Father – adonainissi

In the Name of the Father

In my last post, I discussed the Song of Hallel, where Psalms 113-118 were sung as part of Jewish Passover tradition. There’s an interesting phrase in the middle of Psalm 118:

Psalm 118:26a
“Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the LORD.”

What does that mean?

Scholars point to two things which are true and yet I believe somehow insufficient to capture the essence of this verse.

First, Jewish scholars point to the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6, where Aaron is told how to bless the people of Israel.

Numbers 6:23-27(NKJV)
23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
24 “The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ‘
27 “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”

Essentially, as a priests, Aaron and his sons are being given authority to bless the people of Israel in the LORD’s name. God is giving the priests authority to speak to the people on His behalf.

Secondly, scholars point to this verse being a Messianic prophecy. Based on the gospel accounts, this also appears to be true. These are the words being spoken upon Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, on Lamb selection day in preparation of the Passover.

Matt 21:8-9
8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
Hosanna in the highest!”

and

Mark 11:9-10
9 Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David
That comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!”

Hosanna originally meant God save me, but the phrase had turned into some kind of cheer. From the context of what people were cheering, we see a connection to the son of David and a coming Kingdom. The people expected that Jesus was going to be the anointed redeemer of the nation of Israel (Messiah), only that wasn’t God’s plan for this time in history.

What’s in a name?

We live in an age where personality or charisma is considered more important than character. It has been said that in America in the 1800s, your name was associated with your character. Your character was who you were when things mattered, and not about putting on a good show. American culture shifted in the 1900s with the focus on how you presented yourself and how to sell (e.g. Dale Carnegie – “How to win friends and influence people”). Essentially we learned how to pretend.

Proverbs 22:1 (NIV)
A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

So what does it mean to use someone else’s name? That is a concept that may feel somewhat foreign to most of us now, since we don’t live in kingdoms in this world. Yet, examples are still present.

South African minister and writer Andrew Murray suggests that using someone else’s name occurs legally (in business), in life (family blood lines and adoption), or in love (taking the name of a spouse).

While use of someone’s name granted authority like the priestly example above, the greater understanding was that a name represented someone’s character or what they were like.

One of the most profound revelations that I have personally received was that Jesus came to show us the Father. Specifically, He came to show us what the Father was like.

John 14:7-9
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father…”

Jesus would go on in this dialogue to invite His disciples to ask for anything in His name.

Come ask me for the things you want or need:

John 14:13-14
13 “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

This also shows the character of a good Father. A good father want their children to be able to come and ask them for the things that they need or want. Even if the answer is no, good fathers want their children to be comfortable enough in their relationship with to come and ask. It’s about children being able to express their hearts in the context of a loving relationship and trust.

To be clear, Jesus wants relationship versus being used for power. For instance, the sons of Sceva got their proverbial lunch taken when using His name without a relationship (Acts 19:13-17).

The following verse is one of my favorites in scripture, not that I have obtained understanding yet, but it gives me a sense of direction:

Jeremiah 9:23-24

23 “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
24 But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the LORD.

“You have seen me, you’ve seen the Father.”

I would suggest to you that Jesus was blessed because he came in the name and character of His Father. He did what His Father would do. In every reference to God except one, Jesus referred to God as My Father (Avi in Hebrew, Abba in Aramaic). The Hebrew for Avi (translated my Father) is shown below:

אָבִ֑י

You won’t find that kind of relationship anywhere in the Tanakh (old testament). No wonder the Pharisees wanted to stone Him.

The one exception to Jesus calling God His Father was when he felt abandoned by God on the cross bearing the weight of the sin of this world, along with the shame and scorn of his crucifixion (Matt 27-16). Here, he only called him, “My God.” Jesus came to know our feelings of what it felt like to feel cutoff or abandoned by God. Most of us can relate to this feeling in some season of our journey, whether it’s really true or not.

I want to give you some examples in scripture of how Jesus showed us the character of the Father.

I came to serve, not be served, and I will love and embrace those considered least:

Mark 9:35-37

35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

I reward the smallest things done for the sake of my name which exhibit my heart:

Mark 9:41

41 “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

I will never abandon you and will teach you the things of the Spirit:

John 14:16-18

16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever–
17 “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

I am gentle and humble, learn from me:

Matthew 11:29

29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

This morning, we had a mourning dove just sitting on the railing of our back deck. It was resting peacefully even as my wife and I moved around in our kitchen. Normally doves are easily startled and fly off.

Much has been written about the I AM statements of Jesus. They too show us the heart and character of Jesus (e.g. I AM the good shepherd), but they also show us the heart of Jesus’ Father.

I want you to know that I love you and want you as my own child:

John 1:12
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

1 John 3:1
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

My personal challenge to you is to ask for an understanding heart to know the heart and character of Jesus, and by inference, that of His Father. When we do things by the spirit and with the heart and character of God, then we too, are truly blessed.

