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A Father Who Forgives

6/21/2022

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Real Dudes,
I had the privilege of being able to preach this past Sunday for Father’s Day at Grace Community Church here in Grinnell. Below are my sermon notes. I’ll leave you to read through these this week and next. Hope the words in this message will cause each of us to grow in Him.
Enjoy!
Nate
 
Title: A Father Who Forgives

Luke 23:34a (NIV) Jesus said [prayed], “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
  • This verse contains a few qualities that are difficult for believers to practice today.
  • Praying.  
    • Whether young believer and or more mature…it can be stressful, anxiety, embarrassing, and avoided. 
  • And Forgiving. 
    • Cancel Culture…write them off or, 
    • Avoid confrontation…Ignore the issue, rather than face it.
    • Hide.  
 
Who was Jesus praying to? 
  • His Father…this fascinates me that He (God the Son) prays to His Father…a perfect God. Man-God on display.  
  • Why? 
  • To set an example. Matthew 6:9-13…reveals to us the model prayer.  

What was Jesus’ request? 
  • For His Father to forgive. 
  • Did God the Father need His Son to come to Him with a request? Would God the Father not carry out His own will as He saw fit? They were messing with His Son…He turned away (Matthew 27:46).  
  • You see, Forgiveness means to wipe the slate clean, to pardon, to cancel a debt…refusing to make them pay for what they did.
  • In Jesus’ model prayer. 
    • Matthew 6:12 (NIV)  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
  • For Relief.
    • In the movie The Wizard of Oz, the Tin Man desired to have…a heart. Eventually, the Tin Man received his heart and here’s what he said, “Now I know I’ve got a heart, ‘cause it’s breaking…”
    • Luke 22:44 (ESV) And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
    • Man-God prayed…Mark 14:36 (NIV) “Abba, Father,” He said, “all things are possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.” 
  • For His Followers. 
    • John 17:20-26
    • Cheering you on. To Pray and ask. To Forgive as I have.

Who is the “them”?
  • The ignorant one’s mocking and persecuting Him. 
  • The one’s Satan uses as a distraction. 
  • Spiritual warfare is real. 
    • Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  
  • His own people. Sometimes Satan tries to turn family members against other family members. 
    • John 1:11 (NLT) He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him.

He prayed Father, forgive…wipe their slate clean, pardon them, cancel their debt. Who? The one’s mocking, persecuting, and rejecting Him. 

Jesus prayed to His Father, so Who do we pray to? 
  • The Lord’s Prayer has the wording “OUR Father,” not “MY Father.”
  • Romans 8:15 (NIV) The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 
  • That’s why Jesus gave us the model prayer to pray to God the Father…our Abba Father too. 
 
How should we pray when mocked, persecuted and offended…by family members, by co-workers, by our brothers and sisters in-Christ? 
  • As we learned from Christ’s example…not from the examples we’ve learned from the Gentiles/Flesh. 
  • Ephesians 417-20 (NKJV) 17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ,
  • Philippians 2:5 (KJV) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 
  • Reverentially begin the conversation and be willing and obedient…apply what He communicates back to you. 
  • Matthew 7:7a (NIV) Ask, and it will be given to you…”
  • John 15:16; 16:23 (NIV) …whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. 
  • John 14:14 (NIV) You may ask for anything in my name, and I will do it.
  • James 1:5 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
  • You might say, “But you don’t understand what they did to me, or said about me.”
  • Matthew 5:44 (NKJV) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
  • Listen, just leave the results to Him…He’ll answer your prayer in His perfect way and time. 
  • You may wonder why God is allowing such difficult trials for His children.
  • Passing these tests and applying these truths provide evidence and proof of your salvation. 
    • 1 Peter 1:7 (NLT) These trials will show that your faith is genuine. 
    • Choose to pass the test, regardless of what choice others make…avoid retakes as much as possible.
  • He won’t give you more than you can handle…He’ll provide an escape route.  
    • 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

Challenge: 
  • Children…God gave you a special sense of picking up on tension in the life of your father. Most likely you can sense when your earthly father is holding on to unforgiveness. I pray that this message will initiate you to encourage your earthly father to forgive someone. 
    • Pray for your earthly father. 
      • There’s just something about knowing that others are praying on your behalf. Your earthly father would love to know you’re praying for him. 
  • Father’s…
    • be humble enough to receive that challenge from your child…to have your child praying for you. Don’t discourage them from praying for you.  
    • if you’re hanging on to unforgiveness, then ask the Lord for wisdom as to how to forgive difficult people in your life. 
      • Trust that God will reveal to you the perfect way in which to forgive others. 
    • Strive to be remembered as A Father Who Forgives.

I’ll leave you with these lyrics from the
Song: Forgiveness by Matthew West
It's the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don't deserve

It's the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just to real
It takes everything you have just to say the word...

Forgiveness
Forgiveness

It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It's always anger's own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It's the whisper in your ear saying 'Set It Free'

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

It'll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it's power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
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Many are Invited, but Few are Chosen.

