The Almighty Father
Summary of the Apostles’ Creed
The Apostle’s Creed is a summary of the Christian faith that depicts the full story of scripture. The Apostle’s Creed contains one of the most concise summaries of the Christian faith in straightforward scriptural language. It follows the narrative arch of scripture from creation to incarnation, crucifixion to resurrection, Pentecost to life everlasting.
The Apostle’s Creed reminds us that our story and church are rooted in an ancient faith. There is no singular author by which this creed can be traced, rather it is the work of the Western Catholic Church. Though, it seems to have grown out of Peter’s confession in Matthew 16:16. Its origin is as a baptismal confession, those that are laying down their life to join Christ in his death and resurrection (Romans 6:4) confess this as their new reality and guiding story.
The Apostle’s Creed is not simply a routine repetition of doctrine but rather our pledge of allegiance to one God– Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is not a routine repetition of doctrine. It is a liturgical poem meant to move our heart as a pledge of allegiance to the triune God revealed in the person of Christ.
“THE FATHER ALMIGHTY”
The description of God as Father is hard for not all of us but for many, the word “father” feels problematic to our 21st-century ears.
Interestingly enough, the concept of God as father was just as difficult, if not more shocking, to Jesus’ first-century audience.
FATHER NOT GENDER
“Do you take it that our God is a male because of the masculine nouns ‘God’ and ‘Father’? Is the ‘Godhead’ a female because in Greek the word is feminine?” Such crude biological thinking would be pagan, not Christian.” – Gregory of Nazianzus
“For christians the word describes a relationship and nothing more- the father is the source- the origin- the wellspring of divine life and the son derives from that source. According to early christian teaching that was all we were meant to think of when we say the word father.” –Benjamin Myers
LORD’S PRAYER
In first-century Jewish culture, God was never referred to in an intimate way but always in a formal and reverent one. The disciples could have gotten on board with the almighty part of the Apostles’ Creed, but father- that was scandalous, even disrespectful.
GENESIS
The Genesis account depicts the original sin of humanity, the ruptured relationship between human and God, the breaking of trust between the creation and the creator.
It reminds us that the Bible is one big unified story.
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” – Genesis 3:1
In Genesis 2, God is referred to as Yahweh Elohim or Lord God. But when the serpent comes onto the scene in Genesis 3:1 he refers to God by only using the word Elohim.
Scholars call this keeping the abstract but dropping the personal.
And unfortunately, as many of you know, humanity chooses to believe this lie and our relationship with God is ruptured. Our understanding of God as personal, as father is broken.
JESUS RESTORES
Jesus comes on the scene to confront these lies spoken by the enemy and believed by humanity. He comes to restore the original name of God. He says God is not simply Elohim. He is Yahweh Elohim, he is a present, intimate knowable father.
HARD TO BELIEVE
We have a hard time believing this for one of two reasons:
Some of us have never observed what a loving parent-child relationship looked like.
Some of us have such a low view of who we are that we find it hard to believe we are lovable.
PARABLE OF THE RUNNING FATHER
11 “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”
–Luke 15:11-24
BACKWARDS
Your Kingdom is simple, as simple as love
You welcome the children, You stop for the one
We wanna see people the way Jesus does
Your Kingdom is simple; Lord, teach it to us
Your Kingdom is backwards, it flows in reverse
What You call a treasure this world calls a curse
The small become great and the last become first
Your Kingdom is backwards; Lord, teach us to serve
–Bryan Torwalt | Cody Carnes | Katie Torwalt | Paul Duncan
God is almighty and all powerful because he chooses to love us as the running, forgiving father loved his son. Our world tells us that power is derived from control, subjugation, distance, and imposed force.
Jesus tells us God’s power is backward from what we know. God’s power looks more like the breastfeeding mother than the lording ruler. God’s power comes from his ability to love us with an illogical, unfounded, undeserved type of love.
The story of the prodigal son or as scholars refer to it as the running father, reveals to us the true nature of our father God who continues to love us with a backwards type of love.
FATHER WOUNDS
Identify your parental wounds whether those be from your biological parents or spiritual parents. Then I would like you to identify attributes of God that exist in opposition to that.
