GOD’S GREAT PLAN FOR FATHERS:
SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE: LUKE 1:1-11
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INTRODUCTION:
NOT VERY LONG AGO, A SCHOOL IN NEW YORK SENT HOME A LETTER TO THE PARENTS OF THEIR STUDENTS EXPLAINING THEIR OUTLAWING OF FAMILY HOLIDAYS. IN THEIR LETTER THEY STATED: "AFTER MUCH THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION, WE WILL NOT BE CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY OR FATHER’S DAY." ONE OF THE SCHOOL’S OFFICALS EXPLAINED, "FAMILIES ARE CHANGING ....TODAY THERE MAY BE TWO MOTHERS, TWO FATHERS, THE MOTHERS MAY NOT HAVE CUSTODY, IT COULD BE THE GRANDMOTHER....(OUR SCHOOL HAS SEVERAL DIFFERENT FAMILY MAKE-UPS (WHICH REQUIRE CARING FOR) THE EMOTIONAL WELL BEING OF ALL CHILDREN."
THE SCHOOL IS CONCERNED THAT CELEBRATING THESE HOLIDAYS "MAY NOT BE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR ALL CHILDREN." THEREFORE, THE SCHOOL IS BENDING, EVEN PROMOTING, THE POLITICALLY CORRECT CONCEPT THAT NO ONE FAMILY ARRANGEMENT IS BETTER THAN ANOTHER. THE IDEA THAT A CHILD LIVING IN A HOME WITH BOTH THEIR MOTHER AND THEIR FATHER HAS BECOME OUT OF DATE IN THE MINDS OF SO MANY WHO WANT TO EXPAND THE DEFINITION OF THE FAMILY TO INCLUDE ALMOST ANYTHING.
HOWEVER IN THE MIDST OF THIS CULTURAL CONFLICT, WHICH DECLARES THAT THE ROLE OF THE FATHER IS NOT NECESSARY IN THE HOME ANYMORE, THERE ARE MANY RESEARCH REPORTS THAT SHOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FATHER. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE FAMILIES AND HOMES, WHERE BECAUSE OF SICKNESS, DEATH, DESERTION, AND DIVORCE, THERE CANNOT BE A FATHER PRESENT IN SOME HOMES. THESE ARE SITUATIONS THAT ARE BEYOND THE MOTHER’S CONTROL. THE FAMILY RESEARCH CENTER IN WASHINGTON D.C. HAS RELEASED EVIDENCE THAT THE FATHER SEEMS TO BE A VANISHING FIGURE IN AMERICAN HOMES. TONIGHT, MORE THAN HALF OF AMERICAN CHILDREN WILL GO TO BED IN A HOME WITHOUT A FATHER, YET THE NEED FOR THE FATHER IS GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. FATHERS ARE IMPORTANT! CHILDREN WITHOUT A FATHER ARE ALMOST TWICE AS LIKELY TO DROP OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. 70% OF ALL JUVENILES IN LONG TERM CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES DID NOT HAVE A FATHER IN THE HOME WHEN THEY WERE GROWING UP. MOST OF THOSE WHO BELONG TO GANGS HAVE NEVER KNOWN THEIR FATHER. FATHERLESS CHILDREN WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO USE ILLEGAL DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. FEMALES WHO GROW UP WITHOUT A FATHER ARE 111% MORE LIKELY TO GIVE BIRTH AS TEENAGERS, 164% MORE LIKELY TO HAVE PREMARTIAL BIRTHS, AND 92% MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A FAILED MARRIAGE. BEING WITHOUT FATHER’S PRESENCE MAKES A DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE!
THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT A SINGLE MOTHER CANNOT DO A GOOD JOB OF RAISING THEIR CHILDREN, BUT IT WILL REQUIRE MUCH MORE EFFORT TO DO IT ON HER OWN. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS SHOWING THAT CHILDREN BROUGHT UP IN HOMES WITH A FATHER FIGURE ARE AT A GREAT ADAVANTAGE OVER THOSE WHO ARE NOT. THEY ARE GENERALLY MUCH MORE HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER. AND WHEN THE FATHER TAKES HIS ROLE SERIOUSLY THE NUMBERS ARE EVEN MORE DRAMATIC, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE FATHER FIGURE IS A GODLY MAN. CHURCH, WE OUGHT TO BE PRAYING FOR EVERY HOME WE KNOW. PRAY THAT GOD WILL LEAD, GUIDE, DIRECT AND ANNOINT THESE FATHERS, BECAUSE SATAN HAS DECLARED WAR UPON THEM AND MANY ARE BEING DESTROYED EACH DAY OF THE BATTLE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE FATHERS TODAY TO KEEP ON TRYING TO GROW IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD JESUS BECAUSE AS WE GROW AND MATURE IN HIM, THE GREATER THAT INFLUENCE HAS UPON THE CHILDREN OF THAT HOME. MEN, TAKE SERIOUSLY YOUR GOD GIVEN POSITION AS THE LEADER AND THE SPIRITUAL PRIEST OF YOUR HOME.
"WIVES, SUBMIT TO YOUR HUSBANDS AS TO THE LORD,FOR THE HUSBAND IS THE HEAD OF THE WIFE, EVEN AS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH,.." (EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5) THIS GOES AGAINST TODAY’S SOCIETY AND MAY GO AGAINST MANY WIVES FEELINGS HOWEVER THIS IS WHAT THE WORD OF GOD DECLARED; NOT SOME PREACHER.
