that’s echoing in my ear maybe only my ear that’s okay okay but the guys are working on it so let’s stay calm everyone so I want to say something right out of the gate especially to you who are live streaming you’re part of a community that is very much

a part of Grace Point we just don’t see your face and we wish we did but we understand in some cases this live stream Arrangement has become kind of a gift to the body of Christ because there are some of our people some nearby some Far Away who can’t be here and so we love you and we want you to know we we appreciate you joining us and we want it to be relevant and personal for you too and then for us in the house all

of us on the first Sunday of the month are handed a wonderful little bulletin we used to do it every week and Co changed that and not many people have demanded it back we’re not demanding people here but you get my idea and so we we put it together once a month it’s worth the read there’s always something in here about the church around the world and if you want to cut through the Clutter and just say what what’s God doing in the world today this

is a really good thing some of it’s exciting some of it’s kind of frightening and serious so use some discretion when you read it maybe as bedtime stuff to one of your children or grandchildren but it’s really good stuff and it’s worth your time time because we pray as a result of things like this and speaking of prayer we ask for it often but we want to encourage you there’s a connection card in the seat near you sounds like a bunch of announcements right now but

it’s really not these are important parts to who we are a family and so there’s a way for you to connect with us lots of ways but this is the most immediate one just grab a connection card say hey we were here and great to be with brothers and sisters the family and also if you’ve got something going on in your life that’s a little more for you to handle than doing it alone would you flip it flip the card and just tell us what to

pray about and I say this often but this is true for you live stream you can do the same online or just reach out to us Grace pointf family.com you can reach out to me directly Steve at Grace pointf family.com kind of creative right and hopefully you’ll be a part of we’ll get your requests and concerns and we will pray we will add you to a list of people that we are praying for so is that just me no thank you they’re working on it so

hang in there everybody so I want to correct something that was my fault the the sermon that you’re going to hear grew out of a normal wonderful experience with Jesus the this week and and I say this week it’s stuff he’s doing in my life broader than this week and one of the results of that was I I sort of lost myself at as I often do in a a sense of living in the moment I try to stay there and and sort of Imagine things

and it resulted in a a title that’s not entirely accurate and so if you look at this everybody got one in their bulletin there’s a page that we call it sermon notes it’s a outline if you will with questions that you can go deeper in a discussion about and then continued study scriptures at the bottom every week and I get feedback from you that that’s become for some of you a Bible study for the week and I hope it is and I hope it’ll take you

in new places in God’s word but anyway the title I want you to cross out two words yours it’s this series is since Jesus was serious and it was inspired by Sky jethani in his book what if Jesus was serious we’re going The Next Step he is serious and he was serious that’s the Assumption the inference in his title but today’s title should read what it what it says on your outline we should relate to him since Jesus was serious we should relate to him as

father while remembering he is God two words to correct cross out him we should relate to him you should put in the word to God there and then the next part of it while remembering he is God it should say he is Holy so those two words will change the meaning I’m not here suggesting Jesus is the father because he’s not you’ll understand why in a minute the Bible is overwhelming in the evidence that Jesus understood God as his father Jesus as God the son so

we’re not taking anything away from the Trinity but I I read that again this morning and it was the first time I caught my mistake so anyway so we should relate to him since Jesus is serious and you’ll see why in a minute we should relate to him as should change to we should relate to God as father while remembering God is Holy okay you’re probably saying wow that’s a lot of words to correct two things but I I didn’t want to go on so when

Jesus preached a sermon his most famous arguably The Sermon on the Mount and it covers Matthew 56 and 7 so if you haven’t turned to chapter 6 in fact Midway point in his message chapter 6 he touches on three very relevant spiritual habits of the people in that day and they remain relevant to people today okay so practices that are still practiced by Jesus people today all right so they are giving verse two of chapter six they are praying that begins in verse five of chapter

