Father's Day 2020
Notes
Transcript
The first place we all have a responsibility to take the gospel is into our own homes. In our years of youth ministry, we were very aware some of the kids God saved were missionaries in their own homes. But let’s have a moment of realness here: It cant stop there. The church has tended to have the attitude “when me and mine are taken care of, my job is done. I can relax”. I have heard, with my own ears, in every church I have ever attended some version of that statement.
But I need to help us understand the difficulty this attitude creates: It literally fosters a ‘world be damned’ attitude in us. We cannot afford such. If you dont have a heart to see the rest of our community reached with the message of the Gospel, ask Him to change your heart.
1 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it,
2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.
3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
If I want my children, and my children’s children, to see the fulfillment of this scripture, what should I do? How should I teach them and live in front of them and should I exemplify the truth of scripture?
1. Love their mother
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
There is no woman a child loves more than their mom. To see her treated with genuine love and respect gives my voice weight with my own children. Loving their mom causes them to see me the way God intended: as that mirror we talked about a couple weeks ago, reflecting the character of God Himself.
When I read this verse to a young man on his wedding day, they generally dont hear a word I said. They are making googly eyes at the most beautiful woman they’ve ever seen, as I was on my wedding day. But do you hear the ‘how’ in these instructions? “As Christ loved the church...”
When it says gave Himself up, it means preference, will and life. Jesus said three things to show us this truth.
We’re going to Jerusalem. They’ll kill you. This is the way;-) Preference given up.
Not my will but Yours be done. Will, given up.
It is finished. Life, given up.
Maybe your season in life to love their mother has passed. Maybe you are only able to love her memory. Do you still tell her stories to your adult kids? Do you help them remember? That would be a great way to love her.
2. Listen to my children
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
You have been telling your child, for most of their life, their voice is important. Your relief at hearing that first cry. Cooing and the reaction it creates in you. Gibberish and your willingness to repeat it. Tender conversations with them. Ella vid
In the greater context of this new life we are called to walk in, this new life we receive. Our relationship with Jesus changes what we do and how we act. That includes how we act toward our children.
History shows humanity was incredibly cruel outside the Judeo-Christian world. Jonah the OT prophet was tasked with taking the message of repentance AND FORGIVENESS to the people of Nineveh. They were exceptionally sinful. Cruel violence was their most famous form and children did not escape this.
Outside a ‘God-centric’ world, children have mostly been considered property. But God’s message about them changes all that:
Genesis 1 says have them.
Psalm 127 says acknowledge the gift they are.
Proverbs 22 says nurture and lead them.
Numbers 32 says protect them.
Mark 10 says we should lead them to the arms of Jesus!
Part of this includes building my children up. That Ephesians verse says to use words that build up, not tear down. So in those conversations where listening is important, responding with words that build up are also vital!
3. Spend time with them
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Making the best use of time. Time that is a vapor, a mist, according to James. There was a time in my life when my dad didnt want to spend time with me. Not because of him, but because of me. I was a turd. I didnt want to spend time with him. But he made himself. And he made me. And in those times I learned and grew and was loved more unconditionally than any other time in my life.
He wants to spend time with me today. He tells me every time I see him that he wants to see me more often. But he doesnt necessarily remember the last time I was there.
So if we are blessed to live long enough, we’ll see all these reverse themselves.
You will need to love your mother more. You will need to listen to your parents. You will need to spend more time with them. And you will need to show your parents what the Heavenly Father looks like by letting them see Jesus in you. Which is our last thing a father does.
4. Show children what Heavenly Father looks like by letting them see Jesus in me.
So here’s the proof: we have been called to a modeling career! Not to model the jorts and Hawaiian shirts, but to model the character of God for children. Ours and those God allows into our lives.
Revisit
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Do your words give grace to those who hear?
Complaining is easy. Criticizing comes naturally to many. Faultfinding takes no talent or self-discipline, brains or character. But there is no grace in those.
A little boy, frightened by a thunderous lightning storm, called out one dark night, “Daddy, come. I’m scared.”
“Son,” the father said, “God loves you and he’ll take care of you.”
“I know God loves me,” the boy replied. “But right now I want somebody who has skin on.”
It is the role of the father to be and demonstrate God, with skin on.