WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.580 Well, when I heard that Pastor Joel and Angela 00:00:02.580 --> 00:00:05.120 were going to be here this morning, I had to 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:08.640 rewrite a whole new sermon. I realized that what 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:13.820 I was going to preach was not appropriate. A 00:00:13.820 --> 00:00:29.379 child went to his father and said, How did babies 00:00:29.379 --> 00:00:35.039 get here? And the father said, well, Adam and 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:37.619 Eve had babies, and they had babies, and they 00:00:37.619 --> 00:00:41.039 had babies, and here you are. He said, okay. 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:47.539 So he went to his mother and said, where do babies 00:00:47.539 --> 00:00:52.280 come from? And she wasn't quite so saved as all 00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:57.200 of us. She said, well, a long time ago. There 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:03.539 were monkeys. And monkeys evolved. And eventually, 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:07.980 they became us. And the child ran back to his 00:01:07.980 --> 00:01:12.560 father and said, you lied to me. And the father 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:16.299 said, she was talking about her side of the family. 00:01:26.379 --> 00:01:30.719 Dale, did you like that one? No, you did, you 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:35.540 did, you did. Thank you, Father. I would like 00:01:35.540 --> 00:01:38.579 you to turn with me to Deuteronomy chapter 21. 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:44.040 Deuteronomy chapter 21. And having dedicated 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:46.959 our sons and daughters to the Lord this morning, 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:51.299 I want to turn our attention for a few moments 00:01:51.299 --> 00:01:57.580 before we go today to our Heavenly Father. And 00:01:57.580 --> 00:02:01.260 I want to believe God to speak to each one of 00:02:01.260 --> 00:02:06.120 us this morning about who he is, about who we 00:02:06.120 --> 00:02:13.039 are, about what his word declares. In Deuteronomy 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:15.740 chapter 21, it's kind of an obscure passage. 00:02:16.199 --> 00:02:18.819 Don't know if you've ever heard a message preached 00:02:18.819 --> 00:02:23.979 out of this passage before. But to get some context. 00:02:24.860 --> 00:02:30.159 I'd like us to back up to verse 15. If a man 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:37.780 has two wives, intercede for that man. That's 00:02:37.780 --> 00:02:42.039 all I have to say. One loved and the other unloved, 00:02:42.099 --> 00:02:46.819 and this could happen in those days. And they 00:02:46.819 --> 00:02:50.159 have borne him children, both the loved and the 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:53.740 unloved, and if the firstborn son... is of her 00:02:53.740 --> 00:02:58.080 who is unloved, then it shall be on the day he 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:03.020 bequeaths his possessions to his sons that he 00:03:03.020 --> 00:03:10.699 must not bestow firstborn status on the son of 00:03:10.699 --> 00:03:16.599 the loved wife in preference to the son of the 00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:24.080 unloved, the true firstborn. But he shall acknowledge 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:30.120 the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:35.960 by giving him a double portion. Everybody say 00:03:35.960 --> 00:03:42.780 double portion. Of all that he has, for he is 00:03:42.780 --> 00:03:48.460 the beginning of his strength. The right of the 00:03:48.460 --> 00:03:54.439 firstborn is his. Father, I just thank you for 00:03:54.439 --> 00:03:58.599 your word today. And I just ask that you would 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:02.419 just speak to our hearts in these moments as 00:04:02.419 --> 00:04:09.639 we examine your word. In Jesus' name, amen. One 00:04:09.639 --> 00:04:12.400 of the great passages in this church is Isaiah 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:15.560 chapter 61. The spirit of the sovereign Lord 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:18.019 is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to 00:04:18.019 --> 00:04:20.480 preach good news to the poor. And then there 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:22.519 is a list of things that we're believing God 00:04:22.519 --> 00:04:26.139 for in our ministry, amen? For captives to be 00:04:26.139 --> 00:04:29.199 set free, for prison doors to be open, for those 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:32.339 that are clothed in mourning to find the oil 00:04:32.339 --> 00:04:37.759 of joy, for beauty to come from ashes. Have you 