Fatherhood: Lessons from one of the Least mentioned roll models in Jesus' Life
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I. Welome
II. Openning Prayer
III. Worship
A. Songs:
a. “The River”
b. “10,000 Reasons”
c. "Ever Be”
d. "The More I Seek You”
e. Song b4 Offering: “I Give You My Heart”
B. Offering:
a. 3 ways to give
1. online: greenmtn.org
2. text the word “give” to (833) 966-2042
i. already gave via text: just text the amount to that same #
3. mail a check to 440 Main St. in Bennington
b. Song: "How Great the Father’s Love”
IV. Sermon
SERMON
SERMON
INTRO
INTRO
I. Where We’re Headed
A. 2day is about honoring & thanking good & godly fathers
B. Illust.
a. If you were to ask most men what they wanted to be when they grew up it was…a super hero
1. heck, if u asked us now the answer deep down would probably be the same
i. We want what we do to matter
ii. we want courageously do the right thing when it’s all on the line
iii. we want to be best in the world in at least 1 thing (to do something that only we can do)
iv. we want to positively influence the lives of those around us
v. we want to be victorious in the face of impossible odds & the respect that goes along with that
2. weather we’re talking about being like
i. John Wayne,
ii. the Lone Ranger,
iii. Batman,
iv. Spider-Man,
v. or G.I. Joe,
-we want our lives to have impacted the world!!
b. What we find ourselves with is
1. The same job we go to day in & day out
2. A home that always needs something fixed & never enough time to see it all done
3. & I could go on
c. BUT Dads, what if I told u that what u do will change the world… at least some1’s world!!
1. What if I told u that what u do REALLY Does matter
i. & that if we follow the ex. o 1 o the Least mentioned roll models in Jesus' Life
-Our legacy could have eternal impact!!
II. A Godly Dad
A. In the Gospels we see a man who is a exemplifies what it means to be a Godly father
a. …but he is only vaguely mentioned
b. He was faithful to God…faithful to his wife…faithful to his kids…faithful to his job
1. He loved, cared for, & protected his family
2. He followed the leading of God in extreme fashion yet is only mentioned briefly a handful of times
c. This week we’re going to learn some lessons on Fatherhood from 1 of the least mentioned roll models in Jesus' Life
B. This man is Jesus’ adoptive dad Joseph.
III. Prayer
BODY
BODY
I. Godly Dads are just
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
A. Context
a. Joseph & Mary r betrothed
b. having never laid w/her…she’s becomes pregnant
1. Fellas…how would u react?
2. Joseph was a special kinda man
B. Matthew came right out & said Joseph was just
a. The evidence was that he refused 2 shame Mary
1. He could have publically humiliated her, but instead he chose 2 walk away quietly (well that was his initial plan until God intervened).
i. What’s this got 2 do w/being a daddy?
-yes this was b4 Jesus’ birth, but consider this
b. How good o a dad we r is directly linked 2 how good o a husband we r
1. Our Sons will learn 2b a husband from the ex. we set 4 how we treat our wife
2. Our daughters will learn how a husband aught 2 treat em by how we treat our wife.
B. I am so thankful 4 the Father’s in this congregation…
a. Men like John B. When I consider the kind o husband I want 2b like…it’s Jn b.
1. Not sure there’s a man I know who is more kind & loving & faithful than Jn.
2. He has soft-spoken strength & wisdom in his words.
3. I would bet that Joseph’s just & humble manner flowed in2 how he raised Jesus 2
C. Illust. That dad
a. ever been 2 a ball game where every time his child did something wrong He would jump up & yell, holler, scolded & sham his child?
b. what does that do 2 the child?
c. A good father would act like Joseph & correct quietly w/out shaming him/her
D. Illust. My Uncle Steve is a good daddy.
a. I remember going to my cousin’s games & such & he would clap & yell, cheering ‘em on… he might even call out loud advise, but I can’t remember 1x that he ever demeaned 'em
1. Speaking o acting justly
II. Godly Dads Trust God
A. b4 Joseph could divorce marry, God intervened by sending an Angel who approached Joseph in a dream.
a. Describe
b. what could have been
1. what did Joseph do?
24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,
—SIDE NOTE—
B. Joseph is a hero 4 adoptive parents, foster-parents & blended family dads
a. by taking Mary as his wife he also took upon himself the responsibility as dad
b. Being the savior’s adopted daddy wasn’t all we might think it was.