6/16/2022

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Real Dudes,
I recently came across Matthew 22:14 (NIV) during my devotions time. This verse reads as follows…14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” So, what does that mean? The article below is from gotquestions.org…I provide what our response and responsibility should be at the conclusion of the article. Enjoy!
Nate
 
“What does ‘Many are called but few are chosen’ in Matthew 22:14 mean?
This statement is the conclusion to the Parable of the Wedding Feast. Jesus spoke this parable to show what the kingdom of heaven will be like when the end of the age comes. In the parable, the king sends his servants out to gather the wedding guests to the wedding feast. But those invited refused to come, some because they were too busy with their own worldly pursuits and some because they were positively hostile toward the king. So the king commands his servants to go out and invite anyone they find, and many come and fill the wedding hall. But the king sees one man without wedding clothes, and he sends him away. Jesus concludes by saying that many are called/invited to the kingdom, but only those who have been ‘chosen’ and have received Christ will come. Those who try to come without the covering of the blood of Christ for their sins are inadequately clothed and will be sent into ‘outer darkness,’ (v. 13) i.e., hell.

Many people hear the call of God coming through His revelation of Himself through creation, the conscience, and the preaching of the Word. But only the ‘few’ will respond because they are the ones who are truly hearing. Jesus said many times, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear’ (Matthew 11:15; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8, 14:35). The point is that everyone has ears, but only a few are listening and responding. Not everyone who hears the gospel receives it but only the ‘few’ who have ears to hear. The ‘many’ hear, but there is no interest or there is outright antagonism toward God. Many are called or invited into the kingdom, but none are able to come on their own. God must draw the hearts of those who come; otherwise they will not (John 6:44).

Second Corinthians 5:17 says, ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.’ God creates life, grants repentance and gives faith. Man is totally unable by himself to do these things which are necessary to enter the kingdom of heaven. Ephesians 1:4-6: ‘For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.’ Salvation is by God’s will and pleasure for His glory. John 6:37-39, 44-45: ‘All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day…No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.’

So, all of God’s ‘chosen’ will be saved without exception; they will hear and respond because they have spiritual ears to hear the truth. God’s power makes this certain. Romans 8:28-30: ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew (loved) he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.’

How do we know if we are among the few that have ears to hear? By responding to the call. Assurance of this certain call, this chosen call, is from the Holy Spirit. Consider Philippians 1:6, which says, ‘Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.’ ‘Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose’ (Philippians 2:12-13.) If we listen with our spiritual ears and respond to the invitation, there will be fear and trembling in our souls as we recognize that it was God’s work in us that caused our salvation.” https://www.gotquestions.org/many-called-few-chosen.html

​The response and responsibility of a follower of Christ:
Obey the command to "go." Be invitational and let God do His thing. 
Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) The Great Commission 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
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Challenge by Aaron Harper...be a strong and courageous leader.

6/14/2022

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Real Dudes,  
Again, lots going on this past Saturday in Grinnell…with the Prairie Burn and baseball tournament at Ahrens. But we still had a solid 26 in attendance with two new visitors which was exciting. Aaron Harper did a great job as he explained how to be strong and of good courage from the Book of Joshua. Below are a few notes I took as he spoke. And here is the link to his challenge on-line at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrtfo2zizK0.
Enjoy,
Nate
 
As God’s people were on their way to the Promise Land we read about conversations that were had leading up to the transition of Leadership from Moses to Joshua.  
  • Deuteronomy 31:6
  • Deuteronomy 31:7
  • Deuteronomy 31:23
Notice when reading Joshua 1:5-18 how many times the phrase be strong and of good courage is mentioned.
  • Joshua 1:5-18
Why the emphasis on this phrase?
  • He was entrusted with a giant task.
  • Leading around 2 million people…about 2/3 the size of Iowa’s population.  
  • Joshua 3:15a (NIV) Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest.
  • In Joshua 3:1-5 we see Joshua’s response.
    • It was active, not passive. He stepped into what God called him to do.
    • He rose early in the morning.  
  • What would have been my response?
  • What’s your Jordan River experience?
    • At the conclusion of Aaron Harper’s challenge we broke off into about four groups to share these with each other.
Remember God’s Faithfulness…He always keeps His promises.
  • Reflect on the Deuteronomy passages above…when God’s says “I will.”
  • Joshua 3:5 (NIV) Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”
  • Joshua 3:6-7
    • Aaron Harper shared with us how his first wife died in a car accident and how difficult it was to tell their 6 and 8 year old daughters that mom isn’t coming home.
  • When God gives direction, take it.
    • Joshua 3:8-13
    • Even if some won’t like what you’re trying to do.
    • In the Bible, He tells us how to cross our Jordan’s.
      • 2 Timothy 3:16-17
      • James 1:1-5
      • Proverbs 19:20
Obedience is Key.
  • Joshua 3:14-17
  • Joshua obeyed and completed the task.
  • He led God’s people through the Jordan on dry ground.
  • Do you believe that He’ll make your path dry too?
  • Aaron Harper discussed the challenge with us of having to navigate life as a single dad. In 2015 he met his current wife on-line, married, and moved to Gilman, IA. In 2016, they received the news that she has cancer. Recovered in 2017. But cancer returned in her lungs in 2019. And in 2022 they found another spot in her lung. This past April they found out that the spot was not bigger, but it wasn’t spreading either. It has been a continual challenge to rely on God. But regardless of the challenges they face, they truly believe that anything is possible with God…He is our HOPE.  
Nate’s follow-up notes:
  • I listened to a message by a Pastor Paul Liu a few years ago. He was talking about Exodus 33:11 which says, ‘when Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.’ 
  • In your opinion, why did Joshua just stay there? 
  • Pastor Liu states that he stayed there, "Presumably because he didn’t just want to witness Moses speaking to God, he wanted to speak to God. He didn’t just want to be someone who saw God do great things through Moses, he wanted God to do great things through him. He wanted to hear from God himself, he wanted to meet with God himself, he valued being in God’s presence, he was serious about being with God. Joshua practiced and prioritized being in God’s presence. It wasn’t random. It wasn’t only when in desperate times. It was all the time."
  • God knew Joshua’s heart. He knew what Joshua wanted to be doing. God allowed him into that spot, which is the need for Him to remind Joshua to be strong and courageous.
  • There are many who are quick to criticize those in leadership positions, but if offered those positions they’d be quick to turn them down. Why? Because they don’t possess the qualities of a successful leader. God knew that Joshua would be successful…Joshua just needed to rely on God’s strength and courage when faced with the tasks before him. 
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God’s Provisions from Unexpected Places

