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you you you you you you you you you you you you you alright brethren welcome to the house of the lord good morning hope you're excited to praise the lord and amen, alright let's open our hymnals and let's turn to number 165 hymn number 165 will begin by singing I'll worship the king 165 I'll worship the king and if you can please stand that'd be great alright 165 I'll worship the king let's sing it up to the lord I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king I'll worship the king Hail, children of lust, and people as frail, who they do with trust for fine things to fail. Thy mercies, thou tender, thou firm to the end, thou maker, ye fender, re-neighbor, and friend. All right, let's go somewhere to pray. Heavenly Father, Lord, we want to thank you so much for giving your house this morning. Lord, thank you for the great weather that you've given us, and, Lord, I just pray that we have a great time of fellowship and sing a praise unto you, Lord, and just hearing from your word this morning, Lord, I pray that your Holy Spirit will touch our hearts, and, Lord, as we sang today, we come to worship you, Lord, and we do want to call you our friend, Lord, so I hope our hearts to be upon you, and not upon this world, not upon the distractions that come through the week, Lord, but just this morning, Lord, in your house, that will be focused upon you today. We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. All right, 218, please. 218. 218. Sing hallelujah, tis done. I believe on the Son. 218. Hallelujah, tis done. It is promised our Godful salvation to give. To him who art Jesus is sound will believe. Hallelujah, tis done. I believe on the Son. I am saved by the blood of the crucified God. Hallelujah, it is done. I believe on the Son. I am saved by the blood of the crucified God. For the pathway be wounded and dangerous too. Show Jesus is able to carry me food. Hallelujah, it is done. I believe on the Son. I am saved by the blood of the crucified God. Hallelujah, it is done. I believe on the Son. I am saved by the blood of the crucified God. Many of us have a kingdom ever before. We're safe, healthy, holy, and this is the story. Hallelujah, it is done. I believe on the Son. I am saved by the blood of the crucified God. Hallelujah, it is done. I believe on the Son. I am saved by the blood of the crucified God. On the last, there's a park in that forest. So do men for me. And the faith of our praises forever will be. Hallelujah, it is done. I believe on the Son. I am saved by the blood of the crucified God. Hallelujah, it is done. I believe on the Son. I am saved by the blood of the crucified God. Sing channels only. 332 channels only. Give it our best. All right. Three, four, three channels only. Now I praise the precious Savior that my love may hold on me. Thou hast saved me and given me. My life, my channel be. Channels only, blessed master, God with all my wondrous love. Falling through us, thou canst use us every day and every hour. And did that thou shouldst feel the clean air so in thy name, with no power, as our people so viciously, with each command. Channels only, blessed master, God with all my wondrous love. Falling through us, thou canst use us every day and every hour. In the sake of thy power to save me, set him free from self and sin. Thou have bought us too much their sin in my fullness for coming. Channels only, blessed master, God with all my wondrous love. Falling through us, thou canst use us every day and every hour. And did that thou shouldst feel the clean air so in thy name, with each command. Channels only, blessed master, God with all my wondrous love. Falling through us, thou canst use us every day and every hour. Falling through us, thou canst use us every day and every hour. Alright, that sounded beautiful. Alright, please take your Bibles now and turn to the book of 2 John. The book of 2 John in your New Testament, of course. And brother Rob Bailey's gonna come up for the reading. 2 John. The whole book. Second Epistle of John. The elder unto the elect lady and her children whom I love in the truth, and not I only, but also they that have known the truth. For the truth's sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us forever. Grace be with you, mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the son of the Father in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth and as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment that as you have heard from the beginning you should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that which we receive, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink, but I trust to come unto you and speak face to face that our joy may be full. The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you for this day. We thank you for your word. Lord, we pray that you be with us today and give us a ready heart and an open mind to receive your word. Please fill our pastor with the spirit as he preaches the message. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you, brother. Okay, so these Sunday mornings, I'm sure you're already familiar. We are going through our statement of faith, our doctrinal beliefs as a church, our doctrinal statement, whatever way you want to speak about that. And last week I spoke about the true God. I explained that there is obviously one God yet in three persons. And as we continue going through our statement of faith, I wanted to really expand on this versus what we used to have in the past because my sending church eventually started to change their position on the Trinity. And I started to understand how important it is to just be a little bit more detailed in explaining what we believe. You know, we don't want to take our beliefs to, you know, we don't want to allow for a misunderstanding or a miscommunication of what we believe as a church. And so I believe it's important that we continue to describe God. You know, we started with, last week was the true God was the title for the sermon. But now we're going to be looking at the three persons that make up the triune nature of God. And so the reason I wanted 2 John read out is there in verse number three, I want this to be understood very well. It says, grace be with you, mercy and peace, look at this, from God the Father. The title for the sermon this morning is God the Father. You know, sometimes when we describe the triune nature of God, we say, you know, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. And even though you won't find the term God the Son in that phrase when we describe Jesus, I do want to just show you that taking this term God the Father and then using that for the other person of the Trinity is biblical, you know. Sometimes when we describe the nature of God, it's always best that we take the words of God. That we take the Bible and we build from what the Bible says. Rather than just using the wisdom of man, alright. But I want to show you again, grace be with you, mercy and peace from God the Father. The title once again is God the Father and then notice the next words, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Shouldn't that make you pause for a moment and say hold on, the Lord Jesus Christ cannot be the Father. Shouldn't that automatically, just that one thought, and