6 and they are are fasting which begins all the way down at verse 16 all all three of those practices giving praying and fasting are practices Jesus recommended he put emphasis on but he begins his discussion here with a two word caution be careful look at verse one of this middle chapter you got to remove the words it’s chapter in our Bible it’s the middle point of his message or his Sermon on the Mount be careful that’s how he starts this section of things like giving

praying and fasting be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them because if you do you’ll have no reward from your father the one we just worshiped in heaven okay so that’s a starting point that’s curious to me when I read that because I know what’s coming some really practical stuff about giving and about praying and about fasting that’s huge so why be careful what’s going on here why the warning I got to thinking about the world I live

in today and I talk to people not in frequent ly who are looking for they’re sort of scratching for a secret a secret sauce sometimes I call it how can I move from where I am forward to a better place and somewhere in there a better place with God is what they’re getting at how can I do that maybe you’re thinking that this morning and these happen to be good practices that will bring value and benefit in your life but he begins them with this caution

and I think I I landed on an answer at least my my belief it’s because these spiritual practices possess great potential you’re not ready for this for good and for harm I’m like really giving praying something bad about prayer H fasting that’s kind of good to hear because I want to give up on fasting it’s hard to do you know some people might chuckle okay so stay with me how so all of those things are when they’re done can bring glory and praise to God through

his people when he sees me giving when he sees me praying and fasting that can that can being bring great glory to God I believe that’s really part of the reason they’re recommended but at the same time all can be done every one of them and probably a lot of other things that we might be tempted to do for show for show by people whose Hearts this is the hard part are far from God in other words you can give a pile of money and be

a philanthropist it has nothing to do with Jesus Christ get it in other that’s what I mean their heart is far from God God never touched their soul and saved them and inspired them to do this doesn’t mean that they’re giving money to a children’s hospital or whatever it happens to be isn’t a good thing but it’s possible to give without a heart that’s touched by Jesus you get you getting that surprisingly it’s also possible to do that same thing with prayer and with fasting so

Jesus offers some clarifying as a result of that potential for people to to do good things like that without the right heart he gives us some clarification so real quick because we’re going to get into the middle one today all right prayer and that’s where we’re heading in this conversation so but look down he starts off correctively when you give verse two to the needy Do not announce it with your trumpets with the trumpets as the Hypocrites do in the synagogue and on the streets to

be honored by others he says that’s a waste of time and the reward is in full drop down to verse 5 When you pray don’t be like says it again the Hypocrites for how do they pray well they love to pray standing in the synagogue on the street corners to be conspicuous the word here is seen by others truly he says the same thing I tell you that’s the rewards full that’s that moment is all the reward they’re going to get maybe people come by and

today they mock you for that if you’re in a on a street corner in some cases and you’re you’re you’re you know anyway they they mock you to today like then though there’s this potential to do it in front of people not necessarily with a heart at all engaged and he’s saying that’s a that’s a dead end Street and then drop down to verse 16 he picks up on fasting when you fast once again don’t look sad or somber like the Hypocrites for they disfigure their

faces to show others that they’re fasting again that’s all the gain they’re going to get is sympathy from others it will not result in a change in their hearts I’m I’m I’m drawn to two principles if you’re looking for a these are not the core of my message but notice back in the prayer section verse 5 When you pray he says don’t he’s wor his counsel here is don’t be showy would you write that down get out of that don’t be showy pray verse six says

privately instead what a revelation what a possible contrast in some of our Lives we want to we we’re hesitated we we’re hesitant to pray out loud because what if it doesn’t sound real good I I have to tell you about a man that was one of my favorite prayers I’ve ever been around and he never went to Seminary he never learned how to pray publicly what a dumb statement right he but he’d just go hey Jesus listen we got a situation here let me tell you

a little bit about it so you’re fully informed and I’m just like I’m I’m I’m drinking up every moment he’s not messing around he goes you know we got a situation in his words listen if you got a solution up your sleeve somehow can you can you give it to us right here because seriously I’m not we’re kind of hosed without it and don’t know what to say except you know bring it on and I thought I want to be like you when I grow up

