Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 7:9–11, John 14:8–10, Luke 15:11–24, Matt. 6:25–34, Heb. 9:14.
Memory Text: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him” (1 John 3:1, NKJV).
Jesus delighted to speak of God as the Father. According to the Gospels, Jesus applied the name Father to God more than one hundred thirty times. On various occasions, He added adjectives: “ ‘heavenly Father’ ” (Matt. 6:14, NKJV), “ ‘living Father’ ” (John 6:57, NKJV), “ ‘Holy Father’ ” (John 17:11, NKJV), and “ ‘righteous Father’ ” (vs. 25, NKJV). The name describes the intimate bond that should unite us to our Lord.
Traditionally, a “father” provides love, protection, security, sustenance, and identity for a family. A father gives a name to the family and keeps its members together. We can enjoy these and many other benefits when we accept God as our heavenly Father.
Though it is so essential for us to know the Father, our aim should not be just intellectual and theoretical knowledge. In the Bible, to know someone means to have a personal, intimate relationship with him or her. How much more so with our heavenly Father?
This week we will explore what Jesus taught about our Father and about His infinite love for us. We will look, too, at the close relationship of the Father with the Son and with the Holy Spirit.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 5.