The Glory of the Father

You'll notice in your bulletin the insert, our fire insert. Some of you don't know Bruce Ray, some of you do by his writings. He wrote a book years ago called Withhold Not Correction. He is a good brother in fire. So he's one of the granddaddies in the biblical counseling movement. And for the last several years as pastor, he's been a pastor out in Washington. and he's also been involved in the fire department out there and has become a leader in this whole issue of crisis counseling.

And Bruce comes at it, of course, from a biblical way. And so this conference that's talked about in here where he says, I just feel totally inadequate for this, is an opportunity for him to minister the Word of God and help people understand how you deal with so many of these issues, these crisis issues that he's had to deal with now and now for several years. He's not pastor anymore at Juanita, where he was pastor, but is now doing this full time.

And so if you think of it this week, pray for Bruce in this conference, because I think it's going to have a significant impact in the whole area of this crisis counseling in terms of biblical counseling. now you know I don't often do this but you know the Lord has given me opportunities of ministering in different venues over the years last week I was actually with Nick Nicholas Ellen the pastor in Houston that we connect with and you know Nick from his time here at the Bible conference and so at a church in Virginia Beach and this weekend up at Emmanuel Baptist in Toledo and I just want to say this honestly and sincerely as I was worshiping with you. You know, it's a privilege to minister in this church. It's just good.

This is a good church. So I think God has worked here over the years. And well, my throat has been really terrible this weekend. That's why I'm squeaking. But let me just say that I find it a privilege to minister here, and I thank God that I have the privilege of preaching and ministering to you folks. I so glad Thank you Rodney All right let take our Bibles Let turn to Psalm 2 Psalm 2 I want you to follow along as I read Psalm And again, please excuse my squeaky voice.

I don't know what's happened. It happens periodically, I guess. Maybe I'll sound like I have more authority this week. We'll see. Psalm 2, you follow as I read. Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. He who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury, saying, As for me, I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.

I will tell of the decree. The Lord said to me, You are my son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will make the nations your heritage and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Now therefore, O kings, be wise. Be warned, O rulers of the earth.

Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Father, thank you for your word and for this revelation of your being. help us to understand it this morning so that we are strengthened in our faith and able Lord to understand and to worship with greater love this God who has revealed himself as three in one in the scriptures help us now in this hour we ask in Jesus name Amen let's imagine that you have two very dear friends who have twin daughters, Janie and Julie.

The problem is that when you look at them, you cannot tell them apart. You can tell them apart to save your life In fact for a while you thought that they had one daughter Until you found out well no these two look exactly alike How in the world, how in the world can you tell them apart? Well, here's one. Janie loves sports. And you see her, about every time you see her, she's got a basketball in her hand.

On the other hand, Julie loves books. And you can find her just somewhere reading something just about all the time. You can tell them apart by the way they act. Now the same is true of the Trinity. Now that isn't to say that we ought to think of the Trinity as triplets. That's not the point.

The point is that though they look alike, though they are the same, yet they are different in the way that they act. And that is how we tell the differences in the persons of the Trinity. Our God is indeed one God, but this one God is three person. But if he's one God, how then can we distinguish between the three persons? How can we distinguish that? And the answer is, by the way they act.

Now, quickly, let's take a quick review here. Let's come up to speed here this morning. You remember our definition that we've been working with on the Trinity. God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And each person is fully God, and there is one God. Three parts to that definition.

God is three persons. Each person is fully God. There is one God. Here's the question. How can God be three yet one? And the answer is, his nature is undivided.

His nature is undivided. We cannot say that the Father has the attribute of omnipotence, and that's what distinguishes him from the Son and the Spirit. We cannot say that. Because the Son and the Spirit each possesses fully every attribute of God. They are all God. The persons of the Trinity are all equal.

They are equal in power. They are equal in majesty. They are equal in glory. They are equal in all that makes them God. God is one in essence, yet three in person. We can say that in the Godhead then there is an equality of essence All are divine They are one God And yet, now we ask the other question.

How can God be one and yet three? And this is how. They differ in the way that they relate to one another. They're same in their nature, but different in the way that they relate to one another and to creation. So all are God. They are one God.

