The Perfect Father

“The Perfect Father”
Romans 8:38-39

Introduction

  • “You,” said the doctor to his patient, “are in terrible shape, & unless something is quickly done you’re going to die. You’re under too much stress and you’re not eating right. Tell your wife that she must start cooking more nutritious meals. And to help reduce the stress, have her keep the kids off your back so you can relax. Then make a budget and tell her she has to stick to it. If she’ll do all this, you should recover completely. Otherwise, you’ll be dead in a month.”Obviously shaken, the patient said, “Doc, would you calling my wife before I get home & give her those instructions?” When he got home, his wife rushed to him. “I just talked to the doctor,” she wailed. “Honey, he said you only have 30 days to live.”
  • I want to wish all the dads who are still alive today… “Happy Father’s Day.”
  • One little boy, when asked to explain about Father’s Day, said, “It’s just like Mother’s Day, only you don’t spend as much on the present.”
  • Father’s Day is not really as sentimental as Mother’s Day. Fathers are not as sensitive to the children or wife’s needs or wants.
  • For History’s sake…The very first national celebration of this day was on June 19, 1924, by proclamation of President Calvin Coolidge. But it all came about because of the efforts of Sonora Smart Dodd. Sonora was sitting in church in 1909 listening to a Mother’s Day sermon when the idea of Father’s Dayfirst came to mind. Having been raised by her father after her mother’s death, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her for all his parental sacrifices & for being, in her eyes, so courageous, selfless, & loving. Through her efforts Pres. Coolidge designated the 3rd Sunday of June as “Father’s Day.” And our nation has been celebrating it ever since.
  • Father’s Daygives us a chance to honor those who stand at the helm and lead their family through life’s battles.
  • James Dobson, in his book, “Dare To Discipline,” suggests 3 specific things for a father to keep in mind.
  1. The earliest years = (time with mom). Years bring change, and father often becomes the example in attitude and action that a child follows. (God, church, spiritual things) “Fathers are followed.” Mothers were not created to lead.
  2. Fathers should  love the children’s mother. Paul tells the Ephesian husbands (and us today) Ephesians 5:25…Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
  3. A Christian father will arrange to spend time with his family.
    James Dobson goes on to say that “Good fathers are made, not born.”
  • But to be a good father you need a model, an example of a father that you can pattern yourself after. Where do you find such a father? Where do you look? Is there such a thing as a perfect father? Ray’s saying…. “Practice doesn’t make perfect…perfect practice makes perfect.”
  • Is there such a thing as a “Perfect Father?” Yes. God is a perfect Father.

I. GOD LOVES HIS CHILDREN

  A) Love reciprocates love

  • God’s love causes people to love Him in return…I John 4:19…We love him, because he first loved us.
  • Here is the depth of God’s love…Romans 5:8…But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
  • It is natural for people to love others and God because love is shown in return.
  • God did not wait for us to become something good and then started loving us.
  • Romans 5:8 says that God loved us while we were sinners! I mean…Do you love people who are dirty, nasty, or mean to you? No! Why not? You wanna know why? We are like our father the devil and the deeds of our father we will do.
  • The devil doesn’t love. He doesn’t know what true love is all about.

B) Fathers need to love their children

  • Fathers love their children by taking care of their needs and talk to them when they need to hear from you.
  • Fathers love their children by giving them a hug once in a while.
  • Fathers love their children by showing affection to the mother of those children, loving her as Christ loves the church.
  • I have been in a store or in church and seen fathers teasing their children causing them to be angry. This wrong dads…Paul warns the fathers of this same thing in the church at Ephesus. WHY? Because they were guilty of causing their sons to be angry. Ephesians 6:4…And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

II. GOD ENCOURAGES HIS CHILDREN

  A) God Is Quick to Encourage His Children

  • God encouraged Moses to be God’s spokesman when Moses couldn’t speak well in Exodus 4:11…And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 12) Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
  • After Moses died, God encourage Joshua in Joshua 1:9…Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

