The Rooted Father

Colossians 2:6–7 NIV

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

How can fathers lead their families?

By being deeply rooted in their faith, which allows them to grow and nurture their wife and children in Christ.

(Tell About the Farmer and His Wife… “I haven’t moved”)

Remember the fire you had for Christ when you first came to know Him. He hasn’t moved.

As Fathers we need to keep this zeal, even when we don’t feel like it. Our kids and our wives depend on us to be attentive and lead in this area.

But how do we become rooted in Him, Built Up in Him, Strengthened in Him, and Overflowing with Thankfulness?

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 NLT

4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.

1: Love the Lord your God and make Him and Him alone King

I am not trying to make a political statement here but something struck me yesterday and would let up with this No King business.

Since the garden man has been trying to make himself king and deny the Lord as King.

If we are to be well rooted and good fathers we must make Jesus the king of every aspect of our lives.

Again how do we do this? I am glade you asked….

Deuteronomy 6:6–9 NLT

6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 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. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

If it is not obvious by now, this is not a passive thing. It is active.

We do not have a passive faith but one that requires active intentionality.

True faith is not passive but active. It requires that we meet certain conditions, that we allow the teachings of Christ to dominate our total lives from the moment we believe.

A. W. Tozer

When I went to Paramedic school I didn’t automatically become a medic, I had to immerse myself into the doctrines of Para-medicine.

It didn’t stop after school either, I had to keep immersing my mind into it and keep learning.

Verse 6 tells us to commit it to our hearts

Deuteronomy 6:6 NLT

6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.

If we are to grow and be well rooted we must commit ourselves to seeking the source of our growth.

Tell about a willow seeking water, and how it will dig straight into a pool if too close.

Deuteronomy 6:7 NLT

7 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.

Now this verse is not telling us to be a straight up nuisance, being overly pious or even weaponizing the scripture on our kids.

But it does need to be a regular conversation, it needs to be regular prayer times, I needs to be action taken to exemplify the conduct of a Man of God.

It needs to manifest in how we treat their momma, how we are honest in the little things even when others are not.

This is an eternal investment into our family.

This passage out of Deuteronomy actually has a name and a purpose for Fathers in particular.

The Shema

which if you remember from a few weeks ago I brought this Hebrew word up for listen.. but as a tradition what is it?

Fire Bible Chapter 6

The Shema is the classic declaration of God’s monotheistic character (there is but One God) ; it is followed by a twofold command to the Israelite fathers: (1) to love God with all their heart, soul and strength (vv. 5–6) and (2) to teach the faith diligently to their children (vv. 7–9).

We live in a world that wants to highjack this from the home.

We can either choose to root our children in the Word of God daily, or we can choose to let the world root them in the shackles of slavery to Sin and demonic agendas.

Why is this so important for us as Fathers to be active in our faith?

Take a look at the impact a father has on the faith of the whole family.

I think of some of the Godly men I have known and how it changed their families.

The faithfulness of my Great Grandfather and how it has impacted 4 generations down from him.

Dads your legacy is being built right now with your kids, Grandpas, you legacy is being built right now with these grandkids. It is Never to Late

So How Does this Look?

Practical Application: 

     - Regular prayer and Bible study.

     - Engaging in family discussions about faith.

     - Leading by example in all moral, ethical, and spiritual decisions.

     - Showing love and the importance of a deep relationship with Christ.

Don’t be afraid to let your wife and kids see the struggle. Your wife wants to be invited into it and your kids needs to see how to overcome it.

When we do this we can find that gratitude as mentioned in Colossians 2:7.

One of my all time favorite songs from, as my son likes to remind me the Old Days, A different Century, back in 1999

Arms Wide Open by Creed.

Well, I just heard the news today It seems my life is goin' to change I closed my eyes, begin to pray Then tears of joy stream down my face

Well, I don't know if I'm ready To be the man I have to be I take a breath, I take her by my side We stand in awe, we've created life

With arms wide open under the sunlight Welcome to this place, I'll show you everything With arms wide open, now everything has changed I'll show you love, I'll show you everything With arms wide open

Dads your children are waiting for you to show them this life in Jesus, even your adult children.

Tell about In July of 2009, the midnight prayer while doing a security detail in Winston.

I laid out all my fears, I laid out blessings over my daughter, I begged to be the man I needed to be.

I’m Still Learning.

The good news is I was once told by a father in his 80’s that he was still learning as well.

Take Home Question

What Kind of Legacy Are You Building?

Are you doing things that deepen your roots?

are you inviting your wife into your biblical studies and inner most thoughts?

are you inviting your kids into study and asking questions?