Father's Day
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Opening Story/Illustration: There is an interesting phenomenon that seems to happen in our lives. Some of it I think is our culture, and some of it I believe is Human nature. It is this - Until a child is about 10 to 12 years old, they think that dad and Mom can do no wrong. Dad is the superhero and mom is the boo boo healer. They are perfect in every way. But you wait till a kid hits about 10 or 12. It’s like a switch clicks in their brain.
Opening Story/Illustration: There is an interesting phenomenon that seems to happen in our lives. Some of it I think is our culture, and some of it I believe is Human nature. It is this - Until a child is about 10 to 12 years old, they think that dad and Mom can do no wrong. Dad is the superhero and mom is the boo boo healer. They are perfect in every way. But you wait till a kid hits about 10 or 12. It’s like a switch clicks in their brain.
By the way they start acting, you would think that they had some great life experience and possibly some university training - because they suddenly know so much more than mom and dad.
By the way they start acting, you would think that they had some great life experience and possibly some university training - because they suddenly know so much more than mom and dad.
Mom and Dad go from perfect role model, to someone who needs to get a clue. This lasts for about 10-15yrs, maybe longer depending on the child.
Mom and Dad go from perfect role model, to someone who needs to get a clue. This lasts for about 10-15yrs, maybe longer depending on the child.
Then something begins to happen again. Mom and Dad suddenly get smart again. Now the child is away at college or just purchased their first house. Something goes wrong with the car or something breaks in the house - who do they call? Mom or dad. It’s interesting that after this point, the older they get, the wiser mom and dad become. The couple that once didn’t have a clue, are now the heroes again.
Then something begins to happen again. Mom and Dad suddenly get smart again. Now the child is away at college or just purchased their first house. Something goes wrong with the car or something breaks in the house - who do they call? Mom or dad. It’s interesting that after this point, the older they get, the wiser mom and dad become. The couple that once didn’t have a clue, are now the heroes again.
The older that you get the more you begin to treasure the advice and wisdom that your father and mother gave you.
The older that you get the more you begin to treasure the advice and wisdom that your father and mother gave you.
Transition to Text: This morning, as we celebrate Father’s Day, I want us to look at the book of Proverbs and pull out some advice that a father gives to his Children.
Transition to Text: This morning, as we celebrate Father’s Day, I want us to look at the book of Proverbs and pull out some advice that a father gives to his Children.
The book of Proverbs is found in the Old Testament. It is a compilation of wise sayings and insight into how to live life well. The goal of Proverbs is to help us gain wisdom.
The book of Proverbs is found in the Old Testament. It is a compilation of wise sayings and insight into how to live life well. The goal of Proverbs is to help us gain wisdom.
Proverbs is part of what we call “Wisdom Literature.” In the Bible this would include the books of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. All of these books are full of wisdom about how life works.
Proverbs is part of what we call “Wisdom Literature.” In the Bible this would include the books of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. All of these books are full of wisdom about how life works.
The goal of wisdom literature is to advise you, warn you, and persuade you about how life works.
The goal of wisdom literature is to advise you, warn you, and persuade you about how life works.
Wisdom speaks from experience and points out probable results. Proverbs aren’t there to cover every angle of a topic. They are there to give you memorable sayings about the way things generally work.
Wisdom speaks from experience and points out probable results. Proverbs aren’t there to cover every angle of a topic. They are there to give you memorable sayings about the way things generally work.
Example: A great cultural example of this that many of you in the room may be able to finish - “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” - Ben Franklin
I know plenty of people who follow this and not all of them are healthy, wealthy, or wise.
This is the way a Proverb works - It’s a memorable saying about the way the world generally works.
The end goal is that you would live a wise and complete life.
What is Wisdom? Wisdom is knowing what is right and applying it in each situation we face.
What is Wisdom? Wisdom is knowing what is right and applying it in each situation we face.
The book of Proverbs depicts wisdom as a woman who wants us in relationship with her. She wants us to choose her in every situation of our lives.
The book of Proverbs depicts wisdom as a woman who wants us in relationship with her. She wants us to choose her in every situation of our lives.
The book gives us a choice between following wisdom or following what is called “folly.”
The best way to think about this is to imagine that you’re on a dating show and there are two contestants in front of you. One is wisdom, one is stupidity. You have to choose one. Who do you choose?
The choice is not as easy as you think. We all sit and say “Well yeah, we choose wisdom.” But in the moment, the stupid choice often disguises itself. The choice between wisdom and folly isn’t as easy as we like to think.
