When God is Your Father | Pastor Lee Cummings

In this sermon to kick off our "When God is Your Father" series, Pastor Lee Cummings unpacks the power of embracing God's role as our loving Father, how He heals wounds of spiritual fatherlessness, and guides us into a fulfilling relationship with Him.
Understanding God as our father is fundamental and foundational, yet one of the most difficult and broken Revelations within the body of Christ.
The younger son's journey into a far country and his reckless living reflects the struggles and mistakes we make in our own lives.
The kind of love demonstrated by the father goes beyond just giving approval, it restores and uplifts.
The greatest revelation Jesus gave us is understanding God as our father.
Jesus being a prototype of a son in relationship to the father can unwind a lot of the dysfunction and brokenness in our relationship with God.
The story of human sinfulness is countered by the wisdom and love of a father and a savior, showing the power of redemption and restoration.
The father in the story never gives up on the son, waiting for the moment of restoration and reconciliation, despite being dishonored and abandoned.
Without Jesus, we are children of Wrath, fatherless orphans who deserve nothing but God's anger and judgment.
The enemy will always challenge your identity, but our heavenly father will always speak and affirm it.
God teaches us what it means to be a son and puts his spirit in us so we can say "Abba father" - not just God, Creator, King, or Savior.
The absence of fathers brings a curse on the land, leading to the breakdown of the nuclear family and societal issues.
The impact of fatherless homes on children is staggering, with statistics showing higher rates of poverty, behavioral issues, substance abuse, and incarceration.
The church enabling an orphan spirit by changing the rules set by the father results in theological deviation and a compounded curse.

[@montegtaylor]

Thank you for preaching the importance of fathers.

[@Tugg80]

Fantastic sermon. My wife and I are in the process of moving churches, and checked out Radiant in Richland today. We now look forward to attending again next Sunday. I feel like we have found our new place of worship.

[@roisteiner607]

We Jews have been acknowledging G-d as אבינו שבשמים Avienu Shebeshamaim (our father that is in heaven) forever.