Be a ¡§Taker!¡¨
Various Scriptures
Father¡¦s Day, June 15, 2003
Introduction
Well, it¡¦s Father¡¦s Day. The day of the year when the Father is supposed to relax, watching his favorite John Wayne movie, or catching the Twins¡¦ game on TV.
Normally on Mother¡¦s Day we tell about how wonderful mothers are, and on Father¡¦s Day we talk about how Dads are falling short.
Not today, guys! Today I want to give you some ideas on how to be the best father you can be, in what I hope will be a practical way.
We¡¦re going to look at a number of Scriptures this morning to glean some principles that I think will go a long way to helping us become men who have a love for Christ that overflows into our families.
And while most of my comments this morning will be directed mainly to dads, let me be quick to say that almost everything I say this morning is applicable to every person here, man or woman, married or single, childless or ¡§child-full,¡¨ okay? Okay.
When we talk about being a good father, we generally talk about what we can give ¡V things like time, energy, whatever. But today I want to tell you that to be a good father, you need to be a taker. The Bible says that we need to take some things if we want to be successful.
My hope is that by the time we¡¦re done today you¡¦ll take these things to heart and also to action. And if you do, I¡¦ll make you a promise. Your family will reap the benefits, and you will reap the benefits of a grateful and loving family who sees a hero in their dear old Dad. Let¡¦s get started, shall we? The first thing we need to take is¡K
1. Take Courage
If you have your Bibles handy, I would like to invite you to turn with me to Matthew 14. Matthew is the first book in the New Testament, and if you are using the Bibles in the seats, our passage can be found on page ________.
MT 14:25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It’s a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid."
28 "Lord, if it’s you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29 "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
From this passage I want to invite you to take courage, especially by taking two specific actions:
„X Try something new and risky.
Disclaimer: I¡¦m not saying to do things you are not physically capable of handling. For instance, most guys my age and above have no business on skateboards. Not only do we lack the coordination, but we look really goofy.
I am also not advocating things like risky business and investment schemes. I am talking about doing something that disrupts your current lifestyle.
Here¡¦s why: too many times we find ourselves living in comfort zones that keep us trapped. We get so used to living our lives the way we do that to consider doing something else is tantamount to blasphemy.
So try something new. Maybe it¡¦s exercise. Maybe it¡¦s reading something different than you¡¦ve ever read before.
Grab a book to read out of pure enjoyment instead of all the books on Christian living or Bible study you¡¦ve been reading. Maybe read a Louis L¡¦amour book. Or how about reading the Bible in a different translation for your devotions?
I don¡¦t know what it would be for you, but let me encourage you to try something substantial. Something that¡¦s going to cost you something in terms of time and convenience.
There¡¦s a risk when you try something new. You might just fail. In fact, I honestly hope that you do fail sometimes ¡V not in a sense of immorality, but in other things.
For instance, I¡¦m of the opinion we need more Christians in public office. Maybe you feel the same way and decide to run for a local office. What if you lose?
Will your children see that you¡¦re gracious in defeat and that you still value yourself as a child of God when things don¡¦t go your way? I hope so.
And let me give you something else to consider here: be willing to laugh at yourself in front of others, especially the kiddos.
I¡¦m afraid of spiders. Have been all my life. I come by it honestly, though, through my dad. In fact, all 3 of us boys and my dad are afraid of spiders.
My dad can capture rattlesnakes with a forked stick, then cook and eat them. He has no problem with blood or worms.
But spiders are another thing altogether.
If you want to see something really funny, get my brothers, my dad, and me in a room, throw a spider in there, and lock the door. We¡¦d rather die than get close enough to kill it without using a flame thrower.
In my house, there is a very simple rule. If the spider is in the house, it dies. Simple.
Well, my kids have no problem with spiders whatsoever. And they take mighty big advantage of my arachnophobia sometimes.
A couple of weeks ago, my kids put one of those big rubber tarantulas in my bed. You know, the green and orange kind, that are obviously toys.
Well, I did the ¡§ha ha¡¨ thing, and chuckled along with them, but then all of a sudden that thing moved and started heading toward the head of the bed.
I jumped about 2 feet in the air and screamed. It turns out my kids had rigged this thing with thread and my older son was down the stairs pulling the string.
