Today is Father’s Day, the day that we honor fathers. If your father is still living, you might send him a card, give him a gift, call him on the phone, or visit him, personally. If he is deceased, you might still honor his memory by reflecting on his influence in your life and appreciating some of the best memories you have of your time together. Some of my fondest memories are the quail hunts my brothers and I used to have each year with our father. Those were fabulous days.
Today, I want to tell you about the greatest father in the world. He is not anyone’s earthly father. He is our heavenly Father. He is the Lord God. And he becomes your Father the moment you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior. And he remains your Father for eternity. According to Jn 10:29, he “is greater than all.”
He is the greatest Father – 1 Jn 3:10 – there are only two spiritual fathers in the world. You are either a child of the devil or you are a child of God. Because of what Adam and Eve did in the garden, everyone who has descended from them ends up with the devil as his or her father, through sin. Thankfully, you can receive Jesus Christ and become a child of God. Jn 1:12. In Rom 8:15, we call him “Father.” We can’t choose our earthly fathers but you can choose him. He takes anyone in. And when he becomes your Father, he makes you a new creature in Christ, 2 Cor 5:17. After he has been your Father a while it is impossible to tell that you were ever a child of the devil.
He offers the greatest favor – Eph 1:2-3 – when we think of fathers, in general, we think of providers and protectors and punishers and so forth. When we consider God our Father, he is all of these things and so much more.
- He offers us his unending love – Rom 8:38-39
- He meets our every need – Phil 4:19
- He keeps us in his watchful eye – Ps 121:2-3
- He always listens and always answers – Ps 4:1
- He provides us with grace, peace, comfort, wisdom, joy, love, help, strength, power, protection, rest, assurance, etc.
He has the greatest family – Mk 10:28-30 – when come to the Lord and he becomes your Father, you enter into his family. You will find that the children of God are far better than the children of the devil. You see all the chaos, selfishness, immorality, hate, pride, theft, belligerence, destruction, war, and so forth in the world and wonder where this all this comes from. This is how children of the devil act. They are just like him. He came to steal, to kill and to destroy. God’s family, on the other hand is not anything like them. Oh, God’s children may fuss with each other, but they are far and away better than the devil’s family. You’ll find a hundred brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers in God’s family, all of whom you love.
He provides the greatest future – Rom 8:17 – we are heirs of God. The devil’s family will end up with the devil in the lake of fire. We’re going to end up with our Father in heaven and in eternity. He owns it all and we will enjoy everything he has made as our own forever, 1 Cor 3:21-23. We have a mansion waiting for us in heaven, Jn 14:1-3. We have a beautiful city called New Jerusalem. And in eternity we will be in or Father’s new heaven and new earth.
Conclusion: if God is your Father, you have the greatest Father in the world. If he is not your Father yet, you have to opportunity to have him as your Father right now, if you will trust his Son, Jesus Christ, as your Savior. You will never regret switching families. You have never know the love of such a Father as the Lord God. When he becomes your Father you will be able to grow in that love for all eternity.