Elements City Church
Christmas wk3: Everlasting Father
There is a declaration that rings out in Isaiah 9 around the the wonder we celebrate at Christmas. The magnitude and majesty of what's GIVEN to us in our Messiah. Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. Jesus is all this and MORE…that’s what we celebrate at Christmas, he’s the complete Savior and Lord GIVEN to save us and lead us forward in this life.
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 5:00 PM
Thanks for joining us...
We pray that tonight would be encouraging for you. If you're a guest here with us, we want to INVITE you to our 10 Minute Party immediately following service. We'd love to meet you and we have a free gift just for you. Click the link below to see THE WEEKLY - our digital announcements/info for all things happening in and around Elements...or find everything ya need in our app.
http://elem.cc/weeklyThis season is NOT only about what you GIVE (go ahead and enjoy that part of it) – but this season is MORE FULLY about what has already been GIVEN!
4 names were used to describe the coming Immanuel (Isa. 9:6).
Each reflects the office of deity and humanity.
“Wonderful Counselor” means an extraordinary (Divine) advisor;
“Mighty God” means a heroic God;
“Everlasting Father” means an everlasting overseer;
“Prince of Peace” means a captain who secures spiritual peace and tranquility.
Each reflects the office of deity and humanity.
“Wonderful Counselor” means an extraordinary (Divine) advisor;
“Mighty God” means a heroic God;
“Everlasting Father” means an everlasting overseer;
“Prince of Peace” means a captain who secures spiritual peace and tranquility.
Everlasting Father
Some translate this title as "Father-Forever." This child will be a father to me in the best of ways - loving, self-sacrificing, always looking out for my best. *see Ps. 103:13: 'As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.' Fatherly compassion from this king will never come to an end. He is our Father-Forever.
Some translate this title as "Father-Forever." This child will be a father to me in the best of ways - loving, self-sacrificing, always looking out for my best. *see Ps. 103:13: 'As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.' Fatherly compassion from this king will never come to an end. He is our Father-Forever.
Looking into and speaking to the theme of fatherhood will indeed strike a deep chord in your heart; for some it makes a pleasant sound—perhaps for others it will make a painful one.
And yet here is the good news of the gospel: Jesus Christ helps us know God as our Father, not just our Father, but our everlasting Father, One who will never leave nor forsake us, One who is always there for us.
In fact, it is the distinctive privilege and distinctive mark of a Christian to know God as everlasting Father. This is at the heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. You know God as Father.
And yet here is the good news of the gospel: Jesus Christ helps us know God as our Father, not just our Father, but our everlasting Father, One who will never leave nor forsake us, One who is always there for us.
In fact, it is the distinctive privilege and distinctive mark of a Christian to know God as everlasting Father. This is at the heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. You know God as Father.
Some ask: Aren’t we all God’s children?
Well, it is true that God is the creator and sustainer of us all and so has a kind of fatherly relationship with his creation, including each and every human being. But the fact is that the Bible doesn’t talk about God as Father by virtue of his being our Creator—only because he has become our redeemer. ==God’s fatherhood depends upon relationship with him.
God is the creator and sustainer and judge of humanity. But the Bible wants us to understand that he is not the Father of everyone. He only becomes our Father when we stand in a unique relationship to him through faith. You can’t have the fatherhood of God without embracing the Son-ship of Jesus.
Well, it is true that God is the creator and sustainer of us all and so has a kind of fatherly relationship with his creation, including each and every human being. But the fact is that the Bible doesn’t talk about God as Father by virtue of his being our Creator—only because he has become our redeemer. ==God’s fatherhood depends upon relationship with him.
God is the creator and sustainer and judge of humanity. But the Bible wants us to understand that he is not the Father of everyone. He only becomes our Father when we stand in a unique relationship to him through faith. You can’t have the fatherhood of God without embracing the Son-ship of Jesus.
We only relate to God as Father: through adoption. And that is the truly beautiful thing the Scripture declare to us! Because of what Jesus has done for us—in his life, death, and resurrection —he enables us to enter into this same relationship with God as our Father: indeed, our everlasting Father. He opens the way to us through adoption.
This… is the legal biblical language of adoption. It is one thing to pay the price for someone’s failures… it is another thing altogether to bring them into your family as a legal member. Heirs to the kingdom… adopted into the family with full claim on the inheritance. Jesus suddenly has given us a great inheritance!
… having saved us from the Law, and bringing us in as adopted sons and daughters as an heir / with inheritance is amazing… but it can still feel kind of relationally detached. It all can sound almost like some sort of business partnership…or come across as unemotional and cold.
Jesus wants more than a business transaction FOR you – he wants a relationship WITH YOU!
… having saved us from the Law, and bringing us in as adopted sons and daughters as an heir / with inheritance is amazing… but it can still feel kind of relationally detached. It all can sound almost like some sort of business partnership…or come across as unemotional and cold.
Jesus wants more than a business transaction FOR you – he wants a relationship WITH YOU!
The Apostle Paul says here: “Yes, you have been legally pardoned… yes, you have been legally adopted… but God wants more than just a legal relationship.”
God sends the Spirit to dwell in our hearts…this Spirit, causes our hearts to cry out “Abba, Father.” Abba… the term Jesus uses over and over again in his prayers to God. Literally, the closest translation for abba is “dada, papa or daddy”. When Jesus spoke to God… he used the most intimate language. And the spirit in us spurs us to cry out in the same tone… “abba.”
Jesus came to make sure we wouldn’t just be legally adopted into the family… but we’d become REAL members of God’s family! He wants to be a FOREVER FATHER – with you ADOPTED into a new forever family with HIM!
God sends the Spirit to dwell in our hearts…this Spirit, causes our hearts to cry out “Abba, Father.” Abba… the term Jesus uses over and over again in his prayers to God. Literally, the closest translation for abba is “dada, papa or daddy”. When Jesus spoke to God… he used the most intimate language. And the spirit in us spurs us to cry out in the same tone… “abba.”
Jesus came to make sure we wouldn’t just be legally adopted into the family… but we’d become REAL members of God’s family! He wants to be a FOREVER FATHER – with you ADOPTED into a new forever family with HIM!
NEED PRAYER? ....we've got some of our prayer team and pastors available following service to pray with you. You can also submit your prayer request via our app. We look forward to partnering with you in prayer.
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http://elem.cc/giveCHRISTMAS EVE - DECEMBER 24TH @ 4pm or 6pm.
We'd love to have your family join us!
We'd love to have your family join us!
If YOU'RE NEW, please join us in the back of the room for our 10 MINUTE PARTY. If you're NEW it's just for YOU! and it starts as soon as service is over.