Topical - Fathers Day

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Introduction:

Once there was a little boy who lived in the country and had to use an outhouse  Tthe little boy hated it because it was hot in the summer, cold in the winter and stank all the time. The outhouse was sitting on the bank of a creek and the boy determined that one day he would push that outhouse into the creek.

Well, he got his chance one day after a spring rain. The creek was swollen way up on the bank so the little boy decided today was the day to push the outhouse into the creek. He got a large branch to use as a lever  and started pushing. Finally, the outhouse toppled into the creek and floated away.

That night his dad told him they were going to the woodshed after supper. Knowing that meant a spanking, the little boy asked why. The dad replied, "Someone pushed the outhouse into the creek today. It was you, wasn't it, son?" The boy answered yes. Then he thought a moment and said, "Dad, I read in school today that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree and didn't get into trouble because he told the truth." The dad replied, "Well, son, George Washington's father wasn't in that cherry tree when he cut it down!”

I.      introduction

A.   This morning I would like to recognize the fathers in our congregation with a special Father’s Day teaching.

1.    If you are like most of us, you may not even know how Father’s Day came into existence, to be celebrated as we do today.

2.    I would like to read some excerpts from Panati’s book “Extraordinary Origins of Ordinary Things.”

The idea for an official Father's Day celebration came to a married daughter, seated in a church in Spokane, Washington, attentive to a Sunday sermon on Mother's Day in 1910 - two years after the first Mother's Day observance in West Virginia.

The daughter was Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd. During the sermon, which extolled maternal sacrifices made for children, Mrs. Dodd realized that in her own family it had been her father, William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran, who had sacrificed - raising herself and five sons alone, following the early death of his wife in childbirth. For Mrs. Dodd, the hardships her father had endured on their eastern Washington farm called to mind the unsung feats of fathers everywhere.

Her proposed local Father's Day celebration received strong support from the town's ministers and members of the Spokane YMCA. The date suggested for the festivities, June 5, Mrs. Dodd's father's birthday - a mere three weeks away - had to be moved back to the nineteenth when ministers claimed they need extra time to prepare sermons on such a new subject as Father.

Newspapers across the country, already endorsing the need for a national Mother's Day, carried stories about the unique Spokane observance. Interest in Father's Day increased. Among the first notables to support Mrs. Dodd's idea nationally was the orator and political leader William Jennings Bryan, who also backed Mother's Day. Believing that fathers must not be slighted, he wrote to Mrs. Dodd, "too much emphasis cannot be placed upon the relation between parent and child."

Father's Day, however, was not so quickly accepted as Mother's Day. Members of the all-male Congress felt that a move to proclaim the day official might be interpreted as a self-congratulatory pat on the back. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson and his family personally observed the day. And in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recommended that states, if they wished, should hold their own Father's Day observances. He wrote to the nation's governors that "the widespread observance of this occasion is calculated to establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children, and also to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations."

Many people attempted to secure official recognition for Father's Day. One of the most notable efforts was made in 1957, by Senator Margaret Chase Smith, who wrote forcefully to Congress that "Either we honor both our parents, mother and father, or let us desist from honoring either one. But to single out just one of our two parents and omit the other is the most grievous insult imaginable."

Eventually, in 1972 - sixty-two years after it was proposed - Father's Day was permanently established by President Richard Nixon. Historians seeking an ancient precedent for an official Father's Day observance have come up with only one: The Romans, every February, honored fathers - but only those deceased.

In America today, Father's Day is the fifth-largest card-sending occasion, with about 85 million greeting cards exchanged.

3.    So, Dad’s – it wasn’t until 1972 – 58 years after Mother’s Day was official (1914) – that our nation decided that father’s should also be honored for their contribution to the their family!

4.    I can personally testify of the devastating affects of not having a good role model as a father.

a)    I found a poem that illustrates the affects of poor family leadership very well.

Family Loop

Many, many years ago
When I was twenty three,
I got married to a widow,
Pretty as could be.

This widow had a grown-up daughter
With flowing hair of red.
My father fell in love with her,
And soon the two were wed.

This made my dad my son-in-law
And changed my very life.
Now my daughter was my mother,
For she was my father's wife.

To complicate the matters worse,
Although it brought me joy.
I soon became the father
Of a bouncing baby boy.

My little baby then became
A brother-in-law to dad.
And so became my uncle,
Though it made me very sad.

For if he was my uncle,
Then that also made him brother
To the widow's grown-up-daughter
Who, of course, was my step-mother.

Father's wife then had a son,
Who kept them on the run.
And he became my grandson,
For he was my daughter's son.
My wife is now my mother's mother
And it makes me blue.
Because, although she is my wife,
She's my grandma too.

If my wife is my grandmother,
Then I am her grandchild.
And every time I think of it,
It simply drives me wild.

For now I have become
The strangest case you ever saw.
As the husband of my grandmother,
I am my own grandpa!

b)    Praise God we had His word for the proper example of a father, so it is from Luke chapter 15 that we will take our study.

