Fathers' Day // One Church Podcast, 19th June 2023

We Are One church. We love God love.

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Welcome to the one Church podcast.

Hello and welcome to this week's podcast.

Now the Bible says that God is good and his love endures

forever. That's a god whom we serve.

He is amazing. He is wonderful and he does good

things in our lives. Now we're going to listen to

Pastor James, speak about God, who he's a good?

Father. The message was recorded on

Sunday. 18th of June and Central site.

And God bless you, as you listen, we open to what he may

want to speak to you through it. So today as we celebrate

Father's Day and we're spending a few moments reflecting on of

course at one perfect. Father, Our Father in heaven and

our message today is called all seven or true.

So we breathe briefly looking at seven truths from Ephesians

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1 about God, our Father. So it's going to be great.

If we've ever wondered by the way, what a perfect father is

like, then we don't need to look any further than God our Father

and our. And if you're there thinking,

well, how can we know what? God our Father is like, then we

need look no further and actually than Jesus himself

because this is what Jesus said. When he said anyone who has seen

me, has seen the father, I am in the father and the father is in

me. That's in John chapter, 14.

So, if you wonder what God, the father is like, when you look at

all the characters character, Mystics and that Jesus hasn't

there. You see what God the father is

like and I just felt it was important today really just to

emphasize what God is like his character.

His goodness. There's plenty of lies and

misconceptions out there in the world about what God is like or

not. Like so let's let's let's just

then spend a few moments today, reminding ourselves and

encouraging ourselves of the truth of what God is like I

meant. So let me just pray, father,

thank you, Lord, for the privilege of being together.

Thank you for your word, Lord, your word is alive, and I just

pray. The Lord is as we spend a few

moments. Now looking at these truths from

Ephesians, Lord, that your word would come alive in our hearts

and Minds Lord and we would be reminded again order of what an

amazing good and perfect, father, you are Lord.

And some of your incredible characteristics, father, we pray

that it was sink into our hearts in Jesus name.

Amen, man. So seven, Great truths from

Ephesians 1. If you've got your Bible, I'm

going to read It in a moment. But just to remind you, if you

think, what on Earth is this letter from Ephesians while

Paul? Paul the Apostle, wrote this

letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul used to been incredibly

religious Jewish leader. He was passionately opposed to

the church and the he persecuted Christians, but then one day he

had in miraculous Encounter With Jesus and actually began to

spread the good news of Jesus. That's who Paul was and this

letter, he wrote to the church in Ephesus.

So here we go, we start. In chapter chapter 1, starting

at verse 1, going through to verse 14, it will come up on the

screen. Here we go.

This letter is from Paul chosen by the will of God to be an

apostle of Christ. Jesus, I'm writing to God's holy

people in Ephesus who are faithful followers of Christ.

Jesus, may God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Give you Grace and peace. All praise to God, the father of

our Lord, Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual

blessing, in the Heavenly Realms because We are united with

Christ even before he made the world.

God loved us and chose us in Christ to be.

Holy and without fault, in his eyes, God decided in advance to

adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through

Christ. Jesus Christ.

This is what he wanted to do and it gave him great pleasure.

So we praise God for the Glorious Grace.

He has poured out on us who belong to his.

Dear son, he is so rich in kindness and Grace that he

purchased our freedom, with the blood of his son.

And for Ever since he showered his kindness on us along with

all wisdom and understanding God, is now revealed to us.

His mysterious will regarding Christ, which is to fill his

own. Good plan.

And this is the plan at the right time, he will bring

everything together under the authority of Christ, everything

in heaven and on Earth, furthermore, because we are

united with Christ. We have received an inheritance

from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything

work out according to his plan. And God's purpose was that we

Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would praise and glory

would bring praise and glory to God.

And now, you Gentiles have also heard the truth.

The good news that God Saves you and when you believed in Christ,

he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit.

Whom he promised long ago, the spirit is God's guarantee that

he will give us the inheritance, he promised and that he has

purchased this to be his own people.

He did this so that we would praise and glorify him.

And while gotta tell you some real meaty stuff in there and

God wants to just re-emphasize some stuff to us this morning.

So let me just say start by saying whoever you are today.

Whatever reason that you're here, can I just Echo the words

of verse 22 you may God our Father and the Lord Jesus

Christ. Give you Grace and peace.

Oh man oh man before we fully launched into this passage from

Ephesians 1, these seven Great truths.

We know I mean we've heard one already but we know One thing is

true about Earthly dad's and that is that there's always a

dad joke or two about all right? And so, it's only right that we

cringe for a few moments just before we before.