look, many of the epistles of the New Testament begin very similar, okay. Where it speaks about God the Father and his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And sometimes the Spirit is also mentioned in some of these opening epistles. And look, and from the Lord Jesus Christ continues, the Son of the Father. Who's the Son of the Father? Jesus Christ. So is Jesus Christ the Father? No, he's the Son of the Father. Okay, I mean the Bible repeats this over and over and over again. And then it says Son of the Father in truth and love. And so of course we want the truth of the Bible. We want to understand who God is according to the word of truth, alright. And we see that, hey, there is one God, but one God in three persons and we're going to be looking primarily at God the Father. Now, as I've been, with all these sermons, I've been starting with what our doctrinal belief would say. So under God the Father, it's going to say these words. We believe in God the Father. This term designates the first person of the Holy Trinity, man whose sin has destroyed his spiritual and moral position with God must be restored by gracious divine renewal through faith in Jesus Christ. This brings about a new standing to God the Father by which man becomes a born child of God and a partaker of the divine nature. So when we say God the Father, yes, of course in reference to the Son, his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, but not only is he the Father of Jesus Christ, but he's my Father, he's your Father, he's our Father. And so when we say God the Father, yes, we're not just saying the Father of the Son, but when we say our Father, we're speaking about our spiritual Father. The one that has given us spiritual birth, that has made us a child of God and so we're going to be looking at the first person of the Trinity. Now you're there in 2 John, let's keep going there, verse number 4. It says, I rejoice greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth as we have received a commandment from the Father. So once again, we have our Father, it's not just Jesus' Father, he's our Father. The Father has given us a commandment to walk in truth. To walk in truth. Why it's so important that you pick up your Bibles and learn the truth. Why it's so important for you to be in a church that preaches from the truth. This is a commandment from your Father, my Father, our Father, God the Father. Now if you can please, that's all we needed to take from 2 John. Please go with me to the main John. John, go to John. John chapter 6. John chapter 6 please. And look, I might be highlighting things in this sermon or in this series of sermons, things that you don't think need to be highlighted, but just in my life as a Christian person, as I pass the questions that come up, I'm addressing things that I've heard that people argue about or they claim certain things in the Bible that just, you know, they're sort of making arguments from nonsense sometimes. Because again, why am I reinforcing God the Father, God the Son? It's because people say, well maybe we shouldn't describe God that way. Why should we say God the Father? Why should we say God the Son, God the Holy Spirit? You know, is this right? Well again, I just showed you in that epistle that yes, most definitely we can say God the Father, but not only that in John chapter 6 verse number 27, John chapter 6 verse number 27, these are the words of Jesus. He says, labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man, that's of course speaking about himself, shall give unto you, for him, for, that's Jesus, have God the Father sealed. So I just want to show you, even when it comes to Jesus Christ speaking, and of course all the words of the Bible are the words of Christ, because he is God, okay. But anyway, just want to show you that even when Christ walked this earth, when he referred to God, you know, he referred to him as God the Father, but you can see that it's through the Son that we've been given this everlasting life. Look at verse number 28. Then said they unto him, what shall we do that we might work the works of God? Isn't it interesting that man wants to do the works of God? It's always man, they always want to go to heaven, they always want to receive everlasting life by their righteousness. And look, they've got a good mindset here, the question gets asked, it's good. You know, they realise in order for me to have everlasting life, you know, I've got to reach the level of God's works, which is perfection. And so the question gets asked, what do I do, right, to work the works of God? I love the answer that Jesus Christ gives in verse number 29. Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God. In other words, it's not your work men, this is the work of God. What is it? That ye believe on him whom he have sent. That's the work, that's what you need to do. If you want everlasting life, it's not your own work, it's not your own righteousness. You need to believe on him, speaking about Jesus whom he, the Father, have sent. You see the Father sent the Son to come and die in our place and to give us everlasting life. And so I just want to show you once again that Jesus Christ refers to the first person of the triune nature of God as God the Father. And I also want to show you that the Father sent the Son. This becomes important later as we keep going through this sermon, because another difficulty that I found that some people have with the triune nature of God, some people, maybe you have no problem with this, but some people have a hard time accepting that within God's nature there is authority. The Father sent the Son. And yet it should be a given, I mean, many of you are parents, many of you are mothers and fathers, and you know you have authority over your children. If God the Father has God the Son, who's got authority in that relationship you think? Some people have a hard time, yet it is so common sense. If you're going to refer to him as the Father, you're referring, hey, he must have authority over his Son. And again, I'm going to show you later on that this is the truth of God's word, there is authority, there's a chain of command, if you want to call it that way, within the triune nature of God. Can you please turn with me to Hebrews chapter 1, and again in this series as we go explain our doctrinal statement, it's very much a Bible study, amen, very much a Bible study, we want to make sure that what we say we believe, we can actually go back to God's word and put our foot upon that, stand upon that, not just the opinions of man, not just the traditions of an IFB church, but truly we can go back to God's word and identify why we like to use certain words. And look, in the past, it didn't bother me so much how people describe the triune nature of God the Trinity. You know, people sometimes say, well it's not good to say three persons, because that almost sounds like there's three gods, or something like that. And I can kind of understand I guess the logic of man, but again we're building our faith and understanding on God's word. There's nothing wrong with saying God is three persons. Alright, let me show you, Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1, Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 1, Hebrews chapter 1 and verse number 1 it says