SINCE YOU HAVE A FATHER 1 PETER 1:17

Steve Shepherdhttp://www.sermoncentral.com/Sermon.asp?

SermonID=134349

1 Peter 1:17 NET And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one's work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence.

A grade school teacher was asking students what their parents did for a living. "Tim, you be first," she said. "What does your mother do all

day?“Tim stood up and proudly said, "She’s a doctor."

"That’s wonderful. How about you, Amie?"

Amie shyly stood up, scuffed her feet and said, "My father is a mailman." "Thank you, Amie,"

said the teacher. "What about your father, Billy?“Billy proudly stood up and announced, "My

daddy murders people, steals from them, and drinks.“

The teacher was shocked and promptly changed the subject to geography.

Later that day she went to Billy’s house and rang the bell. Billy’s father answered the door. The

teacher explained what his son had said and asked if there might be some logical explanation.

Billy’s father said, "I’m actually an attorney. But how can I explain a thing like that to a seven-year-old?"

What did daddy your do? And how do explain what he did?

Since you have a father in heaven. Doesn’t this thought, this truth, grab you? Shake you? Do

something to you/for you? It should. He should.

I had an earthly father who wasn’t a bad man. He wasn’t perfect but he wasn’t bad or evil either. He didn’t beat mom or us kids. He

provided for us and he loved us. He was better than most fathers as fathers go, but what a

father in heaven we have!

An atheist was spending a quiet day fishing when suddenly his boat was attacked by the

Loch Ness monster. In one easy flip, the beast tossed him and his boat high into the air. Then it

opened its mouth to swallow both.

As the man sailed head over heels, he cried out, "Oh, God! Help me!"

At once, the ferocious attack scene froze in place, and as the atheist hung in mid-air, a

booming voice came down from the heavens, "I thought you didn’t believe in Me!“

"Come on God, give me a break!!" the man pleaded. "Two minutes ago I didn’t believe in the

Loch Ness monster either!“Brothers and sisters, not everyone has a loving, protective Father. Or not everyone recognizes

God as a loving, protective Father! HOW BLESSED WE ARE!

Our text speaks of the relationship that we have with our father in heaven. Since we have a

father in heaven what are we to do?1- Since you have a father in heaven - live 2- Since you have a father in heaven - live out

the time of your temporary residence3- Since you have a father in heaven – live…in

reverence

SINCE YOU HAVE A FATHER IN HEAVEN - LIVE1 Peter 1:17 NET And if you address as Father

the one who impartially judges according to each one's work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence.

We have a father who judges impartially. How wonderful! He is impartial. He doesn’t consider

me over thee or thee over me.

On one trip to visit his mother in 2002 Steve Shepherd got to the nursing home early in the

morning. He thought he would surprise his mother. She didn’t know he was coming that

week to visit her. He walked down the hallway that led to his

mom’s room and could see her walking down the hall with her walker. She looked up at his

bearded face, which she had never seen before, and said, "Is that you, Steven?"

He said, "Yes, it is." She replied, "I’d rather stroke a dog."

He said, "You mean you don’t like my beard?" She said, "No, I don’t."

Aren’t you glad that God is impartial? He doesn’t care whether a man has a beard or is clean

shaven. We have a father in heaven who is not partial toward male or female, rich or poor, fat or

thin, homely or homeless. PRAISE HIM! Now that’s not all.

Since we have a father in heaven - live! We should really live! Having a father in heaven gives a person a reason for living life to the fullest. We can have the best life there is.

John 10:10 NET The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they

may have life, and may have it abundantly.Jesus reveals to us His father! He reveals the

father’s will to us. And His will is for us to live life abundantly.

A boy is about to go on his first date, and is nervous about what to talk about. He asks his father for advice. The father replies: "My son,

there are three subjects that always work. These are food, family, and philosophy.“

The boy picks up his date and they go to a soda fountain. Ice cream sodas in front of them, they stare at each other for a long time, as the boy’s

nervousness builds.