And how do I tell the difference? How do I tell the difference in the persons? Because they relate to one another and to creation in different ways. The Father does not do what the Son and the Spirit does. The Son does not do what the Father or the Spirit does. And the Spirit does not do what the Father or the Son does.

Each has their particular functions. And so we can say there is equality of essence, but difference in function. That's the one phrase I think that will help you the most. Equality of essence, difference in function. All right? Now this morning we want to understand the person of the Trinity called our Father, or referred to oftentimes as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We need to understand who the Father is. And again, we cannot look at the nature of the Father to make that distinction because in nature the Father and the Son and the Spirit are all the same. They are all God. They all have the attributes of God. Instead, we have to look at the roles and the relationships of the Father to the Son and to the Spirit. So equality in essence, difference in function.

The Father relates to the Son and the Spirit. And differently than the way the Son relates to the Father and the Spirit. And differently than the way the Spirit relates to the Father and the Son. They all have particular things that they do. Their roles and their relationships are what tell us which person of the Trinity we're talking about. Now, a quick note about our exploration today.

We cannot look at everything in scripture that tells us these things. Because, frankly, we'd have to look at the whole Bible. And although I wouldn't mind talking that long, I'm sure you would not like sitting there that long. And, I mean, let's face it, when it comes to preaching, it's easier for me than it is for you. That's all there is to it. So, we can't look at everything that the Bible says on this area.

We will look at a few scriptures that speak rather clearly about the roles and relationships of the Father to the Son and the Spirit. We're going to look at just some, okay? And I hope they're clear enough to help you see what the rest of the Bible also says. And maybe, and again, you know, I don't know why I didn't think of this before, maybe in the weeks to follow, we can have resources for you that you can explore this even more.

Okay, so just to say we can only look at a few scriptures this morning. Now today, I want us to examine four distinguishing aspects of the Father's role and relationship to the Son and the Spirit. I just want to look at four distinguishing aspects, four things that distinguish the Father from the other two persons of the Trinity. Are there more? Certainly there are more.

But I think these four will help us grasp what the Bible teaches about the Trinity. And then after that, we'll look at just a few ways that this ought to change us, this ought to help us as we understand the being of God. The first thing we want to see is to understand the Father's unique role within the Trinity. These four things will help us understand the Father's unique role within the Trinity.

First, and I think most importantly for us to understand of the Father's function is this. It is the Father who reigns supreme among the persons of the Trinity. That's the first distinguishing mark. That is to say, the Father reigns supreme among the persons of the Godhead. Okay? He's the one in charge.

I'm going to put it that way. He's the one in charge in the Trinity. Look at Psalm 2 again. I hope you're still there in Psalm 2. We just read it. You know how this goes.

The nations rage and conspire against God and against, no, and against his anointed king. So the nations are involved in a conspiracy against God himself and against the one whom he has anointed as king But Yahuwah just laughs at them as if that would do anything to him It like a first grader challenging Michael Jordan to one contest right? Except the gap is even greater than that.

The gap is even greater than that. And he laughs because he knows what he will do to bring judgment against them, and he will do it through the king that he sets above all the nations. This anointed king is one that God has set above all the nations. It's the one that he has promised to give the nations as an inheritance. This is the king who, with the rod of iron, will dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. so he will express his wrath through the king that he places over the nations now here's the point do you see that the father who is above all the nations is also above the king whom he sets over all the nations i mean the fact that he sets this anointed one as king over the nations means that he reigns over the king himself.

The king who reigns exists under the reign of the one who put him there. So he reigns over both the nations and the king placed over them. Alright? So the king that rules the nations submits to the rule of the father. In fact, he says, you are my son. Today I have begotten you.

Who is this king? Who is this king? Well, we don't have to question that at all, because the New Testament makes it clear who this king is. Look at Acts chapter 4. Acts chapter 4, Peter is preaching. And in verse 24, Peter's not preaching.

This is after they've been hauled away and released, and the church gathers to pray. In verse 24, when they heard it, that is the church, the congregation, when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, sovereign Lord who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David your servant said by the Holy Spirit why did the Gentiles rage and the people plot in vain The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his anointed For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. So here, as they pray, they're lifting up their voices, and whoever's leading them in prayer says, Lord, here we see it.

