The Son, Part 2

Today on MetLife with JD Greer, the God who could command with the ways of the meteors was the God who crawled on his submit himself to the darkness and humiliation, torture of the cross so that he could rescue us. In other words, he was, not just mighty power. It was mighty in love, mighty say day and welcome to send it like with pastor Ginny.

I'm your host Molly, but abets okay. Think back with me for a minute when you call your childhood memories do you have, specifically of your dad. Maybe he was a great father. Or maybe relationship with him was always strained and he was abusive or just absent 12. No matter what your relationship with your dad was like we all have some kind of father wound that we carry from our childhood because let's face it, none of our dads were perfect, but today pastor Ginny Greer describes how we can heal from those types of emotional, spiritual healing that comes from a perfect father and as part of our Christmas. We then called or told pastor JD titled this message to reflect what is now realize that's not crochet at all is pastor preaching on Jesus as a gift for Christmas. Probably going faster in America is doing that but there's a reason that I want to focus on 96. We have been the last two weeks year prophesies to us.

These words for unto us a son is given now as I showed you last week. Will review here. What Isaiah 9 is a prophecy. It was a prophecy that was spoken as an answer into a real situation a real Jewish king named King Ahaz was being threatened by talking to different enemies and so God through Isaiah tells Ahaz all is all help you. I will help you, but in the midst of this promise to help them.also made a prophecy to them about the Messiah. One report for 700 years is the last week we asked the question how can a prophecy about a Messiah that wouldn't be born for 700 years that help the situation but they were in at the moment, what we learned was that ultimately our problems require a much more significant solution is simply delivering us from particular battle or a particular problem what God gave them not just offer to help in the present but the promise of the Messiah would come problem as a race is not simply bad health or bad marriages were attacked from our enemies or disintegrating families. As bad as things are. Our problem is a race is our separation from God and ultimately all of our earthly problems. Go back to that route.

We cry out to be delivered from bad health God intended to deliver us from the curse of death caused better health. We cry out to be delivered from injustice and broken relationships, God wants to deliver us from the sin and the selfishness that causes bad relationships God promised Messiah that would come to save us from our sins and restore us to God by dying on the cross in our place and thereby paying for it, destroying the power of sin in our lives as Christians believe that ultimate healing begins a relationship with Jesus receiving him as Savior and Lord, unless you've been restored to God even if you have earthly peace. Great health great relationships. All the money you could ever hope for your still separated from real life which is God himself, and you stand eternally condemned to Jesus first mission was to deal with our sin problem. Now when Jesus comes the second time. As I explained you. He will restore justice and peace on the earth. There was the Christmas theology lesson I gave you last week. Did you forgot the first ad that brought relief from our sins. The second advent will bring relief from our suffering that some of US laughs.

All great warms my heart.

How does that help in the present.

I got problems right now.

Should you two things again one God does answer prayer.

The present he loves to help his people.

He did it in this story. Isaiah 9 will do it for you. Many of us here of experience that, but secondly, and more importantly notices will be most important things you will ever learn lesson.

More importantly never to what we did in the present is relationship with him. A relationship that is so valuable and weighty to us that though it does note that though it does not automatically change our pain, it changes our perspective on your quick story last week about my dad watching him go through every painful surgery.

A number of years ago would help when he woke up in the in the operating room and and and and before they were able to re-administer certain anesthesia. How much pain he was in and out as he open he was coming to consciousness, he called out for my mother was looking for and she came over to him and grabbed his hand. It was like the pain went away but somehow just her presence there with him change his perspective on the pain that he was was in many of you have somebody in your life that is been the same way to you in take away your payment just the back of it went through it with you. Change your perspective on. I see it now with my my own children. I see how how when they are in pain and I am in the presence that brings a level of comfort to them was think about it. If the presence of someone that you love and loves you brings that kind of comfort to you. Can you get your mind around what it's like for God, who made the University and holds it all in his hand and who loves you more than anyone else ever has loved you what it would be like for him to be there with you all of the pain.