Blessed is the one who comes in the name and character of Jesus and our Father.

אָבִ֑י

Knowing the Truth – What is Freedom?

John 8:28-36
28 So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own. But just as the Father taught Me, I say these things.
29 The One who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.”
30 As He was saying these things, many believed in Him.
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you really are My disciples.
32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 “We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered Him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will become free’? “
34 Jesus responded, “I assure you: Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever.
36 Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.”

I meet many spiritual seekers in my travels. Some of whom are looking for the truth. What does “the truth” mean in the context of this scripture (John 8:32)? I would venture a guess that even more of us are looking for freedom. How do we define freedom in the context of this scripture (John 8:36)?

I believe the context for all of chapter eight in the book of John is about a personal revelation of God as a loving Father. A friend of mine recently shared that the goal of the gospel is not just to bring people to personal relationship with Jesus, but for them to understand who they are as sons and daughters of God as their Father.

Romans 8:15 (HCSB)
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father! “.

The word translated ‘Abba’ from the Greek text is ‘Av’ in Hebrew for Father.

Jesus always spoke to God as His Father (with one notable exception). What was scandalous in the text was the idea that Jesus could have a personal relationship with God as Father. For this, the Pharisees wanted to kill Jesus. I shared a message a year ago entitled “Jesus came to show us the Father.”

In order to understand the truth Jesus is talking about, we need to look at how He defines freedom. In our American culture, and in our churches, we get the idea that freedom means that I can do whatever I want. We celebrate freedom on July 4th, as well as say and do all kinds of things in the name of “freedom”, but I don’t believe any of that has anything to do with how Jesus defined freedom.

I believe the freedom Jesus makes reference to is knowing God as a loving Father, sets you free to do what is pleasing to Him (John 8:28-29). A son or daughter will remain in His house which means we abide or remain in His love and His word. Knowing how we are loved (the Son is lifted up), sets us free to love our neighbor as ourselves. Revelation of that love that gave Himself up for our sakes humbles us. In that place of humility and understanding, we will have a desire to submit to the good and pleasing will of the Father.

Part of what is being revealed in the verses below is whether we have the heart of an orphan (a slave), or a free heart (a son).

John 8:34-35 (HCSB)
34 Jesus responded, “I assure you: Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever.”

Yeshua tells us that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. What does that mean? Does that mean we can reach a place of sinlessness? Hardly. What the scripture seems to suggest in context is that we are not really free when we choose sin (something other than the will of the Father). We have not received the revelation that life is really found in the love of the Father and that there is greater joy to be experienced abiding with Him than doing our own thing. The two trees in the garden of Eden represent choices of leadership. Only one of those choices leads to life.

I have written in previous blogs that light is a metaphor for truth. Darkness is a metaphor for deception or ignorance (lack of light).

1 John 1:5-9 articulates this metaphor.

5 Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him.
6 If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

“If” we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light. What does that mean? I believe Jesus walked in perfect understanding of who he was as a son. Truth is shaped in the form of a cross. It requires humility and submission to the will of the Father. It acknowledges our need for us to take up our cross daily and die to the desires of our own flesh.

Nobody wants to be around someone who thinks they are perfect. It is our human need for a Savior that helps us to relate to each other (compassion). We have fellowship when we can be transparent with one another, be transparent with ourselves, and be transparent with God. Walking in the light means I don’t need to hide or be ashamed, and I have confidence that my Heavenly Father loves me, is for me, and is not ashamed to call me His son.

Confession keeps us honest and keeps us in relationship. Darkness hides and conceals things because of fear, deception, or shame. When I commit some kind of sin that affects my wife, it is generally better that I let her know rather than trying to hide it or cover it up.

Proverbs 28:13 (HCSB)
The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.

The point is not for us to become sin or confession focused. The point is for us to have honest, transparent relationships and to have our focus on the Father and the Son.

Tying this all together, I started with the question, “what is freedom?” Freedom is knowing the love of the Father for you, personally. Out of relationship, freedom looks like knowing the good and perfect will of the Father and out of love, being able to love others as you love yourself. Freedom looks like walking in transparency in all your relationships. Not being perfect, but honest. Walking in freedom will look like life in the spirit and will reveal the goodness of God. Freedom will bear good fruit and bring honor to God the Father and Jesus the Son. Being truly free means I am able to choose the Father’s will over my own. That is the “real” definition of freedom.

In my next blog, I plan on dispelling some bad theology with regard to how we think…

The Extravagant Father

03/10/2012 – The Extravagant Father

Recently, I received fresh revelation on a scripture that I’ve explored many times. The story is about a father, a younger son, and an older son. The story is described in Luke 15:11-31. Take some time to refresh your memory with the story. While there’s nothing particularly profound in the language of this story, there are deep things to be discovered in pondering.