B) Fathers need to encourage their children

  • There are many children out in the world today that lack encouragement from their fathers.
  • Paul in Ephesians 4, was trying to train these new converts here how they are to walk once they receive the knowledge of Jesus Christ who gave us instruction that leads to a happy life in this sad world.
  1. Verses 17, 18 – Don’t walk in darkness as the lost do, learn of God.
  2. Verse 19 – Don’t be numb to God by being obscene, unclean, and greedy.
  3. Verses 22 -24 – get rid of your old bad habits and take on new good habits.
  4. Verse 25 – Don’t lie, speak the truth
  5. Verse 26 – Do not let the sun go down while you are angry. Get glad.
  6. Verse 27 – Do not give place to the devil
  7. Verse 28 – Don’t steal things you need…work for it.
  8. Verse 29 – Don’t speak bad about others, but rather speak good of them.
  9. Verse 30 – Do not reject the Holy Spirit’s conviction in you.
  10. Verse 31- Get rid of anger, revenge, bitterness,
  • These are the instructions fathers should give to their children to help them lead happy productive lives.
  • But for further encouragement, Paul advises them of how to act that would cause others to be desiring of a life in Christ… verse 32…And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
  • Do you know how many people look down on us Christians because of the way they are treated by Christians. This is why the homosexuals, and transgenders are against Christendom and do not seek salvation. Look how they are treated.

III. GOD DISCIPLINES HIS CHILDREN

  A) Very carefully a father disciplines

  • There is a story about these triplets, 3 young boys who got along well. They saw everything alike. They were loyal to each other. If one got into trouble they wouldn’t tattle on each other. A neighbor asked the father, “How in the world do you know which one to punish if there’s trouble?” He said, “It’s easy. I just send all 3 to bed without their supper. And the next morning I spank the one with the black eye.”
  • A father learns what works with his children as far as discipline is concerned. No child should be disciplined in the same exact manner as another. God does not discipline us the same as everybody else.
  • God does have certain standards and certain judgments when those standards or laws are not kept. I am talking about discipline that makes people what they are. Gives them their moral character and causes people to like them.
  • God disciplines His children. If you have not received a spanking (Judgment/punishment) from God recently…just wait, it’s coming.
  • Moses writing the 5th book of Law writes in Deuteronomy 8:5…Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
  • The wisdom of Solomon tells us in Proverbs 3:12…For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
  • Fathers if you wish to be more like God…discipline your children in the right manner. Not as to make them angry, but to teach them, instruct them, and break an evil spirit.
  • Mothers…do not ever rebuke a father who is disciplining his children. Notice I said “disciplining” not “abusing.” There is a difference…know it.
  • Discipline brings holiness. Look at Hebrews 12:10…For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
  • No discipline is enjoyed, but it always brings a spirit in the disciplined child that is peaceful. Look at verse 11) Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
  • No one in their right mind wants a “brat” for a child. No one wants a spoiled rotten mess for children. We want children that please God and others.

IV. Our Responsibility

  A) Train them in the Lord

  • This verse is drilled in our minds almost every Mothers Day and Fathers Day.
  • That verse is in Ephesians 6:4…And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
  • We must remember that Jesus never forced anyone to do as He commanded. Jesus learned from His Father that children should never be forced to follow Him, never forced to do His commandments, never forced to believe in Jesus, never forced period! “The force” should never be in you.
  • God way is willingness, desiring holiness, and desiring righteousness.
  • I have witnessed many Christians who force their children to go to Bible college, force them to go to church after they become an adult, force their children to pray…Never should a parent force their child to be obedient. Let them learn the way of God by allowing God to discipline them.
  • God has a way of getting a wayward child’s attention.
  • Fathers…we have an awesome responsibility to raise our children in such a manner that is pleasing to the Lord.
  • What are we doing fathers to see to it that our children are being raised right by God’s standards and not what appears to right by the world’s standards.

Have A Happy Father’s Day Each One