Father's Day - The Christian Father’s Focus

Abundant Life GP

Father’s Day Service

The Christian Father’s Focus

June 17, 2018

1 Thess 2:11-12

For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. NIV

I know I have said this to you numerous times but its so important that we hear and understand just like there are no prefect families there are no perfect earthly father’s.

Recently came across a survey that was given to fathers where they anonymously answered some questions about how being a dad changed them.

· 90% said that becoming a father made them want to be a better person & role model for their kids

· 75% felt a weight of responsibility now that they had before

· 75% said they were less judgmental of other dads

· 42% said they had a constant concern about their children’s safety

When asked about which of 3 challenges most concerned them, they chose:

1. Steering kids clear of alcohol & drugs (38%)

2. Protecting kids from Sex & Violence in media (28%)

3. Supporting a family in a bad economy (28%)

Given all the responsibilities and concerns wouldn’t it be great if there was a build – a -dad app? Well take a look at this!!!

Play Build a Dad Video

Dads, we can be easily overwhelmed with the responsibilities and concerns of fatherhood but our text this morning give us 3 simple directions of being a great Christian dad. The Bible tells us…

The Christian father focuses on…

I. Encouraging His Children (I Thess. 2:12) each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging

a. Equally – (Gen. 37:3-4)

Dad our children need and crave our encouragement! They have a powerful hungry within them that desires it!

Don’t neglect or abuse this power tool and position that God has placed in your hands. But be cautious that you encourage them equally…

Jacob created dysfunction in His family because of his obvious favoritism to Joseph.

Gen 37:3-4

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented a robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. NIV

Did you ever notice how that this became the source of years of heart break for him personally? The Christian father doesn’t show favoritism of one child over another.

b. Verbally and/or Physically (I Thess. 5:11) Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. NIV

It’s important to know your children’s ‘love language.’

receiving gifts, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service (devotion), and physical touch.

In southern Africa, The Bebemba tribe has a fascinating procedure for combating feelings of rejection. Each person in the tribe who acts irresponsibly or unjustly is taken alone to the center of the village. Everyone in the village stops work and gathers in a large circle around the accused. In turn, each person in the tribe--regardless of age--speaks to the individual, recounting aloud the good things he has done in his lifetime. All the positive incidents in the person’s life, plus his good attributes, strengths, and kindnesses, are recalled with accurate detail. Not one word about his irresponsible or antisocial behavior is shared.

The ceremony, which sometimes lasts for several days, isn’t complete until every positive expression has been given by those assembled. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the person is welcomed back into the tribe. Can you imagine the flood of feelings during the tribe’s welcome? Can you imagine the extent of acceptance he realizes? Can you imagine how you would feel if a group of people affirmed you in this way?

Then the text tells us that the Christian father focuses on…

II. Comforting His Children (I Thess. 2:12) each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 comforting

The idea of “comfort” implies at least two parties: one who gives the comfort and one who receives it. It also implies a need. We see this in the story of the prodigal son and the older brother…

a. Comfort Equally (Lu. 16:28-32)

Luke 15:31 "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.

Don’t we tend to think of this as the mother’s role? And yet the Bible at least here shows us the Father, Dads have a part to play in comforting their children. After the younger prodigal came home the elder needed reassurance and comfort.

The Christian Father comforts equally but he should also appropriately

b. Comfort Appropriately (2 Cor. 7:6-7) But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him.

Writer Max Lucado tells about a dad named Lee Lelp. Lee is a retired firefighter, a New York City firefighter. He gave 26 years to the city. But on September 11, 2001, he gave much more. He gave his son. Jonathan Lelp was a fireman as well. When the Twin Towers fell, he was there.

Firefighters are a loyal clan. When one perishes in the line of duty, the body is left where it is until a firefighter who knows the person can come and quite literally pick it up. Lee made the discovery of his son’s body his personal mission. He dug daily with dozens of others at the sixteen-acre graveyard. On Tuesday, December 11, three months after the disaster, his son was found. And appropriately Lee was there to carry him out.

Finally, the texts reveals that Christian Fathers should focus on…

III. Urging His Children (I Thess. 2:12) each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 urging…

The text says urging … to live lives worthy of God. (another word for teaching) so the Christian Father urges or teaches his children…

a. To Be Self-controlled (Titus 2:11-12)

Paul was instructing his ‘spiritual’ son Titus in this passage and says …

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age NIV

Did you ever think about how fathers play different that mothers with their children?

Fathers tickle more, they wrestle, and they throw their children in the air (while mother says . . . "Not so high!"). Fathers chase their children, sometimes as playful, scary "monsters."

Fathering expert John Snarey explains that children who roughhouse with their fathers learn that biting, kicking and other forms of physical violence are not acceptable.³ They learn self-control by being told when "enough is enough" and when to settle down. Girls and boys both learn a healthy balance between timidity and aggression.

b. Practice Godly Character (Titus 2:12) upright and godly lives in this present age NIV

Play Video “They’ll Never Stop Looking to You” from sermoncentral

Conclusion:

Dad God created you with a high and noble purpose to leave a legacy. To do this you don’t have to be perfect! (Good thing because we can’t!)

Ernest Hemingway wrote a short story called "The Capital of the World." Hemingway told the story of a father and his teenage son. The son had sinned against his father and in his shame he ran away from home. The father searched all over Spain for him, but still he could not find the boy. Finally, in the city of Madrid, in a last desperate attempt to find his son, the father placed an ad in the daily newspaper. The ad read: "PACO MEET AT HOTEL MONTANA NOON TUESDAY ALL IS FORGIVEN PAPA."

The father prayed that maybe the boy would see the ad and maybe - just maybe - he would come to the Hotel Montana.

And on Tuesday at noon, the father in Ernest Hemingway's story arrived at the Hotel Montana and he could not believe his eyes. A squadron of police officers had been called out to keep order among the eight hundred young boys named "Paco" who had come to meet their father in front of the Hotel Montana. Eight hundred boys named Paco read the ad in the newspaper and hoped it was for them. Eight hundred "Pacos" came to receive the forgiveness they so desperately needed.

Two Groups of People the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart to pray for in closing:

1. Those who were hurt by their fathers

2. Every Dad to – Encourage – Comfort and Urge (teach) their children – leaving a Godly Legacy

Your name probably isn’t Paco but God gave you and invitation today to meet him here are his house. It’s not accident you’re here today. He sent you and invitation to His house today and the Holy Spirit drew you here whether you recognized it or not – this is a God moment for you