If that is true what that change how you look at your pay to see what God does in Isaiah 9 bonuses. He describes himself in the Messiah took them in for relational maintenance, God would come to us. He said here's your first relational name. We looked at as a wonderful counselor. Jesus would be a counselor counselor do. He helps us with our problems. He helps he understands he sympathizes by the way he's not what others counselor the lectures you about your failures. Hold your head up beat you up with them, but James said of the counselor this James 15 if you need wisdom or help, let him ask God who gives help all of us will phrase without reproach without reproach means means well save you a idiot. How did you get yourself in the problem. Anyway, that's what it means without reproach. A lot of people are afraid to come to God because they screwed up their own life. When you repent God is not reproach he receives and he helps wonderful counselor. The second name we looked at was a mighty God, the Messiah was the God who would overcome all of life's dangers. Jesus demonstrated that when he came the gospel of Mark which for whatever reason I know is my favorite gospel when every gospel and whalers of the more favorite but right now Gus Morgan.

My favorite gospel. Mark opens up by systematically showing you that Jesus has power over everything that threatens us the gospel bark and opens up like a WWF batch is like first first rent, Jesus first disease winter Jesus cigarette Jesus versus Damon's winter Jesus third round Jesus versus the weather winter Jesus. Jesus first death winter Jesus. Mark five.

It is like Mark is going anybody else elsewhere.

Marketing written today.

I'm pretty sure would've opened up with appraised ladies and gentlemen, are you ready to rumble. It was the mighty God reported in the vernacular. He was kicking tail and Mark was taken name for what I showed you that the Messiah was not just mighty in those things, death, disease, demons disaster is also as that is. He was even more mighty what he was willing to go through to save us. The God who could command the wind and the waves of the meteors and the tsunamis was the God who crawled on his face Gethsemane who submitted himself to the horror and darkness and humiliation, torture of the cross so that he can rescue us. In other words, he was, not just mighty in power. He was mighty in love, mighty to save one of my favorite quotes by the early church the true strength of the flame. They said is not shown by its ability to burn upwards even a week flame to burn upwards. You light a match very briefly Burgess five to the real strength of the flame is shown by its ability to break down words. The early church fathers were saying by that is God's glory. The strength of his power was not show his majesty was not shown by his ability to create the universe as awesome as that is his real majesty and power was shown by way of burnt down words how he came and took upon himself our sin.

That's where the true might is shown to us. He is mighty to save these mighty God. Today we're going to look at the next name that God gives to us the third relational name and that is verse six, the ever lasting father, everlasting father, this is kind of an odd name.

If you're not familiar with the Bible church is okay but let me explain to you. When Jesus came he revealed himself as the second person of what we call the Trinity. Three persons of the one true God, and Jesus has eternally been the son of God. Now this is a description in Isaiah 9 of Jesus, who was the son of God and normally in the Bible son is not called the father but the reason God gives him this name is because Jesus would be to us relationally, like a father and I would suggest to you that if there were ever anything that we needed in a Savior. It is a new and restoring father for many of you and I know this is your pastor for many of you some of the greatest pain in your life goes back to a messed up relationship to your father.

I know some of you had good fathers and I know some of you have sweet memories but for many of you a lot of bad. Maybe he was abusive maybe was never there.

Maybe that was because of divorce or maybe just was too busy maybe you just remember how disappointed he always seemed to be with you, maybe, was never emotionally connected to you and now this is awkward when you get around them.

That's especially brought the light at Christmas time you had a father, everybody. That's right so this applies to you, sociologists and psychologists have consistently noted that one of the most if not the most significant factors that forms how we engage with life as a relationship to our father. For example, one California school study, 98% 98% of its discipline issues were cause by emotionally damaged young boys, whose common characteristic father loss of a fascinating book this week by guiding Stephan folder Dr. Stephan Poulter called father Dr. how your father's legacy impacts your career. What he does in this book as he outlines four types of dysfunctional fathers what effects they have on your career you some of his categories and I want to help you see how your relationship with your deadly form. How do you look at lights by animus or even God. How how how these ways that you learn to relate your dad affect how you even relate to God.

