Sunday, June 17, 2007

Happy Father's Day

Worship leader Randy French quipped that when he woke up today, he told God, “Happy Father’s Day.”

God is the father of us all, but unfortunately we are not all his children. One common misconception in the world today is that physical birth makes us part of God’s family. But in truth we must be born again. That’s not new news.

Nicodemus, a religious ruler in Jesus’ day, didn’t understand this. Puzzled, he asked how he could renter his mother’s womb to be born a second time. Jesus explained that the physical could only birth that which exists in this realm. To experience spiritual rebirth requires an act of God. The good news is it's his will to do so.

God loves being a father. So much so that using another analogy he described how Gentiles became part of God’s family. The Jewish people are God’s chosen, but we who were not of the lineage of Abraham can still be among God's heirs.

Today, God still deliberately searches for those who are fatherless—orphans whom he can adopt. When he finds us, he makes us his own. And he treats us no differently than the children of Israel.

He clothes us in the same righteousness. We are granted the same seal of authority as those born into his heritage. And we are given shoes, a symbol that authenticates our status as his children.

He’s given us far more, but on this day we should give him what he wants most—us.


Want to learn more? Visit http://praisechapelkingman.podblaze.com to hear a sermon by Senior Pastor Howard Pennington or any of our pastors or guest speakers.

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