Reclaiming the Faith of the Patriarchs
Notes
Transcript
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”
19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
Hebrews 11 is a chapter on faith - called the Faith Hall of Fame or “Hall of Faith”
Patriarchs
Word Patriarch comes from pater or father. Father or father-figures hold the authority in a patriarchy.
Fatherhood is under attack in today’s world!
The word patriarch itself is frowned upon.
Definitions of Patriarchy
Webster: social organization marked by the supremacy of the father in the clan or family, the legal dependence of wives and children, and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line
broadly : control by men of a disproportionately large share of power
Feminists Definition:
A social construct that is a “systemic bias against women” that contributes to female oppression and gender inequality.
Christians for Biblical Equality:
“We are an international organization working to educate, advocate, and liberate women and men from Christian patriarchy” - Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE)
Unfortunately, this defiance of biblical fatherhood was let into the church through the side door. People who profess Christianity on the Counsel of Biblical Equality (CBE) now believe that patriarchy is not a Biblical ideal but a result of sin.
They use a Bible verse to justify their position:
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Explain the difference in our position to God as related to His giving of grace and roles in society.
Fatherhood is under attack!
While there are oppressive patriarchy systems in the world, we want to look at fatherhood from a Biblical perspective.
There are genealogies in the Bible - Reminders of fatherhood throughout scripture.
We see the promises of God that remains faithful throughout generations of fathers.
This faithfulness is seen through the inheritance that was passed down through generations until the Lord Jesus.
The Lord Jesus then welcomed those who believe Him into a heavenly family whose Father is God.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
The Lord Jesus taught us that God can be our Father.. We received the Spirit of adoption by whom we can cry out Abba Father! (Romans 8)
And now we can start our prayers with “Our Father”...
Recite Ephesians 2 “Now therefore, we are no longer strangers and foreigners...”
The Biblical principle of Fatherhood is rooted not in the dominance of men but rather in our Father God’s faithfulness.
Main Enemy Agenda: The destruction of the nuclear family (Picture of family in crosshairs here)
Fathers are called to Godly Fatherhood. First, we have to fight back the attacks against that role and reclaim Biblical Fatherhood.
Biblical principles we can learn from the patriarchs:
Offers up their offspring to God in faith.
Passes down a heritage of faith through the generations.
Trusts in God’s promises and claims them for his descendants.
Biblical Fatherhood:
Offers up their offspring to God in faith.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”
What altar do we offer our sons and daughters to? the altar of the world and its idols..
Society diminishes the role of fathers.
Why? When they do they also diminish the role of Father God in your families.
Human fathers carry the image of our Father God.
“As we look to celebrate Father’s Day, we have this model of God the Father exemplified here on earth by men everywhere who have come to know this heavenly Father’s love and grace in their own lives and expressly live Him out to their families, workplace, churches, communities, state, nation and globally.”
(From the article “Fathers are Image Bearers of God - the website “The Thriving Life”)
Story of Abraham — He walked believing God and His faithfulness (talk)
Obedience - he didn’t listen to other voices but obeyed God’s command wholeheartedly.
19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
Genesis 15 look up the stars if you can count them, the number of the stars so, shall your descendants be.
Our children belong to God, offer them up to God! (talk)
Biblical Fatherhood:
2. Passes down a heritage of faith through the generations.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
Don’t run away from your responsibilities as fathers!
Outsourcing the learning of our children to the experts, policy makers and listen to this — public school teachers.
Gender Affirming Care - puberty blockers, gender reassignments (Tennessee)
Drag shows in schools
Story of Child reprimanded by public school teacher in Canada. Talks about freedom but actually denies the right to disagree and not to participate.
Control of the narrative, there are only two - The worldly worldview (satanic) and the Christian worldview)
Fathers are protectors of their children! Their worldview.
Be mindful of starting a godly heritage and leaving a godly legacy. This is the greatest blessing fathers can leave to our children.
Through one man Jacob, God started a whole nation - Israel.
Through Abraham, “all nations of the earth will be blessed!” to Jacob (Genesis 35) “a nation shall come from you and kings will come forth from you”.
Paul talking about Israel:
Now that is a spiritual heritage!
Paul talking of Jesus coming from the patriarchs:
5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
The greatest blessing ever - Jesus Christ came from a line of fathers that God preserved through generations. (Gospel here)
That heritage does not stop there! You can still bring forth spiritual offsprings!
Biblical Fatherhood:
3.. Trusts in God’s promises and claims them for his descendants.
22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
Joseph and a pattern of faithfulness. He could have abandoned his faith after all the adversity that he faced.
Envied, Disowned and thrown out of his family by his brothers
Separated from his country and heritage
Sold to become a slave
unjustly accused after doing the right thing
thrown in prison
forgotten and languished there
Later vindicated by God, became a ruler in Egypt second only to the king Pharaoh and saved Israel during the famine.
Joseph knew who he believed, and he knew where he belonged.
He was not enticed by the comforts of Egypt but knew his destiny and that of his people.
In the same way, teach our children that this is not our permanent home ==> in spite of the allure of this world ==> do not be defiled by this world ==> endure the rejection, ridicule and persecution ==> look up to the heavenly city whose maker and builder is God — this is your real home, your eternal destiny
Pray for a godly heritage.
Male Headship over the home is a type of Christ’s headship over the church.
Takeaways from today’s lesson:
Offer up your children to God in faith.
Pass down a heritage of faith through the generations.
Trust in God’s promises and claim them for your descendants until Jesus returns.
Actually, I just turned the Biblical principles from the patriarchs to commands.
Blessing over our Fathers.. (call up the fathers)
The Name changes:
Meaning of names:
In Genesis 17, God changed the name of Abram to Abraham.
In Genesis 32, God changed the name of Jacob to Israel.
Names are important in Biblical times. There is a divine anointing and a reassignment that came with the name change.
Abram - exalted father
Abraham - Father of multitudes
Jacob - Supplanter or deceiver
Israel - One who overcomes with God
You can claim that Godly right through an acceptance of your divine assignment as fathers!
Prayer over our fathers.