I will change some of his names and some of the content El Al and stuff but to follow that that the categories you listed. The first, for many of us.

You have been never satisfied dad never satisfied that this is the data and no matter what you did. He never seems to be satisfied with you. This is the parent who was always concerned with how well you did how you looked how you compared to the other kids, whether or not you one. How you rank in your class. Dr. Poulter says that you can see this style early on parents or image-conscious word about how the four-year-old dress to go to the park, always comparing how their kids are doing compared to other kids at various stages message the kid God even if it was unspoken was that he had to achieve something to be worth something, even if his parents never said it kid got the buy you're not smart enough not athletic enough. Not pretty enough to fat you don't try hard enough. Not really that impressive, you'll really make me proud.

The kid hears is I'd be happier with you if you will better it did more you be worth more so for kids to grow up in this kind of home proving themselves to others becomes the dominating theme of their lives. And naturally they apply to God, whatever you do you have this nagging, unspoken doubt, have I done enough. Does God approve of me that God would be happier with me. If only I were more self disciplined. If only I were bolder in my witness. If only I were more generous, you compare yourself to others you think that if I was like… But you God really be happy with me if this is you, what you see is that your self-image goes in cycles. When you compare yourself favorably to others. You will great about yourself.

You feel approved when you compare unfavorably to somebody your whole system of self-worth is challenged. So you go through cycles here is your second that he identified the timebomb dad. This is the kind of dad you never knew quite what to expect from get a bad day at work. The smallest thing would set them off you were scared of what he would do when you walked on on eggshells around. Maybe it was alcohol or drugs behind his outburst.

Or maybe it's just he was under stress. Or he could control his temper more than once you got hurt you physically, verbally, emotionally, your dad Order in your house through sheer volume or the threat of a blowup maybe was sexual abuse.

Whatever you lived in fear of him kids that grow up in this kind of household grow up hating her dad because you can't love somebody you are afraid of. You can't trust a lot of times.

By the way these kids become control freaks because you see when their dads exploded. For whatever reason that kids like Christ. So they now want to control everything to keep that from happening again. The author said these kids become like Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor right after the Japanese attack in 1941 they established in Pearl Harbor, something that is there to this day a radar system around Pearl Harbor. That is so sophisticated that it can detect any movement in the Pacific Ocean in a 5000 mile radius of Pearl Harbor. That's where these kids get are always on the lookout for the next blowup where it can happen. And they're scared to not be fully in control. The author says an incredible number of anxiety disorders have their beginnings in this style father may apply this to God.

I read one little girl who when her father would sexually molest her. He would quote her. Ephesians 61 children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right what you think.does to her relationship to God.

The something bad happened. You think what got ticked off me about now was God's problem and you never really learn to love God because you can't love somebody you are afraid of. You can't trust you might fear God and obey him for that reason, at least on the outside but you don't love him. You don't want to know him.

You resent him just like with your dad. You try and control him by doing whatever you gotta do to contain him. You go to church good boy.

You do what you think it takes to keep them off your back. But again, you do it all on a duty, you have no real love for God no matter ration craving or desire to know God. Third one he identifies as being emotionally distant dad. This is the kind of dad that was stable, consistent moral never abandon you or abuse you is never expressed emotion to you. This is the television dad by the way the 1950s. Leave it to beaver dad. Father knows best, got this kind of dad never abused you we never cheated on your mom, but is never made you feel special. There are three things every child needs to hear from his father. I love you I'm proud of you and you were good at certain things you never heard those to hear your dad say I love you would feel awkward, it would've felt awkward damages he doesn't have a kind of connection with you hugs with him now, or awkward you call your dad answers the phone.

He immediately yells for your mom to pick up because of that you never learned to open up emotionally to others that your spouse and your kids that your friends and you sort of stay at a distance you apply this to God and you see him as distant.

A lot of Christians are like this in church.