Yeah, before before we go any deeper apparently, there are two

characteristics to dad jokes and they are wholesome

appropriateness plus delightfully, corny punchlines.

I think that's that's probably true, isn't it?

So these ones I'm going to tell you, they definitely fit that

description. So you ready?

I mean this is deeply profound Why do bees have sticky hair?

Because they use a honeycomb. Yeah, good.

I want to hear plenty of grounds people.

Why couldn't the astronaut land on the Moon?

Because it was full. It's good.

What do you call a shoe made of a banana, a slipper?

Yes. I, yes, bear and why couldn't

the bicycle stand up by itself? It was too tired, they are bad,

but that good, it's good to have a good dad joke anyway quite

enough of that. So God, our father, he is

perfect, and whatever, our experience of Earthly fathers,

whether it's been good, bad or indifferent or somewhere in

between today, we're going to think on the truth of a perfect

father and whether you're a follower of Jesus and the room

already today, or if you're on the journey to Faith, like the

truth of what God says, do you think in today and these are

biblical truths this morning. They're reminding ourselves of

what really matters because what you're going to hear this

morning the truths about Heavenly father, that they're

not what you're going to hear about God in the secular World,

you'll find that the enemy puts his spin on everything and then

every way and when it comes to slandering God and saying lives

about him, that come through all kinds of different ways in the

secular World from mainstream news programming in social

media. I mean, I guess ask yourself

when was the last time you saw a news item or iPlayer series on

Netflix program, whatever it is that the spoke the truth about

God. When's the last time you hear

that you probably you probably can't remember.

But today, we're looking at this brilliant pass.

It's from Ephesians 1 and it's all about the truth of what God

is like. As I Heavenly Father, the truth

of God has never changed irrespective of the culture that

we're living in. Irrespective of what people say

what we read here today about God, our father has always been

true and always will be true. God loves us before.

Anything is always force, is always cheering us on is 100%

committed to us and much more than this.

God is our father, I'm a man. So number one, He blesses us

with every spiritual blessing. All praise to God, the father of

our Lord, Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual

blessing in the Heavenly Realms because we are united with

Christ. So truth number one about our

heavenly father. He blesses us with every

spiritual blessing in the Heavenly Realms when we are

united with Christ. The fact is God has not held

back when it comes to blessing us.

Spiritually is not held back the blessings.

Our heavenly father has blessed us with far outweigh anything

Earthly or material that we could ever imagine that we have

here and now God's resources and blessings are always there for

us and we can have great certainty and Assurance, Charles

Spurgeon, who you may have heard that name.

He was a he was a renowned Baptist preacher said this about

God's blessings we are not sitting and excuse, the language

has a slightly old-fashioned because obviously it was an

older guy. But we are not sitting here and

groaning and crying and fretting and worrying and questioning our

own salvation. He has blessed us and therefore

we will be Him. If you think little of what God

has done for you, you will do very little for him.

But if you have a great notion of his great Mercy to you,

you'll be greatly grateful to your gracious.

God and he goes on to say, a new heart is better than the new

coat to feed on Christ is better than to have the best Earthly

food to be an heir of God is better than being the heir of

the greatest nobleman to have God.

For our portion is blessed infinitely, more blessed than to

own broad acres of land. God has blessed us with

spiritual blessings. These are the rare.

Is the richest the most enduring of all blessings.

They are Priceless in value. God, our father has blessed us

with every spiritual blessing in him.

We experience true forgiveness. The greatest need for us all, as

humans is to know, forgiveness and acceptance by God.

People don't always realize that, but that is what we need.

We need forgiveness from him and this obviously can never be

found in material possessions of what the world offers spiritual

blessings, come in the form of knowing the freedom and approval

from God, our Father, that's where we find incredible

blessing. And, you know, when we get, when

we get to know, God, when we give our lives in, we get a new

start and maybe if you're here today and you're thinking, you

know, Too late for you. Well, can I tell you?

It's not too late for you. God is a god of new starts.

God is the god of new beginnings.

Is never too late to begin a journey with him.

Think about the thief on the cross, one of the things on the

cross, that died next to Jesus, he was literally saved in the

last moment. It's never too late to give your

life to God. And to follow him, God is our

strength. He is our Shield.

He has given us a Assurance about our futures His blessings

towards us can I remind us are beyond comprehension.

The privilege of knowing the one who created all things is always

going to far outweigh anything that the world has to offer.

So number one, He blesses us with spiritual blessings.

That is what God our Father is like.

Number two, he has always loved us.

