Dad, Want to Make a Difference?

Intro – One day a mother heard her son saying some pretty unwholesome things. Furious she said, “Young man, where did you learn to talk that way?'" The boy hesitated, looked toward his father, and asked, `Well, Dad, should I tell her?'"

Dads you do have some powerful influence in the lives of your children. The question is what kind of influence are you having in their lives – a positive and good one or a negative and bad one. The wonderful truth I want to highlight to every dad here today is this: DAD YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE – A WONDERFUL DIFFERENCE – A RIGHT KIND OF DIFFERENCE – IF YOU WILL DO 4 THINGS. The 1st thing you can do?

1. BE A GODLY EXAMPLE.

- In 1 Cor. 11:1 Paul said to the Corinthian Christians “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 11:1 NASB95

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

- Paul wasn’t being arrogant or prideful in saying this – what he was doing was being an example.

- Paul knew the importance of being an example – he knew there was great need in his day for good and Godly examples.

- God knows there is a great need today for good and Godly examples! Especially among dads.

- Dad, I have a sobering question for you this morning: do you want your child (ren) to be imitators of you? Do you want them growing up and doing the same things you are doing? Do you want them watching the same things you watch? Talking the same you talk? Drinking the same things you drink? Smoking the same things you are smoking? Arguing the same way you argue?

- Dad, what example are you giving to your child (ren)?

- Several years ago Cat Stevens wrote a song called “Cats and the Cradle” about a little boy who wanted to be like his dad but his dad never had time for him – always too busy, too many responsibilities, but always promising he would. Eventually the boy grew up and then his dad reached the point he wanted to spend time with his son – and you guessed it, he turned out just like his dad – he was too busy!

- A few years ago, Careers and Colleges Magazineconducted a survey among teenagers asking them “Whom do you admire?”Among the males, 73% picked their fathers above everyone else.

- Dad, understand today that your example to your child (children) does affect them!

- Your child needs to be influenced by a Godly example from you!

TS – Dad the 2nd thing you can do…

2. LOVE YOUR WIFE.

- In Ephesians 5 in a very important section on family relationships, God gives clear instructions to wives and husbands about how to relate to each other.

- In Eph. 5:25-28 Paul says “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her…”

Ephesians 5:25–28 NASB95

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;

- Dad, how much do you love your wife? Do you sacrifice for her? Are you willing to give yourself for her?

- The kind of love God is talking about here is sacrificialkind of love – not-self gaining, self-getting, self-serving kind of love! It’s a self-giving kind of love! It’s the kind of love that seeks to be a servant not a king!

- Dad, could your marriage vastly improve if you loved your wife with this kind of love?

- One of the great needs in the home today is for children to see husbands and wives loving each other the way God lays it out in this passage!

TS – Dad the 3rd thing you can do…

3. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT THE LORD.

- In Deut. 6:4-9 God instructs us to teach our children – Read…

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 NASB95

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your sons 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 up. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

- In the Jewish faith it was the father who was to give the lead instruction in the home.

- Eph. 6:4 says: “And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Ephesians 6:4 NASB95

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

- Dad, what are you teaching your child(ren) about the Lord? Are you teaching them:

1) The importance of loving the Lord with all your heart?

2) The importance of reading/studying the Bible – do they see you reading/ studying it?

3) The importance of being committed to the Lord?

4) The importance of church – your attendance and participation in the life of your church?

5) The importance of sharing the Lord with other people?

6) The importance of reaching out and helping people who are in need?

7) The importance of being compassionate and caring?

- Dad, you are either teaching your children these things are important or you are teaching them that these things are not important!

- Understand today that the greatest place of learning for your child is in your home under your love and care and guidance and instruction.

- Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Proverbs 22:6 NASB95

Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

TS – Dad the 4th thing you can do…

4. GIVE LEADERSHIP TO YOUR HOME.

- In Eph. 5:23 we’re told: “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.”

Ephesians 5:23 NASB95

For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.

- God has established order in the home (the family).And men, this order gives you and me great responsibility in the home. Men, God says you are the head of the home, the family.

- God doesn’t say you are the dictator of the home or the king of the home. He says you are the leader of the home – and therefore you are to give leadership!

- Dad, what kind of leadership are you giving to your home (family) today?

- Are you giving:

1) Godly leadership?

2) Effective leadership?

3) Spiritual leadership?

- Sadly too many men today have abdicated their leadership – bailed out – aren’t there!

- Dad, God has given you the responsibility to lead your home – to set the example, to set the pace, to make sure your home is running smoothly – not perfect of course

Conclusion

Of course…there are no guarantees that your child(ren) will live for the Lord the way you want them to…all you can do is give them the right (best) foundation you can…and pray for them every day…

So dad…commit yourself today to being 1) A Godly example 2) Loving your wife with sacrificial love 3) Teaching your child(ren) the ways of the Lord 4) Being the leader in your home – especially the spiritual leader. And pray…pray…pray!

Prayer: Lord help every dad here/listening today to commit himself to being a better dad 1) To be a Godly example 2) Love his wife more 3) to teach his child(ren) Your Word and ways 4) to be a better leader in his home 5) for those who’ve been failing to ask You for forgiveness and to start being today the dad You want them to be.