6.21.2020

Good morning. Church. Happy Father's Day. Good morning to all of you who are joining us online if you're at home, if you're traveling. Listen this right now, we appreciate you joining us as well preciate you all being here on this stormy wet morning, when the first things you learn when you move to Wichita Falls as you never complain about rain, so we're not going where we're thanking God for what was pouring down on us this morning. I appreciate you being here to spot it. But Happy Father's Day. Looks like two dads little bit. We'll talk about Dad's a little bit. What do you what do you picture when you picture of damn you think about Dad? What do you what do you associate with fathers? I think about providers. I mean by that guy going out everyday and he's putting an honest day's work and it feels good. It feels good as a man when you can bring back the paycheck, you know that you're out there taking care of your of your family. That's it. That's a satisfying thing for a lot of us guys also picture of father as a as a protector, you know, if there's a strange noise at night. It's really bad that get the flash light goes out and investigate his dad. That is the one that's keeping all the cars running so that his his teenagers are not breaking down on the side of the road in the middle of the night. And I think it bothers. I also think of this next picture. This is my dad playing football with me. Obviously a long long time ago. This isn't true of every dad is not true of every family. But in a lot of families dad is kind of the one that brings the fun. That is the one that we look to you to, you know, just sometimes get goof. Sometimes it's good. You know, they tell those those lame dad jokes makes everyone grown great examples there you heard some of the classics in the end up with a puppet today, but I want to start the adventures still the one that rough house with the kids. Just a lot of time not in every case but a lot of times that's bad. That's the one that kind of brings brings the van he brings some Joy. He he lightens things up. He lives up with family encourages the family. At least that's the guy want to be that's that's who I want to be. I want to be that guy. I want to be that Dad. For the last 4 weeks 27 Edgemere guys having join me in a study of Philippians. And we chose Philippians because Philippians is Paul's most joyful letter. He talked about joy and talked about rejoicing more in that letter than than anything else that you write and one of our objectives with that group was we want to be guys that no matter what happened at work that day to matter. What else is going on when we come through the door. We want to be men that bring joy, we want to come to that door and be a blessing to the people waiting for us on the other side. I tell you. It's it's been hard the last few months for all of us been kind of a downer. It's been it's been hard. It's been depressing a lot of ways. That's one of the best things that group is one of the best things that I've experienced since this whole covid-19 started getting together with some with some guys who they gave up a lunch hour or they were here at the church building at 7 a.m. On Friday mornings because they were investing in learning how when they went home that night. No matter what it happened. They're going to try to bring joy. That is neat to be around guys like that. That's one of the biggest blessings. I've had in my life in the last the last several months and I appreciate all of you guys that were part of that anyway. It is the humidity today show just the the honesty that they expressed. We got a lot of good guys in this church, and I'm proud I'm proud to be among them. I'm proud that the count them as friends and we're going to unload this island group like that later this summer so I could tell you more about that in a few weeks. We'll choose a different letter and kind of go through the same thing. And so I'll be 10 more about that and look forward to doing that with you all as well. Probably starting the 1st of August. There's another role that we play as dad's we're providers or protectors. We bring the fun. But there's another role we play that we may not be as careful with and we may not be as obvious as if some of those other ones you're most of us are are pretty comfortable. We're pretty good when it comes to bring in the paycheck and end in plane catch in rotating the tires and in mowing the lawn, but another role the dads are playing is culture makers. You are creating the culture in your home with that. What that means is you what we say and how we spend money in and our attitudes about things. We are assigning meanings. We are signing value to things in our kids are watching we are creating because of what we do because of our example, we are creating culture in our homes that shapes our kids in really significant ways. How do you want your kids to view going to school or serving other people or or being part of a church? We have a big part of that. We're where we are in many ways along with, you know, our our wives we are assigning value to those things in our child's eyes. And like it or not. There's some things in that role that we we have to feel there are some times that we need to speak wisdom into our kids we in what's going on with with their experiences? We need to lead by example. We need to be the ones that did bring that wisdom