II.    Luk 15:11-32  And He said, "A man had two sons.  (12)  "The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them.  (13)  "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.  (14)  "Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.  (15)  "So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  (16)  "And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.  (17)  "But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!  (18)  'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;  (19)  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."'  (20)  "So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.  (21)  "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'  (22)  "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;  (23)  and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;  (24)  for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.  (25)  "Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.  (26)  "And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be.  (27)  "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.'  (28)  "But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.  (29)  "But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;  (30)  but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.'  (31)  "And he said to him, 'Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.  (32)  'But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'"

A.   This story of the Prodigal Son is not new to most of us.

1.    We have most likely heard it taught from the focus being on the brothers’ many times.

2.    This morning I would like to teach it with the focus on the father, but for that to have its full effect, we must give it a traditional look also.

a)    We must look at the 2 boys, in other to understand the father.

B.   Luk 15:11-13  And He said, "A man had two sons.  (12)  "The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them.  (13)  "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

1.    If you have 2 children you run a 50/50 chance that one of them is going to be like this!

a)    This son is self-centered, self-focused, and self-consumed!

b)    He is convinced that life is more difficult because of his father and the demands that are placed upon him.

c)    And he is sure that he can do better somewhere else!  That life won’t be a “complicated” as it was with dear ole’ dad.

(1)  So – he “taps” dear ole’ dad for what he thinks he has coming to him and runs about as far away as he can get.
(2)  Likewise, as is not to uncommon, when he gets out from under the “restriction and demands” of dad – he “lets loose.”
(a)  You see he may be as big as dad, but he doesn’t have the experience to go along with it, so he can’t handle all the newfound freedom.

(i)    So he looses it all!

C.   .  (14)  "Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.  (15)  "So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  (16)  "And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 

1.    When focus is on “self” we often find ourselves running “from” something even though we think we are running “to” fulfill our dreams!

a)    At this point, pride won’t allow him to go back home, so he becomes a laborer and his job is to feed the pigs, and that was about as low a good Jewish boy could get.  Not only were the pigs filthy, but the were also “unclean” spiritually.

(1)  So, he was not just at the bottom of the barrel physically, but spiritually as well!
(a)  As to top it all off – even the pigs were eating better that he was.

III.   (17)  "But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!  (18)  'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;  (19)  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."'  (20)  "So he got up and came to his father.

A.   This is called, “Not being able to see the forest for the trees.”

1.    Because he had no “reference point” before this experience, he did not know how good he had it at home.  But this experience has “adjusted” his thinking as he realizes that his father’s hired hands have better lives than he had made for himself!

a)    He realizes he error and is willing to go back home as a hired hand instead of a son!

(1)  He has learned the true meaning of being a servant instead of spoiled, self-centered, self-focused, and self-consumed.

B.   We will see that although the other son stayed at home, his heart wasn’t free of selfishness either.

IV.  (25)  "Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.  (26)  "And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be.  (27)  "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.'  (28)  "But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.  (29)  "But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;  (30)  but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.' 

A.   “I” have served you all these years.  “I” have done everything you have ever asked of me. You have never given “me” even as much as a young goat, to celebrate with my friends.  But look what you have done for “him”.

1.    This isn’t righteous indignation.  It is selfish indignation.

a)    But let’s move on to the father’s reactions and reply.

V.   (20)  "So he (the Prodigal) got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.  (21)  "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'  (22)  "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;  (23)  and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;  (24)  for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.

A.   The father “felt compassion”.  The father “ran” to greet him.  The father “embraced” him.  The father “kissed” him.  The father “out the best robe on him.” The father “put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.”  And the father “celebrated” his son’s return.

1.    I would like to point out 5 very important things about this father’s love for his son:

a)    1st This father’s love had no “limits.”

(1)  He did not say, “You made your bed (with the pigs) now lie in it!
(2)  He did not say, “Hey you messed me over, I will not forgive you for that!
(a)  Please do not misunderstand - it was his son’s repentance that made this possible.

b)    2nd This father’s love was very patient!

(1)  He didn’t give up on his son 1Co 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind.

c)    3rd This father’ love was eager!

(1)  He “ran” to greet his son and he did so with open arms, not a closed heart.

d)    4th This father’s love focused on his son, not his son’s sin!

(1)  There is no mention of a “I told you so”, or even “You’re gonna pay me back before I let you back into my house!”
(2)  And another thing there is no mention that the son got all cleaned up before his dad let him back into his heart.
(a)  If anything the new clothing would indicate that he still smelled like the pigs, but it didn’t matter to his dad.

e)    5th This father’s love was full of joy!

(1)  He was overwhelmed with joy to have his son back.  A son that was once lost.  A son that was once dead is now very much a live and a son to him once again!
(a)  His heart is filled with joy!

VI.  CONCLUSION

A.   The other son was not quite as happy about all this as dad was, but this was the father’s reply”

1.    (31)  "And he said to him, 'Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.  (32)  'But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'"

B.   We know that this parable is a reflection of our heavenly Father’s love for us, but should it not be a reflection of any father’s love for his children?

1.    Should not a father’s love have no limits, be patient and eager, focused on the child, and full of joy even with their “little” accomplishments?

a)    That is surely the way our heavenly father feels about us!

(1)  Always quick to forgive and will to run to meet us where we are.
(2)  Ready to clothe us with the robes of righteousness and celebrate our return to him!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

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