The Heart of the Father

This powerful message invites us into a transformative understanding of God's fatherly love—a love that transcends our earthly experiences and redefines our identity. Drawing from Matthew 7:7-14, we're reminded that our Heavenly Father's heart is fundamentally inviting, providing, and guiding. The sermon challenges us to ask a crucial question: what extent did God go to for the value He sees in us? The answer is staggering—He gave His only Son. Through vivid illustrations, including a compelling exercise with dollar bills that demonstrates how we assess value, we discover that God sees immeasurable worth in each of us, even on our worst days. The message confronts the reality that many of us carry distorted images of fatherhood, but emphasizes that nothing our earthly fathers said can negate what our Heavenly Father declares over us. We learn three essential truths: God's heart is inviting (He wants relationship, not distance), God's heart provides what we need (not always what we want, but what strengthens us for what's ahead), and God's heart leads us to abundant life through the narrow gate. The most profound insight comes in understanding Jesus's cry on the cross—He experienced separation from the Father so we would never have to. This Christmas season, we're called to run to the Father again and again, knowing His arms are always open wide.