A Father's Role!
Father's Day • Sermon • Submitted
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It’s Father’s Day and we want to wish all the dads a Happy Father’s Day. Dads are a special bred of people. Some say they are stubborn, others say they are tough, others say they are kind, and still others say dads are the providers. A lot of times we joke and say that most dads have work as their hobby. It seems as though they always are fighting to provide everything the family needs. So today as we honor dads I want to take a look at what God says about dads.
11 Then he said, “There was once a man who had two sons. 12 The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now what’s coming to me.’
“So the father divided the property between them. 13 It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. 14 After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. 15 He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. 16 He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.
17 “That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. 18 I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; 19 I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ 20 He got right up and went home to his father.
“When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’
22 “But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! 24 My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time.
25 “All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. 26 Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. 27 He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. 29 The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? 30 Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’
31 “His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—32 but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’ ”
Dads Really Want to Do Good for Their Family!
Dads Really Want to Do Good for Their Family!
Here we see that the younger son didn’t want to wait around and serve his family, no he wanted to live it up and do his own thing. Even though the dad probably thought and maybe even told him this is not what life is all about, the younger son left and wasted everything to the point of him feeding pigs as a job. He decides to come home and become a servant because he had blown it and no longer deserved to be a son.
Dads Never Give Up On Their Family!
Dads Never Give Up On Their Family!
When the younger son comes home to serve, the dad runs to meet him. He was probably looking forward to this day when his son who was “dead” comes back. The older brother was mad and he had a right to be mad. But if he had that right, think about the dad, the younger son wasted everything the dad had worked so hard to provide. Yet there was more joy because the son came home. Now we know that this story shows the agape love of God. But it is the role a father should take.
21 Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or fret your children [do not be hard on them or harass them], lest they become discouraged and sullen and morose and feel inferior and frustrated. [Do not break their spirit.]
Natural Role vs Real Father Role!
Natural Role vs Real Father Role!
In the natural, dads can be really hard on their children.h But the example we have is that of the real Father, God the Father and how we should be following after. Even though dads are responsible for training their children, it must never be in a provoking way. Dads that do their best to line up to the Word of God, create the atmosphere of love that spawns growth in their children the same way God the Father spurs us on to good works.
1 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
2 Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the Maker of them all.
3 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
4 Humility is the fear of the Lord;
its wages are riches and honor and life.
5 In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,
but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.
6 Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
8 Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,
and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.
9 The generous will themselves be blessed,
for they share their food with the poor.
10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended.
11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
will have the king for a friend.
Here’s What Fathers Train On!
Here’s What Fathers Train On!
We always here about verse 6 in this passage, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it”
But in this chapter are also the things we as dads are to train on.
Train them that a good name and reputation is better that riches.
Train them that no matter what economic status they have, God is their maker, that way they won’t become prideful.
Train them what to do when they see danger instead of ignoring it and act like nothing is happening.
Train them that riches honor and life come from living with humility which is the fear of the Lord.
Train them to stay far away from the paths of the wicked.
Train them not to get in debt by borrowing for everything and that being generous brings a blessing and to love with a pure heart.
There is much more in the word of God for dads to teach their children but above all model it to them.
One final thing, it is the Role of the Father to show their family what a life sold out to Jesus looks like so they will follow when they are old.
The Role of the Father - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind , and all your strength!