and that is not necessarily easy that that's not as natural to a lot of us as being the fun one or rotating the tires. You know, maybe it makes it harder because we at least when I was a grown-up you watch on TV, there's those those those TV dads like like Ward Cleaver and Andy Griffith's and Mike Brady and Cliff Huxtable dad on TV does always seem to know what to say if you're out there on the Prairie. My what's going on out there in the Little House on the Prairie when you went to Paw Charleston Ingles knew exactly what to say. He was always knew the right thing to say and he would say firmly, but gently it was just perfect every time. How did those dad's do that? Almost TV dads? They just knew what to say. You know how you know why? Cuz I had a whole team of professional writers putting every single word into their mouth pretty easy to do it. When you have everyone telling you he's exactly the right thing to say, we don't have that obviously as bad as we don't have a team of subscript Riders telling is okay when the kid comes home and does this this is what you say. This is the perfect thing to say. But it doesn't get us off the hook. There are still some things that are kids need to hear from us. There are some things that every child Long's craves to hear from his or her father leave. No, we're not as eloquent as those TV dads. We still need be speaking some things into the lives of our children as as the coach as the the culture shirt maker in our house. Nobody else can can speak those words into the lives of my daughters. There are some things that they need to hear from me and I can't abdicate that responsibility. I can't give that to my my wife or to my kids teachers or to their coaches or to the youth Minister. God chose me. God blessed me out of all the possibilities in all the world. God blessed me with those two girls for a reason. For some reason God gave Darby and Roxy and so there are some things that I need to say to them as best I can because there's some things that every child lungs to hear needs to hear from the father. We can see I think an example that or the importance of that where the practice of that and Old Testament tradition called The Blessing there's a few times that we encounter these and these are very important events. These were these were singularly significant events in the lives of the children in the grandchildren in those Biblical times. These were where the father or the Grandfather said words. that need to be said they said the words that shaped the culture of the family or the clan that they forged their children. Easy words those kids never forget Give an example that the picture you see there is a rendering of Israel also known as Jacob. This is when Israel's son. Joseph is bringing Israel two grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh to be blessed to have this this Ceremony this important ceremony done for them by their grandfather to receive his Blessing. Let me show you what that what that look like what that sounded like his realize were failing because of old age and he could hardly see so Joseph by his son's close to him and his father kiss them and embrace them and Israel said to Joseph I never expected to see your face again. And now God has allowed me to see your children to Ben Joseph removed from them. Remove them from Israel's knees and bow down to speak to the ground and took both of them eat cream on his right towards Israel left hand in Manassa on his left toward his right hand and brought them close to him. What is reached out his right hand and put it on ephraim's head? But he was the younger Indian Crossing his arms. He put his left hand on Manassas head. Even though Manasseh was the first morning then he blessed Joseph and said May the god before whom My Father Abraham and Isaac walk Faithfully the god who's been my shepherd all my life to this day. The angel who has delivered me from all harm. May he bless these boys may be called by my name and the names of my father's Abraham and Isaac and may they increase greatly on the earth that gives you a sense of what that someone was like in the in the patriarchal blessing there was touch which which implied connection Or acceptance that they they they touch these children in an ID in visually implied. I'm in parting something from me to you and also a sense of acceptance about touching them connecting to you. There's there's also a sort of a prayer like language may this happen. I wish this for you. Is soaking this your shooting with the grandfather has been praying about for these kids be sharing. This is what I've been talking to God about over you. And finally, there's also the sense of continuity Israel remind these boys that they are continuing a name. They are part of a legacy the part of a story and he links the past any links their future together and let them know that they are a continuation of that story. They're carrying on his name. I'm giving you this name to carry on for us. So there's touch the shows connection. There's also a prayer like language and there's a sense of continuity. In the next chapter Israel gives a blessing to his his grown sons. Does that was the grandsons now, is it grown sons? This is a little different tone with some of these boys get his 12 sons and for some of them the tone of their blessing from their fathers very different than what others received and that's for a