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:41.310 seen those things in your life? Amen. But if 00:04:41.310 --> 00:04:44.230 you read further down in Isaiah chapter 61, in 00:04:44.230 --> 00:04:47.649 the verse that we don't often get to, in verse 00:04:47.649 --> 00:04:52.829 7, God in restoring things says this, Instead 00:04:52.829 --> 00:04:57.990 of your shame, you shall have double honor. And 00:04:57.990 --> 00:05:01.350 instead of confusion, they shall rejoice in their 00:05:01.350 --> 00:05:05.769 portion. Therefore, in the land, they shall possess 00:05:05.769 --> 00:05:13.149 double everlasting joy. What is Isaiah referring 00:05:13.149 --> 00:05:18.769 to? The right of the firstborn son. The right 00:05:18.769 --> 00:05:24.149 of the firstborn son is the double portion. And 00:05:24.149 --> 00:05:28.129 Israel, being the firstborn son, God was saying, 00:05:28.290 --> 00:05:33.170 I am going to restore to you your rightful place. 00:05:33.230 --> 00:05:38.360 Hallelujah. and God is a restorer of everything 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:42.639 that has been taken away. When the enemy has 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:45.779 stolen from you over and over and over again 00:05:45.779 --> 00:05:49.139 in your BC days, sometimes he comes against you 00:05:49.139 --> 00:05:52.980 even as a believer, and he steals from you. Aren't 00:05:52.980 --> 00:05:56.339 you glad that God is a restorer? Hallelujah. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:00.459 He puts things back together. He puts you back 00:06:00.459 --> 00:06:04.160 in positions. He takes things that were broken 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:09.439 and he heals them. There was another moment in 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:14.139 the scripture where the double portion became 00:06:14.139 --> 00:06:20.959 incredibly important. And it's in 2 Kings chapter 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:26.529 2. And again, for the sake of context, I want 00:06:26.529 --> 00:06:29.689 to take the time to read this story. Is everybody 00:06:29.689 --> 00:06:33.550 okay this morning? Cammie told me that I had 00:06:33.550 --> 00:06:36.410 to make sure I got my preaching done in 30 minutes 00:06:36.410 --> 00:06:44.069 today. And so she put her foot down. So when 00:06:44.069 --> 00:06:49.189 I get to 30 minutes, and I've already used two 00:06:49.189 --> 00:07:00.430 minutes. Verse 1. And it came to pass, when the 00:07:00.430 --> 00:07:03.009 Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven 00:07:03.009 --> 00:07:06.509 by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha 00:07:06.509 --> 00:07:10.610 from Gilgal. Then Elijah said to Elisha, Stay 00:07:10.610 --> 00:07:13.449 here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to 00:07:13.449 --> 00:07:16.089 Bethel. But Elisha said, As surely as the Lord 00:07:16.089 --> 00:07:18.889 lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave 00:07:18.889 --> 00:07:21.790 you. So they went down to Bethel. Now the sons 00:07:21.790 --> 00:07:24.050 of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to 00:07:24.050 --> 00:07:27.089 Elisha and said to him, Do you not know that 00:07:27.089 --> 00:07:30.449 the Lord will take away your master from over 00:07:30.449 --> 00:07:33.930 you today? And he said, Yes, I know. Keep silent. 00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:37.420 And Elisha said to him, Elisha, stay here, please, 00:07:37.500 --> 00:07:40.240 for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho. But he 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:42.600 said, As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:45.939 I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho. 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:48.379 And now the sons of the prophets who were at 00:07:48.379 --> 00:07:51.000 Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, Do you 00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:53.480 not know that the Lord will take away your master 00:07:53.480 --> 00:07:56.959 from over you today? So he answered, Yes, I know. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:00.000 Keep silent. And Elisha said to him, Stay here, 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:02.019 please, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan. 00:08:02.860 --> 00:08:05.379 But he said, As the Lord lives and as your soul 00:08:05.379 --> 00:08:08.899 lives, I will not leave you. So the two of them 00:08:08.899 --> 00:08:11.779 went on, and 50 men of the sons of the prophets 00:08:11.779 --> 00:08:14.399 went and stood facing them at a distance. And 00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:17.360 while the two of them stood by the Jordan, and 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:20.720 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, struck 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:23.600 the water, and it was divided this way and that, 00:08:23.819 --> 00:08:27.139 so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 00:08:27.709 --> 00:08:30.829 And so it was when they had crossed over that 00:08:30.829 --> 00:08:35.570 Elijah said to Elisha, ask, what may I do for 00:08:35.570 --> 00:08:39.970 you before I am taken away from you? And Elisha 00:08:39.970 --> 00:08:45.889 said, please let a double portion, everybody 00:08:45.889 --> 00:08:50.509 say double portion, of your spirit be upon me. 00:08:51.210 --> 00:08:55.149 So Elijah said, you have asked a hard thing. 