Dad
Notes
Transcript
This wouldn’t be much of a Father’s Day sermon without some Dad jokes, would it?
Why do crabs never volunteer? Because they're shell-fish.
What did one slice of bread say to the other before the race? You're toast!
What do you call a French man wearing sandals? Philipe Fallop.
Dogs can't operate MRI machines. But catscan.
I went to a silent auction. I won a dog whistle and two mimes.
For my younger group here… What do you call a sheep who can sing and dance? Lady Ba Ba.
Last but not least, just so you won’t forget these jokes. What's the best way to save your dad jokes? In a dadda-base.
How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways.
When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will be well with you.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine Within your house, Your children like olive plants Around your table.
Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the Lord.
The Lord bless you from Zion, And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
Indeed, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!
I have entitled the sermon today simply “Dad,” but really this sermon applies to everyone who endeavors to live the way God intended.
As we explore Psalms 128, we encounter “Four Spheres," each building on the other.
Since today is Father’s Day, I want to discuss what I have called “The Four Spheres To Manly Success.”
The Four Spheres Of Manly Success
The Four Spheres Of Manly Success
The first sphere to manly success begins with ourselves.
Ourselves
Ourselves
Far too often we as men look at our wives, our children, our jobs, and others as reasons for why we are experiencing hardship or a lack of blessings.
However, as we study scripture, we find that, like many things in life where we desire change, it must start with ourselves.
How blessed is (the man) everyone who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways.
When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will be well with you.
Notice, these blessings come with conditions.
To fear the Lord, and to walk in His ways.
What does it mean to fear the Lord? To fear the Lord is to show reverence to Him.
What does it mean to walk in His ways? Walking in His ways means that our behavior and conduct reflect His.
“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”
I like how Tony Evans expresses it.
The Tony Evans Bible Commentary Psalm 128
God’s goal is that every person learns to take him seriously and to govern himself or herself under divine rule. We cannot merely keep God on the periphery of our lives but must be willing to embrace commitment and accountability.
What blessing will we receive according to verse 2 of Psalm 128:2?
When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will be well with you.
It may seem obvious and perhaps elementary, but when you are fervently following God’s way of doing things in your life, even the simple things are enjoyable.
No, our circumstances do not necessarily change.
No, when we follow God’s way of doing things, we don’t suddenly become millionaires.
However, our perspective on life becomes clearer, and we understand that the way we conduct ourselves is pure and holy before the one who matters most, and that is God.
There is a peace beyond measure when we conduct ourselves as God intended.
The second sphere of manly success is our family.
Family
Family
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine Within your house, Your children like olive plants Around your table.
Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the Lord.
Let’s break this down.
Once again, following the blessings for those who fear the Lord, we will have:
A wife who is like a fruitful vine
Children like olive plants.
For us, this may not resonate as it would have for the original readers. So let me assist you some assistance.
Both vines (likely grapevines or vineyards) and olive plants were symbols of wealth.
Both plants required a great deal of care and attention.
They had to be cultivated properly to thrive.
How can we achieve this?
Let’s begin with the wife.
Men, we all want wives who help us and honor us, right?
Question? Do we treat them like a precious vine?
In ancient times, a protective hedge or fence surrounded the typical vineyard, and during harvest, the watchtower was manned to guard the crops from thieves.
Ephesians 5:25 says it this way.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
Men, our wives will become the helpmeet God intended them to be for us when we begin to treat them with the same value Christ treats us.
Interestingly, a person who owned a vineyard aged alongside it; in fact, the vineyard was intended to be a place of peace and comfort. We see this in 1 Kings 4:25.
Isn’t that what we want with our wives?
If so, we must care for and nurture them, just like we would if we had a prized vine.
The Children.
The children are referred to as olive trees.
The unique thing about the olive tree is that it is a slow-growing tree requiring years of patient work before attaining maturity.
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Aren’t you glad God is patient with you and me?
Sometimes, as men, it is easy to be hard on our children. They need discipline and instruction at times.
But at the end of the day, do they feel like a green olive tree in the house of God? Do they feel cultivated, loved, and cared for?
The psalmist says this in Psalm 52:8.
But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.
According to Psalm 128, when we fear God and treat our wives and children the way God intended, we will be blessed.
The third sphere of manly success is found in the church.
Church
Church
The Lord bless you from Zion,
The term Zion was used in the Old Testament to refer to either the city of Jerusalem or the Temple in Jerusalem.
In the New Testament, the church is the temple of God; we see this in 2 Cor 6:16; Eph 2:21. Christians are said to come to worship at “Mount Zion” (Heb 12:22).
Therefore, for believers, Zion refers to the church, God’s people.
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
What does this look like?
As believers, we are called to be part of God’s community, known as the church. It is here that we receive blessings from each other.
We hold each other accountable (Proverbs 27:17).
Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.
We encourage one another 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
We worship together Psalm 34:3.
O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.
If you wish to achieve true (manly) success during your time on earth, a significant part of it can be found in the church.
Many of you prioritize church, and I commend you for it.
One of the greatest gifts we can give our children and grandchildren is teaching them the importance of attending church and fellowshipping with other believers.
The fourth and last sphere of manly success is found in the community.
Community
Community
This is a tricky one. Too often, we settle and think change should come from the top down. However, that is why:
Our government is in a mess.
Our universities are failing.
Our local schools are struggling.
In Ezekiel 22:30, God pleaded for Israel to follow Him and for men to step up and stand in the gap for what is right.
“I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.
God is pleading with you and me today.
He is looking for men to stand up for what is right.
What would happen if each one of us men here took the top three spheres seriously?
One thing I know is that our community would be affected, and it would spread to our parish, our state, and our country.
But it must begin with a few courageous (manly) men willing to make a change. Will you be one of those men today?
Let’s pray
