Our Father

6-21-20 Sermon Notes“Our Father”
Matt. 6: 5-13
Max Lucado tells the story about getting a call one day at his church asking him if he knew of a couple that would like to adopt the baby of a pregnant teenager. He put the person calling in contact with a couple in his church who had been wanting to adopt, and then he watched the whole thing unfold before his eyes.
He got to see the joy and excitement of the adoptive parents. He got to see the worry and concern that they had over potential roadblocks. Most of all, he saw the look of determination in their eyes. They would do whatever it took! They would drive however far they needed to drive. They would spend every penny they had if that’s what it took. Nothing was going to get in their way. They were going to adopt this baby. And they did!
Max says the couple literally smiled for months after they brought that baby home. He could see them…out in the congregation…holding that baby and smiling. He said he could have preached on the fires of Hell and they still would have been grinning ear to ear. Why? You know why. Because this child they had longed for was now in their home.
Let me ask you…why did this couple adopt that child? They had a happy marriage. They were financially secure. What could they possibly hope to gain? Did they adopt that baby so they could have a little extra cash or a little extra sleep? You know that’s a joke! Both money and sleep went out the window the minute they brought that baby home. Then why? As you ponder that, let me tell you why God adopted you into God’s spiritual family.
Spiritually speaking, God adopted you into the family…because He wanted to. It was God’s good will and please to do so. God knew full well how much trouble were. God also knew the price He would have to pay. But God signed His name next to yours, and invited you to call Him, “Abba!”
This Sunday is Father’s Day, and it is a great time to remind ourselves of the first two all-important words in The Lord’s Prayer… “Our Father.” Here is the Scripture we will use:
5 “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one. (Matt. 6: 5-13 NRSV)

On this day when we traditionally honor our earthly fathers, we will turn the spotlight on our Heavenly Father, and see some things about God through the lens of the Lord’s Prayer. I hope you will join us at 9:00 or at 11:00 online on Gadsden FUMC’s Facebook page.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Sam