When someone says they do not believe in God, the preacher has one question ready: which God is it that you don’t believe in? Nine times out of ten what follows is a portrait of someone vindictive, indifferent and disappointed in humanity, a caricature that pays well for anyone who positions himself between you and a god like that. The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6) has us begin with the word Father, and Jesus adds that whoever has seen him has seen the Father. The sermon does not sidestep painful experiences of one’s own father. Listen and ask whose face you put behind the word Father when you start to pray.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- Jesus teaches us to pray with the words "Our Father" (Matthew 6:9). What does it tell us about God and about ourselves that prayer begins by calling Him Father?
- When Philip asks "Show us the Father," Jesus answers, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." Which moment in the Gospels best shows you what the Father is like?
- The speaker described a caricature of God: a selfish, vindictive, uninterested "jerk in the sky." Which parts of that picture do you notice in people around you or in yourself?
- Our experiences with earthly fathers, both good and painful, shape how we see God. How do your experiences shape your picture of the Father in heaven, and what helps you let God tell you who He really is?
- In the story of the speaker's daughters, Heidi delights in obeying while Hallie says "no, no." In which areas of life do you tend to respond to God's guidance more like Hallie, and why?
- When Jesus was exhausted, He returned to His Father's presence for rest. What step of faith or time with the Father in prayer do you want to take this week so you can genuinely share His love with others?
