A Glad Father
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The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother.
This is the Word of the Lord. May He hold its wonderful truths in our hearts forever...
Introduction
- Children with involved Fathers are more confident, better able to deal with frustration, better able to gain independence and their own identity, more likely to mature into compassionate adults, more likely to have a high-self esteem, more sociable, more secure as infants, less likely to show signs of depression, less likely to commit suicide, more empathetic, boys have been shown to be less aggressive and adolescent girls are less likely to engage in sex.
- 63% of teen suicides come from fatherless homes.
- 90% of all runaways and homeless children are from fatherless homes.
- 80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes.
- 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.
- 75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes.
- Daughters of single parents without a father involved are 53% more likely to marry as teenagers, 711% more likely to have children as teenagers, 164% more likely to have a pre-marital birth and 92% more likely to get divorced themselves.
- Even in high crime neighborhoods, 90% of children from stable 2 parent homes where the father is involved do not become delinquents.
- A report published by The Baptist Press states that if a child is the first person in the household to become a Christian, there is a 3.5% probability everyone in the household will follow. If the mother is first, there is a 17% chance everyone else in the household will submit to Christ. If the father professes Christ first, there is a 93% probability that everyone else in the house will heed the Gospel call.
- Wise sons makes fathers glad, but the truth is our children do not get wisdom by accident or simply by flipping a switch. I wish it were that easy. But it is hard... very hard to be Dad today
- We do live in a society that is anti-Fathers. Men are constantly ridiculed, mocked, and belittled, especially in the media... movies and tv. They are the butt of the jokes. They are the authority in the household... in a culture that despises authority. Our culture rejects authority. My boss at one of my first jobs… Can you do me a favor. People don’t like being told what to do.
- Men are the targets... threats against masculinity, against identity, women in many ways make them feel inferior, they are seduced, attacked, tempted, trapped and set up for destruction. We are victims... feel like victims. Yes we need support, we need love and we need encouragement. But in the face of it all… our children need us to be Fathers.
- For many, you feel like it is too hard, too difficult, but we thank God that it was not too hard and too difficult for Jesus, it was not impossible for our Heavenly Father
I. Father’s... You have to teach your children
A. The implication here and all through the Proverbs is that Parents, especially fathers must teach their children the scriptures
B. The Scriptures are very clear
And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren. Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, where he told me, ‘Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.’
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.
C. I can go on and on with this... so it is truly, very clear in the scriptures that Parents are to teach and train their children
My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
1. Shama... Listen... Listen carefully... with an understand and obey sense
2. But how are they to obey and understand instruction if you are not instructing them? Is there even a possibility of them forsaking?
E. Many say... there are more important things to do. What? Many think that spending time with children is a waste of time. But, they (kids) don’t think it is.
F. Charles Francis Adams, the 19th century political figure and diplomat, kept a diary. One day he entered: "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life!" The father thought he was wasting his time while fishing with his son, but his son saw it as an investment of time.
G. Where are our priorities? What could be more important than our children.
H. In cultural anthropological studies ... In many cultures, it is clearly understood that children not only have long term biological needs for their parents, but also social and cultural needs ... they need to be taught how to survive in their culture
I. What is our understanding of marriage?... for many, especially Christians, marriage is what you need to do to have sex... but according to Sociologists like Malinowski, “the purpose of marriage is not to legitimize sex, but legitimize parenthood... Marriage is a declaration that we are ready for children. If there is sexual relations then you are declaring that you are ready for children
J. Also because of the long maturation process for humans, it is understood why the parents are to stay together for a long time and the family structure is found in virtually all known cultures in the world
K. This is seen by the whole world and sociologists, why is this a problem in the church... where are talking about 15 to 20 minutes a day and 5 to 10 minutes at night... for the benefit and discipleship of our children... the most important things to us in this world. What could be more important? Children have needs. Christian Children have more
L. Many are understanding time... so we go to soccer games, baseball games, ballet, gymnastics, bowling, basketball, church and church activities, but what about discipleship? This is important. Don’t know how... learn
When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do.
N. So if we don’t teach our children then let us not act surprised when they act like whores after what they feel in their heart or what is pleasing to their eyes. What they want, what they desire, what they obsess over
P. Our children need us to help them... they need God and everything in the world is pulling them away... Help them Fathers
- For many, you feel like it is too hard, too difficult, but we thank God that it was not too hard and too difficult for Jesus, it was not impossible for our Heavenly Father
II. It is Wisdom in our Children that will make us glad
A. Samach... not merely glad, but true happiness and joy. Rejoicing. A wise child will make you very very happy
B. Matthew Henry - Why parents should be careful to give their children a good education, and to train them up in the ways of religion, which, if it obtain the desired effect, they themselves will have the comfort of it, or, if not, they will have for their support under their heaviness that they have done their duty, have done their endeavor.
C. God has shown us... he promised us.
Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.
D. God has given us this promise... do we believe it?
E. Again, Fathers, it is not whether or not you are gonna be the head of the household or not... well, I know I’m not doing my job right now, but I will get it in gear and be one someday. It is not about whether you are or are not the head of house, but whether you are a good one or a bad one
F. This is true no matter what you are going through... no matter what your wife thinks, no matter what your children think, no matter what culture thinks. You are a Father and a Husband ... are you a good one or a bad one?
G. The time is now... the test has started... you time is right now. You are who you are.... right now
H. But my wife wont let me... one day I will be. No you are leading right now through your wife... you are letting her lead for you, but it is you leading still. There is no one day you will be... you are. You gotta get this
I. This is difficult in this day and this time... no support I know. Discouraging, yes I know... being a Father in this world is hard.
- For many, you feel like it is too hard, too difficult, but we thank God that it was not too hard and too difficult for Jesus, it was not impossible for our Heavenly Father
III. The Gospel
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
B. Many times it may seem hopeless... it may seem worthless... but Christ has shown us that there is hope and there is worth. He has brought it to us
C. Our heavenly Father overcame all for his children... yes we fail. We are sinners and fall short and fail are children all the time. But praise be to God, He does not fail us
D. Our Father had sent his son to die on the cross for our sins to reconcile us to Himself. He came to get us. To save us. To disciple us. To unite us to Christ
E. We as Fathers fail our children... He did not.... We as Fathers... do not teach our children like we should... He does. He are not their for them like we need to be, but Christ said he would never leave us nor forsake us.
F. God is the God of the miraculous ... He is able to do exceedingly abundantly
G. We have hope for family restoration... a Father’s hope. But today we rejoice because our Lord Jesus reconciled us to our heavenly Father.
H. He came to seek and save that which was lost... He lived the life we should have lived, He died the death we should have died
I. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures
J. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
K. The Promise is here... If you confess with your mouth
L. The hope of a mother ... a reconciled family, God fearing children, Children saved by the blood of Christ
M. Christ the Lord, our hope, our truth, and our life. Father’s rejoice today and stand on the promise of God
Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.
