Good Father
November 13, 2022

We have a good Father.


Genesis 3:8

“…the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…”

Our God is finished with creation, but He is not finished revealing Himself.


18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. — Psalm 34:18 (ESV)


6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. — Psalm 138:6 (ESV)


17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. — Psalm 51:17 (ESV)


3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. — Psalm 147:3 (ESV)


The Year of the Lord’s Favor
61 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; — Isaiah 61:1 (ESV)


15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. — Isaiah 57:15 (ESV)


2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. — Isaiah 66:2 (ESV)


31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” — Luke 5:31–32 (ESV)


7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. — Luke 15:7 (ESV)


10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” — Luke 15:10 (ESV)


20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. — Luke 15:20–24 (ESV)


22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. — Lamentations 3:22–23 (ESV)


Robbing God
6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. — Malachi 3:6 (ESV)


7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! — Psalm 25:7 (ESV)


10 For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. — Isaiah 54:10 (ESV)


5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. — 2 Thessalonians 3:5 (ESV)


29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. — Matthew 11:29 (ESV)


13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” — Matthew 9:13 (ESV)


7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. — Matthew 12:7 (ESV)


“…and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord…”

In the fear of the Lord it is possible to know and live from perfected love. In the fear of punishment we will always live to hide ourselves.


18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. — 1 John 4:18 (ESV)


Genesis 3:9

“Where are you?”

What if God simply wanted to be with Adam?


Genesis 3:10

“…I was afraid…I was naked…I hid…”

It is possible for us to be vulnerable and mistaken at the same time.


Genesis 3:11

“Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree…?”

God presses in to the fruit in order to get to the root.


Genesis 3:12-13

“The woman whom you gave to be with me…and I ate.”

Ironically, the man and the woman are alone. A life of seeking to justify one’s self must inevitably end here…in loneliness. The only answer is to be justified by God.