Psalm 2, the nations are conspiring against your king. We see that in Herod and Pontius Pilate, and the people of Israel themselves has conspired against your king. Who is this king? This king obviously then is Jesus who has been set on the throne and Jesus who is subject to the Father. In Hebrews chapter 1 verse 5. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 5.

Turn there very quickly. And here again you hear echoes of Psalm 2. As the writer to the Hebrews says, For to which of the angels did God ever say, You are my son, today I have begotten you. You hear Psalm 2 there. Who is he talking about? He's talking about Jesus.

Jesus is this king who reigns in submission to the Father in heaven. When you turn to Revelation chapter 19 verse 15. Revelation chapter 19 verse 15. hear again you hear here again is an echo of psalm 2 as john the apostle writes in revelation 1915 speaking of jesus coming on this horse from his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations and he will rule them with a rod of iron so you hear the echoes of psalm 2 there applied specifically to Jesus.

Here then you see that the Father reigns supreme not just over the nations, but he rules supreme in the Godhead as well. The Father rules The Father reigns in the Godhead within the person of God The Father role is supreme over that of the Son because the Father who is above all the nations is also above the King that He sets over the nations. And so the Father reigns supreme over all the nations and over the King that He sets over those nations.

Now turn, if you will, from our New Testament reading this morning, to 1 Corinthians chapter 15, that great resurrection chapter where the Apostle Paul takes us to the very end of time. Where he takes us to the end of everything. And he tells us what's going to happen when history ends. Isn't that an amazing thought? History ending. History has a purpose.

Did you know that? I'm tempted to go on a rant here. History is not purposeless. Did you know that history has a destination? you know there's so many people who historians and and the discipline is called historiography where you talk about the nature of history and of course most people don't know but history has a destination it's that god will be glorified at the end of it all and here specifically is how history ends in verse 28 of first corinthians 15 when all things are subjected to him that is to God the Father, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him that God may be all in all.

Now the Apostle Paul has his pronouns in there and sometimes it refers to the Son and sometimes it refers to the Father. So let me just give you kind of a paraphrase of this verse. Here's what he's saying. At the completion of history, when all things finally and fully are subjected to Jesus Christ the Son, then the Son himself will also be subjected to his own Father, who is the very one who put all things in subjection unto his Son, so that God the Father, who is not subjected to anyone, not even to his own Son, may be shown to be supreme and over all that is.

That's what that verse is saying. so the son recognizes the father's supremacy at the end of history when everything is finally subjected put under the feet of jesus then jesus is going to take all that subjected to Him and offer it to the Father so that He may receive all the glory. So the Son Himself recognizes the supremacy of the Father. The Father stands above the Son and the Son gladly acknowledges that fact.

The Son gladly acknowledges the fact that He is submissive to the Father by subjecting Himself to the Father. at the end of time. In the end, the Father will manifest to all creation that He is supreme over all, in everything. And so here we see that the Son gives glory to the Father by giving Him, by subjecting Himself to Him and giving Him everything that was subjected to Him, giving it to the Father in praise of His glory. we also see that the son glorifies the father in Philippians chapter 2 turn to Philippians chapter 2 Philippians chapter 2 you know this great hymn of praise let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus who did not think that equality with God was something to be grasped at all costs but what? he gave it all up in order to serve our interests and to take on the form of a servant and to die, even the death of a cross, from the highest to the lowest place in order to serve us.

And then all of it comes together at the end. Verse 9, Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name. Jesus has been exalted to the highest place now. He came to the lowest place. Now God exalts Him to the highest place. that highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, what?

To the glory of God the Father. Isn't that interesting? It is God the Father who highly exalts the Son and bestows on Him the name above all names. He bestows the name Father Father is supreme over the Son And every creature will acknowledge Christ as Lord including all human and demonic forces that now despise His name Someday, they will all confess that Jesus is Lord.

However, all the praise of the Son will ultimately be given to the Father as He, above all, is glorified. So you see, the Father stands supreme over the Son. all of the glory that the Son has, he will use to point to the Father. And so what we see then from these scriptures is that the Father is the one who reigns supreme in the Trinity, the one who is in charge. how else how else do we see the father differing than the than the son in the spirit it is the father who is the wise designer in creation and redemption it is the father who has planned our redemption it is the father who planned our creation turn to ephesians chapter one we'll just take a slice here it'll be kind of a big slice okay but it's still a slice of the whole picture of the Trinity in Ephesians chapter 1.