reason let me show you this is Genesis 49:1 the universe 5 to get it all his sons and said gather around me and I will tell you what will happen to each of you in the days to come here is his Blessing to two of his boys Simeon and Levi are two of a kind their weapons are instruments of violence. May I never join in their meetings men never be a party to their plans for in their anger. They murdered men in a crippled auction just for Sport Clips on Durango. Forget is fierce a curse on the rapper. It is cruel. I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob. I will disperse them throughout Israel and put in the context clues are two grown men who serve Before had revenged the rape of one of their sisters by basically massacring an entire town, but it almost started a war it put it with their whole family in intense Danger. And so their dad addresses this initial talk stuff with the sun's because that's what they need. He cursed some of their bad traits that they're their anger and their violence who says boys that is not going to be a part of this family anymore. I do not want your anger and your violence to bring down this family to influence this family any longer. Will putting a stop to that. There's a will there's a warning this was not a cycle that is really wanted to see repeated again in the next generation of his family so much difference blessings 48. Your brothers will pray you will grasp your enemies by the neck and all your relatives will bow before you Judah. My son is a young lion that is finished eating his prey like a lion he crouches and lies down like a lioness who dares to Rouse him. The scepter will not depart from Judah know the ruler staff from his descendants until the coming of the one to whom it belongs the one whom All Nations will honor I think that would like to hear that. That thing about what it would be like it if if you are Judah and your father says Judah I see great leadership in you you can be the one that family looks up to you are going to be a protector. You will be a leader Kings will come from your line is really isn't envisioning of future for Judah he gave his son something to live up to this is the potential I see in you this is where I see you taking us. You are going to be the father of kings and eventually that prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus the King of Kings who comes from the line of Judah to do so, we don't we don't miss that. This is what this is. What is real says centuries and centuries before Jesus until the coming of the one to whom it belongs. The one whom All Nations will honor that's a prophecy about Jesus clear back there. So this is kind of sum up what we will be seeing in in the His blessings and in a blessing the children here that their loved. They're here in the love of their father. Secondly that they care what their father prays for on their behalf. Third that they hear the potential that their father season this is this is what I see you capable of this is why I see you possibly doing and finally they hear the future envisioned for them by their father as a continuation of a story or a legacy. Their loved here's what I'm praying about for you. You're the potential I see in you. Here's the future. I hope or Envision for you. That's what they're hearing in the blessing. You see how how knowing all that wood with Center a child. Did she got hearing that from the lips of a father or grandfather will be so fulfilling? For a child so inspirational even as an adult you these were these blessings we were given to adults not necessary little kids and adult we long to hear that from her dad's just to hear all of that. It's a me that has not gone away since that time. The farmers are culture doesn't really have an outlet for this week and we don't have some sort of event. I've never been invited to a a blessed thing. I don't I just don't think it's a general rule that they would we do that there's not there's not some formalized way that we do that and honestly for a for a lot of fathers, they probably feel pretty awkward and I guarantee your kids until 3 weird. You said Here Comes bow down before me. I'm going to lay my hands on your head and I'm going to I'm going to wish for you many sheep that that would just be strange put the meat still there. Someone to talk to you about how do we do this? How do you fulfill that need? How do we how do we take what is so important here and apply it to our culture? How do we bless our kids the way that these kids were blessed? How do we say the things that they need to hear from us? Well, I think a lot of ways to do that. Let me tell you about this. Just one way that I've seen this done one way that one dad Express these thoughts one of the elders that are at our church in Oklahoma with Dwayne and I love with Dwayne started them. He had this tradition or he started once they start having grandkids on the birthday of each of his grandkids. He would send him a personal letter. In a red envelope and so every year as long as the one he was alive. Every year each was grandkids would receive a personal individualized letter. And red envelope and in those letters he would tell them the blessing. I love you. This is what I see in you. This is what I hope for you. This is what I'm praying for you. This is where I have some concerns. This is this is this is some some cautions. I want to give you especially spiritually.

