The Importance of Fathers

Dad

My dad is Bob. Bob Masters. And if you couldn’t tell by the name, he’s a cowboy. In case you haven’t noticed, I am not. But I did learn a lot from him. I learned how to work hard, provide, and stay faithful to one woman. That last thing is what I am most thankful for. Without realizing it, my dad has broken off generational curse(explain). Now, he would never say that is what he did. But by staying faithful to my mom, even after she passed, he has left a good legacy for me.

We all leave a legacy. Did you know that? We can leave a legacy of faithfulness, or adultery. A legacy of poverty or prosperity (not specifically financial). You can leave a legacy of godliness or worldliness. Jesus has laid out the choice before each of us. It doesn’t matter if your kids are still at home or grown up and on their own. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have your own kids. Each of us has the ability to leave a legacy for those coming behind us. A legacy of hope. A legacy for being separate from the world. Let’s look at a family who lived out their father’s legacy.

Jeremiah 35 NLT

This is the message the Lord gave Jeremiah when Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah: “Go to the settlement where the families of the Recabites live, and invite them to the Lord’s Temple. Take them into one of the inner rooms, and offer them some wine.” So I went to see Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah and grandson of Habazziniah and all his brothers and sons—representing all the Recabite families. I took them to the Temple, and we went into the room assigned to the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. This room was located next to the one used by the Temple officials, directly above the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum, the Temple gatekeeper. I set cups and jugs of wine before them and invited them to have a drink, but they refused. “No,” they said, “we don’t drink wine, because our ancestor Jehonadab son of Recab gave us this command: ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine. And do not build houses or plant crops or vineyards, but always live in tents. If you follow these commands, you will live long, good lives in the land.’ So we have obeyed him in all these things. We have never had a drink of wine to this day, nor have our wives, our sons, or our daughters. We haven’t built houses or owned vineyards or farms or planted crops. We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed all the commands of Jehonadab, our ancestor. But when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked this country, we were afraid of the Babylonian and Syrian armies. So we decided to move to Jerusalem. That is why we are here.” Then the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah: “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: Go and say to the people in Judah and Jerusalem, ‘Come and learn a lesson about how to obey me. The Recabites do not drink wine to this day because their ancestor Jehonadab told them not to. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you refuse to obey me. Time after time I sent you prophets, who told you, “Turn from your wicked ways, and start doing things right. Stop worshiping other gods so that you might live in peace here in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you would not listen to me or obey me. The descendants of Jehonadab son of Recab have obeyed their ancestor completely, but you have refused to listen to me.’ “Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you refuse to listen or answer when I call, I will send upon Judah and Jerusalem all the disasters I have threatened.’ ” Then Jeremiah turned to the Recabites and said, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed your ancestor Jehonadab in every respect, following all his instructions.’ Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Recab will always have descendants who serve me.’ ”

There are a few things to know as we walk through this passage. Johonadab gave these instructions for a reason. Avoiding alcohol kept them from getting drunk, which was a key part to worshiping foreign gods. The other restrictions allowed them to escape the influences of spiritual, moral and social decay. They had to depend on God in every way in every season. Imagine when it gets freezing cold with snow coming down. They have to trust God to find proper heat and shelter. They don’t plant crops, so they have to rely on God for provision. God then holds them up in front of the people to say that this is how we are supposed to follow Him. Even when God told them it was ok to drink, they refused. Why? Because they had made a promise. There was a legacy of obedience to this vow. God honored them for that. Their lifestyle literally condemned the world around them. The Recabites where different, and were blessed for it.

Fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers, uncles. You have the ability, right now, to set up your family for blessing. You can establish now what legacy you want to leave. This may seem like an overwhelming task, and it can be. But like I said, you are leaving a legacy no matter what. So let’s leave a good legacy.

Fathers. You lead your family. You establish the culture of your home. Did you know that 71% of dropouts are fatherless? Children with an engaged father are more likely to stay in school, avoid drugs and alcohol, have better mental and emotional health, avoid poverty, and avoid teen pregnancy. Something I have learned is that most of us are doing better than we think. Maybe you didn’t have the best role model. That’s ok. You have a Heavenly Father that gives wisdom generously to all who ask. James 1:5

James 1:5 NLT

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

Show your kids that you need Jesus to help, and so do they. Teach them to rely on Him daily.

Grandfathers. We need you to father fathers and the fatherless. I’ve watched grandparents have a huge impact on the church and their grandchildren. They need you to show them timeless principles that the rest of us do not understand. They need to see that you can follow Jesus for years and be married to the same woman for your entire life. They need to see that people that have more experience in life value them. They need you to show them they are not just annoyances to be pushed away. You have a great amount of influence in their lives. Do not allow the lie that your best days are behind you to take you out. You have so much to offer all of us.

Uncles. You have the ability to be a safe place. Some who is like dad but not dad. You get to be the one that “really gets them.” You can step in if dad is gone or completely out of the picture.

Look what Johonadab did. He established something in his family that lasted over 200 years. But that is only because he stepped into his calling as a father. He gave them an identity. He gave them security. He was able to establish a culture of reliance on God.

There’s this world we used to use a lot in church. Sanctified. This means something or someone is set apart as or declared holy. It means separated from this world and to God. This is what Johonodab did. He didn’t isolate them. The Recabites were still part of Israel. They were easy to find when God sent Jeremiah to them. They were in the world, just not of it. That’s what you can do for your family. You can effect the future.

I know today presents a lot of mixed feelings. Like I said last week, I don’t have kids. Today can be hard for me. I also know some of us have had a bad experience with dad’s, fathers, men who are supposed to protect and support you. I am so sorry. I also know this can be hard if dad is gone now. Maybe you haven’t been the father you know you should be. Change now, it’s not too late.

I want to leave on a high note. A lot of times guys don’t want to come to church on Father’s Day because they think they are going to get beat up. I hope you don’t feel that way. Something I have learned over the years. We are usually doing a better job than we think we are.

Can I talk to you like a dad for a minute? It’s never too late to change course. Jesus is in the business of redemption. That includes time. I’ve seen it. I’ve experienced it. Move forward. Start praying with your family. Start going on vacations. You wife and kids are desperate for you. Trust me, God steps in when we step out. You can do this.

You have the ability to leave a legacy. To change what needs to be changed, and reinforce what needs to be continued. You have what it takes to lead your family. They need you. We need you.