I Believe in God
Summary of the Apostles’ Creed
The Apostle’s Creed is a summary of the Christian faith that depicts the full story of scripture. The Apostle’s Creed contains one of the most concise summaries of the Christian faith in straightforward scriptural language. It follows the narrative arch of scripture from creation to incarnation, crucifixion to resurrection, Pentecost to life everlasting.
The Apostle’s Creed reminds us that our story and church are rooted in an ancient faith. There is no singular author by which this creed can be traced, rather it is the work of the Western Catholic Church. Though, it seems to have grown out of Peter’s confession in Matthew 16:16. Its origin is as a baptismal confession, those that are laying down their life to join Christ in his death and resurrection (Romans 6:4) confess this as their new reality and guiding story.
The Apostle’s Creed is not simply a routine repetition of doctrine but rather our pledge of allegiance to one God– Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is not a routine repetition of doctrine. It is a liturgical poem meant to move our heart as a pledge of allegiance to the triune God revealed in the person of Christ.
The "Secular", is not a place of anti-religion or neutrality, it is the space of contested belief.
Everyone in the Secular Age experiences what Charles Taylor calls "cross-pressure"; We have all come to realize that what we believe cannot be taken as the default of society anymore.
“I don’t believe in God, but I miss him." – Julian Barns, Nothing to be Frightened of
As we wrestle with our doubts, I think Jesus' encounter with Thomas in John 20 offers us the most beautiful glimpse into God's reception of the doubter.
“So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." After saying these things, he said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him." The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." – John 11:6-16 (ESV)
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." 5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" – John 14:1-5 (ESV)
“Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe." –John 20:24-25 (ESV)
In the midst of Thomas' disappointment and doubt, God, in Jesus, draws close.
“Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" –John 20:26-28 (ESV)
Jesus invites us to come to him, fully human; full of hope and cold hard facts.
Doubt is not the opposite of faith; unbelief is.
“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." –Matthew 28:16-20
They worshiped and doubted– and changed the world.
Even at the Great Commission, the disciples held doubt and faith together.
“We don’t believe instead of doubting; we believe while doubting. We're all Thomas now.” – James KA Smith, How (not) to be Secular
Thomas embodies the human condition; full of faith and trust one moment and full of questions and doubts the next.
To say, “I believe in God” is not made, without doubt, it is to trust in the midst of doubt. The biblical concept of faith is not an illogical leap but a trust in the nature of God.
“...Christian belief is [not] an irrational leap into the dark. It is more like tasting a dish that you have never tried. You have seen other people enjoying it; you have read the reviews; the chef swears you’ll like it. There are good grounds for trusting, but you will never know for sure until you try it. “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” sings the psalmist (Ps 34:8). The first act is an act of trust that gives rise to ever-increasing [confidence], which in turn nourishes a deeper and a more knowledgeable trust.” –Ben Myers, The Apostles’ Creed: A Guide to the Ancient Catechism
Four ways in which we can cultivate a life of faith amid the cross-pressures of our moment.
1. Rethink success, not as certainty or control, but as trust. The biblical concept of faith is trusting in the nature of God.
2. Doubt your Doubts. We should be equal opportunity doubters, not just of belief but of disbelief as well.
3. Strive for Emotionally Health. Wrestling with anything, including doubt, becomes exponentially more complicated when we struggle with our emotional health.
“Sometimes doubt is fostered by sleep deprivation especially in those who are overworked or are students… it comes from bad habits, zealous perfectionism, and bad time management… The point is that as human beings our mind, body, matter, spirit all work together and if you push yourself to the limit you are inviting depression, breaking down, and looking at the world through dark, gloomy habits, and then the godliest thing you can do in universe is get some sleep!” –DA Carson, Scandalous
4. Lean into the community of God. God is not unknown, he can be known. Joining in the songs of the saints, dinner with your microchurch, and the stories of God's activity creates an environment in which faith can grow.