God, and by the way, when it says God, it's about the Father, I'll just prove to you in a minute. God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. So you can see that God there referring obviously to his Father because he's spoken to us in his last days by his Son. He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. Notice the Father has appointed the Son heir of all things. Once again that chain of command, authority structure. The Father gives the Son this power, this authority. Verse number 3, who been the brightness of his glory, so Jesus, let's keep going there and the express image, so Jesus Christ is the express image of his person. Jesus Christ is the express image of God the Father. If you want to know God the Father more, you need to know Jesus Christ more. Because at the end of the day, one God, and yet you can see here that the Bible expresses God the Father as a person. Jesus Christ is the express image of his or the Father's person. I guess from an earthly perspective, a human perspective, sometimes people say to me, your son Nicholas or your son Jonathan they look just like you. They're like this mirror image of you. When people would see Jesus Christ, that would be an express image of God the Father. You know God the Father more that you more know Jesus Christ. It says, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. Notice again, Jesus Christ is sitting on the right hand of the majesty on high. The majesty of course being God the Father. So even in heaven some people again, some people have this misunderstanding. They think well somehow God divided himself when Jesus Christ came to this earth. And then in eternity God's just going to get all reunited once again, like a God power thing. No no, even in heaven, even in heaven, even on the throne of God, Jesus Christ is seated on the right hand of the Father. So again, just because there's eternity or heaven in mind, doesn't change the fact that God is three persons. We looked at this last week. This is his nature. It's not how God just decides to present himself. This is who God is. This is who our one God is. One God in three persons. Can you turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 10. I'm not going to get you to turn to every passage, but just some important ones here. 2 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse number 10. 2 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse number 10. And again, this one should be obvious to all, but again I want to just show you from God's Word. Alright. 2 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 10 it says to whom you forgive anything, I forgive also. For I forgave anything to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ. So of course Christ is a person. Again I just want to show you the scriptures. Okay. Saying that there is one God in three persons is scriptural. It is correct. We've already seen God described as a person. We've seen Jesus Christ here referred to as a person of Christ. A person of Christ. One more passage please. Go to John 14. Just on this topic. John 14 and verse number 16. Now another argument that I've heard out there is well, what about the Holy Spirit though? Is the Holy Spirit really a person? And look, I'm not going to be able to show you a Bible verse that calls the Holy Spirit a person like I have shown you now for the Father and the Son. Okay. But there is that belief that some people say well the Holy Spirit is just a power. It's sort of this impersonal power of God. It says that when God answers prayers and when God changes natural events of the world he uses his Spirit but it's just his power. And of course the Spirit is powerful. It is God. But I want to show you also here in John 14 verse 16 why it is appropriate to call the Holy Spirit a person as well. John 14 verse 16. It says these are the words of Christ and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever. So Jesus Christ speaking about the comforter we know, if you know the Bible very well, you know it's about the Holy Spirit. Christ says even in verse 17 there, even the Spirit of truth. So it's about the Holy Spirit. Okay. Notice how Jesus Christ uses the pronouns to describe the comforter or the Holy Spirit. It says even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it saith him not. You see the Holy Spirit is not just like this it. It is a him because it saith him not. Neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. Notice when Christ describes the Holy Spirit, the comforter, he uses what? Personal pronouns. So even though I can't find your reference that says the Holy Spirit is this person. Look the fact that Christ is using personal pronouns should clearly define to you that the Holy Spirit is a person as well. The comforter. The comforter. The Spirit of truth. God in three persons is a biblical term and again in my past it didn't bother me how people described God until I realized that without good definitions without going back to the Bible people can be misled and start teaching some crazy things. Things that sound almost true but leads down a crazy path. It's insane to me where people can say well you can't say that the Father was born of Mary. I've heard this stuff from my pastor. It's okay to say that the Holy Spirit died on the cross. It's like man I don't know what teaching you're receiving but it's not coming from God's word. Just because you can't understand it doesn't mean that you have to interpret the Bible based on your limited understanding. Remember we receive God's word in faith. And what the Bible says must be true. One God, three persons. This is how Christians over the centuries have described God. If I couldn't go back to the Bible and show you I'd be saying okay guys let's try to figure out a better way to say explain who God is. But there is no better way. It is perfect. One God in three persons is biblical. Now again when people think about persons you know when you think about persons here as human beings obviously we each have our own will. That's something that makes you know what a person is. Like what differs you as a person to me is that we have separate wills don't we? Okay. Now does God have separate wills? You know these three persons of God is their separate wills. And you probably already know this but please turn with me to Mark 14. Please turn with me to Mark 14. Mark 14 and verse number 35. You guys know this story very well. When Christ was on the verge of being arrested and you know he knew that his destiny would be to die on the cross and to take upon the sins of the whole world upon himself. He went to the garden of Gethsemane and he prayed to the Father. And it says in Mark 14 35 Mark 14 verse 35 And he went forward a little and fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass from him. And he said Abba Father. Now the word Abba means Father as well. It's Aramaic. Abba. Abba is Aramaic. It says Abba Father. I want you to just remember that term. Abba Father. So he's calling the Father. Abba Father all things are possible unto thee. Take away this cup from me. Nevertheless not what I will but what thou wilt. So what do you see there? Christ says look not my will Father but your will. Okay obviously there is a separation of wills. You can see that between the Father and the Son. And so this would make sense. That if God is free persons that they would have separate wills. Now when I say separate wills don't misunderstand. I'm not saying they have divided wills. They're not divided in their wills right? I mean if I tell my son hey son go clean up my room and he's like I don't want to do it Dad. We've got separate wills. We have divided wills. Now you see what Christ does. He submits his will to the Father's will. So their will is one and the same. There is unity in the nature of God but again what do we see? Authority. Not my will but thou will be done. There's an authority structure in the Godhead. In the triune nature of God. But again you see Christ has a will separate to the Father's will. Can you please turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 12. You say well does the Holy Spirit have a will? 