I guarantee you without even asking if I can guarantee to you. None of those kids have ever thrown away anything that came in a red envelope. I guarantee you somewhere. They've got all of those letters from their grandfather. So important I guarantee you they're going to cherish those words forever. imagine how important those words are To hear that from somebody that didn't means that much to you. You don't have to write a letter like that. I mean, I'm not nuts. That's not for everybody. But that's I'm just in courage to do something find some way. Maybe this is what you write down Mavis what you what you say to him face-to-face doesn't matter. How eloquent you are. You don't have to be a great writer. It's the fact that it came from you. That's what's important. They need to hear this from Dad. They need to hear this from Pappy from from Grandpa. That's what counts your kids. Look at the elements of the patriarchal blessing in your in your sermon notes. Look at all the things that we talked about their involved in that. and guys in your own words In your own way somehow find a way to express these things to your kids or to your grandkids. Tell them what you been praying about over them never done that and that had that makes a kind of awkward that may sound kind of like, you know, where my M. I should have review of some of those things. I would love to hear what someone sprayed about over me. I would love to know that then my dad is praying for me. He cares that much and there's nobody cares about. I tried to do that song with with my girls. I try to time to say here's the here's here's why I'm praying about for you. a star. Tell them the potential that you see in them, maybe maybe for you. What what Dwayne did appeals to you and and you write out those things in a letter you leave it on your pillow you you mail it to them. If you don't write letters of blessing like that your your actions and your attitudes. Are still saying things? You're still the culture maker. You're still communicating what is valuable? Which were they? That includes the value placed on their spiritual life.

She got them until about one other opportunity whether or not you designed it to write that letter. This July 12th coming up or going to do a family class and category told you a little bit about this. We had to postpone it a little bit. So we're going to start it July 12th. It's going to be in the fellowship hall. This was something that we were kind of nut just into doing because of the virus because of social distancing. But actually I'm getting more and more excited about this as we as we plan as we as we talked about it. We're going to be doing starting July 12th is we don't not having as we as you've already seen we don't have children's glasses like you did. And so when we do start back this is going to be our version of children's classes, but you're supposed to be different in the family class. The parents and the kids are going to sit together at at tables spread out safely in the fellowship hall and we're going to do class together parents and kids together in class. I love that. Good as if you're not a teacher not a problem, we're gonna have somebody up there a front doing the lesson kind of prompting you going to have the tables is some some discussion questions for you to talk about with your kids are going to have some little crafts for manipulative something very simple for you to do with your kids. Is it going to be engaging with your kids and responding to what that lesson is just it's just a 35 minutes out of your week. I love this. This is one thing our kids need to see us doing if we say church is important. If we say we care about their spiritual life, nothing more powerfully speak that to your kids then seeing you sit with him and do this taking the time to bring them to family class and do this with them. My dad for years would get us around the breakfast table and his version of this is his attempt at this and he would read one has little power for today DeVos a little booklets came out for years. I love that you attempted that I love that you tried to say this is important. We're taking the time as a family to talk about God thing. Those people those were little over our heads at kids, but I remember is this is important to my dad. This is sort of the same idea. But we're going to allow you to do is do things are very engaging for kids. You're not you're not trying to bring it down to that. We're doing this in the language. We're doing this in which would be fun for kids too much more engaging than what I experienced around my my breakfast table, but the message is still be the same. This is important mom and dad. I love this and I just I'd encourage you guys take advantage of this rossmann equip you after the family class with some some things that you can continue to do at home continue this conversation that you started on Sunday mornings with recurring this this cycle. Are kids lives where they know that when they come to church. This is take your time. This is a Sacred Space for this time in that class. My mom and dad and me we're doing something that's really important. The hope that you'll be a part of that hopefully will give that a try. I just I have really a lot of excitement about that in Great Expectations for that. Before we close. I just need to also I think knowledge something. And that is it Father's Day for for some of you is kind of tough. Some of you may be sitting or thinking. My dad, I never heard it from my dad. those words never heard that. Never got a red envelope. If your dad wasn't quite what you should have been maybe he was just absent maybe you don't even know who your dad really was. I just want to remind you though, if you feel like you've never heard those words. If you feel like you've never been given a Blessing by your father. I want to remind you you have. this Bible This is a love letter. From your real father from your true father from the father that chose to create you. This is a love letter and your dad. And in this book you hear what your father thinks about you? What he wants for you how he loves you? and so if you're if you're feeling a little disappointed if you feel a little bit conflicted on Father's Day because maybe you're your biological. Dad. Never quite gave you that blessing to remind you that yes. Yes. You did receive That Azz Up on the screen for the next couple minutes. You're going to see that letter from your father summarized. You're going to listen or just read for yourselves on me what your dad wants you to know? So we're just going to just go through a series of of scriptures summarized. This is your love letter from your father. This is your blessing from your dad. I'll let you read this silently for yourself on the screen and after that's done. We'll have our final song.