To set the stage, Yeshua (Jesus) is addressing the Pharisees and scribes as the target of the story. While the story is often traditionally focused on the younger son, the story of the older son is an indictment and the thrust of the conviction. The story begins with a response to a complaint from the self-righteous Pharisees and scribes.

Luke 15:1-2

Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

The revelation I received is that this story is about two covenants. The older brother represents the old (Mosaic) covenant. The younger brother represents the new (Messianic) covenant.

Here are some insights focused on the younger son that perhaps you haven’t considered yet:

For a Jewish son to demand his share of the estate while the father was still living would have been a great insult (as it would be today). It would be equivalent to saying “I wish you were dead so I could have your money.” Think about how shocking this was to hear for his audience. Think about how you would have felt as a parent.
You probably already know that pigs were considered unclean animals (haunt of demons). Did you ever wonder how pigs got that way?
The pods were known to be carob pods, which were rather tasteless but provided basic sustenance during a time of famine. How often, do we turn to the temporary things of this world to try to satisfy us?
How did the Father see the younger son? As unclean and demonized with the lusts of this world? Surprisingly, when the Father saw the younger son, he didn’t see the filth, the perversion, or the uncleanness. He saw a son. He saw his potential to be reconciled to love and to have new life as a son as part of a family. This reveals the heart of the Father. The Father felt compassion for him, ran towards him, embraced him, and kissed him much. The expression for “embraced him” is actually to “fall on his neck” which means to place your head upon someone’s neck weeping with joy. The scripture 2 Corinthians 5:19 reflects this perspective (“in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation”).
In the Jewish culture, the fattened calf would have been their best animal (there normally would have been only one), saved for a very special occasion or time of celebration. The scripture in Hebrews 9:22 instructs us that there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. Here’s an interesting thought. Where was Jesus in the story? Was Jesus the fattened calf slaughtered to make a way for the younger son to be restored to love and relationship (a covenant meal)? Perhaps the story simply showed what the Father was doing in response to the question being asked (to bring home that which is lost to love and relationship). Perhaps the story is pointing to the finished work completed as part of the new covenant, with the blood of Jesus making the loving relationship possible. Perhaps the story is pointing to the coming time where Jesus became the sacrifice to end all sacrifices.
There has been much said about the robe, the ring, and the sandals, but a simpler explanation would be having a profound experience that you belong, you are loved, you have authority, and you are family. Don’t we all need this experience? Do you experientially know that you belong, are loved, have authority, and are family?
How much did this cost the Father? In the Greek, that which has been translated as “wealth” is the Greek word “bios” meaning life (Luke 15:12,30). As a father in the story, he would have had to give up his life (only son) in order to provide the wealth to divide and distribute between us. He was willing to give everything (his estate) to reconcile, and have loving relationship with us.

As said, the thrust in the story was exposing the hearts of the self-righteous. Both of the sons were lost. What can we learn about the heart of the older brother?

Why didn’t the older brother go after the younger brother? Didn’t he love his brother? There is no love expressed through religious works.
He was unwilling to celebrate the restoration of another. There’s a place to celebrate in the saving of another, in someone going from death to life and becoming reborn. Religion and moral conformity keep us from being able to love one another. He judged the younger son as being unworthy of being celebrated or being restored. How often do we fall into this with our hearts?
The older brother became angry and embittered. Why? Obviously his focus was upon himself and his own works. The value of his estate would have been reduced, or so he thought. The older brother never received the grace of God, because His righteousness was based on his own works. Hebrews 12:15 – “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”
The older brother didn’t acknowledge his younger brother as being legitimate, calling him a “Son of yours.” The older brother didn’t want to have his reputation sullied by being associated with “sinners.” Was he lost in his place of pride?
The Father is trying to bring the older brother into a place of repentance (coming home). The older brother is a slave to the law (old Mosaic covenant). He says in Luke 15:29, “Look! For all these years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours.” This is what being a slave to religion, rules, and moral conformity look like. Where was his heart? Did he love others? Did he truly love the Father, or was it about what he thought he could earn through following the rules?
The Father tells him in verse 31,“you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.” There’s a message for all the religious older brothers. The Father’s crazy extravagant love and provision have been available through the asking and the receiving as a free gift through the love and one-time life sacrifice of Jesus.

To conclude, the story answers the question that the Father does indeed receive sinners and eats with them. Jesus as the Son, did what the Father did. The story is about an extravagant Father (prodigal means extravagant), revealing his nature and love for us. Both of his sons were lost. The younger son was lost in the lusts of this world, the older son was lost in religion, responsibility, and duty. Through relationship, the younger son found love, forgiveness, and joy. The older son was lost in religion and had yet to find his way.

How have we made the kingdom of Heaven more like being around older brothers instead of being loved and accepted in relationship?

Jesus shared this story to illustrate what God is like and that there is an invitation to loving relationship and being identified as a family, not a religion. Regardless of which son we most resemble, there’s an invitation to come, be embraced, kissed much, and treated like a son or daughter as part of a family.