I did I I thought it’s so beautiful it’s so disarming so don’t be showy pray privately Jesus is his antidote in verse 6 and then look at verse seven he picks up on a second thing we’re tempted to do don’t be wory thinking that the more words the more I’m liable to either persuade God or irritate him a little and he wants to get you out of the way so he’ll answer your prayer and move on that’s theology in the streets today that’s that’s there verse

eight says don’t do that pray simply and he picks up on verse 9 through 13 how to pray this then is how you should pray not showy not wordy Our Father in heaven Hallowed Be Your Name Your Kingdom Come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven give us today our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive those we have debts with our our debtors let it lead us not into temptation but the Deliver Us from the evil one for

thine is the kingdom I always sing the song that way so thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever amen amen many of you your lips were moving when we were when I was reading that so it’s pretty practical when we get to this prayer section he gives more attention to that than the other two giving and fasting seems like this there’s something special here that he’s getting at I think it’s why The Lord’s Prayer as this sometimes is referred to is actually

referred to by guys like Richard Foster as a complete prayer interesting way to put it and I don’t disagree sort of covers everything I’ve done a whole series on this at one time from this Pulpit but I was freshly aware in verse nine of a surprising I’ll call it statement that that’s easily overlooked because because maybe it’s in the the opening verse but also because we get to sometimes we think the meaty content and I think that’s a mistake so what I would call in verse

n a surprise salutation when I write a letter to somebody I usually give it some thought dear you know whoever or hi is one of my favorites more warm it’s kind of you almost read it with a smile you know or hey bro might be another one those are all forms of salutation verse 9 gives us one that Jesus himself used pray you should pray this way our father is the salutation in heaven the verse ends hallowood be your name now in a single verse Jesus

re reveals a lot about his relationship with his father if we’re to read elsewhere in the New Testament you would find that Jesus referred to God as his father ready his father a lot 156 times in the New Testament in the gospels it’s like he talked about his father that way intimately a lot in fact if you were just to isolate verse seven or chapter 17 of John which also the whole chapter is a prayer it’s the night Jesus was arrested and betrayed and the all

the festivities that happened over the Passover meal and the time together in the upper room it’s known they left that at in prayer Jesus prays and the whole chapter 17 and in chapter 17 alone he refers to in in a very very intense moment my father father it’s we need to talk father there was all kinds of stress on his heart as the cross loomed in the Horizon observes Professor Bingham Hunter we used to call him Bing and he let us get away with it in

my years at talbet Seminary long ago he wrote In the book The God Who hears and it’s worth a read if you want a great book God was called the Lord Almighty the Holy One Sovereign of the world and many other exalted titles but a word like father was too personal too familiar too intimate to be appropriate yet Jesus prayed like that all the time end quote what I would love to capture for you is words that aren’t here so I can’t pretend I was there

and I know something that’s secret and now going to be revealed but I think there was a probably an audible maybe a few passed out for sure people went what did he just say pray then in this way our father holy God Transcendent Lord Creator God come up with anything that takes it way higher than father would have been the sentiment in the ears hearing this at that time for some more than sentiment it would have it would have taken them into a sense of you’re

kidding me you are a man you’re the son of a carpenter we know where you grew up in Nazareth we know the story and you’re taking us where when it comes to prayer Our Father we’re talking about well something that just wasn’t heard but here’s where Jesus salutation we’re not we’re not ready for the startling part yet becomes truly shocking Jesus referred to God as our father the pronoun changed right everybody gets that he’s talking to people a lot of them in this Sermon on the

Mount let’s just pretend they’re taking notes like you are and they’re and they’re they’re they’re listening and and they they hear hour in there they hear a preposition a a pronoun that that isn’t my father he said that in John 17 but here pray to him this way our father it’s an inclusive I would say our plan today is to have ice cream after church well ours is is a what third person didn’t didn’t check my grammar second person it’s somebody but but it’s more than

me right I’m I didn’t say we have I have a plan for ice cream after church our plan see at least those that planned it and maybe all of us because we want you to go to Cafe now when you go there don’t be disappointed because there’s no ice cream today okay so relax so here’s the deal Jesus is saying when you pray pray our father I’m going to I’m going to call it what it was and and is intimacy with the almighty in some respects

everybody there was more comfortable quoting Jeremiah 32:17 which says a sovereign Lord creator of Heaven and Earth by your strong arm and outstretched hand nothing is too difficult for you but all that changes here that’s may I say it so lofted so exalted that that it’s almost distant certainly appropriate but here well again Dr Hunter’s words on Jesus lips father as an address to God In Prayer is understandable if you think about it he is his son and perhaps even expected but the amazing and unexpected

