The term Father (pater) is used in the Sermon on the Mount 17 times. (17 is the 7th prime number).
My Father 1
Our Father 1
Your Father 7
Your Father/Heaven 8
Two themes on the Father’s Heart:
What are the heart desires (will) of the Father for you?
What are your heart’s desires for the Father’s will?
Jesus displays and mirrors the Father:
“Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 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; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” (John 14:8–11, NKJV)
What are the heart desires (will) of the Father for you?
“If you then, being evil (human), know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11, NKJV)
1. A Healthy Birth (as a child)
“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.” (Matthew 6:9, NKJV)
2. A Healthy Growth (as a young person)
“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8, NKJV)
“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26, NKJV)
“For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matthew 6:32, NKJV)
3. A Healthy Full Life (as a functioning adult)
“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48, NKJV)
What are your heart’s desires for the Father’s will?
1. Father and Sons: Partnership
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21, NKJV)
2. Courageous actions:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16, NKJV)
3. Persistence:
“that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45, NKJV)
4. Generous:
“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1, NKJV)
“that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:4, NKJV)
5. Communicative:
“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:6, NKJV)
6. Forgiving:
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15, NKJV)
7. Self-denial:
“so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:18, NKJV)
What is the Father’s will?
And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49, NKJV)
“Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19, NKJV)