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse number 7 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse number 7 What we're looking at here is the fact that the Holy Spirit within a church gives us different gifts. Different abilities to serve and minister in the house of God. And if you haven't figured out how you're going to serve, you know pray. Can you reveal to me what my gift is to serve in the house of God? 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse number 7 It says but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with all. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom. To another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. We won't keep reading there. Let's just drop down to verse number 11. We just have a list of different gifts the Holy Spirit has given people. But in verse number 11 it says All these worketh that one and the self same Spirit Look at this. Dividing to every man severally as he will. Who gives us who decides you know what church member is going to have this gift this ability to serve in the house of God. It's according to the will of the Holy Spirit. Okay. So I want to show you once again the Holy Spirit is not just some impersonal power. The Holy Spirit has a will as well. Okay. The Holy Spirit knows how we best serve the house of God and it's by his decision by his will that he gives us these abilities to serve you know New Life Baptist Church this morning. And so once again just because there are separate wills doesn't mean they have divided wills. Okay. You know it's not like God is arguing amongst himself within himself. No. Okay. But you see authority. You see especially the Son being subject to the Father's will. Alright please turn with me to John 14. You might want to keep a finger in 1 Corinthians if you want but John 14. John 14 and again the difficulty that some Christians have when we talk about authority levels. The Father has the greatest authority within the trying nature of God. And so I can't accept that. You know I thought you know for free persons didn't you say that they're co-equal. Co-equal in glory. It's not hard to understand. It really isn't. Again I think it's just our generation. I think it's our society that has made authority seem like something wicked or something evil. Just because someone has authority doesn't mean they're a higher level like more important or more values or anything like this. For example believe it or not you know generation to come the Bible says that I have authority over my wife. Oh that means you think you have more value than your wife. No. My value as a human being is equal to the value of my wife's humanity. Okay. Some of you guys go to work. You've got a boss. He's got authority over you. Is his life more valuable than yours? You know if someone were to you know murder your boss or murder you does it mean that like your life just doesn't matter and it just only matters what happens to your boss? There's equal value in your humanity. Regardless of what station you are we have equal value. Okay. When I say the father has authority of the son I'm not saying the father has greater value or that he's somehow more God or something like this. Of course not. But he's got authority. Okay. He's got authority. There's a chain of command. And look at John chapter 14 and verse number 28. John chapter 14 and verse number 28. Again these are the words of Jesus. He says ye have heard how I said unto you I go away and come again unto you if ye loved me ye would rejoice because I said look at this I go unto the father for my father is greater than I. And again the cults just don't understand this. They'll say oh then see Jesus Christ is not God. No he's just greater. He's got a greater authority. The chain of command. Even the nature of God this is you know there's a reason why when God created institutions he created a leader and those that are submissive to that leader. Okay. This is how God's created all institutions to be. He gives proper order to things. And he did this because even within himself there's a proper order. There's an authority structure. There's a chain of command. Alright. You're there in John. Look at John chapter 13. John chapter 13 verse number 16. John chapter 13 verse number 16. Jesus Christ says verily verily I say unto you look at this the servant. What are we talking about when we talk about servant? A servant master. Authority. Right. A chain of command. The servant is not greater than his Lord. And of course the context is that Christ would send us into this world. You and I we're not greater than our Lord. We're not greater than Jesus Christ. Okay. But then he says neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. Again who sent Jesus? The father. The father sent Jesus. We already saw that right? So think about these words. Neither he that is sent, Jesus, greater than he that sent him, the father. Okay. This should not be a problem. This should be straightforward. You know understanding of God's word. And you know I'm not going to shy away from things that make people feel uncomfortable. It's just the truth of God's word. We have to you know if you find it uncomfortable you have to change your set of beliefs. You need to just get a line of God's word and accept that's what God's word says. Again people struggle right? Our society struggles with the husband being the head of the wife. I struggle with that. Okay. And it's no surprise that in our society Christians are going to struggle with the father having authority of the son. Okay. Or there being a chain of command. Please go with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. 1 Corinthians chapter 11. And these ones are really important. Please turn there. 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verse number 3. 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verse number 3. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11 3 Every man is Christ. Ladies. Wives. If you have problems with your husband don't come to me. Go to Christ. He is the head of the man. You say Jesus please help me. My husband is not loving me the way he ought to. My husband is not caring for the children the way he ought to. Okay. My husband whatever it is is falling short of his role and responsibilities. You're his head. Can you sort him out? Okay. I'm not going to sort out your husband. Okay. In fact I'm not going to sort out your wife or your children because men that's your responsibility. Okay. Alright. I just want to because I'm telling you there are pastors that overstep their authorities. You know. I've got authority in the church. I don't have authority in your home. Okay. When we gather for church I have authority in the house of God. Okay. Once we leave service you know there are other authority structures. There are other institutions the family. Okay. That God has created. Anyway let's keep going there. The head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man. Again just society can't accept this. It's not saying that every man has authority over every woman. Okay. Obviously the husband and you know if you look at that chapter it's about marriage. Okay. The husband is the head of his wife. And if you're a daughter your father is your head. Okay. I can't believe it. Well then look. Accept what Christ is. Look. And the head of Christ is God. Christ has no problem being submissive to authority. Who is the head of Christ? God. Obviously God the Father in that reference. Okay. You know I can't believe pastor you're telling wives to be submissive to their husbands with the Bible teachers. Well you know men we're submissive to our bosses at work or you should be. We're submissive to our governments. At church you guys seem to have no problem being submissive to me. I appreciate it. Thank you. Okay. You know but you know even Christ has no problem. So what's the problem with a wife being submissive to her husband? Oh that's so out of fashion. And yet we do it all the time in society. Being submissive to that one that has authority over us. But again I want to show you just very plain and clear that Christ has a head. He's the Father. God. Okay. God the Father. In that reference. You're there in 1 Corinthians. Please turn to chapter 15 now. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse number 24. So what we're learning here is that God the Father has authority. Okay. But 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse number 24. And we know that you know I guess the height and the climax of the authority of Christ is going to come when he comes back and he establishes that kingdom of his on this earth where he reigns for a thousand years. We know that all authorities, all nations all powers are going to be under Christ. Okay. But look what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 24. Then cometh the end. This is at the end of the millennium. When he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God. Even the Father. Isn't that interesting? At the end of Christ's millennial reign he's going to give his kingdom to the Father. Okay. When he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. And of course we know then God creates a new heaven and a new earth. Okay. But let's keep going there. Verse number 25. For he must reign, that's Jesus must reign till he have put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. We know that death and hell is cast into the lake of fire. Okay. So that's at the end of the millennium. And then it says in verse number 27. For he that's the Father have put all things under his feet under the feet of Jesus. Look at this. But when he saith all things are put under him. So when we say that all things are put under Christ it is manifest or it is revealed or it is obvious that he is accepted. So it is manifest or obvious or clear that there is an exception to all authority being put under Christ. What is that exception? Okay. That he is accepted. The Father is the exception. Because then it says, which did put all things under him? It says that when we say all power all authority is put under Christ, yes. But obviously not the Father. Okay. The Father will never be under the authority of the Son of Jesus Christ. Once all power and authority is given to the Son. Okay. And he even defeats death. He says, alright Father. I've done it all. Here's the kingdom for you. And God creates a new heaven and new earth. Okay. A kingdom that lasts for eternity. Okay. It's a one and the same kingdom. But now not just a temporary period of a thousand years on the earth. But a kingdom that continues for all eternity in the new heavens and the new earth. So again I want to show you even into eternity. Okay. There's an exception to Christ's power. That's the Father. Okay. So there is definitely a chain of command. There is definitely an authority structure within the nature of God. Alright. Please turn with me to the book of John. John chapter 20 and verse number 17. I hope this is kind of interesting. You know it's not like I preach on these things all the time. You know so I think it's interesting to always go back and just you know if we get sometimes you know we might hear things that aren't quite right or we get a little unstable about certain beliefs. You know it's always good to go back and just ground ourselves once again in the fundamental truths of the Bible. And I hope I'm showing you. This is not just my opinion. We're reading this. You're looking at these scriptures yourself. If there are things that you did not know that I'm revealing to you, please take note of where that is in the scripture so you can go back in your own time and read it for yourself. You know I don't want you to just believe things because I'm teaching it. I want you to believe it because you've seen it in the word of God. You've accepted it from God's word. That's what matters. John chapter 20 verse number 17. The Bible says, Jesus saith unto her, this is after his resurrection, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father. Like once again Jesus has his Father. But go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and then I love the next words, and your Father. And to my God and your God. Okay. Jesus Christ has a God. God the Father. And yet, one God. One God in three persons. But I love the fact that he says, look I'm going to my Father and then he says, and your Father. Okay. So once again that same truth. Salvation. How beautiful is salvation? You know we think about salvation, okay yeah I'm not dying and going to hell. Praise God I can go to heaven when I die. Okay, but you get given a Father. A spiritual Father, heavenly Father. You know many fathers on this earth fail. You know there are many people that are suffering in life because they've had a horrible upbringing. Broken families. Many times Father's not there. You know, to help kids along and it always causes damage. It always causes damage. But the great truth is that if you're saved, you have a heavenly Father that will never leave you, that will never forsake you. A heavenly Father that will guide you and direct you into truth even when earthly fathers fail. I know I fail. I know I'm not a perfect Father. I know I can be a bit of a hypocrite sometimes. You know I tell my kids, but life is not fair. I can't be fair. As much as I try to be fair, I'm still not fair. Okay. Because what I sometimes consider to be fair, others might not consider to be fair or whatever. And you know I'm teaching from the God's word. I should have a higher standard, but I know I fail sometimes. I'm not perfect. But you know as kids develop, as they grow, they start to notice, oh, mum and dad, they've got failings. They're not quite as wonderful and great and powerful and amazing and consistent as I thought they were. But then