Series: “This Is That”. Sermon: “Father Rejoices Over You”

Series: “This Is That”. Sermon: “Father Rejoices Over You”

Acts 2:16 “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;”

(NLT) “No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:”

John 17:13 “But now I am coming to You; and I say these things [while I am still] in the world so that they may experience My joy made full and complete and perfect within them [filling their hearts with My delight].”

JOY:– Intense and especially ecstatic or exultant happiness, or the expression or manifestation of such a feeling.

Joy 600x’s in the O.T.  The Hebrew language has 27 words for expressing joy.

“But in this world everything is upside down. That which if it could be prolonged here, would be a truancy, is likest that which in a better country is the End of ends. Joy is the serious business of Heaven.”     C.S. Lewis     (Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer 92-93)

1 John 3:1 (MSG)  “What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are.”

Acts 2:33 “Being therefore lifted high by and to the right hand of God, and having received from  the Father the promised [blessing which is the] Holy Spirit, He has made this outpouring which you yourselves both see and hear.” 

The Holy Spirit is the blessing of the Father. 

He poured out His Spirit upon us so that we can be supernaturally advantaged.

You can not fully function without the blessing.

Romans 8:15 “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, ‘Abba! Father!’”

FAMILY PIC. “Everything is going to be all right.”  J. Karl Thomas

Let me tell you how your Heavenly Father feels about you:    He’s nuts about you!

Zephaniah was a preacher during the time of King Josiah.

People were complacent and idolatrous.  His message was about Justice and Hope.

God’s justice is restorative. He restores His people, moving them from sorrow and oppression to joy and peace.

Zephaniah 3:8b “And let them feel the brunt of my anger, my raging wrath. My zeal is a fire that will purge and purify the earth.”

Zephaniah 3:14-17 “Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your judgments,  He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;

You shall see disaster no more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: ‘Do not fear;
Zion, let not your hands be weak.

The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save;  He will rejoice over you with gladness,  He will quiet you with His love,  He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV) “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

1. Father Is With You

Really deeply engaged in your life everyday. You can’t push Him away.

He’s not touchy and He’s never aloof.

1 Corinthians 1:17 “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”

Hebrews 13:5  (AMP)

“He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]”

2. Father Is For You

Mighty To Save. What do you need to be saved from? His power is present to save you!

Romans 8:31-32 “What then shall we say to these things? If (SINCE) God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

3. Father Is Delighted In You

“He will take great delight in you.”

Isaiah 49:16 (AMP) “Indeed, I have inscribed [a picture of] you on the palms of My hands;”

My picture is in God’s wallet.

4. Father Is Embracing You

“… quiet you with His love.”

Brothers hugged me to freedom. I experience His peace in any situation.

The justice of God is restorative LOVE. Love never fails!

5. Father Is Celebrating You

“…rejoice over you with singing.”

Soos:— (verb) to display joy, leap, spin, to spring.

Rennaw:— a ringing cry, a shrill sound, a shout, proclomation of Joy

Isaiah 62:5 “…as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.”

Who doesn’t smile when the Bride enters the room.

1 John 3:1 (MSG) “What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are.”

You’re an especially loved child of your Heavenly Father.

Let that fill you with confidence.

Let that heal any father wound.

Let that release His love in and through you.

What’s a dad’s favourite kind of music?        Pop music.

What do you call a dad who loves to grill?          A meat-eorologist.

What do you call a father who falls through the ice?        A Popsicle.

What’s the difference between a dad joke and a bad joke?       The first letter.

A young woman brings home her fiancee to meet her well to do parents. After dinner, her mother tells her father to find out about the young man. The father invites the fiancee to his study for a chat.

“So what are your plans?” the father asks the young man.

“I am a biblical scholar,” he replies.

“A Bible  scholar. Hmmm,” the father says. “Admirable, but what will you do to provide a nice house for my daughter to live in, as she’s accustomed to?”

“I will study,” the young man replies, “and God will provide for us.”

“And how will you buy her a beautiful engagement ring, such as she deserves?” asks the father.

“I will concentrate on my studies,” the young man replies, “God will provide for us.”

“And children?” asks the father. “How will you support children?”

“Don’t worry, sir, God will provide,” replies the fiancee.

The conversation proceeds like this, and each time the father questions, the young man insists that God will provide.

Later, the mother asks, “How did it go, Honey?”

The father answers, “He has no job and no plans, but the good news is he thinks I’m God.”