When we recite the Lord’s Prayer and say, “Our Father,” it’s ho hum. It’s no big deal. Of course God is our Father. What else would God be?

The reason for this is because of over two thousand years of Christian history. We’ve become accustomed to something that would have been absolutely shocking, horrifying, and offensive to everyone in the ancient world. It would have been so offensive to the common Jewish person that the person who spoke of God in such intimate terms would have been punishable by death.

There were other religions, of course, during the New Testament period. All of them regarded gods with the utmost respect and reverence. To refer to god as god, Lord, Master, Elhohim, etc. was perfectly acceptable. However, no one referred to God in such an intimate term as Father.

Even in the modern world, even when monarchs have no political power, there are certain protocols that one must observe to have an audience with the Queen of England. Here are just a few examples:

• On presentation to the Queen, the correct address is “Your Majesty,” and subsequently, “Ma’am.”
• Be early. Guests should arrive before the royal.
• Take the Queen’s lead. Don’t talk unless spoken to. Don’t sit until she sits. Don’t begin eating until she does.
• Don’t touch her majesty.
• Only shake her hand if she offers it.
• Don’t turn your back on her majesty.

This isn’t even all of it. There’s more. There are protocols on what to wear, how to present yourself, where to sit, etc.

This is just to hang out with the Queen of England. She’s not even our Queen. But if you and I were to have an audience with her, we would have to observe all kinds of protocols.

Imagine how much regard, reverence, and genuine fear there was when thinking about being in the presence of God.

The way the ancients revered and regarded God was with the utmost respect and honor. It was completely unthinkable to refer to God as Father.

Yet, this is exactly what Jesus teaches his disciples to do. So much so, two-thousand years later, calling God “Our Father” has become ho hum, no big deal, a matter of fact.

The reason why we can call God our Father is because that’s who he is because of what Jesus has accomplished for us through the cross. We have been ingrafted and adopted. We have become heirs of God’s kingdom!

Wowsers!!!

What makes this even more amazing is how we can’t imagine a God who isn’t our Father.

Thank you, “Our Father!”

In the days to come, we will be taking a closer look at the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples to pray. It is known as the Lord’s Prayer. This title is both right and incorrect. It is right, in that this is the prayer which the Lord taught his disciples to pray. But it isn’t the Lord’s prayer in the sense that this is a prayer that Jesus could have prayed. We will get to that later as we study about God forgiving our debts.

For today, I want us to focus on the first word, “Our.”

Why “Our” Father? Why not “My” Father?

So much of American Christianity is expressed as my faith, my beliefs, my God, my Savior. I think this is a fantastic corrective against our individualized understanding of faith.

Our. Not my.

Perhaps Jesus wants us to know we are most fully who God intends for us to be when we are in God’s family, God’s community called the church. Perhaps it’s because it’s impossible for anyone to be a follower of Jesus Christ without also belonging to his body, the church of Jesus Christ.

The simple truth is that we miss out on what it means to be a follower of Jesus when we are in isolation. There is no such thing as a Christ-follower in isolation. The moment we become a follower of Christ, we become sons and daughters in God’s family. This family is called the church.

The New Testament word for church, ekklesia, literally means the assembly of the called out ones. The very word itself refers to a multitude of people. The word church excludes any idea of an isolated Christian. If we are a Christian, we are a member of Christ’s family and Christ’s church. If we are a Christian, we are one in relationship with others.

Here’s what this means: No matter what you are going through today…

• You are never alone because you are a part of God’s family
• You are never alone because God is always with us as our Father

Our.

I like it. Thank you God!

“And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised” (Hebrews 6:15).

There is not a promise God does not fulfill.

Today, we will be looking at the relationship between God’s promise and its fulfilment.

In verses 13-14, we are given the context of our verse: “When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore himself, saying, ‘I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.'”

We know from Genesis, even after God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many descendants, it would be over a decade before its fulfillment.

What did Abraham do in the waiting years? What is entailed in waiting?

In order for Abraham to be the father of many descendants, there is something that Abraham had to do in order for this promise to be realized. God’s promise doesn’t just happen. Abraham had to live out what God promised. If Abraham did not live out God’s promise, God’s promise could not have ever happened. There has only been, and there would only be one virgin birth.

The waiting person is not passive. The waiting person is not just sitting there waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promise. Even though the promise was not a reality, Abraham had to continue living out his part in fulfilling God’s promise.

God desires to use the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace to fulfill his desire to grow God’s kingdom. Until that promise is realized, what’s required of us to live out our part in making God’s kingdom promise a reality?

“And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.”

In this waiting season, our job is to live as if God’s kingdom promise is a reality. And one day, we too will live into God’s promise realized.

Even during this season of online worship, God has been growing his church. We grew by 10% in 2020.

Great job, Little Church and Lakewoodgrace! Keep at it. Keep living as if God’s kingdom promise is a reality and together we will see God’s promise realized.