by then, if they're saved, then their eyes should be upon the Lord God. Right? And go, well, my parents are sinners. I'm a sinner too. You know, thank you for salvation. You know, that you've made us your children. That we can be part of a greater family, a spiritual family. Isn't it wonderful that we can call each other's brothers and sisters? Why can't we call ourselves that? Because we have the same Father. We have our Heavenly Father. It's wonderful to be part of God's family. And you're there in John. John chapter 1. Go to John chapter 1 verse 12. John chapter 1 verse 12. And I'm saying that because again, there is a misunderstanding in this world. I'm sure you've heard many people say that, you know, we're all just children of God. Like every single human being, every single soul on this earth is a child of God. I've heard it many times, even in church. We're all children of God. It's not true. We're not all children of God. Okay? The Bible says in John chapter 1 verse 12, but as many as received Him, so many, that's some of you guys here, right? All of you here, Lord willing? As many as received Him, received Christ, to them gave Him power to become the sons of God. Even to them that believe on His name. So brethren, who are the sons of God? Who are the children of God? Those that have received Christ. Those that have believed on His name. Yes, salvation is by faith. Yes, it's by belief on Jesus Christ. That's what makes you a child of God, a son of God. In other words, before you believed, you were not a child of God. Yes, you were a child of Mum and Dad. Yes, you were a child of Noah. Yes, you were a child of Adam and Eve. Yes, you got physical parentage. But the moment you believe in Christ, you become a child of God. Alright? And it continues in verse number 13. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Brethren, the moment you believe in Christ, you've been born again. Born by God's will. God's design. You can call Him Father now. You're part of that family. And brethren, there are so many ways to prove eternal security. I mean, just the word everlasting life should prove eternal security. Because if you could lose it, you wasn't everlasting. Okay? But another way you can prove it is the fact that we're born into God's family. You know, when my children, your children are born into your family, can they be unborn out of your family? Of course they can't be unborn out of your family. Okay? Well, once you're born into God's family, guess what? You can't be unborn out of God's family. Okay? The same laws apply. You know? These are the laws of God. How we create things to be. So many ways to prove that we cannot lose our salvation, but I want to show you that we are born. This is why we're calling Father. Not just Father for some, I don't know, spiritual or religious title, but He truly is our Father. We have been born of God. Not this flesh, we already saw that. Not of blood, not by the will of the flesh. This part of my body is not born of God, but the new man, the Spirit has been born. Right? Born of the Spirit. In fact, let's go there. John chapter 3, because you're close by, John chapter 3 verse number 1. Love this story. The story of Nicodemus who comes to Jesus at night. One of the Pharisees. Alright? John chapter 3, you know the Pharisees were basically the main enemies of Jesus when he was on this earth. And Nicodemus comes in and wants to get further clarification here. John chapter 3 verse 1. There was a man of the Pharisees called Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Or even to enter the kingdom. You must be born again. You must become a child of God. How? You believe on Christ where you saw that, right? You believe on Christ who came for us, who died for us, who rose again from the dead. But let's keep going there. It says in verse number 4. I don't know if Nicodemus had been sarcastic or silly or just, I don't know. Or mocking Christ, maybe his response. Verse number 4, Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? This birth is not one of flesh. You know, this birth is not one of blood. Okay, we saw that, okay? So, it keeps going there. Verse number 5, Jesus answered, verily, verily, or truly, truly, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. You see, brethren, you must be born of water and the spirit. And then you've got the cold to say, well, you've got to get baptized. That's part of your salvation. Being born of the water is your water birth. When your mother's waters break, we still use that terminology today. What's it called? The amniotic fluid. That's mostly water. That's the birth that you come from. When you were born from your mother's womb. In fact, Jesus Christ confirms this. He says, that which is born of flesh is flesh. And that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. And so Christ is speaking a birth of the spirit. Being born of the spirit. So, this flesh is not what's born again. That's why people think, salvation is reforming this flesh. Salvation is turning from your sins. This flesh is not going to be born of God. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. It's not this flesh that gets you to heaven. It's the new man. It's the born against spirit. That we have within ourselves. That is a part of you that is born of God. Born of the spirit. And so I definitely want to just show you there, that there is a birth that takes place. Just like a human being is born from their parents, you're born from your father. And that's why we can call him our father. Can you please turn with me to Galatians chapter 4? Turn to Galatians chapter 4. And Isabel, can you get me a bit more water? Galatians chapter 4 and verse number 4. Galatians 4, 4. Now, the Bible, again, these are things that sometimes I think, when I talk to Christians, they struggle with these things. Because the Bible also speaks about an adoption. So we're born into God's family, but we're also adopted. Now look at Galatians 4, 4. It says, Now, what I want to explain here is, obviously there's a difference between birth and adoption. When you have a child that's born in the family, it's made of the same. It's come from your mother's womb, right? Adoptions come from another, but you've accepted them legally into your family, and they're as much as your child as any child that is born into the family. But there is a difference between a birth and adoption. Sometimes Christians get this confused, and they think the moment you've trusted Christ, you're adopted into the family. No, you're born into the family. Okay? You're born into the family. But you can definitely see there's an adoption that's speaking about here. Now let's keep going there. Verse number 6. And because ye are sons, again, I love that. You are sons. You're sons, right? God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father. Remember that Abba Father? Well, Christ said Abba Father. He could speak to the Father directly. Well, you know what? You, as a son of God, you've been given that same spirit that he has given to his son, that we, too, can cry out, Abba Father. Isn't that amazing? We could call God our Father. Like, I mean, you think about God's majesty, you think of his greatness, you think of his righteousness, his justice, his wrath, his anger. You think about, you know, that we're just dust, but yet somehow this dust can speak to the same God and call him Father, Abba Father, by the spirit that he gave of his son. Verse number 7. Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. An heir of God, not just a son. Just like our parents who passed away, they may leave you an inheritance if they got something to leave. Well, God's going to give us an inheritance. Because we're his sons. We're not just servants, we're his children. Now, we are servants as well, but we're more than just servants, we're children. Okay? Now, again, this idea of the adoption, let's understand this a little bit further. If you can go with me to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 and verse number 14. And I guess the main point here, Brevin, is that we can call God our Father because of our birth, but obviously because of the adoption as well. But I just want to set in your minds what this adoption is. In Romans chapter 8, verse number 14. It says, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Alright, so that's you, Brevin. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. So you can see the consistency from Galatians chapter 4. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Isn't that amazing? We are the children of God. And if children then heirs, we saw that already, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may also glorify together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation, and this is important, of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. It's interesting. We're waiting for this manifestation of the sons we're waiting for, actually. You see, by the moment we're saved, we're born again, we're born into God's family, we're children of God, we saw that already, of course we are. But there's also a waiting for this manifestation of the sons of God. Now, again, within the context you really saw, we're speaking about the adoption. You see, we're still waiting for that adoption to come. Even though we've already been born into God's family. See, there is a separation here when it speaks about our salvation, and I'm going to show you it's very clear, as we keep going here, what that manifestation is. Verse number 20. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who have subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered, and it starts to make sense, what is this creature? Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. So again, let's read that carefully. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered. Now we're already saved, it's already a done deal. Okay, it's a really done deal. You're saved, you're not going to lose it. You've got it, it's done. Okay? But there is a waiting, isn't there? There is this creature is seeking to be delivered from the bondage of corruption. What are you talking about, Pastor Kevin? Again, this flesh. This flesh is corrupt. This flesh is the old man. It's waiting for something better. It's actually waiting for this adoption to take place. I mean, the Spirit's fine. Spirit's dealt with, saved, born against Spirit. If we walk in the Spirit, we can do great things for God. If we walk after this flesh, we do sinful things. That are contrary to God's will, when we're in the flesh. But that corruption that we have is still waiting for a deliverance. Okay? Your salvation is still to be fully completed, though you're already saved. Okay? It's your flesh that needs to be saved. Alright? Let's keep going there. Verse number 22. For we know that the whole creation, so it's not just this creature, but all of creation, groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Because when man sinned, a curse fell upon creation. All of creation is mourning. All of creation is corrupt. So we know that one day God has created a new heaven, a new earth where there is no curse. Okay? So all of creation is waiting for this, you know, yearning for this deliverance. But so is this creature. This physical creature of you and I. It says in verse number 23. And not only they, so not only all of creation, but ourselves also which have the first fruits of the spirit. So we already have that. Okay? Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption to wit, or to witness the redemption of our body. The redemption of our body. You know, we're waiting for this brethren. You know when you're like, oh Lord, I just want to serve you. I want to walk in your ways. But Lord, I fail. I sin. You know, I see things contrary, Lord. I just have my own will. I'm selfish. You know what that is? That's you groaning within yourself. Saying, Lord, I want to be delivered from this corrupt flesh. It's coming. The adoption is coming. Okay? The redemption of your body. And of course, when does that take place? At the rapture. At the resurrection. Okay? When Christ changes our body from corruption to incorruption. From mortal to immortality. That's when we receive that adoption, the fullness of the adoption. Okay? So, if you read the Bible carefully, and don't get lost about this. You're born. You're a born child of God. That's a spirit. We're waiting for the adoption, which is when the body gets delivered. When the body receives immortal bodies. Okay? But in both senses. Okay? In the spirit, and also one day in the physical body, we can call ourselves a child of God. We can say to our father, have a father. In both ways. You know, so that's what's wonderful. Not only are we born into his family, but we're also going to be adopted into that family. And that's going to be great when our bodies are no longer the bodies that we struggle with sin this very day. Alright. So I hope that's kind of given you some further understanding how we can call God our father. In multiple ways, actually. Okay? But don't forget, we are definitely saved. Born again right now. Even though we're waiting for that adoption to come. Alright, please turn with me to John chapter 1. John chapter 1 verse number 18. Why is that important? Why is the rapture so important? You know, the title for this sermon was God the Father. God the Father. Now John chapter 1 verse 18 says, No man has seen God at any time. So hold on, pastor. People have seen Jesus. Hey, they even saw the Holy Spirit descend bodily like a dove when Christ was baptized. So when the Bible says no man has seen God at any time, what is this talking about? Well obviously, the father. No man has seen God. No man has seen the father at any time. The only begotten son which is in the bosom of the father, he hath declared him. Please go to John chapter 5 verse number 37. John chapter 5 verse number 37, please. John chapter 5 verse number 37. It says, And the father himself, these are the words of Jesus, which have sent me, have borne witness of me, ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. Never seen his shape. Okay? Or his voice. Let's go to John chapter 6. John chapter 6 verse number 46. John chapter 6 verse number 46. Jesus Christ says in verse number 46, Not that any man hath seen the father, save he which is of God. He hath seen the father. Speaking about himself. It's that no man has seen the father. Okay, there's, you know, the Bible's very consistent about this. And you say, hold on, pastor. I remember in the Old Testament that people saw the father, or people saw God. Remember that time when God came to Abraham before