Lesson 1 for July 5, 2014

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

There is a rich revelation of God’s character in the Old Testament. Nevertheless, He is seldom called “Father”.Jesus elaborated on God’s character and taught us to call God “heavenly Father” (Matthew 6:14)

FATHERA close God. He loves us, looks after us and cares for us (Matthew 7:9-11)

HEAVENLYHe is in Heaven. He is worshipped by thousands of angels there. We must respect Him, venerate Him and praise Him (Revelation 5:13)

“He [Christ] taught man to address the Supreme Ruler of the universe by the new name “Our Father.” This name signifies his true relation to us, and when spoken in sincerity by human lips, it is music in the ears of God. Christ leads us to the throne of God by a new and living way, to present him to us in his paternal love.”

E.G.W. (The Review and Herald, September 11, 1894)

““And this is eternal life, that they may And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.Christ whom You have sent.” ” (John 17:3)(John 17:3)

E.G.W. (The Review and Herald, Septembre 11, 1894)E.G.W. (The Review and Herald, Septembre 11, 1894)

According to Jeremiah 9:23-24, what must we know about God?

God wants us to know that He exercises God wants us to know that He exercises “kindness, justice and righteousness”, because “kindness, justice and righteousness”, because He enjoys doing so (Jer. 9:24 NIV)He enjoys doing so (Jer. 9:24 NIV)We can know the true character of the Father We can know the true character of the Father by studying the life of His Son. “Anyone who by studying the life of His Son. “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1)Which is the greatest

proof of our Father’s love for us?

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Jesus taught us how our Father loves us by comparing His love to a caring shepherd, a woman who looked for a lost coin and the father who received his lost son back home (Luke 15)

The Father gave his most loved Gift away for love. That is, the life of His begotten Son.

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matthew 6:31-32)

The Father’s love is The Father’s love is constant and invariable, constant and invariable, regardless of the regardless of the circumstances. Our circumstances. Our heavenly Father is always heavenly Father is always ready to take care of our ready to take care of our needs by all available needs by all available means.means.

He invites us to not to excessively He invites us to not to excessively strive after our needs, for He is willing strive after our needs, for He is willing to fully supply.to fully supply.

“Jesus presented the Father as one to whom we could give our confidence and present our wants. When we are in terror of God, and overwhelmed with the thought of His glory and majesty, the Father points us to Christ as His representative. What you see revealed in Jesus, of tenderness, compassion, and love, is the reflection of the attributes of the Father. The cross of Calvary reveals to man the love of God. Christ represents the Sovereign of the universe as a God of love. By the mouth of the prophet He said, ‘I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.’”

E.G.W. (In Heavenly Places, January 12)

““how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?living God?””

(Hebrews 9:14)(Hebrews 9:14)

Jesus taught that God is three divine Persons in one; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.Each person had a part in the salvation plan. They worked together in crucial moments of Jesus’ birth (Luke 1:26-35), baptism (Luke 3:21-22) and crucifixion (Hebrews 9:14)Jesus explained that there is absolute harmony and cooperation between all three divine Persons. So they all glorify each Other.

“The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, powers infinite and omniscient, receive those who truly enter into covenant relation with God. They are present at every baptism, to receive the candidates who have renounced the world and have received Christ into the soul temple. These candidates have entered into the family of God, and their names are inscribed in the Lamb’s book of life.”

E.G.W. (SDA Bible Commentary, on Romans 6:4)