TAKE A LOOK AT "HOW" CHRIST BEHAVED AS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH? CHRIST EXERCIXED "SERVANT LEADERSHIP." IN FACT, IT COST CHRIST HIS LIFE. SOME PEOPLE TAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AND THINK THAT THE MAN IS TO BE THE "BOSS" AND "LORD" OVER HIS HOUSE (RULER -- MASTER). THEY BELIEVE THE MEN ARE TO DISH OUT THE ORDERS AND THE WIFE IS TO BE TOTALLY OBEDIENT WITHOUT QUESTION. HOWEVER JESUS SAYS, MARK 10: 42-45 " YOU KNOW THAT THOSE WHO ARE REGARDED AS RULERS OVER THE GENTILES LORD IT OVER THEM, AND THEIR HIGH OFFICALS EXERCISE AUTHORITY OVER THEM. NOT SO WITH YOU. INSTEAD, WHOEVER WANTS TO BE GREAT AMONG YOU, MUST BE YOUR SERVANT, AND WHOEVER WANTS TO BE FIRST MUST BE SLAVE OF ALL. FOR EVEN THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY." THAT IS THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP JESUS EXERCIZED -- HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THOSE WHO WERE IN HIS SPIRITUAL FAMILY. MOST WOMEN WOULD WELCOME THAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP -- LEADERSHIP THAT WAS SACRIFICIAL AND THOUGHT OF OTHERS BEFORE SELF. BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP MEANS THAT YOU GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR YOUR WIFE AND CHILDREN, AS JESUS GAVE HIMSELF FOR HIS CHURCH. HE CAME TO SERVE HIS PEOPLE. HE PLACED THE GOOD OF HIS PEOPLE OVER WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE EASIEST ROUTE, SHORT OF PAIN AND SUFFERING. IF WE ARE GOING TO IMMATATE THE ROLE OF JESUS IN TODAY’S CHURCH AND TODAY’S HOME. THEN WE MUST PLACE THE INTEREST OF THOSE IN OUR HOMES ABOVE OUR VERY OWN. GET RID OF OUR "EGO." ("EGO" STANDS FOR: "EDGING GOD OUT)
IF WE ARE GOING TO LEAD THE HOME, THEN WE MUST BECOME LEADERS. WE CANNOT BE A PASSIVE PERSON WHO PLOPS DOWN BEFORE THE TELEVISON WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL AND BARK OUT ORDERS FOR OUR WIVES AND CHILDREN TO SERVE US. A GODLY FATHER IS ONE THAT WILL PARTICAPTE IN THE LIVES OF HIS CHILDREN. HE IS ACTIVE IN REARING HIS CHILDREN. HE DOES NOT AVOID RESPONSIBILITY. HE PROVIDES FOR THE FINANCIAL WELFARE OF HIS CHILDREN. HE MAKES SURE HIS FAMILY IS IN CHURCH. HE IS "THE ONE" IN THE HOME WHO IS IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THE CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT THE WORD OF GOD AND PERSONALLY INTRODUCED TO GOD AND HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST.
MEN WE NEED TO TOUCH DEEPLY THOSE WITHIN OUR HOMES. THIS IS OFTEN THE PART OF FATHERHOOD THAT DOES NOT COME NATURALLY OR EASILY. MEN OFTEN TEND TO WITHDRAW RATHER THAN LEAD ON AN EMOTIONAL LEVEL. MEN ARE OFTEN UNCOMFORTABLE SHARING THEIR FEELINGS. BUT IF WE FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS, WE WILL FIND A WAY TO EXPRESS OUR FEELINGS WITHIN THE HOME. JESUS EXPRESSED HIS DEEPEST EMOTIONS TO HIS FOLLOWERS -- GOOD AND BAD. TO THOSE CLOSEST TO HIM HE SAID,"MY SOUL IS EXCEEDINGLY SORROW, EVEN TO DEATH." HE SHOWED HIS VULNERABILITY AND TALKED OF HIS FEARS AND SPOKE OF THE SUPPORT HE NEEDED FROM HIS DISCIPLES. HE SPOKE OF HIS LOVE FOR THEM, WHEN HE SAID," A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE YOU, "LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU." JESUS DID NOT EXPECT THEM TO WONDER IF HE LOVED THEM, HE TOLD THEM. HE SHARED AND HE SHOWED THE LOVE THAT WAS ANCHORED DOWN DEEP IN HIS HEART FOR THEM.
WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING WITH THOSE IN OUR HOMES. WE NEED TO ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HELP US TO SHOW MORE LOVE TO OUR WIVES AND TO OUR CHILDREN. LET US SMILE MORE AND FROWN LESS. REJOICE MORE AND COMPLAIN LESS. SHOW AFFECTION MORE AND CRITICIZE LESS. DO THINGS WITH THE FAMILY MORE. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE OUR FAMILIES UNTO SATAN. IF WE LOSE OUR HOME TO SATAN, THEN WHAT HAVE WE GAINED? WHAT GOOD ARE MATERIAL POSSESSIONS IF OUR FAMILIES ARE DESTROYED?
WE ARE NEVER MORE LIKE GOD THAN WHEN WE SHOW HIS
LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.
"IF GOD HAD A REFRIGERATOR YOUR PICTURE
WOULD BE ON IT, IF GOD HAD A WALLET, YOUR
PICTURE WOULD BE IN,LET’S FACE IT,
HE SEND YOU FLOWERS EVERY SPRING AND A SUNRISE
EVERY MORNING. GOD IS CRAZY ABOUT YOU."
MEN, LET US BE THE LEADER AND NOT THE FOLLOWER. BE THE LEADER BY DEVELOPING A STRONGER PERSONAL WALK WITH GOD. ONLY BY BECOMING MEN OF GOD CAN WE HELP OUR HOMES TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THE NORMAL HOME OF TODAY; ON THE VERGE OF DESTRUCTION. WE NEED MORE GODLY FATHERS LEADING THEIR HOMES TO BECOME CHRISTLIKE.