00:08:56.140 --> 00:08:58.539 Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from 00:08:58.539 --> 00:09:01.580 you, it shall be so for you. But if not, it shall 00:09:01.580 --> 00:09:04.220 not be so. And then it happened as they continued 00:09:04.220 --> 00:09:07.919 on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:11.259 appeared with horses of fire and separated the 00:09:11.259 --> 00:09:14.480 two of them. And Elijah went up by whirlwind 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:19.330 into heaven. And Elisha saw it. And he cried 00:09:19.330 --> 00:09:22.690 out, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel 00:09:22.690 --> 00:09:25.929 and its horsemen. And so he saw him no more. 00:09:26.070 --> 00:09:28.350 And he took hold of his own clothes and tore 00:09:28.350 --> 00:09:31.029 them into two pieces. And he took up the mantle 00:09:31.029 --> 00:09:34.470 of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back 00:09:34.470 --> 00:09:37.070 and stood by the bank of the Jordan. And he took 00:09:37.070 --> 00:09:39.769 the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him 00:09:39.769 --> 00:09:43.710 and struck the water and said, Where is the Lord 00:09:43.710 --> 00:09:47.049 God of Elijah? And when he had also struck the 00:09:47.049 --> 00:09:49.929 water, it was divided this way and that. And 00:09:49.929 --> 00:09:53.509 Elisha crossed over. We're going to stop right 00:09:53.509 --> 00:10:00.210 there. A double portion. A double portion. When 00:10:00.210 --> 00:10:02.889 we look at this story, we often talk about the 00:10:02.889 --> 00:10:05.570 anointing that was transferred from Elijah to 00:10:05.570 --> 00:10:10.659 Elisha. And it certainly was. Elijah, in fact, 00:10:10.659 --> 00:10:13.639 anointing Elisha as the prophet to come after 00:10:13.639 --> 00:10:16.960 him is the only time in the Old Testament when 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:21.940 we see that a prophet was actually anointed like 00:10:21.940 --> 00:10:26.799 a king or a priest. Elijah anointed Elisha with 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:31.279 oil and Elisha knew that he was going to be the 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:35.600 prophet that would carry on after Elijah was 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:39.899 gone. And so we talk about the double portion 00:10:39.899 --> 00:10:44.500 in a manner of miracles, in a manner of power, 00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:47.320 and we bring out the fact that Elisha recorded 00:10:47.320 --> 00:10:53.100 twice as many miracles as Elijah did. core. In 00:10:53.100 --> 00:10:56.379 fact, the last miracle of Elisha, Elisha wasn't 00:10:56.379 --> 00:11:01.200 even alive. A man was thrown on his bones, on 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:04.840 Elisha's bones, and came back to life. And that 00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:08.460 was the miracle that gave Elisha exactly twice 00:11:08.460 --> 00:11:11.720 as many recorded miracles in the scriptures as 00:11:11.720 --> 00:11:15.360 Elijah. That's pretty cool, isn't it? But the 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:20.070 double portion, when Elisha asks for a double 00:11:20.070 --> 00:11:24.149 portion of your spirit, what is he really asking 00:11:24.149 --> 00:11:28.690 for? And I believe, considering what the double 00:11:28.690 --> 00:11:33.169 portion meant in the context of the culture, 00:11:33.370 --> 00:11:38.330 and what it meant... to the firstborn son that 00:11:38.330 --> 00:11:41.850 even more than miracle power and even more than 00:11:41.850 --> 00:11:46.269 the ability to prophesy, what Elisha was asking 00:11:46.269 --> 00:11:56.470 for is this. Can I call you my father? Can I 00:11:56.470 --> 00:12:05.879 be your son? Will you consider me? To be your 00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:14.860 son. And Elijah said, that's a hard thing, but 00:12:14.860 --> 00:12:20.600 if you see it, me, if you see me when I go, it 00:12:20.600 --> 00:12:26.000 will be granted. And when Elisha lifted up his 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:33.279 eyes and saw Elijah, what did he cry out? He 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:43.330 cried out, My father. My father. And that mantle 00:12:43.330 --> 00:12:50.789 that he picked up, it was no longer just a symbol 00:12:50.789 --> 00:12:57.769 of my role as a prophet. It wasn't just a symbol 00:12:57.769 --> 00:13:03.419 of the anointing in my life. But that mantle 00:13:03.419 --> 00:13:10.259 that rested upon him, it became a symbol of sonship. 