SERMON: THE FATHER'S FIGURES
Introduction: In our society today we have a disillusioning phenomena happening – It’s 40% of all households today have no father in them. The fatherless trend in families have caused many rippling effects today: o Suicide is 3rd major cause of Teen deaths today. This horror reveals a sense of hopelessness in teens. o Family splits have reached an all time high with 50% of all marriages ending in divorce and a large percentage of these are filled with hate and maliciousness after the divorce and it affects the kids. o Many kids are used as pawns in the battle between ex-wife and ex-husband. o Teen crime has escalated from a frustrated generation experiencing broken homes and absentee fathers and mothers. o Think of all the school shootings all the teen shootings. o Violent crime with Teens has sky rocketed revealing an angry youth culture. o I saw a guy the other day dressed like the kids who killed the kids at Columbine and he was proud of them. o Drug use has risen significantly in teens and pre-teens to dull the pain. o Drugs in our area are. o Sex outside of marriage has sky rocketed –kids looking for the love that is missing in the homes. o Sexually transmitted diseases are escalating causing more heartache and death. o 30% of all women getting pregnant today are not married creating homes that are under a lot of pressure. Single parents and teen parents are under a lot of pressure and many give up. o One out of three children born today are born into fatherless homes o Schools that were once safe refuges have changed. Today it’s become a place of violence, drugs, rebellion, disrespectfulness and other serious problems. Part of the blame goes to fatherless families. o I notice that a large part of kids without fathers are angry and upset- most want their fathers in their lives and the pain is evident. o I observe that these effects have risen as fatherless homes have increased as fathers have disappeared in the homes and in their kid’s lives. But too often Father’s Day sermons are admonishing men to be what they are to be. The reason? Because many are not, and our society is obviously reaping it! But I am not going to do so, for I believe that too much will break a spirit or frustrate a heart. As much as I think men should have the broad shoulders to take a good rebuke. I’ve found they are, in many cases hurt and disillusioned about their calling and confidence. Mainly because of their fathers! - Go figure! Time to break the chains of lousy fathers, and redeem this generation! AMEN?! Today is Fathers day! In essence it’s a day to follow the Biblical mandate to honor your Fathers. There are four main references to doing this in Scripture: Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Leviticus 19:3 “Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord.” Deut. 5:16 “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord God commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for it is right. Honor your father and mother”-which is the first commandment with a promise-“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Today we will fulfill the commandment to honor our fathers today. Fathers you deserve to be honored. Fathers who are godly and who are there as servant leaders to their families and church are worthy of being honored. Men who are godly father figures deserve to be honored. TRANSITIONAL-STATEMENT: Dads and those who are fatherly figures in the church “Do you know, do you understand who you are?” For the best father figure you can be, is one that is figure of our heavenly Father! “Thanks father’s and father figures for being a servant leader and being a witness to me about who Jesus is!” I. Doyou know that your presence makes a difference? For it is your protection and watchful eye on kid’s/the weaker? a. The impact of a fatherly presence: 1. A godly fathers presence in the home brings a feeling of security and comfort. 2. His presence helps to calm fears. 3. His presence aids in the assistance of helping to raise the kids for the Lord. The mother is not left alone to raise the kids by herself, it’s two people working together as a team. 4. This creates an atmosphere of safety and security. b. A father’s protection makes a difference! Keeping watch on his own: In the pioneer days of our country, there was a boy whose home was situated in the backwoods. A school had been opened some miles away from where the boy lived. Part of the way to the school led through a dense forest. The boy’s father was strong, brave backwoodsman. He wanted his son to grow up to be strong and brave. So he told his son that he would have to go to school alone! When the boy walked through the dark forest, he always expected to meet a bear or a wild Indian. With the passing of the days and weeks, his fear subsided. Then one afternoon, he saw a great bear standing right in his pathway! The bear growled and glowered at the boy. The boy stood motionless, filled with fear. Even if he had run, it would have done no good, for the bear would outrun him. As he stood there, a shot rang out. The bear fell dead. Then, from the bushes, the father emerged. “It’s all right, Son. I’ve been with you all the time. Every morning I have followed you to school, and every afternoon I have been in the shadows watching you. I kept myself hidden from you because I wanted you to learn to be brave!” 1. This father is a father who deserves to be honored he trained his child to be brave but never left him abandoned. He was always there in the background to lend a helping hand when needed. 