Finding the Father

Sermon Title: “Finding the Father in the Wilderness”

Text: Matthew 3

Preacher: Alex Hogendoorn

Date: March 9, 2025

Summary Tagline:

“We see the Father clearly only through the Son.”

Message Summary:

Alex began by sharing a personal story about parenting—how, despite his instincts, he had to humble himself and let his son show him who he was becoming. This set the stage for the sermon’s theme: our relationship with the Father is dynamic, shaped by both our growth and his unchanging love. From there, Alex took the congregation into Matthew 3, showing how Jesus’ baptism reveals what true sonship looks like.

At his baptism, Jesus stood in the place of sinners, repenting on behalf of humanity, and in doing so, the heavens opened, and the Father declared, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” This was more than just an affirmation—it was a revelation of who the Father truly is. Jesus shows us the Father as loving, wise, and worthy. In the wilderness, he lived out this sonship, trusting the Father in hunger, in trial, and in worship. The sermon concluded with a call to repentance—not merely as an act of self-denial but as a turning toward the Father, trusting him as Jesus did, and praying as Jesus taught: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”

Group Discussion Guide

Icebreaker Questions: (Choose 1)

1. Have you ever had a moment when you realized you needed to see someone differently—maybe a parent, friend, or mentor? What changed?

2. Have you ever misjudged someone, only to later realize they were more trustworthy than you thought?

3. From movies or books, was there a moment that completely changed the way that you viewed a character or the better?

Read Matthew 3 together and discuss any questions that arise from the passage. Then use a few of these questions for further reflection.

Discussion Questions:

1. What comes to mind when you hear the word “Father”? How has your experience shaped the way you see God? Was there a moment where your view of God was changed?

2. After Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened, and the Father spoke. How does seeing Jesus through this moment change or deepen your understanding of God as Father?

3. Jesus trusted the Father completely in the wilderness. How does his example challenge you to trust God in your own trials and uncertainties?

4. Alex pointed out that we only see the Father clearly through the Son. How does this truth shape the way we approach God in prayer, worship, and daily life?

5. The sermon ended with the invitation to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” What does it mean for you personally to pray these words?

For Further Study:

1. Matthew 3:1-17 – Jesus’ baptism and the revelation of the Father.

2. John 14:9-11 – “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

3. Romans 8:14-17 – The Spirit confirms that we are God’s children.

4. Luke 15:11-32 – The prodigal son and the heart of the Father.

5. Isaiah 64:8 – “O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter.”

6. Hebrews 12:5-11 – God disciplines those he loves as a Father.

7. John 17:25-26 – Jesus prays that we may know the Father’s love.

8. Psalm 103:13 – “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”

9. Matthew 6:9-13 – The Lord’s Prayer as Jesus’ invitation to call God “Father.”

10. 1 John 3:1 – “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God!”

Gospel Connections

Let’s discuss how we can apply this message to our lives as we seek to make the following connections as we follow Jesus:

1. How does seeing the Father through Jesus deepen your relationship with God?

2. How can our church be a place where people experience the love, wisdom, and worthiness of the Father?

3. How can our group help one another grow in confidence that God is truly our Father, not just in name but in how we live and pray?

4. What are ways we can invite those in our city—who may have misconceptions about God—to experience the Father’s love through us?