he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham invited him to his house and, you know, Sarah prepared a meal for them? What about that time? What about that time when Jacob, was it Jacob? Yeah, it was Jacob. When Jacob was wrestling with God, he says, I've seen God and I've lived. He says, what about that? Well, obviously that was not the father. Okay? If Christ is saying, say that no man has seen the father, obviously those references of God was not the father. It would have been, of course, the son. Okay? It was the son that was seen. No man has seen the father. And that's very clear. In fact, I'll quickly read to you from Exodus 33 verse 20. This is God speaking to Moses. He says, and he said, Thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me and live. Even if you tried to see the father, you'd be wiped out. Hey, remember that time when Christ was transfigured? Okay? And then the father says about the son, this is my beloved son, but before that happened, there was like a great cloud, so they could not see the father. You know, the disciples, the three disciples, they were being protected by the father. Because if they saw the father, they'd be just wiped out. Because we have corrupted bodies. These bodies cannot stand in the presence of the father. We cannot see him. Okay? And live. Okay? You'd be completely destroyed. And so, once again, I'm saying this to you because you start to understand the importance then of a new resurrected body without sin. A body that is without corruption. A body that is immortal. Listen, Christ says that he has seen the father, and the Bible teaches us that at the resurrection that our bodies will be made like unto Christ. So think about that. If Christ can see the father, and our bodies are going to be made like unto Christ, then shouldn't that allow us to see the father? That's the significance of this. Okay? Turn me to one more passage. Revelation chapter 22, the last chapter in your Bible. Revelation chapter 22 and verse number 3. What's wonderful about our father, we can pray to him. He leads us. He guides us. He gives us protection. You know, we can definitely feel the presence of our father. His comfort. His love. But I've never seen him. In fact, I've never seen Jesus. Okay? But, what we learn in this wonderful truth at the end, once God's created a new heaven and a new earth, once we have received our new and resurrected bodies, it says in Revelation 22 verse 3 and there shall be no more curse. Again, all of creation is grown in for this deliverance from corruption. Because there's a curse upon this earth. But hey, at this point, when God creates a new heaven and a new earth, there'll be no more curse. Okay? But the throne of God, that's speaking about the father there, and of the lamb, once again, even in new heavens, who's the lamb? That's Jesus Christ. Even in the new heavens and the new earth, you can see there's a throne of God and of the lamb. Okay? Shall be in it and his servants shall serve him and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads. If you know the book of Revelation, you know that this name on the foreheads is the name of the father. You know, the 144,000 Israelites are protected from God's wrath because they've got the name of the father in their foreheads, if you know your Bibles. Okay? So notice there, that we shall see his face. Finally, at the new heavens and the new earth, we'll finally see the father. Because we'll be able to. We receive the adoption, the body, the deliverance of the body, the new body, the new resurrected body, made like unto Christ. Isn't it wonderful that we can call God our father? Isn't it wonderful that God wants us to lay our eyes upon him? He says, look, these bodies can't do it. Look, we'll get you saved. Right? The new spirit, that part is important. You get to go to heaven based on that. But one day you're going to have a new body, a new set of eyes, no more illnesses, no more sicknesses, even better than that, no more sin. Okay? So we can stand in the presence of God Almighty and lay our eyes upon him and see his face. And not be killed. Okay? Stay living. Of course, everlasting life, we cannot be destroyed at that point. But what a wonderful truth that God our father wants us to lay our eyes upon him. Okay? And in the meantime, brethren, we can still lay our eyes upon him figuratively. Okay? Knowing Christ better. The more we know Christ, the more we know the word, the more we know the Bible, the more we know who God is. Okay? So let's start the journey today as we continue reading our Bible to know God more and more and one day looking forward to that time when we can see him face to face. One more time, the doctrinal statement is going to say, under God the Father, we believe in God the Father. This term designates the first person of the Holy Trinity, man whose sin has destroyed his spiritual and moral position with God must be restored by gracious divine renewal through faith in Jesus Christ. This brings about a new standing to God the Father by which man becomes a born child of God and a partaker of the divine nature. Okay, brethren, let's pray. Heavenly Father, Lord, I want to thank you so much for the truth of your word. Lord, thank you that we can cry Abba Father, that we can call you our Father Lord, that we're your children, not just servants, Lord. Lord, we're not just dust, we're not just a sinful creature, Lord, but that you've saved us, you've redeemed us. Lord, you've sent us your son to die in our place that we could be called your children. Lord, I thank you for the honor of being part of this spiritual family. Lord, I pray that we will grow in love for our brothers and sisters in church this morning as we look upon them as your children as well, as our brothers and sisters, Lord, and I thank you so much for this family, Lord, that you've given us. Lord, not only have you saved us, not only have you made us your children, Lord, you've made us part of the royal family, and Lord, you've made us joint heirs. You've given us this great promise of a new heaven and new earth, Lord, and Lord, I'm looking forward to the time that I can lay my eyes upon you and see you face to face. I pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright, Reverend, please take your hymnals. 221, please. 221. Let's sing A Child of the King. Are you a child of the king this morning? If you're not sure, please speak to me. Please speak to me if you're not sure if you're saved this morning. It's so important that you become a child of God. Come on, a child of the king. A child of the king. A child of the king. With Jesus my savior. I'm a child of the king. My father's own son, the savior of him. As the chorus of him, our family is pleading, our Father on high, that we may eat peace when he comes by and by. I'm a child of the king. A child of the king. Jesus my savior. I'm a child of the king. I once was an animal stranger on earth. A sinner by choice. An alien by God. I've been adopted. A pension, a home and a crown. A child of the king. A child of the king. Jesus my savior. I'm a child of the king. A chancellor of God. Each wife should I care. For the old man. A man's life from home. A sinner I may sing. All glory to God. I'm a child of the king. A child of the king. In Jesus my savior. I'm a child of the king.