Apr. 14, 2024

There is a lot of Father > Son language in this passage. 

The parent > child relationships (Father > Son, Mother > Daughter) was the most important relationship up until a few generations ago. More important than marriage. 

That is where the “trade” of the father and the “home management” of the mother were passed down to children. With a lack of automation back then, skills had to be passed on, each parent/child relationship was like an apprenticeship. 

Tons of quantity and quality time was spent, every week, in this relational passing down of skills, both economic and domestic skills. 

That’s why Jesus saw his relationship with God as Father/Son, not Husband/Wife. 

That’s also why the genealogies of the Bible are so important. The passing down of heritage and identity through the generations. Whom they married was not as important as to which children they gave birth. 

The genealogies were like a long freight train. You are one car on the train, and some are before you and some come after you.

Let’s look at SPIRITUAL parents and children.

Who shared the faith with you? Who discipled you? (The train car ahead of you)

Whom are you discipling? (The train car after you)

The challenge (Practicalities) I will set before the congregation:

Give thanks for those in the cars ahead of you. Jesus is the engine pulling the whole train. 

There is an unbroken line of believers from you all the way to Jesus. 

Make sure there is a car behind you. Whom are you discipling in the faith? 

One of the reasons the Christian faith is shrinking in North America is that many of us have no train cars behind us. 

CLOSING: A lot of father language in this Bible passage. But Jesus doesn’t want to “hog” his relationship with the Father. He wants to share it with us. 

Jesus: Make them (us) one as we, Father, are one. John 17:21

Jesus: Greater things than these you will do. John 14:12

Proof: He teaches us to pray: OUR Father...