by T. Austin-Sparks
From conference messages given in Switzerland in September 1962. In these messages T. Austin-Sparks felt led to deviate from the theme of "Discipleship in the School of Christ" and speak about the revelation of God the Father and His Family. The previous conference messages were published in the AWAT magazines and in the book: "Discipleship in the School of Christ". Edited and supplied by the Golden Candlestick Trust.
The words in the Gospel by John which take us right to the very heart of God are "Father" and "Son". However much there may be about "Life" in the Gospel - and there is a very great deal - and however much there may be about other things, the heart of everything is in these two words: 'Father' and 'Son'. Jesus came to show us that the Jewish and pagan idea is not the kind of Father that we may have. We may draw near to Him without fear; we may know Him; and we may have fellowship with Him. He is only too anxious to come near and make Himself known and understood... Has God lost His family? "The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). And the greatest thing that the Lord Jesus seeks and saves is the family. This ought to revolutionise our idea about churches. You would think that God wants anything but families by the way people talk about churches: companies of people who are built upon a technique, all kinds of laws and regulations, a certain set and fixed system and order. That is not a family! Every local company of the Lord's people ought to be a family, and all the Lord's people in the world ought to be a family. They really are a family, but they are not living as a family. Yes, Jesus has brought in His own Person the revelation of God as Father.