2. Fathers “Thank You!” for the difference your presence & protection makes, it builds confidence & security in you kids. 3. It helps to teach them to be brave but they know your always be there to lend a hand when they cannot handle the bears in life. 4. The presence of a Father is not only in quality time but in quantity also. This church needs to see the men. Needs to see them as Figures of our Heavenly Father. So today I comission you and release you to that ministry. Father the people here; the kids, yours or not, the teens, they need it, those younger..I value a Godly man around my kid’s! Ex 20:12 Honour thy father . . . Is the figure your showing, that of our Heavenly Father? II. Do know and understand that your daily insights, your teachings and directions to kids make a difference? a. Fathers your daily directions to your kids helps to give them insight and wisdom from your many years of experience and from your relationship with the Lord. i. They are listening even if you do not think so- It’s making a difference. This is so true! My Father When I Was: 4 years old: My daddy can do anything 8 years old: My dad doesn’t know exactly everything that. He’s too old to remember his childhood. 14 years old: Don’t pay any attention to my father. He is old fashioned! 21 years old: Him? My Lord, he’s hopelessly out-of-date! 30 years old: Maybe we should ask dad what he thinks. After all, he’s had a lot of experience. 50 years old: I’d give anything if Dad were here now so I could just talk this thing over with him. Too bad I didn’t appreciate how smart he was! I could have learned a lot... Younger folks, think ahead, learn from elders, that is wisdom. b. Your teachings are essential to see to it that your kids succeed and make the right decisions. i. Deut. 4:9 “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” ii. Deut. 11:19-21 “Teach them (The commands of the Lord) to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.” iii. Children are to be taught by their parents – they are role models to them and it will make a difference. .” iv. Proverbs 22:15 “train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” 1. Thanks dad for all the training – I Thank You and the Lord Thanks you. It makes a difference! 2. Dad’s keep up the good work – Train and teach your kids & others- It will make a difference for all eternity. Ex 20:12 Honour thy father . . . Is the figure your showing, that of our Heavenly Father? III. Fathers and fatherly figures do you know, do you understand that your daily influence make a difference – you are a role-model! a. Your influence conveys messages of conduct to your children and those who look up to you: 1. INFLUENCE : 1 Thessalonians 2:11 “Even as you saw how, like a father with his children, we were teaching and comforting you all, and giving witness,” That is what a father does. He encourages & comforts & urges his children to live lives worthy of God. And it’s all positive. Poem: There are little eyes upon you. And they’re watching night and day; There are little ears that quickly Take in every word you say; There are little hands all eager To do anything you do; And a little boy who’s dreaming Of the day he’ll be like you. You’re the little fellow’s idol You’re the wisest of the wise’ In this little mind about you, No suspicions ever rise; He believes in you devoutly, Holds that all you say and do, He will say and do, in your way When he’s grown-up like you. There’s a wide eyed little fellow, Who believes you’re always right, And his ears are always open, And he watches day and night; You are setting an example Every day in all you do, For the little boy who’s waiting To grow up to be like you. Author Unknown Understand dad that you need to get to your childs level, as our Father came to ours in Jesus. We need to treat them with that kind of patient love. Dissapointment is at its strongest when dad does it. No one, no one, can disapoint like a Father. God has made children have the highest expectations from dad, even if dad has disapointed before, a child is determined in hope for dad to be the greatest. Be direct then. Saying “Maybe” to a child is the same as “yes”, and will hurt when it ends up “no”. For, I’m sure some of you know, not every dad is always a positive influence. ILL. Listen to Brian’s story: “I was just 12 years old when my Boy Scout troop planned a father-son campout. I was thrilled & could hardly wait to rush home & give my father all the information. I wanted so much to show him all I’d learned in scouting, & I was so proud when he said he’d go with me. “The Friday of the campout finally came, & I had all my gear out on the porch, ready to stuff it in his car the moment he arrived. We were all to meet at the school at 5 p.m. & car pool to the campground. But Dad didn’t get home from work until 7 p.m. I was frantic, but he explained that things had gone wrong at work & told me not to worry. We could still get up first thing in the morning & join the others. After all, we had a map. I was disappointed, of course, but decided to make the best of it. “First thing in the morning, I was up & had everything in his car while it was still getting light, all ready for us to catch up with my friends & their fathers at the campground. Dad had said we’d leave around 7 a.m., & I was ready a half hour before that. But he didn’t even come out of his room until 9 a.m. “When he saw me standing out front with the camping gear, he finally explained that he had a bad back & couldn’t sleep on the ground. He hoped I’d understand & that I’d be a ‘big boy’ about it … but could I please get my things out of his car, because he had several commitments he had to keep. “Just about the hardest thing I’ve ever done was to go to the car & take out my sleeping bag, cooking stove, pup tent, & supplies. And then, while I was putting my stuff away in the storage shed & he thought I couldn’t see, I watched my father carry his golf clubs out & throw them in his trunk & drive away to keep his ‘commitment.’ “That’s when I realized my dad never meant to go with me to the campout. I didn’t matter to him, but his golfing buddies did. That was my life. I can tell you, that everytime dad chooses something over his child, that father dies to that child - over and over. Biblical discipline is love. Mad at bad report cards is good! I should be like my natural father, for thats the chain of sin, but because my Heavenly Father (of the fatherless) saved me and because of fatherly figures in the church that taught me, I am not my natural father. So to all you father figures, I say “thank you & God Bless!” Dan Benson, in his book “The Total Man,” says that for every positive word that most dads say to their children, they say 10 negative ones. They’re really good at words like “Don’t” & “You can’t” & “Stop that,” & “No.” But they’re not very good at the positive words. Benson suggests that we could change whole personality of our relationship with our children if we just learned to be positive, & influence things in a positive way. GODLY FATHER A small boy had been consistently late for dinner. One particular day his parents had warned him to be on time, but he arrived later than ever. He found his parents already seated at the table, about to start eating. Quickly he sat at his place, and then noticed what was set before him--a slice of bread and a glass of water. There was silence as he sat staring at his plate, crushed. Suddenly he saw his father’s hand reach over, pick up his plate and set it before himself. Then his dad put his own full plate in front of his son, smiling warmly as he made the exchange. When the boy became a man, he said, "All my life I’ve known what God was like by what my father did that night." Now that is what I call positive influence, & that’s what I really call love. Ex 20:12 Honour thy father . . . Is the figure your showing, that of our Heavenly Father? IV. Do you understand that your leadership will mold lives for all eternity? a. Joshua was a father who has worthy of honor because of his stance. He demonstrated a godly fathers leadership. i. Joshua 24:1-15“But as for me and my household we will serve the Lord.” 1. It did not matter what everyone else was doing. He and his family would serve the Lord in spite of the pressure from the culture to not serve Him. a. Joshua did not do it his way but he chose to do it God’s way. b. He knew from experience that a father must make certain basic commitments to God and to God’s principles. c. He knew that his stand in the home would affect the nation as a whole on the national level. Which it did! 2. This example from Joshua shows the importance of fatherly leadership. 3. This is the type of leadership that is worthy of honor by the Lord and what we honor today. a. Thanks to all you dad’s who have made this proclamation to serve the Lord in spite of the worlds pressure to not do it. b. Sad to say many more mothers have made this commitment than fathers. Today we need more fathers who are willing to make this stand. It makes the difference! Fathers and father figures will you take up that torch? Draw a line in the sand and scream out “Jesus is my Lord and savior!” Firmly rebuking evil and the enemy as well as embrace the lost and the church! Fathers need to be the leaders the Lord has called you to be. It makes a difference. A big one! We thank you for being servant leaders! Ex 20:12 Honour thy father . . . Is the figure your showing, that of our Heavenly Father? V. Today is Father’s Day a time to honor fathers and father figures. But for some here today you may not have a father or you had a poor father. WHAT KIND OF FATHER IS GOD? God meets your deepest needs and God uses a descriptive name for Himself that matches every one of your deepest needs. Your understanding of God will affect every area of your life. If you have misconceptions about God, what He’s really like – you’re going to tend to worry about things you shouldn’t be worrying about. Your understanding of God determines your happiness in life. One of the things Jesus Christ came to earth to do is show us what God is really like. Jesus exploded all the stereotypes about God. He showed us that God is not some impersonal force, just an energy field in the universe. God is not some angry tyrant who sits up in heaven waiting to make things miserable for people. God is not some apathetic creator who winds up the world and sets it down and then sits back and benignly watches it happen with no involvement. In fact, Jesus described God in two words. He said In Matthew 6:9 “This is how you should pray “Our Father . . .in heaven.” [in other words, this is how you should talk to God, this is how you should address the creator of the universe] “FATHER” is how God wants you to think of Him! Again I say its time to break the chains of lousy fathers, and redeem this generation! AMEN?! So to all, especially fathers, see Him as this and call on the ultimate Father to make you and equip you to be the ultimate Father figure! - To be like Jesus! This FATHER OF ALL -- WE NEED TO HONOR HIM -- HIS Name is GOD! a. The Bible tells us that he is a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows (Psalm 68:5). This especially means a lot to me! My life is evidence of this, trust me! b. He promises us that He is our “Everlasting Father” (Isa. 9:6). i. Means he will never leave us! c. He promises to be “a father to all who believe” (Romans 4:11) 1. He is there for all who put their faith and trust in Him. 2. He’s the most faithful Dad of all. 3. He will be with you always – His presence will be there! 4. He will protect you. 5. He will guide you. 6. He will teach you. 7. He will give you wisdom. 8. He will, if you let Him, influence you. 9. He will lead you from here to eternity 10. He is a father who is loving and caring 11. He is the father that knows best! So . . .Father’s must be cool! AMEN?! Conclusion: Today we honor our earthly fathers like the Bible commands us to do. Dads and those who are fatherly figures in the church “Do you know, do you understand who you are?” For the best father figure you can be, is one that is figure of our heavenly Father! Ex 20:12 Honour thy father . . . Is the figure your showing, that of our Heavenly Father? Thanks father’s and father figures for being a servant leader and being a witness to me about who Jesus is! (stand& repeat to men)
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