The Ways of the Biblical Father

Because today is Father’s day, I want to spend our morning looking addressing fathers and what God’s word says about how they ought to operate.

I need you to understand that this might be the most important one-off sermons I’ve preached because of the impact that it could possibly have. I fully believe that Satan is out to get the family and often will come after the father in the family first. This morning I want to look at five ways of the father from 1 Corinthians 16:13-14.

Read 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

It is also important that I preface this message with the fact that you may not be a father but if you are a man and may be a father some day, these are all ways that you should take seriously now. Don’t wait.

With each of these points, I want to ask questions in terms of analysis. We should examine our lives according to scripture at every given opportunity. First,

Be Watchful

It would be easy for our culture to talk about this point as physical protection for a person’s family but I’d actually like to go in a different direction than that, although there is value in providing both safety as well as financially for one’s family.

There are two aspects that I want to look at specifically when it comes to being watchful. The first is to simply be spiritually aware. As I was reading various commentators, one mentioned that this is to be spiritually awake but that is not watchful enough. This means to be observant of one's surroundings. Each of these are an on going attitude but you’ll notice that the state of being here is watchful.

A father is going to be observant as to the moral nature of what goes on in his home. He is going to be well-studied in God’s word and understand both the causes of harm as well as the fruit that a follower of Christ ought to possess. It is important that we know what it is that we are watchful for. Just as a farmer knows when fruit is ripe just by looking at it, we ought to have a strong understanding of when our family is thriving and in tune with what it is that God would have for us to do. The best thing I can say here is to be vigilant regarding those you love and those you have a responsibility for.

The second aspect of being watchful that I want to hone in on is anticipating the return of Jesus. This is the same sort of language that Jesus uses in Matthew 24:42.

Matthew 24:42 ESV

Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

There are signs that are coming but more importantly, we should be prepared for His return! The father should prepare his family for the return of Christ.

The reality is that there is no break from being watchful. This is a constant state of being and is vital but it begins with being aware of what needs to be watched.

Are you watchful at all times? Do you know what to be watchful for? Have you done all that is in your power to prepare those around you for the return of Christ?

Next, a father should

Stand Firm

This goes hand in hand with the spiritual alertness of being watchful. It ought to be clear what it is that you’re standing on. This ties directly into what it is that we’re being watchful for. I want to use this opportunity to remind us of what we should be looking for to stand on in the first place. For instance David establishes this in the 18th Psalm. Psalm 18:2

Psalm 18:2 ESV

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

To say that the Lord is His rock is to clearly state that He stands firmly on the protection and deliverance of the Lord.

We can also look to the previous chapter of 1 Corinthians to see what it is that should be stood on. 1 Corinthians 15:1

1 Corinthians 15:1 ESV

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,

Finally, and I know I always refer to this passage, but the instance of Peter’s great confession in Matthew 16:13-19.

Matthew 16:13–19 ESV

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Find out now what it is that you are standing on. Then plant yourself there and resolve in your heart not to move. Standing firm is difficult but will be vital to being the sort of father that God’s word has laid out before us.

It should also be stated that when you stand firm, that you are not standing alone. Look around this room for a moment. These are people who, by and large, desire to stand with you on the word of God and His promises.

What are you standing on? How are you standing there?

The B-I-B-L-E

Third, we look at the command to

Act Like Men

This is the difficult aspect of this passage because what being a man has been blurred over time away from what God’s word says. God’s word doesn’t say anything here about manliness in the way that the world would have you believe. Instead, Jesus is used primarily as the model, as should be the case for every person.

Ephesians 5:25–6:4 ESV

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. There is sacrifice in the love that should be had for one’s wife.

Loving your wife as you love yourself.

v. 31, leaving father and mother comes from Genesis 2:24

chapter 6, Do not provoke your children but instead bring them up in discipline and instruction

Each of these things come together. Certainly they are good ways to conduct themselves but these are the commands for men that are fathers. This is what a man was made to do in most cases!

The fourth point coming from verse 13 ties all of this together.

Be Strong

Strength is required to be watchful. Strength is required to stand firm. Strength is required to act like a man the way that God’s word has instructed us to. The idea here is that it required a great amount of courage to do this. The words of David ring true in this situation from Psalm 31:24.

Psalm 31:24 ESV

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

We wait for the Lord as we are being watchful. We have the courage to stand firm in the gospel despite being called a fool. And we have the courage to do the final thing in these two verses.

Do Everything in Love

It is difficult to do everything in love. It but as a father, we ought to do everything with a sense of love. The way that we gather around the table should be intentional and with the love we have for one another. How we treat our wives and children should be coated in love. The way that we conduct ourselves in public and in private should be in a loving way. Each of these things happen because of love.

After all, 1 John 4:19 reminds us

1 John 4:19 ESV

We love because he first loved us.

So, where do we begin with all of this? Well first, we must ask ourselves, do we believe that what Jesus did on the cross is real. If you're here today and have never understood it, I need to lay it out clearly. Jesus died on the cross because the world is filled with sin and sinful people. He paid the price that we could never possibly pay because He loves us. Then he defied all odds and was raised from the dead on the third day. Why? Because we live new lives once we have trust Him with our lives.

From there, with belief, I want to remind you that we must expect the fathers in our lives to do these things. If you’re a man but not yet married, hold yourself to this standard now rather than doing it later. If you’re a young lady, look for these things in a man someday.

But most of all, we should ask God for His help.