1. Mark Driscoll in his book Spirit-Filled Jesus rightly observes that Joesph would endure a life where:
His son would be called a b-…ill-legitimate
His wife would be called… unfaithful
& He called a fool for the rest of his life
2. He could have
i. canceled the wedding
ii. walked away
iii. & gone on w/his life
-but it wouldn’t have been a life of trusting God.
3. So, instead he sacrifices his reputation by taking on a family & lifetime o ridicule
4. He took up the responsibility & calling God placed on him 2 love & care 4 this family…
i. including his adoptive son.
ii. The picture o Joseph we get frm scripture is a man who seemed devoted 2 loving & caring 4 his family
c. @ GMCC we have a great testimony o faithful adoptive dads
1. Kieth McCart: opening his heart & home to his boys…
i. They may not b frm this country, but it’s undeniable that he loves ‘em.
2. Paul Hodgeman
3. John L.
4. John B.
5. Matt Wilkinson
i. Each o u r great ex. 4 me personally as I raise my 2 boys who r mine, but not frm me.
-Obeying God by taking on Mary & Jesus is just 1 o many times Joseph trusted God
-Take a look:
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
C. Describe the tragedy
D. God spoke to Joseph through through an angel in a dream
a. Angel said, “time 2 go or u gonna die”
b. Joseph, heard frm God, dropped everything, gathered up his family, & w/the heart 4 protecting his family, left.
1. He Sacrificed his lively-hood on a dream, trusting that if God said it, he believed it
2. Not only does this story illust. Joseph’s faithfulness 2 God...
i. but also his deep devotion 2 his family’s safety.
E. Then, yrs later, trusted God again & dropped everything:
19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
a. So, 4 a 2nd time after yrs of investment in2 a his trade, & developing frnds & building a life
1. Joseph dropped it all, lead by God, & settled back in Nazareth
b. Jesus & his brothers learned frm Joseph’s ex. 2 follow God’s prompting wherever it leads
1. Every other point that has & will b said 2day must come frm this point:
i. 2b a Godly Father, we must 1st trust & obey God’s leading by his Spirit!
- We cannot b a Godly ex. if we aren’t following God’s promptings in our life
- How else will our kids learn what it means to follow God if we aren’t following him ourselves
III. Godly Dads have their kids work along side them
55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
A. Context (ministry 2 Nazareth)
B. Joseph taught Jesus the trade of being a carpenter
a. These vs show that Joseph was a carpenter & he must have invited Jesus 2 work along side him & taught him
1.An American ex. o this is a father & son under the hood o the car turning wrenches 2gether
i. We all know it’s far easier 2 do the job urself, huh dads…but working (& sometimes arguing) 2gether builds the bond & grows ‘em up
b. Jesus didn’t stay a carpenter…
1. He stepped in2 his calling,
2. but Jesus learned the meaning o
i. hard work,
ii. faithfulness, &
iii. the value o honest labor.
C. No Where is this better illust. than in… (Jn 5:17,19-20)
17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
a. Let me just say, Godly Dad’s r devoted, hard workers
19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.
b. The father lovingly invites his child 2 work w/him…teaching all he does so the child does like him
1. & the hope o all fathers is that our children will surpass us
i. My prayer 4 James is that he’ll have a double portion o his daddy’s anointing
D. A great ex. of this here @ GMCC is Paul H.
a. Every so often I get a call frm Paul asking me 2 help move heavy things.
1. when I get there, who do I find: Jeremiah, working right there along side his dad.
2. Paul shows Jeremiah the value o working hard, the tricks of his trade & devotion 2 working @ honest labor.
i. Will Jeremiah continue his Daddy’s business??
-Maybe/maybe not...
-But He’ll learn the value o working hard, being devoted, & working honestly
E. Illust. My dad & driving bus
a. I became a bus driver (wanted 2 make my dad proud)
1. still have license
IV. Godly Dads Mess Up
43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,
44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
A. Joseph & Mary lost the son of God…the savior o the world…u think u’ve made parenting mistakes
a. look, no Dad is going 2 get it right all the time.
1. There’s only 1 perfect dad…our heavenly father
2. Illust: movie I watched w/Rebekah “Ford vs. Ferrari”
i. a race car driver’s son draws a detailed map o the track his dad’s about to raise.
ii. Then asks him to outline what he’ll do turn by turn.
iii. When his dad finishes the son says, “but you can’t get it right every time”
iv. Dad responds, “I can try”
b. That’s the point! we aren’t going 2 get it perfect as a dad every time but we can try
1. Every decision made in parenting is like turn we take in a long race
i. We know that sometimes we’ll take the corner wrong,
-but ea. time we come 2 a parenting decision we try 2 make the best decision available 2 us
c. I had a coach tell me, “if u strive 4 perfection, u will reach greatness”
Consider Paul’s words in...