The book of Proverbs also paints another picture. Many of the passages take the tone of a father talking to his children.
The book of Proverbs also paints another picture. Many of the passages take the tone of a father talking to his children.
Think of it as an older father or grandfather passing on to his Children and grandchildren the way that life works.
Those who wrote Proverbs were interested in passing down wisdom to the next generation.
In fact, Proverbs chapter 2 - 7 ALL start with some version of, “My son” or “Hear oh son.”
Proverbs is telling us we have to make a choice between Wisdom and Stupidity, but it also provides us with a guide on how to make that Choice - The Wisdom and insight of a good father.
In our passage this morning, the author is laying a foundation.
In our passage this morning, the author is laying a foundation.
Like a good father, the author is going to lay out some things we must do in order to live life to the fullest. He’s giving us some good fatherly advice that we should follow.
Like a good father, the author is going to lay out some things we must do in order to live life to the fullest. He’s giving us some good fatherly advice that we should follow.
Let’s take a look at one of these passages this morning.
Let’s take a look at one of these passages this morning.
Text: Proverbs 3:1-12
Text: Proverbs 3:1-12
Proverbs 3:1–12 (ESV)
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. 11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
State or Setup Main Idea: How can we live a fulfilled and meaningful life?
State or Setup Main Idea: How can we live a fulfilled and meaningful life?
Transition to Points: Let’s look at what this passage has to say about this.
Transition to Points: Let’s look at what this passage has to say about this.
Points
Points
Listen to the Lord’s Commands
Proverbs 3:1-4
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
The author begins by telling us, “Do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments.”
This is the first step to a fulfilled and whole life.
The first step is this - Pay attention. Listen. Remember.
Illustration: Have you ever put something together and you thought - Eh, this looks easy - and you failed to pay attention to the instructions? Then you finished and something didn’t work right? You had to go back and take the thing apart and put it back together correctly!
How many problems have come into our lives because we failed to listen, pay attention, and remember the Lord’s commands?
This is why it is so important that we read, know, and apply scripture to our lives.
We can’t just read them, we must keep them with all of our heart.
He goes on to tell us that part of what we need to remember is love and faithfulness.
These must be bound around our neck and write them on our hearts
The neck houses the throat.
In Hebrew, the throat is the very life of the person.
In other words - Love and faithfulness are to become connected with who we are.
The picture he’s getting across is that we would internalize the commands. That it would become a part of who we are.
It’s not just that we follow the rules, it’s that we become people of love and faithfulness!
What’s the result of all of this?
Length of days and years of life.
Peace, favor, and good success.
All of this does not mean wealth or success or favor as in money or material stuff.
It means that we will be healthy and whole. In our relationships with God, with ourselves, and with others.
The goal is not that you would be wealthy, but that you would be whole. A good life is not defined by riches, but by wholeness!
Because of sin, the world is out of joint. Your connection with God, with others, and with yourself is not right. But by listening to and following the Lord’s commands, our life begins to move back into right alignment. This starts, of course with our surrender to Jesus, but it continues as we, through the power of the Holy Spirit, line our lives more and more up with what God wants.
Trust the Lord’s Wisdom
Proverbs 3:5-8
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
The father here is calling his son to make a total commitment to the Lord.
In verse 5, the word “Trust” had the idea of lying helplessly face down, before the Lord.
Why would this be the picture painted here? Because our own wisdom and our own plans and our own way of seeing things always comes up short.
In fact, he goes on to tell us in Proverbs 3:7 - “Be not wise in your own eyes.”
7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 14:12 is clear - “There is a way that seems right to us...”
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
Illustration: As a dad, I try to give my kids wisdom - but sometimes, they think they know better than me. So my son recently started liking legos. These are small pieces. And he got this lego batman set. I told him, “Don’t play with it by the couch, because the pieces are small and you’ll loose them in the couch and we may never find them again.” His response, “I won’t lose them dad.” Sometimes when parenting, you’ve got to just let things play out. It’s been 3 weeks, and I’m sad to report that lego batman is still missing.
Aren’t we this way with God? God says, “Hey..it wouldn’t be wise to do that...” Our response, “God, don’t worry about it, I’ve got this...”
In verse 6, the word “acknowledge” means literally “know.”
The idea here not that we just give a nod to God and go on doing what we want to do. It’s one of intimately knowing God.
If this passage was written by Solomon, then he could be pulling back to remembrance the words of advice from his father, David.
1 Chronicles 28:9
9 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
When we know God he has a way of directing us, guiding us, giving us the wisdom that we need!
Jesus says this in John 15:5 that “Apart from him we can do nothing.”