God is more intellectual theory. They obey and adjudge.

They report to Benedetti that they love and Craig spent time with. You can tell by the way, a lot of these guys because a lot of times they have a hard time showing emotion when they worship in church is not demonstrative good Christians. They think they obey all the rules, but their worship is more ritual you can see it they just don't have that emotional passion and love for God really got intellectually but not really emotionally people grow with this kind of dad usually live with the fear of failure, a sense that when you are in pain alone you don't emotionally engage in your marriage or with your children. The author says tragically, lobbies that had no idea their emotional distance was causing the kind of emotional pain and conflict they thought.

I'm doing my job and provide for my family.

These men he said were clueless that part of being a good provider included emotional nurturing and actual involvement with their children.

The author said that this fathering style made up approximately 50% of nuclear families between 1945 in 1984.

The absent dad. The absent deadness of the kind of dad that which is not part of the is gives life. Maybe this dad your dad walk out on you. 40% of children in America live in fatherless homes or maybe never left you just never there is always working extra time with you again.

Your games years ago I filed the most incredible quote by Bo Jackson number him that many people argue the greatest athlete several live is quote my father's never see me play a football or baseball game. Can you imagine your I am Bo Jackson, one of the so-called premier athletes in the country and sit in the locker room in the everyone of my teammates whose dad would come in and just talk with have a beer with them after the game. I never experienced that Sports Illustrated 1995. What happens children interpret the absence of their dad is a kind of personal rejection, you felt you were important to him because you weren't good enough. This produces an incredible sadness and the kid that he didn't quite understand this sadness is accompanied by a fear of aloneness. A lot of times this mixture of sadness and fear as the kid grows up starts to express itself is anger was an article in the news and Observer this week talking about the violence.

The gang culture. The high school dropout rates among our teenagers right here in the Triangle saw this but our state. North Carolina ranks number four in the nation in high school dropouts more PHP's per capita in Raleigh-Durham and just about more high school dropouts how to get those things together. The good news is you get past my school here you be a genius is produce this article said by the common characteristic of the father wasn't present in the absence of a father figure young man tried to find their masculinity in some other way rebellion sexual prowess brag about athletics violence and gang activity.

Other guys you grew up without a present father figure become overachievers trying to become the man that the father never was. Don't miss tomorrow's program when Pastor Ginny rear introduces you to Jesus, the everlasting father, Summit life. Well, every once in a while here on the program. We like something a little special over the years about how our gospel partner family is really the fuel that drives this ministry, so we have a very special offer for this week only from December 13 until December 17. In addition to our annual 2022 Summit life planner that you normally receive with your get will also give each new gospel partner who commits to a regular monthly get signed copy of Pastor JD's new prayer book called just ask. We would love it if you take a second and learn more about becoming a gospel partner right now@jdgreer.com and get your signed but today and as we look ahead to new year people are setting goals for themselves whether that's a financial goal, health goal, whatever it may be JD's.

Any thoughts for our listeners as they're kinda looking ahead and making these plans already in a matter what you do. You cannot add any more seconds to your day. To the question is how do you make the most of your days and how you use them well well it takes planning. The easiest way to waste your life is not through some big dramatic decision. It's is to not capitalizing on a bunch of small moments and the first of the year is a great moment to say, God, what have you been doing in my life what you want to accomplish in my heart this year. What you want to accomplish through me. This plan will help you asked some of these questions examine what God is saying to you through Scripture and communion with the Holy Spirit. Setting goals of any kind is health goals. Educational financial goals is a great but most important ones are spiritual goals that you can say when you and I stand before God I live 2022 way that you want me to live. I think this is a tool that will help you get your mind around that started on. Don't miss this resource really think JD Ritter, you can get your copy this week only the 20 2013. These new prayer book, and that's when you sign up to become a monthly gospel partner quick and easy and so much to it is always asked for a copy of the 20 2010 seven life give a one-time gift today by calling 866-5220 when you give online.

I might even join us again tomorrow