6/7/2022

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​​Sometimes God’s provisions come from the most unexpected places. Nonetheless, He always comes through for us in His perfect way and timing.
 
Matthew 17:26-27 (NLT) 26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”
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Proven Character

6/2/2022

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How do you know if someone is talented at sports, coaching, baking, carpentry, giving a haircut, drawing, giving tattoos, mowing, etc.? Their end product is evident.

How do you know if some people will keep their word, fulfill their promises, be a reliable resource, make it through tough times, knows God’s Word and His ways, etc.? They've proven themselves.

In Philippians 2:22a (NKJV) the Apostle Paul says this about Timothy, “But you know his proven character…”

One author states that Timothy’s “’Character’ had been proven. That means it’s been through the wars with Paul and has come out stronger. His integrity has been firmly established and proven true. Proven character only comes through tribulations, trials and suffering.” Full Article

Furthermore, “Character is defined as strength of moral fiber. A.W. Tozer described character as ‘the excellence of moral beings.’ As the excellence of gold is its purity and the excellence of art is its beauty, so the excellence of man is his character. Persons of character are noted for their honesty, ethics, and charity. Descriptions such as ‘man of principle’ and ‘woman of integrity’ are assertions of character. A lack of character is moral deficiency, and persons lacking character tend to behave dishonestly, unethically, and uncharitably.

A person’s character is the sum of his or her disposition, thoughts, intentions, desires, and actions. It is good to remember that character is gauged by general tendencies, not on the basis of a few isolated actions. We must look at the whole life. For example, King David was a man of good character (1 Samuel 13:14) although he sinned on occasion (2 Samuel 11). And although King Ahab may have acted nobly once (1 Kings 22:35), he was still a man of overall bad character (1 Kings 16:33). Several people in the Bible are described as having noble character: Ruth (Ruth 3:11), Hanani (Nehemiah 7:2), David (Psalm 78:72), and Job (Job 2:3). These individuals’ lives were distinguished by persistent moral virtue.

Character is influenced and developed by our choices. Daniel ‘resolved not to defile himself’ in Babylon (Daniel 1:8), and that godly choice was an important step in formulating an unassailable integrity in the young man’s life. Character, in turn, influences our choices. ‘The integrity of the upright guides them’ (Proverbs 11:3a). Character will help us weather the storms of life and keep us from sin (Proverbs 10:9a).

It is the Lord’s purpose to develop character within us. ‘The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart’ (Proverbs 17:3). Godly character is the result of the Holy Spirit’s work of sanctification. Character in the believer is a consistent manifestation of Jesus in his life. It is the purity of heart that God gives becoming purity in action. God sometimes uses trials to strengthen character: ‘we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope’ (Romans 5:3-4). The Lord is pleased when His children grow in character. ‘You test the heart and are pleased with integrity’ (1 Chronicles 29:17; see also Psalm 15:1-2).

We can develop character by controlling our thoughts (Philippians 4:8), practicing Christian virtues (2 Peter 1:5-6), guarding our hearts (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:18-20), and keeping good company (1 Corinthians 15:33). Men and women of character will set a good example for others to follow, and their godly reputation will be evident to all (Titus 2:7-8).” From gotquestions.org

So, what about you? Does your life reflect Christian character? Do you recognize personal tribulations, trials, and sufferings as opportunities to prove your Christian character to God, self, and others? Desire to be a proven person of character who can be used by God to help others through their difficult times of life. Bring that experience that your onlookers so desperately need.

​Practicing His Presence,
Nate
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    Author

    Nate Smith is a college baseball and football coach, a husband, a father of 6 girls, grandpa to 3 granddaughters, a police chaplain, and has a passion to see men grow in Christ.

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