Sunday Sermon Starter 9/26/11

Yesterday at Phillips Street we had a great start to our gospel meeting. With some congregations this annual event is dying out. We still believe they can be effective if done right and one way to do it right is to have a great preacher like Robert R. Taylor, Jr. as your speaker. Phillips Street and the Taylors have a long friendship and we count it an honor every time he stands in our pulpit. Last night brother Taylor began a four part series that will run the remainder of our meeting on the Godhead. Last night he began by discussing “The Godhead: One or Three?” and will then each of the three coming nights discuss in order the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I am excited about hearing each lesson as I know they will be rich in content and truth. With that upcoming our sermon starter today is going to be a sermon on God the Father that I preached a few years ago on Father’s Day. Such a topic is so deep that nobody can do it complete justice; but maybe my brief offering will help structure a good sermon that will help people know God better.

Title: “The Father of All”

Text: Genesis 1:26-27 

Main Point: The creation account is definitive of God’s divine fatherhood of all mankind – the aspects of His fatherhood, though, allow us a glimpse into His heart. 

Discussion Points:
1. The Father of Life – Life was not only created by the Father, but it is precious to the Father. Genesis 1:26-27 records His creation of life, but vs. 28 reveals His view of life in that He gave man dominion over the rest of creation for our use. The Giver of life did not view the preciousness of life as relative but in high esteem. Also consider God’s provisions to protect life through the Bible.

2. The Father of Love – God’s love toward His creation is undeniable (1 John 4:7-8; John 3:16; Romans 8:39). But why does God love us? Because we are His creation, His children, and that relationship carries with it an innate affection. It is a natural love that cannot be earned and could not be earned. And His love is not only said, but seen in everything He has done.

3. The Father of Law – God’s love for His children in Israel was seen in His pursuit to preserve them, which He attempted to do through providing of law (Deuteronomy 6:24). The forefathers of our nation recognized the necessity of law for the preservation of our republic and penned the “Charters of Freedom” which are documents of law. And in the same way that earthly fathers provide structure law in the home for the preservation of their children (Ephesians 6:4), God has provided us with structured law for the preservation of our souls.

4. The Father of Liberty – God, through law, has provided liberty unto all who are willing to obey Christ’s will and submit to His charge (Galatians 5:1). That from which we have been liberated is sin and that liberty from sin is what provides salvation. Sin cannot dwell with God, thus we must be made free from sin to dwell with God. Christ is the means of that liberty whereby salvation is available. But the Father sent Christ and He sacrificed much because of His love for us (John 3:16).

I hope this brief outline can be of some use. It is brief on purpose. My intention is not to provide a sermon, but merely a skeleton outline with brief explanation of the points so that you can put meat on the bones and make it your own. Let’s be committed to taking the message of the Father to the world so they can come to know about Him and then come to know Him!

-Andy Brewer