The Father’s Glory
The Good Father Series by Toby Eisenberg - Guest Speaker from Forest Community Church
Ephesians 3:20-21 – “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Part 1 – God as the Master Gardener – Genesis 2-3
God is the master gardener and we see through the lens of Genesis 2-3, the image of God’s original design for humanity in the Garden of Eden. Humanity was meant to live and grow with God. In the previous weeks, we learned about the importance of unity, not only horizontally amongst each other in fellowship, but vertically as well with the Father. The trees that we’ve discussed in the past few weeks, the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, both represent a choice that we make daily: the choice to walk with God or walk our own path without God.
Part 2 – Jesus as the True Image of God – John 5:19-20, Philippians 2, Matthew 17, Hebrews 5:7-9, Matthew 5:43-48, Romans 5:6-10, John 1:9-14, Colossians 1:15,19
Jesus models what it looks like to walk as God intended. Jesus talks about being part of the family business in John 5:19-20 and being trained through God. In Hebrews 5:7-9, Jesus learned obedience through suffering and toiling in his flesh in the Garden of Gethsemane. Although his flesh did not want to suffer on the cross, Jesus overcame his flesh to align to the will and vision of the Father.
As the Son in the family business, Jesus demonstrates the fullness of God through perfect love. Perfect love goes beyond fairness. Perfect love absorbed our hostility and sin and responded not with retaliation, but with reconciliation and unity. Like John 1:9-14, Jesus entered a world of sin and darkness and like a polished mirror, revealing a glimpse of Heaven on Earth as a reflection of God’s visible image and character. Jesus shows us that love is not just an abstract concept. Love is active. Love forgives. Love reconciles.
Part 3 – Gathering the Family – Genesis 11, Acts 2, Ephesians 2:14-16, Ephesians 1:9-10
Genesis 11 shows us humanity at its worst with the Tower of Babel. We get a glimpse of what it looks like to fully commit to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, to reject God, and choose to pursue our own way without God. Here, we see humanity being unified as one people and one language, not through love, but through power and fear. And despite being rejected time and time again, God reconciles with us many times. At Pentecost in Acts 2, God pours out His Spirit and reunites his people, not through fear and power, but with love and communion. God gathers us together to be like Him and restores us.
Part 4 – The Family Business – Ephesians 2:8-10, Ephesians 2:19-22, Ephesians 3:20-21
When we look at the cross and the life and death of Jesus, we are reminded of the work of God that rescues us. However, we should also be reminded that we too, are God’s workmanship for good works, created to be like Him and reflect His glory. God saves us to make us after his likeness and image to take part of the family business as master gardeners. God equips His church and people with roles and gifts so that we can grow and mature, building up the body of Christ and continue his work in life, in love and in purpose.
Reflection Questions:
What did you take away from this week’s message?
How do you envision life would change if your life better reflected fulfilling our roles in God’s “family business” more intentionally?
How do you respond when obedience to God feels difficult or requires sacrifice?