Now I want you to notice the interplay here in verses 3 through 11. I want you to pay attention to this. I want you to see who the focal point is, but who stands behind it. Look at the focal point in this chapter and then notice that it keeps talking about who stands behind it. All right, let's start reading in verse 3 of Ephesians chapter 1. blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will according to His purpose which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in Him things in heaven and things on earth In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who are the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory.

In him also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Now what I want you to see is that God has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to the purpose that he, what, set forth in Christ. He purposed that Christ would be the focal person of it all.

All things are summed up in the person of Jesus, the Son of God. How do I know that? Just look at this text. Look at it. Verse 3, in Christ. Verse 4, in Him.

Verse 5, through Jesus Christ. Verse 6, in the Beloved. Verse 7, in Him. Verse 9, in Christ. Verse 11, in Him. Verse 12, in Christ.

Verse 13, in Him. Who's the focal point? It's Jesus. Jesus is the focal point of all of our redemption he's the focal point of our salvation but notice that it is God the father who has planned it all he is the one who works all things according to the purpose of his will please note along with all those emphasis on Christ where he's the focal point notice this God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the one who has blessed us in Christ It is the Father who chose us in Christ.

It is the Father who said you should be holy and blameless before Him. It is the Father who predestined us for adoption through Christ. It is the Father, according, notice, notice verse 5, according to the purpose of His will. Alright? Verse 6, He has blessed us. Who has blessed us?

The Father has blessed us in the Beloved. Alright? we have this redemption and here in him that is Christ according to the riches of his grace now we're referring back to the father toward the riches of the father grace that the father lavished on us the father has made known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose which he set forth in christ verse 11 we obtained this inheritance where in christ according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will so you see jesus is the focal point but what stands behind it him is the father who has planned it all who is purposing this and then accomplishing it in christ he purposed it he said this is how it's going to work and then he puts his son forward and he sends him to do the work that he had planned and his son is the focal point of all of our salvation but it's the father who stands before it so god the father plans all that occurs and it's summed up in his son and his son executes all that the father has planned so you see the father is the wise designer in our in our creation and here as we've noticed in our redemption it is the father who has planned it the son has executed it and we might say in a few more weeks and it's the spirit who applies it to us. Here's the third thing.

It is the Father who gives every good gift. We read that in our confession today. James 1, 13-17, if you want to look at it again. I read it this morning as we came before the Lord to confess our sin. In James 1, verse 13, we read, Let no one say when he is tempted. And by the way, I think this is 13-17.

I think is one package. Okay? Here's what he says. Let no one say when he is tempted, I'm being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it is conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Right? Do not be deceived. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Do you see that? We should never think that God tempts us, but rather recall that instead of tempting us, what does He do?

No! Our Father gives us every good gift. The Father gives us every good gift. Every gift originates with the Father. And that certainly includes what? The Son and the Spirit.

God so loved the world that what? He gave His Son. Acts chapter 1 verses 4 and 5. Acts chapter 1 verses 4 and 5. Jesus is with His disciples and He tells them, stay in Jerusalem. Why?

Here's what he says. To wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, you heard from me. For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. And so the Father is the one who gives the gift of the Spirit. He promised that gift. All right?

God is the is the origin of all good gifts and the gift of Jesus guarantees every good gift according to according to Romans chapter 8 verses 31 and 32 he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all how will he not also along with him graciously give us all things you see what he says there how do you know God will give you every good thing here's how you No, he already gave his greatest gift, his son. Argument from the greater to the lesser. If he gave you his son, he most certainly will give you everything that you could possibly need.

And so we see now the father then is the one who's the origin of all good gifts. Here's the fourth distinction we want to see this morning. It is the father then who provides and works through the son and the spirit. It is the Father who provides and works through the Son and the Spirit. He plans it, but he works through the Son and the Spirit. You see, although the Father occupies the place of highest authority in the Trinity, he chose to work in many cases through his Son and through his Spirit.

