“Five Fatherhood Examples from
the Father of Us All”
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen. Malachi asks, “Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us?”
On this Father’s Day, let’s look at “Five Fatherhood Examples from the Father of
Us All.” You are invited to follow the sermon outline on the last pages of
the bulletin. Fatherhood Example #1) Like your God, be a LOVING and FORGIVING
father. John says, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” Moses
asks, “Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?”
And Isaiah answers, “O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the
potter; we are all the work of your hand.” All humans are children of God by virtue of the fact that he created
us. But, like the sinful son in the parable of the prodigal, we all
forfeited our birthright, our status as children of God, by our sinful
rebellion. The father in that parable represents our heavenly Father, and
to him we must all confess like the sinful son in the parable, “I am no longer
worthy to be called your son.” But, Paul says in Galatians, “You are all sons of God through faith in
Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed
yourselves with Christ.” Like the father in the parable, your heavenly
Father gives you back your birthright. As a free gift, he bestows on you
the privilege once again of being his beloved child. Paul explains in
Ephesians, “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus
Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious
grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” On account of our Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrificial life, death and
resurrection, your sins are all forgiven and you are welcomed back into the
family of God. Just like in the parable, when the father says to his
servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his
finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s
have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive
again; he was lost and is found.” “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be
called children of God! And that is what we are!” Like your God, be a
LOVING and FORGIVING father. The directions Paul gives for how Christians
should relate to one another also apply to a Christian father’s relationship to
his family: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other,
just as in Christ God forgave you;” “Bear with each other and forgive whatever
grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you;”
“[Love] keeps no record of wrongs.” Fatherhood Example #2) Like your God, be a GENTLE and PATIENT
father, as Paul says in Ephesians, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
bearing with one another in love.” In 1st Thessalonians Paul beautifully
describes God’s plan for how a father should deal with his children: “For you
know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,
encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God.” Not
harsh or tyrannical, but “encouraging, comforting, and urging.” And, as for ANYONE who would in any way abuse or neglect a child, as we
see too often in sickening news stories, Jesus gives the most stern warning and
condemnation: “If anyone shall offend one of these little ones who believe in
me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to
be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Little children cannot defend
themselves; but their heavenly Father will defend them in the final judgment.
But, Jesus also has a wonderful promise for those who care for and devote
themselves to children: “If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of
these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will
certainly not lose his reward.” Peter says of our heavenly Father, “He is patient with you, not wanting
anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Like your God, be a
GENTLE and PATIENT father, as Paul commands, “Fathers, do not embitter your
children, or they will become discouraged;” “Fathers, do not exasperate your
children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Fatherhood Example #3) Like your God, be a PROVIDING and
PROTECTING father. Psalm 145 says of our heavenly Father, “The eyes of all
look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open
your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” That verse is
illustrated by the open hand of blessing symbolizing our heavenly Father in our
stained-glass window. “You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every
living thing.” Providing for and protecting your family is one of your sacred duties
as a father, as Jesus said, “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give
him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?”
Paul says, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his
immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Like your God, be a PROVIDING and PROTECTING father. Fatherhood Example #4) Like your heavenly Father, do not show
FAVORITISM. One of the saddest episodes in the Bible begins with this
verse: “Now Isaac . . . loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.” The Bible
then recounts the tragic story of how this favoritism on the part of the parents
tore apart their family. And many families today are also torn apart by
parents who favor one child over another. But, Peter says in Acts, “I now realize how true it is that God does
not show favoritism.” Paul says, “For God does not show favoritism”; “And
there is no favoritism with him.” Like your heavenly Father, do not show
FAVORITISM. Fatherhood Example #5) Like your heavenly Father, show love to
your children by gently and lovingly DISCIPLINING them. I think every
parent would agree that the most difficult part of being a parent is discipline.
Yet, discipline is one of your most important parental responsibilities.
When discipline in the home breaks down, it eventually breaks down in society as
a whole, and that explains a lot of what we are experiencing in our world today.
It is not “love” to let your children go undisciplined, for they will not be
able to cope and survive in the world and they will have pain and sorrow in
their lives. That is why Proverbs says, “The Lord disciplines those he
loves, as a father disciplines the son he delights in.” Discipline is not a punishment that comes out of anger, but a
correction that comes out of love. As the book of Hebrews explains, “You
have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: ‘My son,
do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he
rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes
everyone he accepts as a son.’ Endure hardship as discipline; God is
treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If
you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are
illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human
fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we
submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a
little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we
may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but
painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for
those who have been trained by it.” Like your heavenly Father, show love
to your children by gently and lovingly DISCIPLINING them. Return to Top | Return to Sermons | Home | Email Church Office
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