Father’s Day Message
Eph. 6:1-4
Well, today is Father’s Day and it is right that we should stop and honor Father’s. It is important that we take time to speak on the significance of fatherhood not only on special occasions like today, but as a matter of course because role of the father is being systematically attacked and destroyed in our culture. Our society has attacked the role of Fathers with such devastating force that sociologists now believe we have sentenced the next generations to disastrous consequences because of this de-valuation of the role of Fathers!
In the plan of God, however, that’s not the way it’s supposed to be. Whatever may be happening in society around us, we have a responsibility, as Christian Fathers to step up to the plate and execute the role that God has assigned to our hearts and hands to do. What then is the role of a Christian Father in today’s compromising society? Let’s look to the Bible for a few minutes today and I think the answer will be clear.
( A reading of the Text – Eph. 6:1-4 )
1. Christian Father’s Won’t Provoke their Children’s Wrath:
The first thing Paul says to Father’s is a word of warning! Don’t provoke your children. Now this doesn’t mean what you think. I don’t know any dad that hasn’t made his children mad. I think it’s in the daddy manual, right after taking out the trash, dads make everybody mad every once in awhile! After all, dad’s often have to say no, dad’s discipline, dads enforce the rules of the family. But in all of this a godly Christian dad should never act out of anger, but his actions no matter how infuriating are done out of love! ~ It’s when a child doesn’t get that message of un-dying, un-ending love that his wrath is kindled. One of the biggest problems of modern society is what psychologist call “Daddy Longing” Dad’s are not there to disciple in love or if they are there they are too busy to show that they care. Today’s children of divorce culture, broken homes and latch key kids are ANGRY! See disciple isn’t what provokes wrath; it’s the lack of love that makes children angry and causes problems.
( Prov. 3:11-12, Heb 12:5-9 )
2. Christian Father’s Bring Children Up With Nurture:
The second thing Paul says to Fathers is a word of counsel! After telling dads what not to do he says what you should do is give children plenty of nurturing. Now what does that mean? What does that look like? Some people say rearing children, I don’t like that – sounds like pushing them to the rear, I like the term “Bring Them Up”. The bible says raise or bring them up – how? In the nurture of the Lord. Just like a farmer raises tender plants and waters them and covers them from frost and feeds them fertilizer so they’ll grow tall and produce – so fathers are to NUTURE their children in the Lord! Now someone will say that’s just spoiling them. No, you don’t have to them everything they want, that’s not nurturing that’s being a grandparent. Biblical nurture is laying a godly foundation in love and by example. It requires time & attention!
( Dut. 6:4-9 )
3. Christian Father’s Bring Children Up With Admonition:
The last thing Paul says to Fathers is a word of encouragement! After counseling them to nurture their children, he also encourages dads to ADMONISH their children. Now this is at the heart of being a dad. In this entire section, Paul is giving instruction to Christian parents; the idea is that God designed the Christian home to consist of mother and father each fulfilling their respective roles. Everyone knows that God made mothers to be the best at nurturing – but dad’s are not to abdicate their responsibility to come right along side their mate in the process of child raising and nurture as well. But where fathers must really step to the plate is in the area of ADMONISHING their children. What does that mean? To admonish means to teach! Dads must teach their children the important lessons of life.
Dad if you don’t teach your child how to work, the world will teach them how to steal. If you don’t teach your sons how to love and respect a woman, the world will teach him how to be a gigolo. If you don’t teach your child honesty, the world will teach them to be a cheat!
What are the life lessons fathers must admonish and teach their children?
• FEAR GOD – Prov. 1:7
• LOVE GOD – Prov. 4:1-4
• OBEY GOD – Prov. 3:1-6
Today, we honor Fathers and thank God for His grace and wisdom in instituting the Christian family. Would that we all strive to get back to the blueprint that God designed. Then and only then can we have a nation under God and a society where generations inherit the blessings of God’s favor.
If you are here today and not a Christian you need to know that you have a loving Heavenly Father who longs for you to be in a saving relationship with Him. How? By obeying God’s plan of salvation, Today as we stand and sing