He remembers his father’s advice, and chooses the first topic of food. He asks the girl: "Do you like spinach?" She says "No," and the silence

returns.

After a few more uncomfortable minutes, the boy thinks of his father’s suggestion and turns to

the second item on the list - family.

He asks, "Do you have a brother?" Again, the girl says "No" and there is silence once again. The boy then plays his last card - philosophy.

He thinks of his father’s advice and asks the girl the following question: "If you had a brother,

would he like spinach?"

I’m not sure about that boy, are you? I’m not sure he got his father’s message correctly. NOR DO WE. Our father’s message sometimes goes

right over our heads. Many times I’ve missed what He was trying to tell me. Did that ever

happen to you?

And obviously, if we miss His message and fail to do His will, we will miss out on some good

stuff in life.

Steve Shepherd remembers when he was a teenager that his father and him often disagreed

on some things. IMAGINE THAT?

As a teenager he got interested in the strange sport of Olympic weightlifting. There were

weights at the high school so he started lifting them in gym class. He wasn’t very good at it at

first but he sure liked it.

Consequently, he decided to lift at home. But...he didn’t have any weights or any money

to buy weights, so what did he do? He found an old set of iron wagon wheels in the garage behind the house and stuck a metal pipe

through the middle where the axle would go and started lifting.

It was only one weight but he figured it was better than nothing.

One day he was outside lifting and he dad was watching him. He didn’t remember exactly how

his Dad said it, but it was inferred that he should be working at something instead of playing

around with those homemade weights. ISN’T THAT JUST LIKE A FATHER?

"You should work instead of play!"

Actually, his father was right. He should have played less and worked more. Had he done that he would be ahead in life. He might have gotten

ahead financially and in many other ways.

IT ALWAYS PAYS TO LISTEN TO YOUR FATHER! That is, of course, if your father is thinking about good and your good in life.

And our Heavenly Father is ALWAYS thinking about good and our good life. And if we will

follow His Word, His instructions, we will experience life to the fullest!

Since we have a father in heaven we can have a better life!

We should have a better life!

SINCE YOU HAVE A FATHER IN HEAVEN – LIVE OUT THE TIME OF YOUR TEMPORARY RESIDENCE

HERE…1 Peter 1:17 NET And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one's work, live out the time of your

temporary residence here in reverence. Since you have a father in heaven - live out the time of

your temporary residence here…

There was a Japanese man who went to America for sightseeing. On the last day, he

hailed a cab and told the driver to drive to the airport. During the journey, a Honda drove past the taxi. Thereupon, the man leaned out of the

window excitedly and yelled, "Honda, very fast! Made in Japan!“

After a while, a Toyota sped past the taxi. Again, the Japanese man leaned out of the window and

yelled, "Toyota, very fast! Made in Japan!"

And then a Mitsubishi sped past the taxi. For the third time, the Japanese leaned out of the

window and yelled, "Mitsubishi, very fast! Made in Japan!“

The driver was a little angry, but he kept quiet. And this went on for quite a number of cars.

Finally, the taxi came to the airport. The fare was US $300.

The Japanese exclaimed, "Wah... so expensive!" The driver yelled back, "Meter, very

fast! Made in Japan!"

Japanese people may be strangers to us here in the U.S. but their cars are very well known and

driven. Have you noticed that America is no longer made up of Americans only?

In 2002, 12 percent of the people in American were foreign born.

Whether you realize it or not, we’re all foreigners in America! How’s that? From a Biblical

perspective or from God’s perspective we are foreigners! We may be Americans but in truth,

we belong to another country, another world,

another kingdom!

Philippians 3:18 NET For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross

of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they

think about earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven —

and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Do you see what Paul is saying? Most people live as enemies of the cross of Christ, but our

citizenship or our home is in heaven! That makes us strangers to this world!