And chosen us verse 4 says, even before he made the world, God

loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and with fault in his

eyes. So truth number two, about our

heavenly father, he has always loved us and he has chosen us We

have a father in Heaven who before he designed and created

the incredible Earth and universe that we see around us.

He loved us and he chose us. He loved you and he chose you

before he before he even created all this incredible thing that

we see around us. Just let that sink in for a

minute. I mean, however old you think

the Earth and universe is before any of the even existed?

God knew about you he loved you, he chose you.

He knew all about you and you have always been in his thoughts

and in his affections always, just let that sink in speaking.

That to you personally, this morning none of us are an

afterthought none of us in the room are a mistake.

None of us are here as a result. Merely a human passion.

We are chosen. And I've always been loved by

the creator of the universe even before he made the world.

God loved us and he chose us. That is what God, our Father is

like a man. Number three, he adopted us

verse 5, God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family

by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.

He adopted us into his own family.

We've all got our own story and we have about what our Earthly

family looks like. And I realize that's very

diverse and looks very different.

From many of us. I'm very grateful for my family

for my Dad and Mum as I grew up. Brilliant parents, great

blessing and I'm very grateful for our family.

Now, for a grown-up kids, and wider family, and friends very

grateful. Whatever our personal family

experience. The great news is there is an

Inc. Incredible family that everyone

of us is invited to be part of and that is God's family.

No one is exempt from that invitation I mean just look

around you in the room gone. Just have a little look around

you. A room full of a wonderful

variety of people. Yeah.

It's probably not many contacts in this world where you've got

such an incredible variety and difference of people in

Gatherings together. As you do in the church, God's

God's family is really incredibly amazing.

Made up of people from every tribe, every tongue, every

nation and if we know him we have been adopted by the perfect

father. So no matter what your Earthly

experience and family has been like you can be in God's family.

There's many great families and people that on a human level

adopt children into their family and provider home, a loving

environment and much more. We've got some brilliant

families. Actually you may you may not be

aware but there's met there's many great families in the life

of one church here at Fosters and adopters and look after

Children of the ways and I which it we cheer them on their great

examples of showing unconditional.

Love to children and that, yeah, yeah, give him, let's cheer him

on You may or may not know, but one of the Charities we support

as one churches home for good and they're playing an amazing

part in helping to ensure that every child and young person has

the home that they need and all of that is great but more than

this more than that, that's all. Brilliant stuff.

But more than that we as his people have been adopted into

gods family The greatest family ever God, our fathers family, so

he has adopted us into his own family.

That is what God our Father is. Like that's the truth about him.

Number four, he takes great pleasure and Delight in US.

Did you know that this morning? He takes great pleasure and

Delight in you. Says, later from that verse,

this is what he wanted to do and it gave him great pleasure.

And this follows very much on from speaking about adoption

process that we see God wanted to do, he always wanted us to be

in his family. And we see from here that he

takes great pleasure and Delight in us, no one is exempt from the

love and kindness of God. The door is open for literally

everyone. So if you're sitting here in

this morning, think while day, I don't know if I deserve to be in

God's family while none of us deserve to be in God's family,

it's not about what we can earn or what we do.

He freely accepts us. Despite what you've met may

have. Heard God is not mean on loving

and caring and indifferent. The heavenly father, I know

takes great, pleasure, and Delight in US.

In fact such was his passion and delight and love for us that he

came and lived here on Earth. We know that he experienced

everything. There is to experience here The

Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and then he was unjustly, convicted

and crucified on a cross for us, so that we could be back in a

right relationship with him. All that after it was us that

messed up but he took the initiative.

I think we can say with great conviction this morning that God

our Father takes great Delight in US.

Psalm 149 verse 44, the Lord Delights in his people.

He crowns The Humble With Victory, Psalm 18, 19, he led me

to a place of safety. He rescued me because he

Delights and me so I'm 37 23. The Lord directs the steps of

The Godly he Delights in every detail of their lives.

If you look for it, his word is riddled with affirmation and the

fact that he Delights in his people.

It takes great, pleasure, and Delight in us.

Let that sink in this morning. That is what God our Father is

like, it takes great, pleasure, and Delight in US.

Number five, he is rich in kindness and Grace is rich in

kindness and grace verse 7. He says, he is so rich in

kindness and Grace that he purchased our freedom, with the

blood of his son and forgive our sins.

He has showered his kindness on us along with all wisdom and

understanding. He has showered his kindness on

us. I love that language.

Just, as I was looking at it reminded me, it was great.

Wasn't it? When it's been hot and earlier

in the week? Week we then had the

thunderstorms and the rain begins to pour down and shower.

And I said I was thinking about that about how God you know like

there any showers is goodness and kindness on us.