I love what Bruce Ware says on this. Let me read this to you. This is really good. Rather than saying to the Son and the Holy Spirit, just stand aside and watch me as I do all the work. It is as if the Father instead says to us I want you to see my work accomplished through my son Look at my son Notice my son Look at the marvelous obedience he has given to me Look at the greatness of his grace extended to those who misunderstand and mistreat him.

Look at his wisdom and power manifest in creation and redemption. Look at my son, for in him I am well pleased. Isn't that marvelous? It's as if God says, here's my son, look at him. Look at what he's accomplished for me. And again, turn back to Ephesians chapter 1 again.

Maybe you don't have to. We've gone through that. But when you look at Ephesians 1, what do you see? You see that the Father has designed every one of those blessings without exception to come to us in and only in his Son. Every blessing that God has for us can only be accessed through his Son. he doesn't say I'm just going to ignore my son and give you this blessing it's all given to us he has planned all these marvelous blessings for us but he communicates them to us entirely through his son he works through his son and lest we forget he works through his spirit John chapter 3 verse 6 that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit He sends the Spirit to accomplish these things.

Isn't it marvelous? Can you see the kindness of the Father to shine the spotlight on His Son? As we'll see in a few weeks, the Holy Spirit also shines the spotlight on His Son. To the glory of His grace. As Ware writes, despite His supreme authority, the Father chooses to work. Notice, the Father chooses to work so that another, not himself, most fully manifests the glory of the Father.

Put the spotlight on my Son, and in him my glory will be manifested. You see then the Father's unique role in the Trinity. This is how we distinguish the Father from the Son and the Spirit. We look at what he does. These are at least four distinguishing marks of what the Father does in the Godhead. Now secondly lastly let just take a few moments to think about that It too easy It is much too easy to think of these things And there nothing wrong with this We soar to the heights of systematic theology and we float in the marvelous way of seeing how all this fits together and how the system is.

And we love how God's put it all together. This intricate working together in a way that just says, wow, I love it, and we can float up there. And that's good. We need to spend some time up there. Right. But it should change us.

We should look at that and say, what does that tell me about my life? Right. Now, again, I don't want to take from the glory of God. We need to magnify God for this marvelous revelation of this three in one. it's just too much almost it's amazing but then i can also say but i've got to see here god how can i magnify you that knowing this how can i magnify you so i would say learn from the unique role of the father within the trinity learn from the unique role of the father within trinity let me give you three lessons just three just three that we can learn first of all imitate his wisdom goodness and care imitate his wisdom goodness and care with which the father exercises his authority the father always exercises his authority for his glory and the good of his people his authority is not an authority that's tyrannical it's not an authority that's foolish Okay?

I think we can safely say that in our days, in the last few decades, we have seen much foolishness in authority. What the Proverbs would call foolish. You won't find that with the Father's rule. It is wise. His rule is wise. His authority is always exercised with wisdom.

It's always exercised with goodness. this is the way he exercises his authority yes he is supreme in the Godhead he rules supreme over all creation and even in the Trinity but his authority is always exercised with wisdom, goodness and care so no matter what the position of authority you might occupy no matter what that position of authority you should never ever use it for self purposes You should be like your father who exercises his authority with wisdom and goodness and care. God never exercises authority without care in mind. And that's the way you ought to be if you're in a position of authority.

You ought to be wise and good and caring in the way that you do that. Second, here's another thing. Learn from God the Father what true fatherhood really is like. Learn from God the Father what true fatherhood really is like. What's one way? Well, look at Malachi chapter 1 verse 6.

Malachi chapter 1. This is God speaking. a son honors his father and a servant his master if then i am a father where is my honor and if i'm a master where is my fear says the lord of hosts to you priests who despise my name what should we say on the one hand if we're if we're going to see true fatherhood on the one hand god his father insists on our respect and obedience he insists on our respect and our and our obedience that's what a good father does. A good father sets the tone of authority.

I want my children to learn respect and obedience of authority in the home because when they leave the home they've got to have that instilled in them. This is what God does. This is what we must do as we lead our children. We should lead our children as God leads us. We should insist on respect and obedience on one hand on the other hand God is a father who is generous and extravagant in his love and his care his provision and his protection he is extravagant and gracious and generous in all those things right Romans 8 32 he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all how will he not but also along with him graciously give us all things.