1 Peter 2:11 NET Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, 12 and

maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds

and glorify God when he appears.We are strangers in this world that is filled with

people who follow their sinful desires. We’re supposed to be different!

Steve Shepherd remembers when he was a kid, hearing some high school friends saying, "Come on! Let’s go to Kansas and get some beer." And of course, the reason for getting some beer was

to drink, get drunk or get high.

Now, obviously, if a young person is in Christ, if they are a committed Christian, then they

shouldn’t follow that crowd to Kansas to get some beer!

Why? Because we belong to God and Christ. We belong to a different world and kingdom. And we don’t run with the worldly crowd. We

may be tempted to do that but if our faith means anything to us at all, we won’t run with them!

Titus 2:11 NET For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. 12 It

trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and

godly lives in the present age,

Since you have a father in heaven - live out the time of your temporary residence here…

Our father is in heaven. Therefore, our home is in heaven.

We are strangers on planet earth.

We must live differently from others.

SINCE YOU HAVE A FATHER IN HEAVEN – LIVE

…IN REVERENCE1 Peter 1:17 NET And if you address as Father

the one who impartially judges according to each one's work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence.

Martin had just received his brand new drivers license. The family troops out to the driveway,

and climbs in the car, where he is going to take them for a ride for the first time. Dad

immediately heads for the back seat, directly behind the new driver.

"I’ll bet you’re back there to get a change of scenery after all those months of sitting in the

front passenger seat teaching me how to drive," says the beaming boy to his father.

"Nope," comes dad’s reply, "I’m gonna sit here and kick the back of your seat as you drive, just like you’ve been doing to me all these years.“ Since you have a father in heaven live in reverent fear, because He just might start kicking the back of

your seat. Only it won’t be your car seat. It could be the seat of your pants! WHAT A THOUGHT!

Seriously, because we have a father in heaven we need to live reverently before Him!

How fearful should we be of our heavenly father?

When Steve Shepherd was in elementary school he came home an hour late one time. He didn’t recall exactly, but believed he was told to come straight home when school got out. His

twin sister did and he didn’t. He went home with George Huffman, one of his buddies.

An hour later George brought him home on his bike.

Dad was standing in the front yard, waiting for him. He didn’t remember what Dad said but

could tell he wasn’t happy. How unhappy was he?

He pulled off his belt and whipped Steve with it! He didn’t die from it but sure felt it and didn’t want it again. It did teach him that dad meant business and when he said to come straight home from school next time he’d better do it.

Hebrews 12:5 NET And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons? "My son, do not scorn the Lord's discipline or give up when he corrects you. 6 “For the

Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.” Have you ever been whipped by your heavenly Father? I have and I knew it too. However, I’ve probably been whipped a few times that I didn’t realize it

was Him doing it until later on.

We all need to live in reverent fear of our Heavenly Father. And it’s not that we fear Him sending us to Hell. Some may need to fear in this way, but if we’re in Christ we need to trust

Him that He’ll save us and take home to heaven.

However, there are times when we get rowdy, unruly, etc. and don’t always do what He wants.

And if we don’t want to be chastised rather sharply then we need to live in reverent fear!

I know that He chastens us or disciplines us because He loves us.

You discipline your kids too, but personally, you’d rather not have to be disciplined.

Hebrews 12:28 NET So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. 29 For our God is indeed

a devouring fire.

There’s a Spanish story of a father and son who had become estranged. The son ran away, and the father set off to find him. He searched for months to no avail. Finally, in a last desperate

effort to find him, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper. The ad read: Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you.

Your Father. On Saturday 800 Pacos showed up, looking for forgiveness and love from their

fathers.

Brothers and sisters, do you get the idea? What a father we have! We have a heavenly Father

who is faithful, rich in mercy, full of grace, patient, enduring, forgiving, loving!!! Not enough

good can be said about Him.

Because of Him we must live vibrant, full lives. We must live differently from other people in this world. We must live in reverent respect of Him.