God, our Father is rich is rich in kindness and Grace towards

us. It's probably true to say that

the predominant worldview is that God is harsh mean, and

waving a big sticker. Anyone who dare step out of

line? That is honestly a lot of

people's view of what God is like.

What can I say? Even the brief briefest of looks

at the Bible and the life of Jesus will tell you something

very different indeed about the character of God.

And that's where we need to point.

People is very different. The truth is, God, has showered

undeserved kindness on us and he is rich in kindness and Grace

towards us. And let's face it.

We are all in need of his kindness and Grace.

Yeah. God our Father comes to show us

incredible kindness and Grace is rich rich in it and he calls us

to be like him and if we're honest with ourselves, we know

that without God's help and intervention and lives.

We all have the capacity to be unkind self, centered self focus

on gracious, critical jealous insecure and much more.

We need his kindness and Grace in his and allies.

Yeah, we do. And the good news is that God,

our father, he is rich in kindness and Grace.

And obviously the kindness and Grace is automatically expressed

and in that we can know true freedom, because of what Jesus

did for die by dying for us on the cross, which meant we can

their forgiveness. So God, our Father is rich in

kindness and Grace. That is what God our Father is.

Like a man number six, he has revealed his plan to the world.

Verse 9 says, God has now revealed to us.

His mysterious will regarding Christ, which is to fill his

own. Good plan.

And this is the plan at the right time, he will bring to

bring everything together under the authority of Christ,

everything in heaven and on Earth.

You know, it was always God's plan that we could walk in

relationship with him. God always intended that we

could walk closely with him that we could be in relationship with

him. We could never learn that.

We could never, we never deserve that, but that is what he wanted

for us. And you see that in the

beginning, that if you read in Genesis, how Adam and Eve walked

with God in the garden, And that was what he originally attended.

It was never God's purpose that we as his people would be

distant from him. We are created to know him and

to walk closely with him and of course that's a choice, isn't

it? We make we can make a choice to

walk with him. Nothing with God, is ever

demanded or forced. That is not who he is.

He gives us a choice. But we know how it went, then we

Adam and Eve, they rebelled and messed up and their sin,

separated them from God because God is perfect and holy and so

that they couldn't any longer walk closely with him in that

sense, but thank God that he had a plan for that relationship for

everyone to be put, right? Again and God has revealed his

plan to the world and that plan was to give his son to die in

our place so that we didn't have to suffer the consequences of

our Us in all of our wrongdoing. What an amazing plan e had.

You know, people can often question if God is real or not

and one of the things they might ask is what about all the

suffering that goes on in the world?

How, how can God be real if there's all this suffering?

Well, the Stark reality is that the vast percentage of all the

suffering and everything that goes on is a result of human

selfishness and greed, that is the reality and it's a hard

thing to face up to, but that is the truth.

We as humans are free to do as we please and and all the

consequences that come as a result of that.

But God our Father is good and kind and gracious and true.

God's plan that he put in place meant that everything all the

mass or the Rebellion, or the chaos caused by our wrongdoing,

would be dealt with and be bought back together under the

authority of Jesus. And a way back to knowing God

personally would be made possible for all.

It's open to everyone this morning.

You know, the world we live in the universe is not here by

coincidence, it's not me a chance.

We as people are not a product of evolution the earth and the

universe were intricately and magnificently designed and

created. and we as people are the Masterpiece and Pinnacle of

God's creation, we are He looked at everything he met and said it

was good. He looked at us as people.

So, yeah, it's good, really good.

In fact, really good. God always had a plan.

Nothing was left to chance and God's plan for the world was

revealed to us through Jesus. It all started with Jesus and it

will all end at him with him. He has revealed his plan to this

world. This is what God, our Father is

like Lastly, number seven. And this is brilliant as all of

them are. He has given us an incredible

inheritance. This is what God, our Father is

like verse 11. Furthermore, because we are

united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from

God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out

according to his plan. So the seventh and final truth

that were looking at, from this passage this morning about a

heavenly father is this. He has given us an incredible

inheritance and this is a great place for us just to come to a

finish. I don't know if you've ever

received a gift through an inheritance, someone in the

room, but maybe maybe a family member had passed away at some

point and they left you something in their will.

Maybe an antique piece of furniture or maybe even a

Priceless painting, I don't know, maybe someones left.

You something amazing in their will, or maybe just an old set

of Crockery, which quickly found its way to your local charity

shop. That's all right, they're gone.

They would never know any different Ben heritance is an

amazing thing that just that he's a couple of inheritance

stories that I found pretty amusing.