Psalm 99
THE POSITION OF GOD IN OUR CULTURE
Position 01: God’s Reign
“The Lord reigns, let the people tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!” –Psalm 99:1
“But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” – Amos 5:24
Amos is considered a “minor prophet of the Bible” that covers a time when Israel experienced economic advancement that led to significant social injustice.
Position 02: God’s Greatness
“The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!“ – Psalm 99:2-3
Zion was a city of refuge if you will… a city of protection against the evils of the world… safe space.
Position 03: God’s Justice
“The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!” – Psalm 99:4-5
THE JUSTICE OF GOD IN THE BIBLE
“Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.”
– Psalm 99:6
God uses Moses, a product of injustice, to OVERTHROW AN EMPIRE BUILT ON SLAVERY.
God uses Aaron as an ALLY OF THE PEOPLE AND ACTIVIST AGAINST OPPRESSION.
God uses Samuel, who even under the umbrella of monarchy, deeply associated with kings even, REFUSED TO ABUSE POWER WHEN HE HAD A WEALTH OF OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO.
“God is a just God who challenges us to: learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s case.” - Isaiah 1:17
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE: THE WAY OF GOD IN US
Seek God
”They called to the Lord…” – Psalm 99:6Follow God
“and he answered them. In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them. O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings.”
–Psalm 99:6-8Worship God
“Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!”
–Psalm 99:9
Psalm 8
3 things to keep in mind about the Book of Psalms:
Composed of 150 Hebrew poems. 73 of them were written by David.
Scholars say the Psalms are broken in 5 sections with an introduction and an ending. The ending is 5 chapters of praise to our God.
Lament and praise are the main expressions in Psalms. Lament is an appropriate response to the evil that we see in the world. While praise expresses joy and celebration of the goodness of God.
Psalm 8; A Psalm of Praise.
The significance of Psalm 8 being squished between two disparities helps us to understand that the poor & afflicted are the ones chosen to rule the world.
Psalm 8 opens with words of praise “O LORD our Lord”; better be translated as “Oh Yahweh, our Adoni”. This phrasing tells us so much about who we are crying out to in our prayers.
The name ‘Yahweh’ reveals God to mankind as the majestic, all-powerful, self-sufficient Creator who knows us and desires to be known by us personally.
Adoni, meaning King is important to remind us that God is the King of the universe and King of our life.
The Psalms express what creation tells us about God & His power.
Creation itself praises God (Psalm 19:1, 96:11-12, 98:4-8)
All things originate with God (Psalm 33:6)
Creation tells us of God’s wisdom (Psalm 104:24), love (Psalm 36:5), and power (Psalm 148:5)
“It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.” – Neil Armstrong
“...creation invites us to participate in its joy in God, and in giving ourselves willingly to this joy, we discover our true purpose as creatures made in the image of a joyful God: to faithfully reflect the divine image in all contexts of our created life as royal representatives of our Creator-King.” – W. David O Taylor
In moments of powerlessness, we can either run away from God or run toward God. If we choose to run away from God we breed hopelessness and pride. If we choose to run toward God we breed healing and praise in our lives.
God’s glory is displayed through weak people who he has chosen to do His great work.
In vs. 2 David says God defeats his enemies and makes His name majestic through using our weakness even that of babies.
The entirety of David’s life is an example of God using weak people.
Jesus and the incarnation is the greatest example of God’s transcendent power through the weakness of humans. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
God’s Role for Mankind
Made in God’s Image (Gen 1:27)
Children of God (1 John 3:1; Rom 8:14)
Co Heirs with Christ (Rom 8:16-17)
God has bestowed all of us with dignity & dominion.
“Our royal dominion, therefore, is qualified by our priestly calling: to offer the things of God in love to all of creation and, in turn, to offer all the things of creation back to God in love.” – W. David O Taylor
We were created with a purpose, but when that got messed up in the Garden of Eden, Jesus died to restore that purpose.
“...to live a life marked by joyful praise, wonder-filled thanksgiving, care-filled stewardship of creation, hopeful work of restoration and reconciliation, gracious communion with others, and faithful living.” – W. David O Taylor
Worship requires space to reflect.
Spiritual Practice
The Divine Game of Pinzatski: one person points out an object in nature and another says what that object might say about God and why.
