Earthly Fathers Point us to our Heavenly Father
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Holidays • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 39:45
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· 13 viewsFather's Day, 6/20/2021 @ Hilltop Baptist Church
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Introduction
Introduction
The importance of Fathers for their children’s Faith
According to data collected by Promise Keepers and Baptist Press, if a father does not go to church, even if his wife does, only 1 child in 50 will become a regular worshiper. If a father does go regularly, regardless of what the mother does, between two-thirds and three-quarters of their children will attend church as adults. If a father attends church irregularly, between half and two-thirds of their kids will attend church with some regularity as adults.
If a mother does not go to church, but a father does, a minimum of two-thirds of their children will end up attending church. In contrast, if a father does not go to church, but the mother does, on average two-thirds of their children will not attend church.
Another survey found that if a child is the first person in a household to become a Christian, there is a 3.5% probability everyone else in the household will follow. If the mother is the first to become a Christian, there is a 17% probability everyone else in the household will follow. However, when the father is first, there is a 93% probability everyone else in the household will follow.
93%! Fathers, we have an incredible responsibility. So, this morning we’re going to take a look at what the Bible has to say about fatherhood.
Turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 103
Of David. 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!
FCF: In our world, fatherhood is under attack. The culture around us tells us ‘This is what fathers should be like,’ and many people say that fathers aren’t even necessary to have a family. Fathers themselves have often bought into this lie and many have abdicated their roles and given it over to the world. And we see the result in the world around us.
Main Idea: God has given us earthly fathers to help us understand what our heavenly Father is like.
A godly father uplifts his children (vv. 1-5)
A godly father uplifts his children (vv. 1-5)
A godly father forgives his children when they sin (v. 3)
A godly father forgives his children when they sin (v. 3)
A godly father lifts up his children when they have fallen into sin (v. 4)
A godly father lifts up his children when they have fallen into sin (v. 4)
A godly father dotes on his children and treats them like princes and princesses. (v. 4b)
A godly father dotes on his children and treats them like princes and princesses. (v. 4b)
A godly father encourages his children and restores their confidence (v. 5)
A godly father encourages his children and restores their confidence (v. 5)
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
An earthly father who uplifts his children, forgives them when they sin, restores their dignity and confidence, and goes out of his way to bless them is a picture of our heavenly Father.
An earthly father who uplifts his children, forgives them when they sin, restores their dignity and confidence, and goes out of his way to bless them is a picture of our heavenly Father.
Fathers—are you doing this for your children? Your young children? Your adult children?
Adult children do not grow out of the need to hear their daddy say, ‘Good job! I’m proud of you!’ In some ways, they might need it more!
Many people struggle with a feeling that their sins are too much for God to forgive. An earthly father who forgives no matter what is a great picture of what our heavenly Father does for us.
A godly father disciplines his children with love, grace, and mercy. (vv. 6-14)
A godly father disciplines his children with love, grace, and mercy. (vv. 6-14)
A godly father is patient—slow to get angry and quick to forgive (vv. 8-9)
A godly father is patient—slow to get angry and quick to forgive (vv. 8-9)
A godly father disciplines his children (v. 9)
A godly father disciplines his children (v. 9)
Psalm 103:9 (ESV)
9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
A godly father will get angry when his children disobey and he will chide them…(he just won’t stay angry forever)
Verse 9 assumes the Father’s discipline.
24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
The type of discipline pictured here is painful, but not permanently injurious or deadly. It’s painful, but not abusive. It’s always aimed at correction and restoration, not at humiliation or degradation.
So, a godly father will get angry when his children disobey and he will chide them…(he just won’t stay angry forever)
The discipline of a godly father helps prepare children to understand and respect their heavenly Father’s discipline.
The discipline of a godly father helps prepare children to understand and respect their heavenly Father’s discipline.
Proverbs 3:11–12 (ESV)
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
The discipline of a godly father helps prepare children to discipline themselves as adults.
The discipline of a godly father helps prepare children to discipline themselves as adults.
The author of Hebrews is exhorting his listeners to ‘run with endurance’ (Heb 12:1), to have self-discipline.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
The basis for this exhortation comes from their shared experience with their earthly fathers’ discipline—it’s painful for a little while, but produces great fruit in their lives.
Our heavenly Father’s discipline, likewise, is painful but profitable, and so is self-discipline.
A child who doesn’t experience consistent discipline from his parents has no frame of reference for self-discipline.
As a child, my father was very firm in his discipline. There were times that I was angry with him for disciplining me, but I usually understood exactly why I was being disciplined, and I grew to respect him for it. I learned a healthy fear of my father—especially of the sound of his belt clearing those belt loops! Discipline may be out of style nowadays, but our society is suffering for it. Those who don’t experience discipline are sure to lack it when they become adults. Being disciplined by someone who loves you is good for you. It helps you to understand how your Heavenly Father can discipline you and yet love you so much that he paid the ultimate price for you so that you could spend eternity with him.