The kids were howling with laughter, and I had to join them. They had really gotten me, I had to admit.
Take courage by trying something new, and being able to laugh at yourself.
Another way to take courage is to¡K
„X Step out in faith
Back to our passage in Matthew. The storm¡¦s going full blast, the disciples are freaking out, and then out of the blue here comes Jesus walking on the water.
That does NOT help the disciples¡¦ attitude, because they thought Jesus was a ghost. So Jesus says to take courage because it¡¦s Him.
Peter says, ¡§Oh yeah? If you¡¦re really Jesus, then call me out there with you.¡¨ And Jesus says to come on.
Peter does, and wouldn¡¦t you know it, he actually walks on water, at least for a minute. He stepped out of the boat, having faith that Jesus would take care of him.
Maybe you should step out in faith in a new ministry. Like starting or leading a Sunday school class or small group.
Or maybe volunteering at the Salvation Army on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Or maybe God is putting someone on your heart that He wants you to disciple in the faith on a one-on-one basis.
It takes faith to step out in ministry.
Maybe you need to step out in faith in gaining a new spiritual discipline like journaling, intercessory prayer, or Scripture memory.
Step out in faith with your giving. Can you demonstrate to your children that you¡¦re going to put your money where your mouth is when it comes to trusting God?
Before we move on to the next action in being a taker, I want to take a look at the rest of the story here. Look at Peter: what happens to him in this story? He takes his eyes off Jesus and focuses on the storm, and begins to sink.
Faith means that you trust Christ to come through when you obey His leadings.
And when you keep your eyes on Jesus, it¡¦s easier to take courage. And men, you need to be a living example of courage in Christ for your family.
Closely related to taking courage is the next item, and that is to¡K
2. Take your role as a model seriously.
Guys, whether you believe it or not, and whether you like it or not, you are a model to those around you. And you shine the brightest to your family.
Paul addressed the issue of being a role model, or example, when he wrote his first letter to Timothy. Timothy was apparently dealing with some people who thought Timothy had no credibility because he was young.
1 Timothy 4:12 ¡V
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
The context is Timothy¡¦s youth, but the principle stands in any context. It¡¦s very clear that we are to be examples of godliness. Let me give you half a dozen areas we should intentionally model to those around us.
„X Model faith and trust.
The Bible says we¡¦re not to be anxious about anything, but to take it all to God, trusting that He¡¦s still in control, no matter the circumstances we are facing.
„X Model courtesy and respect for people and the law.
Do your children see you opening the door for your wife and others? Do they see you talking well about others, or keeping your mouth shut when you would rather criticize someone? Do they see you driving in a way that respects the laws and safety of others?
Do you talk about the police like they are on our side, instead of an inconvenience meant to make your life miserable?
Do your kids see you placing your wife¡¦s needs over yours and theirs? Do you treat your wife in a way that tells your kids that she is the most important person in your life next to Jesus?
In an effort to help in that arena, I want to offer a few helpful hints for our ladies today, from THE MEN¡¦S THESAURUS (men don¡¦t always say what they mean) ¡V excerpts:
When a man says: "IT¡¦S A GUY THING"
He means: "There is no rational thought pattern connected with this, and you have no chance at all of making it logical"
When a man says "CAN I HELP WITH DINNER"
He means: "Why isn¡¦t it already on the table?"
When a man says "UH HUH, SURE HONEY,¡¨ or ¡§YES, DEAR"
He means: Absolutely nothing ¡V It¡¦s a conditioned response.
When a man says ¡¦OH, DON¡¦T FUSS, I JUST CUT MYSELF. IT¡¦S NO BIG DEAL"
He means: "I have actually severed a limb, but I will bleed to death before I admit I¡¦m hurt"
When a man says "YOU LOOK TERRIFIC!"
He means: "Oh please don¡¦t try on one more outfit, I¡¦m starving."
When a man says "I¡¦M NOT LOST. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE.¡¦¡¦
He means: : "No one will ever see us alive again."
Contributed by: Jeff Strite (SermonCentral.com)
Men, I can tell you from personal experience that if the priority is placed not on the kids but on the husband and wife relationship, you¡¦ll gain the respect and admiration of the children, and they will become more secure in their own place in the family.
