WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:06.000 Welcome to Christ the Redeemer this morning and happy happy Father's Day. 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:13.519 My name is Charles Joseph and I'm honored to be one of the elders here at Redeemer. 00:00:14.400 --> 00:00:17.519 I know what you're I know what you're thinking, so I'll just go ahead and say it. 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:20.879 It's finally an elder that looks elderly. 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:22.320 I'm okay with that. 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:25.120 I'm okay with it. 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:38.960 We come to worship each week, and we like to remind ourselves of this truth, that we're much more broken than we originally thought. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:44.640 But we are more loved by God in Christ than we dare to dream. 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:55.280 On this Father's Day, it's the love of this father that I'd like for us to keep in mind this morning. 00:00:56.079 --> 00:01:02.880 You know, it's a fact that we all have different father experiences. 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:11.599 First, our our earthly fathers, our role models as fathers, were all different. 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:16.319 Some were present, some were not present. 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:22.799 Some loved much, some loved not much at all. 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:26.640 Some were near, and some were far. 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:37.519 If you're a father here this morning as I am, you must admit that we are often inconsistent. 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:47.439 We see our imprint on our children, and sometimes it's good, and sometimes it's not good. 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:52.959 As young fathers, we fret. 00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:55.840 Am I doing it right? 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:57.920 Am I doing enough? 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:04.000 As older fathers, we sometimes regret. 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:06.799 Did I do it right? 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:08.960 Did I do enough? 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:21.840 Well, the great news this morning is that Jesus speaks directly to us, right where we are in our fatherhood. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:03:03.680 He said in Matthew 7, if you are evil, flawed father, if you know how to give good gifts to your children, if you, as a sinful man, know how to do anything right as a father, in comparison to our Heavenly Father, who loves you more than you dare to dream, how much more will He provide you all that you need, all the good gifts if you just ask Him as His child. 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:10.000 We have a Father who is perfect in all of His ways. 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:24.400 In contrast to our shared reality of either having or being an imperfect Father, we have one thing in common as children of our Heavenly Father. 00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:30.879 We have a Father who is always present, who is always near. 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:38.319 He even pursues us and spared nothing for his love for us. 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:46.400 He's ready to give us those good gifts of grace and peace. 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:58.080 Indeed, we have, as fathers, we fathers should have a happy Father's Day. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:03:59.039 Amen. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:01.039 Amen. 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:03.759 Let's go to the Lord in prayer. 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:16.000 Our Father in heaven, we we come to you now remembering that you want to be known as our Father. 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:33.199 While you're rightly entitled to be called Lord and King and Creator and Savior, Protector, you want us to approach you as a Father. 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:37.519 You've called us as your children. 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:44.319 And you're not ashamed of us as children when we come to you acknowledging that we need forgiveness. 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:55.279 So, Father, we ask that your Spirit rule in our hearts and minds as we confess our sins to you. 00:04:56.160 --> 00:05:05.120 Father, we we bring to you now the desires of our hearts, mindful that we need your guidance. 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:20.800 We pray for this body that we have members, Lord, who are sick in body and in spirit, those who are not able to be with us today. 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:26.079 We pray that you would bring them to healing and peace. 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:56.000 We pray for the ministries of this church that you have brought about, the children's ministry, the youth, the adult ministries, those of the of the women and the community care ministries, the music and the worship ministries, the work of our staff, Lord, that you would be honored and you would use these ministries to change hearts and lives. 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:08.800 We ask, Lord, that today in this place your word would be effective in reaching our hearts as we claim your promise, that your word never returns void. 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:14.879 Bless Russ as He gives us your words to say. 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:24.480 Bless us, your people, that you will give us ears to hear and change these hearts of stone to flesh. 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:28.240 We pray these things in the name of Jesus. 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:29.120 Amen.