00:13:12.100 --> 00:13:18.179 I'm carrying the mantle of my father. And he 00:13:18.179 --> 00:13:21.340 went out. And see, just a few minutes before. 00:13:22.059 --> 00:13:25.179 He had watched the one he wanted to be his father. 00:13:25.399 --> 00:13:28.659 He had watched him take that same mantle, and 00:13:28.659 --> 00:13:31.600 he had struck the Jordan, and Elijah did it, 00:13:31.639 --> 00:13:35.419 and they walked together across dry ground. And 00:13:35.419 --> 00:13:39.580 Elisha, having the same mantle, walked up to 00:13:39.580 --> 00:13:43.120 the Jordan, and remembering what he had seen 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:48.220 his father do, struck the Jordan in the same 00:13:48.220 --> 00:13:55.240 way. And the river did the same thing. And Elisha 00:13:55.240 --> 00:14:04.740 walked across on dry ground. Jesus was a rabbi. 00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:09.740 He waited until the age of a rabbi, 30 years 00:14:09.740 --> 00:14:15.700 old, to begin his ministry. And he chose 12 young 00:14:15.700 --> 00:14:22.350 men to follow him. And as we know Jesus to be 00:14:22.350 --> 00:14:27.809 the Son of God, these young men would have been 00:14:27.809 --> 00:14:35.909 looking to their new rabbi, Jesus, to be their 00:14:35.909 --> 00:14:42.309 spiritual father. To be their spiritual father. 00:14:43.789 --> 00:14:49.730 And in that role, Jesus... as their spiritual 00:14:49.730 --> 00:14:56.149 father, gave them a front row glimpse into his 00:14:56.149 --> 00:15:03.409 relationship with his father. It was the father's 00:15:03.409 --> 00:15:07.110 voice at his baptism in Matthew chapter 3 verse 00:15:07.110 --> 00:15:12.269 17 that spoke as Jesus came up out of the water 00:15:12.269 --> 00:15:15.470 and the dove came down. This is my beloved son 00:15:15.470 --> 00:15:23.570 whom I love. With Him, I am well pleased. It 00:15:23.570 --> 00:15:27.649 was interaction with the Father in prayer that 00:15:27.649 --> 00:15:32.809 motivated Him in how He should operate in ministry. 00:15:33.350 --> 00:15:37.950 Listen to this from John 5, 19. Most assuredly, 00:15:37.950 --> 00:15:40.990 I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, 00:15:41.389 --> 00:15:46.059 but what He sees the Father do. For whatever 00:15:46.059 --> 00:15:51.320 he does, the Son does in like manner. Does that 00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:55.159 remind you of anybody? You see, Jesus had the 00:15:55.159 --> 00:15:59.940 mantle of his Father, and he did the things he 00:15:59.940 --> 00:16:05.860 saw his Father do. Just like Elisha. He had his 00:16:05.860 --> 00:16:11.580 mantle. This is a mystery. Because the doctrine 00:16:11.580 --> 00:16:13.899 of the Trinity, we opened up a song that said, 00:16:14.039 --> 00:16:17.740 Praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the 00:16:17.740 --> 00:16:23.340 Spirit, three in one. The mystery of the Trinity, 00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:28.799 the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And so we tend 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:32.700 to compartmentalize the functions of the three 00:16:32.700 --> 00:16:36.919 in our lives. But the mystery is that the three 00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:44.159 are actually one. In fact, in John chapter 10, 00:16:44.299 --> 00:16:48.240 Jesus declared, I and the Father are one. In 00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:51.700 John 14, Jesus declared, if you have seen me, 00:16:51.940 --> 00:16:56.399 you have seen the Father. That's pretty awesome. 00:16:57.019 --> 00:17:00.120 And it's no wonder that the messianic prophecy 00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:03.519 that we often quote during the Christmas season, 00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:07.000 which I am here to tell you that the Christmas 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:09.500 season is not here yet. I just want you to know 00:17:09.500 --> 00:17:21.400 that. Some of you quit listening to me. That 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:24.920 messianic prophecy, for unto us a child is born, 00:17:25.059 --> 00:17:27.839 unto us a son is given, the government will be 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:30.960 upon his shoulder, and his name will be called 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:39.380 Wonderful Counselor Everlasting Father. The son, 00:17:40.490 --> 00:17:47.269 The baby, one of his names, is Everlasting Father. 00:17:48.289 --> 00:17:52.809 You see, this is where they are three, but they 00:17:52.809 --> 00:17:58.309 are one. