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Jesus
frequently mentions God in the Sermon on the Mount 22 times. Now,
5 times Jesus says “God” and 17 times Jesus says “Father”
when referring to God. The frequency with which Jesus calls God
“your Father” teaches me The God of the Sermon on the Mount is
Your Father. Christ is stressing that picture of God as He tells
us much about God’s attributes, desires for us and His Kingdom. “When
Christ taught His disciples to regard God as their Father in
Heaven He did not mean that their idea of God must necessarily be
based upon their ideas of their own fathers. For all we know there
may have been many of His hearers whose fathers were unjust,
tyrannical, stupid, conceited, feckless, or indulgent. It is the relationship
that Christ is stressing. The intimate love for, and interest in,
his son possessed by a good earthly father represents to men a
relationship that they can understand, even if they themselves are
fatherless! The same sort of relationship, Christ is saying, can
be reliably reckoned upon by man in his dealings with God.” –
J.B. Phillips, Your God is
Too Small I.
Esteem
Your Father A.
The issue is Respect toward your Father (Ps.
53:1; Prov.1:7; Ps. 111:10). B.
Many reasons in the Sermon to highly Esteem the Father: 1.
For His Name (Matt.
6:9) 2.
For His Power – sees secrets (Matt.
6:4, 18) 3.
For His Provision – feeds (Matt.
6:26, 32) 4.
For His Graciousness – loves enemies (Matt.
5:45, 48) 5.
For His Mercy and Forgiveness (Matt.
6:12, 14-15) 6.
For His Rewards and Judgments (Matt.
6:4; 7:13-14, 19, 21-23) C.
Esteem Him by Trusting Him (Matt.
6:10; Matt. 6:11, 32-33; Matt. 6:34). D.
Esteem Him by Obeying Him (Matt.
7:21, 24-25; Matt. 5:20; 6:1; 7:21-23). II.
Experience
Your Father A.
The issue is Time with your Father. B.
Genuinely listen to His Word (Matt.
7:24, 28-29). C.
Genuinely Pray to Him (Matt.
6:5-8) D.
Genuinely Serve Him (Matt.
6:1-4; 5:16) III.
Emulate
Your Father A.
The issue is Imitating your Father. Be like your Father 1.
A few instances in the Sermon Jesus tells us don’t be
like others! a.
Don’t be like Gentiles (Matt.
6:32). b.
Don’t be like Tax collectors (Matt.
5:46-47). c.
Don’t be like scribes or Pharisees (Matt.
5:20). 2.
But we should be like our Father. B.
Be a Peacemaker (Matt.
5:9). Reconcile with others. C.
Love your enemies (Matt.
5:44-48). D.
Forgive others (Matt.
6:14-15). E. The Father’s love, forgiveness, and peacemaking power are perfectly expressed in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:6-11).
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
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