thing is he gave this privilege our father to ordinary men and women in quote you know what I’ve never heard except joking from my children Pastor hey Pastor hey Reverend Holy One you know what they call me they don’t call me dude that was college students in the day they would call me I this requires interpretation but crack and that’s because my name’s McCracken so they shortened it to hey crack what’s going on that’s so disrespectful I can’t even believe it but you know what they

call me you know what they call me dad dad they’re calling me that a lot right now because they’re doing their taxes dad I should have paid attention or a little help here you know so the full force of Jesus according to Foster total prayer includes a clear reference to one more piece in this opening verse that will camp on and be done and that is he is Holy again hallowed Our Father in heaven Hallowed holy is your name that’s something that Moses learned firsthand long

before this was spoken that’s something that Moses learned in the very early earliest encounter he had with God on Mount Horeb we know it as Mount Si in the in the peninsula there he went there and he saw something in the and I’ve imagine being there and I I hope someday before I’m face to face with Jesus I could see it really happen like this but a a burning bush and I’ve seen burning bushes I’ve been around forest fires that kind of thing but one that

doesn’t burn up that’s the twist here and Moses was there in Chapter 3 of Exodus just listen and put yourself imagine as I do when I’m preparing these thoughts so it’ll mean this to me if you try to do this that that I’m quoting now Exodus 3: 3-6 so Moses thought I will go over and see this strange sight why does the bush not burn up when the Lord saw that he had gone over to look God Called to him from within the bush what did

he say Moses Moses and Moses said here I am I would have lost my mind at that moment I’m pretty sure but anyway he’s like here I am don’t come any closer God said take off your sandals for the place where you’re standing is Holy Ground then he said I am the god of your father the god of Abraham Isaac and Jacob at this this wrapup statement Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God what a moment you’re seeing something that’s just

otherworldly and then you’re hearing something and you hear your name coming from somewhere the fact that he in my opinion didn’t run or hide he just hit his face and would not look up strikes me as more than remarkable because I played out all those scenarios I think oh my gosh this is huge and it wasn’t the only time something like that happened to someone in the Bible seven centuries later a prophet that most of us love and appreciate so many ways is Isaiah and he

went into the temple presumably for some Solace there was a very popular King that had just died in the country in Judah the South the kingdom was divided and that that King was he had two names Uzziah or Azariah you can find his story in 2 Chronicles 26 okay really cool story and you live it and then you sigh big near the end of it that hadn’t happened yet here’s the deal the this King was beloved he he did it right most of the time and

so here’s Isaiah a prophet not a king he just comes to the temple he comes to church if I can put it in those terms like you would come to church when you’re hurting when you’re just sort of disillusioned like God that that King was cool that president was the guy I know it’s been a long time since we’ve had that feeling but anyway but whatever it is and you come to church because you need comfort that’s Isaiah in chapter 6 and while there he saw

something like Moses back in Exodus 3 and he saw the Lord turns out Seated on his throne high and exalted and in that heart stopping moment he hears something from fiery Burning Angels sarapin calling out the words actual words we sang this morning in worship holy say it with me holy holy is the Lord God Almighty the whole earth is full of his glory that came right out of Isaiah comes out again in Revelation describing a scene in heaven that’s coming this encounter with God by

Isaiah shook him to the core these are his very words in that moment woe to me I cried I’m ruined I’m ruined I’m a man of unclean lips and I live among people that are as dirty as me and my eyes have seen the king the Lord Almighty and like Moses before him he went ah the result of that encounter the takeaway was a changed Isaiah his life was changed his next words attest to it then one of the seraphim these six wied Angels flew to

me with a live coal in his hand remember he said I’m a man of unclean lips well he took care of that with a live coal in his hand which he had taken with tongs from The Altar and with it he touched my mouth Ah that’s more than a candle burning you that’s something really hot and then he said see this has touched your lips your guilt is taken away and your sin is atoned for it’s been paid for what Grace then I heard the voice

of the Lord saying whom shall I send and who will go from us when God touches your life that’s almost your next question God how do you want to use me that’s why people are they repent of their sins and they turn to Jesus and in that moment many of them say when can I get baptized as soon as they learn that that’s the next step that’s an important step of obedience by the way we have a baptism next Sunday we have a class for people