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
It’s so important that we stay connected in fellowship with Jesus.
When we allow the Lord to direct our paths, what happens?
We fear the Lord and turn from evil.
Knowing God brings us into a reverent awe or fear of him. This turns us from evil.
The best way to turn from evil is to look at Jesus!
What’s the result of all of this?
Success or “straight paths”
Healing and refreshment or “medicine to your bones”
All of this is opposed to the anxiety and the worry and the problems we run into when we think we’ve got it all figured out!
Honor the Lord for his provision
Proverbs 3:9-10
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
When we are successful we are tempted to think that we got there on our own.
Illustration: We all naturally know this and have a natural uneasiness when someone is ungrateful to us. There’s nothing that feels worse that doing for someone and them being ungrateful for it. If you’ve ever given someone a gift that you put a lot of thought and time and effort into - only to have them be ungrateful - you know the feeling.
I often wonder if God feels this way about us? He’s given us everything! The sunrise, the life that we get to live, the job that we have, the ability to love and be love - And how often do we take all of that for granted?
Everything you have is from the Lord!
This is a reminder that we are to honor the Lord by giving back what he has given us!
We should be gracious and thankful to the Lord for all that he has done for us.
This scripture here pulls from the book of Deuteronomy and other scriptures where the Israelites were to bring their first of their crops to the Lord.
But this scripture goes beyond just that and reminds us that this isn’t just a command for Israel, but it is a principle that we should live by.
What is this principle? That in everything, the Lord ought to be first.
When it comes to our money, The Lord has given us everything that we have, and it’s a good principle that before you pay any other bill, you give in worship to the Lord.
When it comes to our time, the Lord has given us our very life, and it’s a good principle that you begin your day by giving him the first few moments of it. This is part of the reason we gather together on Sunday - Because it’s the first day of the week and we are committing that to the Lord.
When it comes to our talent, we didn’t get that on our own - It comes from the Lord. It’s a good principle to give your talent in service and worship to the Lord. This means that you don’t see your job as merely a job, but it is worship to the Lord.
The core of all this is that God is the one who graciously gives us all things and he deserves worship and honor as we give back to him with our time, our talent, and our treasure.
What’s the result of all of this?
Honoring the Lord for his provision brings more provision.
God has everything that you and I need. He is our source. We can give freely to God and to others because there’s always more.
In God’s economy we do not have to hoard our resources because there is always enough and there is always more to go around. This doesn’t mean we are not wise with what God has given us - But it does mean that we recognize where our source is!
Submit to the Lord’s discipline
Proverbs 3:11-12
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
This is not only discipline as punishment.
Discipline is also training
Illustration: In school we submit to and discipline ourselves so that we can learn to read and write. The olympics are coming up. I was watching some of the Diving trials the other day. These individuals are people of great discipline. They get up at the crack of dawn and put hours into their sport. They spend years doing things that other people might think crazy, all so that they can be the best. They discipline themselves. That discipline becomes part of who they are. It shapes them. Eventually they become known as an “Olympic Diver” or an “Olympic runner.”
This text reminds us not to despise discipline. We must discipline ourselves and allow the Lord to teach us discipline that we might become godly, righteous people.
This includes what we would call “Spiritual disciplines”
Prayer
Reading scripture
Attending Church
Worship
Fasting
Giving
And more!
These are all habits that shape us and make us more like Jesus.
There are other times in our lives where God does discipline us as correction.
There are things in our lives that need to go, so God works to remove them.
Proverbs says here that we are to submit to this.
In the New Testament, the author of Hebrews is going to pick up on this idea. In Hebrews 12:5-6
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
God wants to work in you through helping you to be disciplined and through disciplining you. Why? So that you would be changed into the person that God wants you to be. You’re training to be like Jesus. This is your life’s mission. Give yourself fully to it like an athlete training for the olympics!
What’s the result of all of this?
Submitting to the Lord’s discipline reminds us that he loves us and is shaping us to be the man or the woman he desires.
It’s a reminder that God is working in us.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Restate or Reveal Main Idea: If we will trust in our heavenly father, we can live a fulfilled and meaningful life.
Restate or Reveal Main Idea: If we will trust in our heavenly father, we can live a fulfilled and meaningful life.
So what?
So what?
Now What?
Now What?
The first step in trusting him is realizing that you can’t fix yourself on your own, you need Jesus! If you’d like to commit your life to him, raise your hand.
I want to close by praying for the father’s in the room. That God would help us to live out these principles and pass them on to our families.
Prayer
Prayer