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    Jun 20, 2021

    The Father You Always Wanted

    Passage: Psalms 103:8-18

    Speaker: Doug Swagerty

    Category: Sermon

    Sermon Summary:

    In Psalm 103 David is preaching the good news of his Heavenly Father to his own soul. Verse 1 "Bless the Lord, O my soul...." In verses 8-18 he reminds himself what God is like. If these words are true, then these 3 things about our Heavenly Father are also true:

    (1) He is not ashamed of me -
    This passage is full of different ways God expresses His forgiveness and love.
    • He is fully committed to the good of His people. Cf Heb 11 - God is not ashamed to be Abraham's God—even in his failures.



    (2) I don't have to hide from God or pretend
    "As a father has compassion on his children... he remembers that we are dust" (vs 13-14)
    • For David and his audience: God understands our weakness, yet His love and forgiveness are great.
    • For us: the gospel underscores God's faithful love in spite of our utter inability to save ourselves.
    • We have a Father who loves us unconditionally despite our sin and failure.



    (3) My Father will finish His work in me
    "From everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love..." (vs 17)
    • For David and his audience: "the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" points to his enduring love that stretches from the past to the present day.
    • For us: we see that Jesus has fulfilled God's promise to crush the head of the serpent in Gen 3:15 and bring us into renewed fellowship with Himself.  
    • His past faithfulness is the basis for our present confidence. It is Jesus who finished the work required, and our faith is in Him.


    Discussion Questions:
    1. Read Psalm 103 together.
    2. From the sermon, which of these 3 truths about our Heavenly Father move your heart most to gratitude and worship?
    3. Which of these is hardest for you to believe about your Heavenly Father?
    4. Pray for each other.