I know God loves me. Why? Because look at his son. He's hanging on a cross. He's dying for people who don't deserve the love of God. But out of love he sacrificed his son.

I know without a doubt that this father loves me. That his love is extravagant. That his love is extravagant. generous. You can learn a lot about fatherhood by paying close attention to how your heavenly father loves you. And so that's the way we as fathers need to be. We need to be generous.

We need to be extravagant in our love. Can our children say by our words and our actions, I know my dad loves me. I know he loves me. Now, by the way, what if you've had what if you've never had a father or worse a horrible even abusive father what then there are some people out there who would say oh my because i've had an abusive father i can never relate to god as father i just don't have the right model i can never get it that is that is not true listen you don't learn about god from your father you learn about your father from the fatherhood of God.

How do you know that father was a terrible father? You know how you know? Look at the heavenly father. He doesn't measure up. If you want to know what true fatherhood is, then yes, it's good to have a good example. But even if you don't, you still have a revelation of God who is father.

And you can learn from him. You're not doomed to never knowing what a loving father is. Because you can read the revelation of a perfect father in scripture. Again, one theologian wrote this. We should say to those who cringe at memories of their father, I've got wonderful news for you. There is a true father who is drastically different in so many many ways from the father you had Meet will you the true god and father of our lord jesus christ learn from him just what father really means and enter into the fullness of his fatherly love care wisdom provision protection and security if you want to know what a father is look to god there's where you find a father a friend of mine some of you remember robert jones robert has also been here he's a dear friend of mine professor now down at southern seminary but but bob lost his dad when he was like six years old or seven he never had a father growing up are his children were his children doomed was he doomed ever to know what a true father was no he had the revelation of the perfect father in scripture and he would tell you that by the way he would tell you that he said i learned what it meant to i learned what a father was from the scriptures from my heavenly father and so we can learn what it means to be a father as we look at god here's the here's the last lesson i think we can learn imitate how the father delegates work to others imitate how the father delegates work to his father to his two others again ephesians chapter one you see that god purposes it all god's behind it all but he delegates that work to his son Now the point I trying to make here is not learn to delegate work That not the point I trying to make The point I trying to make is simply this that when the father delegates his work to the son right he puts the spotlight on his son How many of you have worked for people where you worked your tail off and then he steps up and he goes to the board meeting and he gets all the credit?

You ever work for somebody like that? I think every one of you is out there going, yeah, yeah, I've worked for somebody like that. Is that the way you are as a boss by any chance? Notice what John chapter 17 says. In John chapter 17, Jesus is praying to his Father. In John chapter 17, verse 5, and this is what Jesus says, And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

The Father shares his work with the Son, but he also shares his glory. he also shares his glory it's as if the father says shine the spotlight on my son I've planned it all I give him to do the work but shine the spotlight on him shine the spotlight on him and praise and honor his name if we're in positions of authority we ought to put the spotlight on others shouldn't we certainly the father is going to receive all the glory but boy he is not afraid to share is glory is he? No sir, no. That's the way we need to be.

Not just in our jobs, but in our ministries here In our ministries here Right We ought to be willing to delegate so people can share not just in the work but in the in the glory doesn it not what god does with us he shares his work with us doesn he could god have done everything without any of us doing anything no but you know what he does he shares his work with us so we know the joy and the satisfaction of what it means to work for the glory of the Father. And He shares that with us. Isn't that marvelous?

That's the way we need to be. That's the way we need to be. And so we see that God is one. His nature is undivided. But although there's equality of essence, what? There's difference in function.

And as we look at the Father, we see this, that He occupies the place of supreme authority. He sends the Son and the Spirit. he remains the wise designer of creation and redemption all good gifts originate with him the son and the spirit accomplish his purpose in his will this is the father this is our father and so we ought to worship him as our father thank you lord god for your word thank you for the truths that are embedded in the text of scripture we once more ask that you would help us not just to learn these things and to leave here saying, wow, that's a great system, but that we would say, wow, we serve a great God, our God who is three in one, and that we would worship our Father. Thank you, Lord, for your word today.

In Jesus' name, amen.