Read One Psalm a Day: The Psalms reframe our sense of life
Let’s form habits that lead our hearts to praise!
Psalm 22
The First Forsaken King
“According to The Doe of the Dawn, A Psalm of David”
Psalms by David normally have two headers:
Of David, a Psalm
A Psalm of David
Psalms that start with “of David, a Psalm” are when David finds himself directly in the presence of God. As a result David picks up an instrument and plays.
Psalms that start with “A Psalm of David,” David does not find himself in the presence of God but rather picks up an instrument and begins to sing about what he is experiencing in the moment.
“My God, why have you forsaken me?”
Contrast with Psalm 139, “Where can I go from your presence?”
Not only a question, it is also an assumption by David.
“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world” - C.S. Lewis
The alternating themes of Psalm 22
David begins to recount the goodness of God from the past
David focuses on himself again in the third paragraph, “I am a worm”
He goes back to focusing on the goodness of God, ending with a plea to God
The danger of isolation
We can isolate ourselves from the church, family, and God as a result of our feeling abandoned.
This is damaging to our spiritual health as well as our health in general.
“The lies of the enemy thrive in isolation” - Alex Ferren
The church culture of being composed
Sometimes questioning God makes us feel like we don’t have everything together and that is okay. It is okay to not be okay.
There is value in crying out to God because by doing so we are in communication with God.
There is comfort in knowing that the God we cry out to, knows exactly what we are going through. He’s lived it.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” – Hebrews 4:15
The Second Forsaken King
The prophetic elements of Psalm 22
Psalm 22:1 Both David and Jesus say, “My God, why have you forsaken me?”
Verse 7-8 both had insults thrown their way, both mocked for their trust in God. Matthew 27, the governor’s soldiers mock Jesus as the king of the Jews. Matthew 27:43 tells us that people would walk around Jesus on the Cross almost taunting him saying “Let God rescue him now if he wants him.
Verse 16 David says his hands and feet are pierced, Jesus were as well.
Verse 18, Lots were cast for Jesus robes in Psalm 27:35.
“I am a worm”
Jesus in John 5:58 goes from saying “Before Abraham was born, I am” to quoting the same chapter that says, “I am a worm”
The crimson worm, Tola.
Immanuel, God with us
“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” - Colossians 1:17
Christ feels as though God is away from him for the first time in Christ’s entire existence. In desperation, Christ cries out to the Father.
God hurts with us.
“He is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” - Psalm 34:8.
“Jesus doesn’t just teach us what to believe, but how to believe.”– Heath Adamson
Spiritual Practice
“I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me against the rock of ages” – Charles Spurgeon
The lessons from the Forsaken Kings
Our first prayer and request on a daily basis should be, “God, be not far from me.”
Jesus cries out to God, why have you forsaken me? But Matthew ends with Jesus promise of “I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Who are we in proximity with? We should help carry each other’s burdens
The strength in our vulnerability helps us build community.
Psalm 142
Summary of Psalms
Composed of 150 Hebrew poems. 73 of them were written by David.
Scholars say the Psalms are broken into 5 sections with an introduction and an ending. The ending is 5 chapters that end in praise to our God.
Lament and praise are the main expressions in Psalms. Lament is an appropriate response to the evil that we see in the world. While praise expresses joy and celebration of the goodness of God.
“With my voice, I cry out to the Lord; with my voice, I plead for mercy to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him” – Psalm14 2:1-2
“Caves make good closets for prayer; their gloom and solitude are helpful to the exercise of devotion. Had David prayed as much in his palace as he did in his cave, he might never have fallen into the act which brought such misery upon his later days.” – Charles Spurgeon
“When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.” – Psalm 142:3-4
“I cry to you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’” – Psalm 142:5
“Attend to my cry for I am brought very low Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me! Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.” – Psalm 142:6-7
The story of David isn't one that celebrates only mountain tops; It's one that shows the practical struggles and God still being faithful to us.
Spiritual Practice
Lament and praise. Take time to grieve the hard and trying times. But also give thanks and praise to God in the bad and good.