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is 00:17:58.309 --> 00:18:03.089 one God. Everlasting Father, the name of the 00:18:03.089 --> 00:18:07.849 Messiah. And so it's no wonder that... Paul described 00:18:07.849 --> 00:18:12.210 Jesus by saying this, he is the image of the 00:18:12.210 --> 00:18:19.450 invisible God. And so that's a beautiful description 00:18:19.450 --> 00:18:24.069 of who Jesus is. He's the image. Jesus is the 00:18:24.069 --> 00:18:28.150 image of the Father. And he's also the image 00:18:28.150 --> 00:18:32.490 of the Spirit. One of his other names is Counselor. 00:18:32.509 --> 00:18:35.650 And do you know who the Holy Spirit is? Counselor. 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:42.559 And so this image of Jesus is also the Father. 00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:47.380 And the Spirit, He's the image of the invisible 00:18:47.380 --> 00:18:52.660 God. That's a powerful description. Jesus is 00:18:52.660 --> 00:18:55.960 the Son, but He embodies the Spirit, and He embodies 00:18:55.960 --> 00:19:02.200 the Father. Christ is definitely our firm foundation. 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:09.309 Note what Jesus... told the women. I love that 00:19:09.309 --> 00:19:13.769 opening this morning about Joseph of Arimathea. 00:19:13.849 --> 00:19:18.309 Wasn't that powerful? And the women after his 00:19:18.309 --> 00:19:21.910 resurrection listened to what Jesus said to them 00:19:21.910 --> 00:19:24.529 when they tried to cling to him in John chapter 00:19:24.529 --> 00:19:28.309 20. Jesus said to her, Jesus said to Mary, do 00:19:28.309 --> 00:19:31.789 not cling to me for I have not yet ascended to 00:19:31.789 --> 00:19:37.130 my father. But go and say to them, I am ascending 00:19:37.130 --> 00:19:42.990 to my Father and your Father, to my God and your 00:19:42.990 --> 00:19:47.039 God. That's a powerful statement. Because what 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:49.680 Jesus was saying is, hey, what just happened 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:54.240 these last three days? The cross, the tomb, the 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:58.200 stone being rolled away, the resurrection. What 00:19:58.200 --> 00:20:01.480 all of that did is this. I have been teaching 00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:05.359 you about my father for three years. But I want 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:08.559 you to know that now because of the cross and 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:11.380 because of the resurrection, he's not just my 00:20:11.380 --> 00:20:14.980 father. He's your father too. Hallelujah. Go 00:20:14.980 --> 00:20:17.380 and tell them. the disciples. He's your father 00:20:17.380 --> 00:20:26.579 too. Hallelujah. The cross made a way for you 00:20:26.579 --> 00:20:35.500 to experience the father just like Jesus did. 00:20:38.099 --> 00:20:44.299 And Elisha picked up the mantle as he cried. 00:20:45.769 --> 00:20:51.029 My Father, my Father. As Pentecostals, we talk 00:20:51.029 --> 00:20:55.490 a lot about anointing and authority and power 00:20:55.490 --> 00:21:01.730 over the enemy. But the anointing of God on your 00:21:01.730 --> 00:21:08.769 life for ministry, may it ever represent your 00:21:08.769 --> 00:21:15.140 relationship to the Father. I am not here just 00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:19.279 to preach the gospel. I am not here just to see 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:23.220 blind eyes opened and miracles happen. I love 00:21:23.220 --> 00:21:26.779 all of those things. Hallelujah. I am not here 00:21:26.779 --> 00:21:32.130 just to function in a capacity. I have taken 00:21:32.130 --> 00:21:36.069 up the mantle because I have seen my Father. 00:21:36.269 --> 00:21:41.970 And He has touched my life in a powerful way. 00:21:42.150 --> 00:21:47.670 And I belong to Him. And He belongs to me. Hallelujah. 00:21:48.730 --> 00:21:51.349 You know what was radical in the days of the 00:21:51.349 --> 00:21:57.890 Bible? For Jesus to call God His Father. Did 00:21:57.890 --> 00:22:00.109 you know that this is one of the reasons that 00:22:00.109 --> 00:22:05.000 He... was put on the cross, they said it's blasphemy. 00:22:06.339 --> 00:22:10.940 It's blasphemy of you, Jesus, to call God your 00:22:10.940 --> 00:22:14.460 own father. You can read about that in John chapter 00:22:14.460 --> 00:22:22.460 5. But how did he even teach us how to pray? 00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:29.640 This was radical. They did not do this. You know, 00:22:29.660 --> 00:22:32.039 for us, it's just, we've heard it, you know, 00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:33.859 if you've been in church a long time, you've 00:22:33.859 --> 00:22:35.839 just heard it. If you grew up Catholic, you heard 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:39.720 it. You just say, and our Father. And it's just 00:22:39.720 --> 00:22:43.660 part of your religious experience. But in the 00:22:43.660 --> 00:22:47.559 moment that Jesus taught it to the people, it 00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:52.519 