that want to get baptized right after church today so stick around if you’re interested it’ll be in my office and I’m serving ice cream but anyway another subject but no so how do we frame what Jesus said in a single sentence here in m Matthew it’s what my message has tried to capture this morning it’s it’s really boils down to this we should relate to God in Jesus words as our father but we must remember he is Holy The Chronicles of Narnia familiar to anybody so

there’s a helpful exchange that happened there it’s a place where his the the idea of Aon who is The Lion King of of the story he is well the discussion will explain it but the tension is between safe and scary Aon is a being both intolerably severe and irresistibly tender Alon is the rightful King and ruler of Narnia and he is not to be trifled with When the paventy Children first heard about Aon they were they were unsure of what to think should they be afraid

is he quite safe I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion said Susan if there’s anyone who can appear before Alon without their knees knocking they’re either braver than most or else just silly said Mrs Beaver then he isn’t safe asks Lucy safe who said anything about safe of course he isn’t safe but he is good he’s the king I tell you concludes Mr beaver I think that’s close to what we’re reading here in Matthew 6 ver9 if I say to you someone is tough

and tender it’s to bring two attributes side by side isn’t it it’s called a juxtoposition if you’re a language person or a literary scholar or something you refer to that that way you take two or more items side by side for the purpose of kind of comparing them and contrasting them a vivid example that maybe you’ve read I’ve read and it’s always stood out to me is our 16th president here in America Abraham Lincoln and a lot has been written about his life but none more

than Carl Sandberg in a four volume set and many others about our president called Lincoln and the War years and and he was trying to capture condense if you will who is this president that will be forever remembered fondly frankly in our in our country who is this person said Sandberg ber describing Lincoln the president was a man of velvet steel yeah you feel the Velvet and the steel he’s not done then he added he was as hard as a rock and soft as a drifting

fog you hearing it and that’s what comes together when the Bible portrays God to mere mortals that was true here in his prayer that’s true by people you need to look up and listen to this week Philippians 2 Paul talked about Jesus who is God came to Earth as a man human but as a lowly man and a slave man that kind of low both of those themes there’s a brilliant interaction this is a whole another sermon really in Romans 11 that captures the same thing

in one sentence notice how God is both kind and severe he is severe to those who disobeyed but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness Romans 11:22 it’s all over the Bible one of my favorite is Hebrews 4:15 and 16 we do not have a great high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses great high priest who can’t circle around you and embrace you as his child who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but one who’s been tempted Jesus was in all things

as we are yet without sin and the takeaway therefore we can as a result of what Jesus did draw near with confidence to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find Grace to help in our time of need wow it’s all there the Bible goes on and on about this aren’t you glad it does you Jesus is just not a St soft cuddly Teddy Bear he’s definitely not as some of our college students used to like to say Jesus is groovy like a beach party

movie no no he’s more than that he’s more than that I don’t think he’s upset at you especially if that’s a starting point for you okay now realize he is Holy he’s more than all of that I can approach a holy God confidently because the Bible says emphatically he is my merciful father and with that we’re going to share communion would you bow your heads and tuck away your notes with the corrected sermon title on them and we’re going to sing a great song and it’s

not a song alone it’s filled with truth that we just heard from God Wonderful Merciful Savior I looked at the arrangement up front here this morning and it touched my soul along with the songs we were singing and I know Easter’s just some somebody said every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday I like that and we just celebrated Easter last week of course and it was it was all we expected it to be a glorious victorious day but the week involved the terrible event and it was that

Friday where we learned this year and it it stuck with me what a sacrifice was involved to save my life I don’t want to ever just go well I heard that before never I want to be stopped and thoughtful about it so my question is that last section I quoted in Hebrews chapter 4 have you come to him have you here in the house else or you watching somewhere else you you’ve heard it all we’re a week past Easter you might wonder why aren’t we moving

on well this is how we move on it’s to know that the one that gave his life for us did so to save our lives but there’s a little movement that has to happen I’m going to give it to you in seven words I’m going to call it the Salvation prayer that’s my label there’s a God Great Mighty awesome Creator God Sovereign Lord to get to know but these seven words will open the door God have mercy

Transcript machine-generated from the sermon audio, so it may contain errors. 5,841 words.