Sermon Tone Analysis

*Father’s Day*

Hooray!

Daddy did it!

June 18, 2006

 

Galatians 4:4-7 (ESV)

 

One of the first sermons I preached was at my mom and dad’s church in Harbor Beach, MI.

I remember that sermon well.

The text I preached on that day was this very text, Galatians 4:4-7.

It has words in it that are particularly meaningful to me.

You see, my biological father was one of those fathers who cared most about himself, and not the kids he fathered.

That was in the forties, but it sure does speak to the way many fathers behave these days.

To put it bluntly, my biological father deserted his wife and seven children.

The children—except the oldest—were all given up for adoption because in those days, booze and sex was more important to dad.

It took a couple of years of living in the Lutheran Children’s Home in Bay City, MI before I was adopted.

My new—soon-to-be adopted mom and dad gave me a new name—the name I have today.

They did a lot for me.

They saw to it that I had a church home—Zion Lutheran Church, Sandusky, MI.

They saw to it that I had food and clothing.

In fact, the day they picked me and my older brother up at the children’s home, all we had for clothing was our underwear.

The first stop on the way to our new home was at one of dad’s brother’s place—Uncle Carl and Aunt Rena.

They gave me and my brother lots of clothes because they had three boys who were just a little older.

The clothes didn’t fit all that well, but, they were much better than just a pair of jockey shorts.

Not all was well after that, however.

My adopted father thought that because of my genetic background, I had the devil in me, and it was his job to get the devil out of me.

Some think he did a good job—others don’t.

And I’m not telling which it is.

What I will say is that my brother was sent back to the children’s home because he could not control his bladder at night.

I alone remained on the farm and was raised as an only child—an adopted son whose origins were from people of much sin.

Now, I do not recall ever being allowed to sit in my dad’s lap.

I do not recall being hugged by my dad.

I do recall him telling me many times how dumb I was: too dumb to do things right on the farm; too dumb to shovel wheat the right way; too dumb to rake hay the right way; too dumb for college; dumb for going into the Navy, dumber still for leaving the Navy to become a Parish Pastor.

It was not until late in my dad’s life that I ever heard him say the words “I love you.”

And even today, I’m not sure that he did say that, or if I just desired it so much that it became a reality in my mind.

Whichever it was, I am content to believe that he did in fact love me.

I can honestly say that I do love him.

I love my biological father as well—though I never really got to know him.

While on his deathbed in 1983 I held my adopted dad’s hand and prayed with him—prayed for him.

When I said “amen,” I got the biggest hand squeeze ever.

Oh how I wish he would have been able to speak, but the hand-squeeze spoke volumes to my soul—it brought tears to my eyes.

… That was the last time I saw him alive.

The point of my sharing all these intimate details is this: my image of a father was not a good one.

It bothers me to think about how many children there are today with a similar or worse history.

It bothers me to know the disgusting imagery many have of their heavenly Father as a result.

That’s the imagery I had of the father figure in my life.

If someone had asked me then what I thought of my father, I would have probably said something like, *“My life is all screwed up.

Daddy did it!”

*

But that all changed when I realized I had a father who was real and true and loving and caring and all of the things I had hoped a father would be.

You see, when God’s Son was revealed to me, my Heavenly Father was revealed.

And when the words “your sins are forgiven” sunk deep into my heart, and I knew what that meant, not only for me, but for my two dads as well, it was as if the Heavenly Father had lifted me up into His arms and was hugging me with the biggest fatherly hug anyone could yearn for.

I still feel that hug when I see people responding in similar ways to the message that reveals the Heavenly Father.

No wonder Luther said it this way to explain the introduction to the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father who art in heaven.”

Asking, /What does this mean?,/ he says, /“With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father.”/

This is what our Heavenly Father does for us so that when we say, “Daddy did it!”

it is meant as an endearing statement.

And, what Daddy did is the point of our text.

Listen for the words that tell us what He did.

 

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son,

born of woman,

born under the law,

5 *to redeem* those who were under the law,

so that we might receive adoption as sons.

6 And because you are sons,

God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba!

Father!”

To be redeemed is like having someone pay off a debt that would otherwise cost you your life.

Under God’s Law, we are indebted to keep every word perfectly—that is like trying to please a father who thinks you are too dumb to do anything right.

The result is not only injury to the soul, but “death!”

To be redeemed means our sin debt is paid in full.

You see, *Daddy did it* by sending His own Son, Jesus Christ.

And because Jesus did all things under the Law perfectly, the Law of God has been kept perfectly in our place.

When we are born again of the Spirit of God, we receive by way of Daddy’s promise, all that Jesus has done for us.

No wonder St. Paul could say so confidently: /And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba!

Father!”/

/Abba/ is in Jesus’ mother tongue a child’s familiar and affectionate address to his father.

How many of you called your father “daddy”?

I did.

But, when applied to God as Paul does here, it illustrates the perfect freedom from sin the Christian’s sonship brings.

Romans 8:16-17 (ESV) 16 /The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,// //17 //and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.//

/Now listen to how Jesus addressed His Heavenly Father—and ours—in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Mark 14:36 (ESV) 36 /he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you.

Remove this cup from me.

Yet not what I will, but what you will.”//

/

          What God wills for us because Jesus did go all the way—even all the way to death on a cross—is life that lasts forever.

Through His own Son Jesus Christ He has arranged it so that our faith in Jesus Christ is considered to be our perfection before God, by God, and that is eternal life.

You see, *Daddy Did It!* Isn’t that great!

Happy Father’s Day.

Amen.