"Our Father"

Jesus gave them this answer, "Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does" ~ John 5:19

Jesus' answer here was to the Jewish leaders' desire to kill Him for daring to blaspheme God's name by calling God His own Father. But it could only be blasphemy if it were not true, and Jesus' response shows that not only is it true, but everything they have seen Jesus do in front of their eyes is from the Father, since the Son will not do anything beyond what the Father says. This is one of the many verses in the New Testament where Jesus acknowledges the close, personal relationship He has with the Father. But He didn't keep that for Himself. By receiving Jesus and believing in His name and purpose, we also have been given the right to become children of God. It's we refer to one another as "brothers and sisters", because we all have the same spiritual Father. Jesus made that possible by coming to be our Savior and Lord, and it's why the legalism-shattering first two words of The Lord's Prayer, "Our Father", make total sense. This week at Friendship, we begin our first sermon series of 2025 called "And When You Pray". It will be based on The Lord's Prayer found in Scripture, and our first message is on those blessed first two words. Join us to hear about what this intimate relationship with the Father means for our lives, and to be encouraged if your own earthly father is gone or never was around much in the first place. Don't miss what the Father offers you through the Son!