OURSELVES IN GOD’S FAMILY

Jesus called God “Father”. This was totally unknown in prayers of Jewish people at the time - Jesus was doing something quite unique, even perhaps shocking. He used the Aramaic word “Abba”, the normal word for “Father” or even “Daddy”.

But then Jesus taught us to do the same!! (As in the Lord's Prayer).

Many people today will see nothing special about this. However, the New Testament says it is really only for those who come into his family. To put it another way, we are not born as children of God; we need to become his children, and so be able to call him our Father.

We can become his children through Jesus -

But when the right time finally came, God sent his own Son. He came as the son of a human mother and lived under the Jewish Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might become God's sons (and daughters). (Galatians 4:4-5)

How? By us being “born again” by water and the Spirit. (Incidentally, "born again" isn't a description just of some perhaps rather OTT Christians, but an expression Jesus used for all Christians) -

Jesus said, "I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again."

"How can a grown man be born again?" Nicodemus asked. "He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!"

"I am telling you the truth," replied Jesus. "No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit.” (John 3:3-6)

So what do we have to do? We need to accept Jesus -

Some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God's children. They did not become God's children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human father; God himself was their Father. (John 1:12-13)

This should lead to a God-given sense of confidence in being his children -

To show that you are his sons and daughters, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who cries out, "Father, my Father." So then, you are no longer a slave but a son. (Galatians 4:6-7 )

For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God's children, and by the Spirit's power we cry out to God, "Father! my Father!" God's Spirit joins himself to our spirits to declare that we are God's children. ( Romans 8:15-16)

What a privilege! How much do people think of Christians like this, as people glad to be God’s children? Too often they see only the institution of the church, or think Christianity is just about believing certain things. If only it showed more that we’re glad to be in God’s family, glad to have him as our Father!

But as well as the privilege there are some challenges:-

to live with our siblings in the Christian family! (They’re not always the easiest - but then perhaps we aren’t either!)to draw other people to God’s love - God’s fatherly arms are open to all.to live as God’s children - i.e. to be obedient to our Father.