A godly father shows mercy, love, and forgiveness in his discipline (vv. 10-14)
A godly father shows mercy, love, and forgiveness in his discipline (vv. 10-14)
He understands his children’s weaknesses and he doesn’t hold their sins over their heads (vv. 10-14)
He understands his children’s weaknesses and he doesn’t hold their sins over their heads (vv. 10-14)
One of the hardest things to do as a father is to put yourself in your children’s shoes and see things from their perspective. I confess, I’m not very good at this. It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around how a little piece of gravel on the side of the road can become so precious and valuable to a child that it’s worth punching your brother in the face over it!
But, it usually helps me to remember that God does this for us. The sins and troubles that we deal with as humans must seem so petty to an infinite, all-powerful, holy Creator God! Yet, ‘he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust...’ and so ‘he doesn not deal with us according to our sins.’
If God dealt with us according to our sins, we would all be in hell right now!
God is merciful towards us in his discipline and never gives us what we fully deserve.
A godly father forgives (v. 12)
A godly father forgives (v. 12)
Each day is a new day; A godly father gives his children a clean slate each day.
A godly father doesn’t look at his children and see the disobedient little rebels that they are, he sees his little boy, his little girl—the people he loves.
A godly father’s love is faithful and steadfast. (vv. 15-19)
A godly father’s love is faithful and steadfast. (vv. 15-19)
Just as a godly father never stops loving his children, our Heavenly Father never stops loving us. (vv. 15-18)
Just as a godly father never stops loving his children, our Heavenly Father never stops loving us. (vv. 15-18)
Our heavenly Father’s love for us cannot be measured!
Our heavenly Father’s love for us cannot be measured!
How much does our Heavenly Father love us? How high are the heavens above the earth—that much!
Our Heavenly Father’s love is sacrificial.
Our Heavenly Father’s love is sacrificial.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Our Heavenly Father’s love for us is faithful—it’s reliable, steadfast, unwavering.
Our Heavenly Father’s love for us is faithful—it’s reliable, steadfast, unwavering.
In the book of Lamentations, Jeremiah and the people of Israel had received a holy ‘spanking’ from God. They had wandered into idolatry and committed unspeakable sins, and God was disciplining them for it. But even in the midst of that discipline, this is what gave Jeremiah comfort and hope:
21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Living up to the model of our heavenly Father’s example can be a crushing weight, if we do not do it through the Spirit’s power.
Living up to the model of our heavenly Father’s example can be a crushing weight, if we do not do it through the Spirit’s power.
Our first few months in PNG were a crucible. In the first three months, we went through a training course that I would describe as boot camp for missionaries. The difference is, our entire family went through this training course. We were immersed in a foreign culture and foreign language—reduced to the vocabulary of two-year-olds trying to communicate with people. Everything was strange. It was unbearably hot and humid. We were jet-lagged for the first week or two. The food was terrible and seemed to keep us in the bathroom all the time. Isaiah was lactose intolerant (but we didn’t know it) and we had homemade cereal and milk for breakfast each day, so about every other day we woke up to find Isaiah and his bedding in need of a wash. To say that we were stressed would be an understatement!
The cumulative stress of all these things took a toll on us, and especially on my parenting. I was not a good father during those first three months. I was impatient with my kids, had a short fuse, quick to blow up on them and yell at them, harsh in my discipline, unforgiving—I was not a model father to emulate! And what’s worse—other people noticed and confronted me about my behavior. I was absolutely humiliated and embarrassed. I knew that I was not being a good father, but the shame of having others notice it, too, was unbearable. It brought me to my knees. I repented and, with God’s help, I’ve been working to become the kind of father that can point my kids to the Heavenly Father.
Perhaps this morning, as you think about what our Heavenly Father is like and you hear what the ideal earthly father is like, it’s convicting. You haven’t been a father worth imitating. You doubt if there’s much in your life that would show your kids what the Heavenly Father is like. You try to be patient, but instead you’re angry. You try to show forgiveness, but instead you’re resentful and bitter. You try to discipline with love but you either give up altogether or fly into a rage.
The first step in becoming an example of the Heavenly Father is to accept the forgiveness, love, and mercy that the Father is extending to you. You can’t give grace to others that you haven’t accepted for yourself.
Remember the prodigal son’s father? That’s our Heavenly Father. He’s waiting with open arms for you if you’ll just admit your sin and come running to him.
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
That’s how much your Father loves you.
Though everything else may change, his love will not.
Though you may have sinned, his love is greater than your sin.
However undeserving you are, he loves you anyway.
Though you may not have been a good father, your Heavenly Father can help you be a better father.
Though you may be a disobedient child, your Heavenly Father will forgive you and restore you.
Conclusion
Conclusion
To those whose earthly fathers have failed them: Your heavenly Father never will fail you. He is ready and willing to “redeem your life from the pit…crown you with steadfast love and mercy, and satisfy [your soul] with good”
To those who are struggling to live up to the standard of our heavenly Father: Find your grace, strength, and forgiveness in your Heavenly Father. You can’t do this alone.
To those whose earthly father wasn’t perfect, but did point you to your heavenly Father and led you in right paths: “Bless the Lord, O my soul!”