was a radical, radical teaching. You can't call 00:22:52.519 --> 00:22:59.579 God your Father. But Jesus did. And he taught 00:22:59.579 --> 00:23:07.059 us to do the same thing when you pray. Go and 00:23:07.059 --> 00:23:14.839 close the door. Get with God. And say this. Our 00:23:14.839 --> 00:23:24.140 Father, who art in heaven. As a church family, 00:23:24.380 --> 00:23:30.299 he's my Father. And you can declare that. He's 00:23:30.299 --> 00:23:36.460 my father. But as brothers and sisters in the 00:23:36.460 --> 00:23:47.019 family of God, we declare he is our father. And 00:23:47.019 --> 00:23:49.319 friends, that's so healing because some of you 00:23:49.319 --> 00:23:51.799 sitting out here, you did not have a good earthly 00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:58.200 father. And for you to be able to look up into 00:23:58.200 --> 00:24:04.359 the heavens and say, oh God, I thank you that 00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:09.599 you're my father. And for you to be able to call 00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:25.039 him your dad. I feel the anointing of the Lord 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:28.420 right now. You want to see the Trinity at work? 00:24:31.259 --> 00:24:44.339 Galatians chapter 4. I'm almost done. And now 00:24:44.339 --> 00:24:51.200 for my first conclusion. But when the fullness 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:56.119 of time had come, God sent forth His Son. Born 00:24:56.119 --> 00:25:00.180 of a woman. Born under law to redeem those who 00:25:00.180 --> 00:25:04.460 were under law that we might receive adoption 00:25:04.460 --> 00:25:14.160 as sons. And because you are sons and daughters, 00:25:14.299 --> 00:25:18.440 I'm putting that in there. God has sent forth 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:26.799 the Spirit of His Son. into your hearts, and 00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:37.599 it makes you cry out, Abba, Father! Can you feel 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:41.599 that this morning? Can you feel your heart? Because 00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:44.359 if you're redeemed, if you're a child of God, 00:25:44.539 --> 00:25:47.759 if you've been forgiven, you're going to meet. 00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:51.299 God as somebody different. You might have believed 00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:53.099 in a God. You might have believed that he was 00:25:53.099 --> 00:25:55.140 out there somewhere. You might have believed 00:25:55.140 --> 00:25:59.019 that he was expressed equally just across all 00:25:59.019 --> 00:26:01.660 religions. I don't know what you believed, but 00:26:01.660 --> 00:26:06.160 when you come to Christ, the Spirit of the living 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:10.119 God, the Spirit of the Son of God comes into 00:26:10.119 --> 00:26:13.880 you. Hallelujah. and something changes inside. 00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:18.079 God is not just a being anymore. God is not just 00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:22.480 out there. He's not just somewhere. No, He is 00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:27.099 mine, and I am His, and my heart says of Him, 00:26:27.339 --> 00:26:36.480 Abba, Father. Hallelujah. Glory to God. Now, 00:26:36.539 --> 00:26:40.849 what does this mean? 1 Peter chapter 1. You just 00:26:40.849 --> 00:26:42.670 write these verses down. I'm not going to read 00:26:42.670 --> 00:26:46.950 them all. You're taking notes. 1 Peter 1, 17. 00:26:47.750 --> 00:26:51.730 When you call God your Father, it causes you 00:26:51.730 --> 00:27:00.609 to fear Him. And the fear of the Lord is the 00:27:00.609 --> 00:27:04.829 beginning of wisdom. Friends, the creator of 00:27:04.829 --> 00:27:10.609 the universe is your Father. And Jesus taught 00:27:10.609 --> 00:27:16.269 us to fear him. That's a healthy respect for 00:27:16.269 --> 00:27:20.930 God. And it keeps you. The fear of the Lord brings 00:27:20.930 --> 00:27:24.630 wisdom. It brings you into deep friendship with 00:27:24.630 --> 00:27:29.930 God. Psalm 25 says that God shares his secrets 00:27:29.930 --> 00:27:34.009 with people that fear him. And the fear of the 00:27:34.009 --> 00:27:36.769 Lord keeps you from giving in to temptation. 