Slightly more bizarre, New York hotelier and real estate

billionaire Leona. Helmsley called the queen of

mean left. Five point nine seven million

pounds to her pet, dog. It was called trouble on the

way, the Pampered Pooch received the largest bequest from mrs.

Hamm helmsley's will while some human members of mrs.

Emily's Family, fared less. Well, with two of her four

grandchildren cut out of the will entirely the money for

troubles. Upkeep was left in the hands of

a brother Alvin who inherited 10 million dollars.

Himself. Very nice Alvin for you and the

dog. A Portuguese Iris, the Kratt

left. His money to strangers from a

phone directory. Luis Carlos made an unusual

distribution, distribution of his money.

After his death, 70 people listed and Elizabeth found

wrapped directory were contacted out of the blue after his death.

To be, told he met, he had made them his beneficiaries.

They had been chosen at random from the directory in front of

two witnesses. At registry office. 13 years

before you go pick me, pick me. Inheritance.

Well, the best inheritance we could ever receive is an

inheritance from our amazing, Heavenly Father.

Verse 11, furthermore, because we are united with Christ.

We have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in

advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

If we are a follower of Jesus in the room today, our future is

secure. A future is decided, there is no

uncertainty. There is no doubt our

inheritance is guaranteed. And God, our father has got it

all mapped out. The ultimate inheritance is

being changed to be like him and to be guaranteed a place in

eternity with him. It will be absolutely

incredible. Don't miss out.

God. Our father has given us an

incredible inheritance. That is what he is like as an

amazing loving Heavenly Father. And of course, the Common Thread

to all of this. As we come to a close as the

person of Jesus, he is the way the truth and the life is the

answer to every question. And in him, we find all that we

need. Given to us by an amazing

Heavenly Father. So for all of us in the room,

it's a reminder. He blesses us with every

spiritual blessing. This is what God, our Father is

like He has always loved us and chosen us.

This is what God, our Father is like.

He has adopted us into his amazing family.

This is what God our Father is like, it takes great, pleasure,

and Delight in us. This is what God our Father is

like He is rich in kindness and Grace.

This is what God, our Father is like He has revealed his plan to

the world through his son Jesus. This is what God our Father is

like He has given us an incredible inheritance, a place

in eternity with him. This is what God, our Father is

like. Father, we thank you this

morning that you are a good father.

You have poured out, amazing, blessing and Grace on our lives.

Thor. We simply want to say thank you.

Thank you, that you are the perfect father.

When I pray for us all in the room this morning Lord despite

what experience we may have had a family or Earthly fathers,

Lord, thank you. That you are the perfect

Heavenly Father I pray that would sink deep into your people

this morning. Lord.

Lord that we would now be on the doubt.

Lord, that we are your kids and that we can run to you and we're

fully accepted and embraced by you.

Thank you, that you are a perfect Heavenly Father We bless

you today, Jesus. Thank you, Pastor, James for

that great message. May we all let those truths sink

deep and may we live in the light of them this week.

If you would value prayer or support in any way, the remember

that we are here and you can always get in touch.

Now it's time to hear a bit more about what is coming up in

church life. This is your family news.

For firstly, last weekend was our kids weekend away and they

had a fantastic time with many great stories of Experiencing

the love of God, whilst having a lot of fun this weekend.

It is the turn of our young adults.

So let's be praying for the team and for every one going away,

but they too would have an incredibly blessed time.

Secondly, this Sunday that is Sunday.

The 25th of June, we have our next encounter night.

The last few of these have been powerful times in God's presence

so come and join us as we worship and make space for him.

Is it 7:00 p.m. at number 12? Frog Island, and we would love

to see you there. Thirdly, our next newcomers

evening is on Thursday, the 13th of July at 7 p.m.

If you are new to one church or considering making one Church

your home, then this is for you. It is a great opportunity to

connect with other people, meet some of the team.

Here's some of our heart and vision and find your place email

admin at one Church, org.uk to let us know that you are coming.

And finally next week, we start our new teaching series.

So far this year, we've looked at series themed around the

Apostle evangelist, pastor and teacher.

And next week, it's time for the prophet with a series all about

hearing from god. Let's be ready and expectant for

all that God is going to do over the next few weeks.

The first part of the series will be a message for whole

church by Simon breaker as he introduces and gives an overview

of this topic. This will be an all of our sites

and of course also, on next week's podcast, The Lord bless

you and keep you the Lord. Make his face shine upon you,

and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face toward

you and give you peace. The Lord bless you and keep you

the Lord. Make his face shine upon you,

and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face toward

you and give you peace.