And one other benefit: they¡¦re more likely to treat their own wives that way.
Now I understand that some parents are divorced or separated, and that sometimes it¡¦s a bitter deal. I¡¦m from a broken home and know how that goes.
But how you talk about that former spouse is crucial. Resolve not to be negative about a child¡¦s mother or father. The child is the loser when you are.
Model courtesy and respect for others and the law.
„X Model repentance ¡V In the John Wayne movie, "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," The John Wayne character is noted for telling people, "never apologize, mister, it¡¦s a sign of weakness." I hate to tell you this, but as much as I love John Wayne movies, his character is dead wrong on this one.
When we’re wrong, we need to admit it, and ask forgiveness. Even to our kids, when we blow it with them.
„X Model humility. Put others¡¦ needs ahead of your own. You know one really neat and practical way to do that? Find a parking space that¡¦s far away from the store so someone who¡¦s not as healthy, or who¡¦s toting a baby or pregnant can have the closest parking spot.
„X Model integrity. Be the same person at home that you are at work, and in private.
„X Model availability.
Guys, let me get in your face for a moment.
Our kids, and especially our sons, need to see us modeling intentional, authentic Christian lives that seek to please God and serve others. They need to see it because you¡¦re influencing how they will live their own lives.
If you model an apathetic Christian life, you¡¦ll develop apathetic children who see no reason to live for Christ, based on what they see in you.
If you model a life that reflects a love for Christ and His creation, you¡¦ll develop children who are likely to do the same, or who at least see that no matter what, you live for something outside of yourself.
Is that a guarantee that your children will call on Christ all the time? No. But they will see that your faith is real and genuine, and that, men is something we cannot afford to miss giving to our kids.
Thirdly, we need to¡K
3. Take a stand.
1CO 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
„X Stand for your beliefs ¡V know what you believe and why.
Develop convictions, not just opinions about Jesus, the Bible, and God¡¦s purposes for His people.
„X Stand for rights.
Understand what you can do to keep our freedoms to worship freely. Some are called to political action. Some are called to pray. Others are called to express their views in an articulate manner in the newspaper. Contact your legislators, make phone calls, or whatever.
But let me caution you to do these things in a manner that reflects well on you and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Reactionary screaming does no good, and it gives a black eye to Christ.
„X Stand up under temptation and trial.
Can you say yes to God and no to ungodliness? Can you take the way out that God provides to everyone when they are tempted? Do you?
When trials come your way, do you panic or do you look to God for help and wisdom?
Is your life marked by anxiety or a calm trusting? I know it¡¦s not easy ¡V my first reaction is generally panic, because I tend to be kind of high strung sometimes. But then I remember that my kids are watching how I handle things.
Do what you can, using Biblical wisdom, and trust God, standing firm on the knowledge that God knows and the promise that He cares and acts, for your benefit and His glory.
4. Take His yoke.
Matthew 11:29-30 ¡V
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Live and work for the Master. Let your children see that you live your life for eternal purposes, not just to put food on the table.
Help them develop eternal priorities by living your life by those same priorities.
Conclusion
Guys, being a dad is not always easy. I know. It¡¦s a huge responsibility, and one that, if we¡¦re not careful, can slip through our fingers, and the next thing we know, our kids are not just gone physically, out of the house, but more importantly, they will be gone spiritually.
Sound overwhelming? Good. Because maybe if you understand how overwhelming it really is, you¡¦ll call out for help from the first and best Dad of them all, God Himself.
God has given us guidance from His Word, and strength and encouragement from His Spirit. He has given us advice from godly men and women who have gone before us and know how to apply Biblical principles to our parenting.
Take advantage of those resources.
But the best way to start being a better dad is to start living like a better child. Of God, that is. Being a child of God opens the way to being a better dad. In fact, it opens the way to being a better person in general.
Why is that? Because without Christ, we are burdened by the guilt of our sin, and we are cut off from communicating, understanding, and relating with God.
You cannot have a real, authentic relationship with God without becoming His child.
How do we do that? John 1:12 says that to all who received Christ, God gave the right to become children of God.
Become a child of God, so you can be the best dad possible.
Let¡¦s pray.