00:27:38.810 --> 00:27:42.049 In Proverbs 14, 27, you can write that verse 00:27:42.049 --> 00:27:47.269 down. God being your father causes you to fear 00:27:47.269 --> 00:27:53.009 him. And along those lines, God being your father 00:27:53.009 --> 00:28:02.410 causes you to receive correction. And I simply 00:28:02.410 --> 00:28:08.880 want to say this. Stop resisting. the correction 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:22.759 of the Father that loves you. Yield to him. Because 00:28:22.759 --> 00:28:30.960 in the correction of the Father is life. And 00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:35.059 when you keep saying yes to the Father, yes, 00:28:35.140 --> 00:28:38.700 Lord, I'll change. Yes, Lord, I'll repent. Yes, 00:28:38.839 --> 00:28:43.660 Lord, I'll forgive. Yes, Lord, I'll obey. There's 00:28:43.660 --> 00:28:47.880 life in that. The father does not correct you 00:28:47.880 --> 00:28:54.079 because he just is controlling. He corrects you 00:28:54.079 --> 00:29:00.119 because he loves you. And he's perfect. And I 00:29:00.119 --> 00:29:03.299 want to challenge fathers here that have young 00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:09.970 kids at home. To seek out how God corrects. He 00:29:09.970 --> 00:29:16.549 is patient. He is slow to anger. He is slow to 00:29:16.549 --> 00:29:24.730 wrath. He is abounding in mercy and love. And 00:29:24.730 --> 00:29:27.589 we need to correct our children with the same 00:29:27.589 --> 00:29:34.859 demeanor. God, make me more like you. And so 00:29:34.859 --> 00:29:38.180 if God is correcting you and teaching you and 00:29:38.180 --> 00:29:41.200 calling you, don't be one that says, well, those 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:47.720 rules are for somebody else. Don't resist the 00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:53.920 Father. And then it causes you, friends, to experience 00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:58.440 the love and acceptance of God that you never 00:29:58.440 --> 00:30:05.079 knew before. Blessed be the Father. Of our Lord 00:30:05.079 --> 00:30:11.420 Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual 00:30:11.420 --> 00:30:15.819 blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just 00:30:15.819 --> 00:30:22.220 as he chose us in him before the foundation of 00:30:22.220 --> 00:30:27.720 the world. That we should be holy and without 00:30:27.720 --> 00:30:34.009 blame before him and love. Having predestined 00:30:34.009 --> 00:30:39.190 us to adoptions as sons by Jesus Christ to himself 00:30:39.190 --> 00:30:45.329 according to the good pleasure of his will. I 00:30:45.329 --> 00:30:52.390 could spend all day unpacking that passage. But 00:30:52.390 --> 00:30:55.589 I hope that you got the message of that passage. 00:30:55.710 --> 00:31:00.630 That God has chosen you because he loves you. 00:31:01.740 --> 00:31:07.099 And it made him happy to have you on his team. 00:31:09.619 --> 00:31:13.900 When we chose sides on the playground as kids, 00:31:14.140 --> 00:31:25.400 do you know what kids are? Ruthless. Some of 00:31:25.400 --> 00:31:29.299 you remember. Some of you know what it's like. 00:31:30.700 --> 00:31:36.359 To have the captain say, okay, you're the last 00:31:36.359 --> 00:31:42.680 one. I guess you're on my team. Some of you look 00:31:42.680 --> 00:31:48.539 at your father and you think that he merely tolerates 00:31:48.539 --> 00:32:04.250 you. Your father, he loves you. He loves you. 00:32:07.170 --> 00:32:09.650 I want you to look at the person next to you 00:32:09.650 --> 00:32:16.329 and say, the Father loves you. He has asked you 00:32:16.329 --> 00:32:22.369 to be on his team because he delighted in it. 00:32:24.289 --> 00:32:30.809 And he has not picked you last. And in fact, 00:32:30.809 --> 00:32:37.539 we. Somehow, following Christ, who is the firstborn 00:32:37.539 --> 00:32:41.099 over all creation, he's the firstborn, but we 00:32:41.099 --> 00:32:46.720 have entered into that adoption as sons. And 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:49.720 we can come before the Lord, having been chosen 00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:53.700 by him, and say, Father, give me a double portion. 00:32:55.240 --> 00:33:00.079 Give me a double portion. Let me be your child. 00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:03.460 Let me be your son. Let me be your daughter. 00:33:05.660 --> 00:33:11.700 That's who you want me to be. Well, what about 00:33:11.700 --> 00:33:16.799 my failure, Pastor? Shouldn't that disqualify 00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:24.140 me? The cross behind Brianna is on this platform. 00:33:30.440 --> 00:33:37.900 Because the cross qualifies you. Has made you. 00:33:38.019 --> 00:33:40.039 I didn't read the most important part of that 00:33:40.039 --> 00:33:42.500 Ephesians chapter. I stopped before the end. 00:33:42.619 --> 00:33:45.720 But that portion ends by this. He has made us 00:33:45.720 --> 00:33:53.519 accepted in the beloved. He's qualified you. 00:33:59.309 --> 00:34:01.710 Can we just bow our heads together? So Father, 00:34:01.789 --> 00:34:07.710 I just thank you for the people in this room 00:34:07.710 --> 00:34:15.030 right now. And I thank you, God, for sons and 00:34:15.030 --> 00:34:21.309 daughters of the King whose hearts cry out, Abba. 00:34:23.880 --> 00:34:25.760 If you're here this morning and you've really 00:34:25.760 --> 00:34:27.840 never received the Lord and you've really never 00:34:27.840 --> 00:34:31.639 known God as your father, I want to tell you 00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:36.980 we've all been in that place. And what you, all 00:34:36.980 --> 00:34:42.880 you need to do is open up your heart to the Lord. 00:34:44.539 --> 00:34:50.079 Say, God, can you make me your son? Can you make 00:34:50.079 --> 00:34:54.699 me your daughter? Can I be part of the family? 