A Father's Discipline

Me

It’s hard to discipline my kids.

Good kids and don’t seem to need it often.

But, discipline is NOT (necessarily) a response to bad behavior.

We

2 Kinds of Fathers

Quick to punish (not Discipline)

Punishment—negative consequence to action

Discipline—training; has as it’s goal the ultimate good of the child

Passive (no discipline or punishment) — 2 versions

Fun Dad

Absent Dad

God—we can learn a lot about how to be a good Father from God, our Father

Hebrews 12:7 (CSB)

Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?

suffering in life = God’s discipline

God’s discipline is because He deals with us as a Father

What about great suffering? How is that good? — cf. the Great Tribulation of the early church

Revelation 2:10 (CSB)

Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will experience affliction for ten days. Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

As a Father you need to be hyper aware of the suffering of your kids (emotional, spiritual, physical, etc.)

As God walked with His people through the tribulation of the early church, Father’s must walk with sons and daughters through immense pain at times.

You want to fix it, but you can’t; they must endure it.

You give them hope for endurance.

Pray them through it.

Remember, you probably can’t fix it, but you can help them persevere and they will be better for it (that’s what discipline is for).

Hebrews 12:8 (CSB)

8 But if you are without discipline—which all receive—then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

We aren’t God’s children if we don’t experience suffering as discipline

What if you, as a Father, don’t discipline your children? (I don’t mean punishment).

Hebrews 12:9–10 (CSB)

9 Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness.

NOTE: Earthly Father’s discipline as seems good, but God’s discipline is for our benefit.

What if our discipline as Fathers was for the benefit of our children (not for ourselves as is often the case)?

What if our discipline was to train our children to obey God not their earthly Fathers? How might that change the value system in your home?

You

Grave, Cochren and Co.

If there hadn't been a darkness, I would've never seen the light; I wouldn't long for the sunrise, if it wasn't for the night.

We don’t see blessing without curse; righteousness without unrighteousness.

We wouldn’t recognize glory if we didn’t know the pain that sin has wrought in this world.

If there hadn't been a Father, who made a way when there was none, I'd still be an orphan, if it wasn't for His son.

The Perfect Father, God made a way for us to be his children.

The Perfect Father God suffered for the sake of His children.

The Perfect Father God sacrificed everything for the good of His children.

The Christian father is called to make a way in this world for his children.

The Christian father is called to suffer for the sake of his children.

The Christian father is called to sacrifice everything for the good of his children.