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
i. Paul is talking about a life o faithfulness as a race & so we must run the race striving 2 b the best
-1 o the most important aspects o our lives is being Godly daddies...
*We must father our children determined 2 raise Godly adults
ii. Ea. time we don’t “take the corner right” as we make parenting decisions we must treat it like a training moment:
-we learn from it…grow from it & parent as 2 earn the #1 dad award.
2. Again, Consider Paul’s words in...
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
i. We learn frm the mistakes & then let it go...
- focusing on the prize & run the race as a life long Jesus following daddy
-4 our goal as Jesus following parents can be applied from Paul’s words in...
1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
d. Our goal as Jesus-following parents is 4 our children (our joy, our beloved, our heavenly crown) 2 stand firm in the Lord all the days of their life.
—Back 2 Joseph & Mary’s mess up—
B. They finally did find Jesus
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
a. the boy Jesus was in the temple debating theology
1. Again we will c that Joseph & Mary miss the mark
48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.”
C. Joseph & Mary miss the mark on understanding Jesus & his intentions
a. “why have u treated us so” indicates that they thought he was in rebellion
1. He wasn’t rebelling he was devoted 2 God…
49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
i. “in my father’s house” can also b translated: “about my father’s business”
-Jesus was where he was supposed 2b doing what he aught 2b doing…&...
-Jesus learned (@least 2 a degree) 2b about God’s business frm Joseph who he watched faithfully follow God.
V. Godly dad’s love & r concerned 4 their kids
A. Joseph’s love & care 4 Jesus is clear in Mary’s words:
a. “ Behold, your father & I have been searching for u in great distress.”
1. “in great distress” is 2b distressed 2 the point o mental & spiritual agony
i. A person does not feel such distress apart frm great love & care.
B. GMCC is blessed w/Godly Dad’s who love & care 4 their kids
a. I have had the chance over the last 3yrs 2 watch Aaron S. love & care 4 his kiddos
1. He is a remarkable, Godly Father…not perfect, but he loves his kids deeply
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
I. Joseph’s Godly ex. had a profound impact
A. Mark Driscoll correctly identify’s Joseph’s calling
“as working an honest job, loving his wife, obeying God, & raising Godly kids.”
B. Maybe this calling sounds familiar 2 u
a. Maybe this calling sounds as mundane as u think urs is…but listen,
1. His obedience took him 2 new places like Egypt &
2. his faithfulness impacted the whole world!!
i. His adoptive son redeemed the whole world through his death & resurrection (which he probably didn’t live 2 c)
-but wait, there’s more.
ii. 2 more o his sons went on 2b leaders in the early church movement
-Jesus’ half brother James became
*the prominent leader o the Church in Jerusalem &
*wrote a letter that is in the N.T. meaning it is spirit inspired
-Jude is probably Judas found in the list o half siblings in…
55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
*Jude wrote a profound letter in the N.T.
~The only way he’s writing a letter like this is if he’s in leadership
C. Joseph is a humble hero living in the shadow o his adopted son (which I bet he is so proud of)
a. We read very little o him so no 1 would be foolish enough 2 read the N.T. & think that Jesus’ bio dad was any1 except God the Father.
b. Yet, I can’t help but believe that God hand picked Joseph 2 raise his 1 & only son.
II. Bringing it home
A. Dads, our kids won’t write letters in the N.T. / redeem the world… (N.T. is closed & Jesus covered the savior o the world gig)
a. but God does have a specific calling 4 our kids
b. & it is our job 2:
1. live out a Godly ex. o faithfulness, loving care, devotion, & hard work as we raise ‘em
i. 2 become Godly spouses, parents, co-workers, employees, & / employers
ii. 2 become faithful friends & love their neighbors
iii. & our most important job o all:
- teach 'em how 2 have a life long rel. w/God through Jesus & empowered by the H.S.
B. Video
a. In a Nation characterized by dad’s abandoning their families
1. GMCC dads live in contrast by being faithful to God expressed through their love, care & devotion 2 their kids & family
b. On this Father’s Day, I’d like 2 share this video as my way of saying, “Thanks” on behalf o GMCC
a. play video
C. My hope & prayer is that
a. u r a super-hero…2 ur kids
b. & that u would change the world…their world!
c. That u would b the kind of man
1. ur son wants 2b like
2. & your daughters want their future husband 2b like.
d. let me pray over ya