00:34:56.500 --> 00:35:03.579 Can I start following Jesus? Can I be your disciple? 00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:11.440 When you come before him and just lay your junk 00:35:11.440 --> 00:35:16.519 down, we've all got it, and just say, Jesus, 00:35:16.599 --> 00:35:19.900 thank you for the cross. I just receive your 00:35:19.900 --> 00:35:25.679 gift. And I want to follow after you. If that's 00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:27.840 you this morning, just lift up your hand so I 00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:31.019 can see it. I want to pray for you. Anybody here 00:35:31.019 --> 00:35:34.199 this morning say, Pastor, that's me. Pastor, 00:35:34.280 --> 00:35:36.559 that's me. I need to give my life to Christ. 00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:46.019 I recognize the gift that he has. Just wait a 00:35:46.019 --> 00:35:53.929 moment. There's more of you here. Thank you for 00:35:53.929 --> 00:35:58.389 that. Thank you for that. Thank you, Jesus. Thank 00:35:58.389 --> 00:36:05.650 you. Anybody else? Anybody else? For these that 00:36:05.650 --> 00:36:07.909 have raised their hands right now, can we just 00:36:07.909 --> 00:36:11.389 all pray a prayer together to the Lord? And if 00:36:11.389 --> 00:36:14.130 this is your first time praying this prayer, 00:36:14.429 --> 00:36:17.750 just pray it from your heart. These aren't magic 00:36:17.750 --> 00:36:21.150 words, but it's your heart going out to God that 00:36:21.150 --> 00:36:24.690 makes the difference. Let's pray together. Dear 00:36:24.690 --> 00:36:30.489 Lord Jesus, thank you for the cross. Thank you 00:36:30.489 --> 00:36:35.190 for forgiving me. Thank you for making me your 00:36:35.190 --> 00:36:41.670 child. Thank you for choosing me, for making 00:36:41.670 --> 00:36:48.010 me accepted and a part of your team. Help me 00:36:48.010 --> 00:36:52.909 turn away from the old. And help me turn to you. 00:36:54.329 --> 00:37:02.530 And help me follow Jesus. Amen. Amen. Can we 00:37:02.530 --> 00:37:06.150 give the Lord praise right now? Hallelujah. Hallelujah. 00:37:07.190 --> 00:37:13.050 Hallelujah. I want to pray one more thing. Because 00:37:13.050 --> 00:37:14.849 some of you, even while I'm preaching, you're 00:37:14.849 --> 00:37:18.869 feeling something inside. And what you're feeling. 00:37:19.360 --> 00:37:23.760 is the healing touch of the Father's heart going 00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:28.940 into you. And you want others to pray with you 00:37:28.940 --> 00:37:32.099 right now. You just sense that this is the family 00:37:32.099 --> 00:37:36.980 of God. And your heart is just saying, Father, 00:37:37.139 --> 00:37:41.420 and I want to join with you. I'm not going to 00:37:41.420 --> 00:37:43.780 drag this out, but I believe God wants to do 00:37:43.780 --> 00:37:48.119 one more work this morning. And if that's you, 00:37:48.139 --> 00:37:50.380 if you're just saying, I felt that healing and 00:37:50.380 --> 00:37:52.960 I want God to just continue that in my life. 00:37:53.079 --> 00:37:55.219 I want you to just raise your hand where you 00:37:55.219 --> 00:37:57.760 are. I believe there's a lot of you that God 00:37:57.760 --> 00:38:00.739 has been touching. Thank you. Anybody else? Come 00:38:00.739 --> 00:38:04.420 on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Thank you. Thank 00:38:04.420 --> 00:38:08.199 you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Father. 00:38:08.360 --> 00:38:16.949 Can we all stand together? Lord, these that have 00:38:16.949 --> 00:38:21.250 raised their hands, I just want to pray over 00:38:21.250 --> 00:38:24.690 them right now. And I just want to ask that the 00:38:24.690 --> 00:38:29.449 love of the Father will go into them. God, four 00:38:29.449 --> 00:38:32.730 or five, six people raised their hands for this 00:38:32.730 --> 00:38:38.250 call. And Lord, I just ask that you would continue 00:38:38.250 --> 00:38:44.269 the work of healing in their lives. Thank you, 00:38:44.289 --> 00:38:49.000 Lord. Thank you, Lord. The worship team is going 00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:52.500 to lead us in a song. And anybody that you would 00:38:52.500 --> 00:38:55.960 like me to pray with you before you go this morning, 00:38:56.019 --> 00:38:58.159 I'm going to just be right down here at the altar. 00:38:58.760 --> 00:39:03.000 There's some of you that need prayer. And so 00:39:03.000 --> 00:39:07.619 just as we go this morning, hug somebody, bless 00:39:07.619 --> 00:39:10.900 somebody, but I want you to come and I want you 00:39:10.900 --> 00:39:14.889 to receive prayer. this morning and believe God 00:39:14.889 --> 00:39:16.769 to touch your life. Amen.