A Father's Walk

INTRO.- Have you ever watched a father walk? Sure you have. You watch fathers walk all the time.

Have you ever watched father Jeremy Frakes walk? He walks fast. He walks like a man on a mission! And I’m not sure if he does anything slow. It seems like he has only one gear. And that’s not bad. Some things need to be done quickly. If something is simple, easily understood, not complex, not hard to do, then do it and maybe do it quickly.

ILL.- I remember going to Jeremy and Nicole’s house one time when they were having a yard/garage sale. It’s been a number of years ago. I believe Bailey was quite small at the time. We were standing outside, in their driveway talking when all of a sudden Bailey went running down the sidewalk, away from home. I think Nicole said something like, “Jeremy! Get her!” And he went flying after her and got her. Jeremy is a fast father. I suspect he’s fast in other ways, from what I seen. Fast to serve his family in various ways, which is a good thing.

Some fathers think that fatherhood means that they should be waited on all the time whereas scripture indicates a father should be quick to serve.

Matthew 20:28 “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Honestly, can you envision Jesus sitting in a recliner, with a TV remote in one hand and a Coke in the other? No, He was a servant of servants. While the disciples may have wanted fame or celebrity status, Jesus washed their feet. How’s that for being a servant? And while the disciples slept, Jesus prayed.

If Jesus came to not to be served, but to serve, then what should we all do, including fathers? We all should be quick to serve one another.

Galatians 5:13 “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Shouldn’t this also include fathers?

And there is another kind of walk that we do in life that is far more important than how much we walk or how fast we walk. Here are two scriptures that tell us about this walk which all fathers should have or the walk that all fathers should walk.

Genesis 5:21-24

Hebrews 11:5-6

PROP.- What can we learn about fatherhood from this man who walked with God? What kind of walk should a father have?

1- A father’s walk should include God’s fellowship

2- A father’s walk should influence his children

3- A father’s walk should incorporate a witness

I. A FATHER’S WALK SHOULD INCLUDE GOD’S FELLOWSHIP

Genesis 5:21-24 “When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” The newer NIV reads “walked faithfully with God.”

It seems to me that the most important that could be said of any father is that he walks faithfully with God.

ILL.- One preacher on sermoncentral wrote about Enoch’s walk with God which should be a father’s walk today.

1. WALKING W/GOD MEANS TO GO IN GOD’S DIRECTION

2. WALKING W/GOD MEANS TO WALK BY FAITH

3. WALKING W/GOD MEANS TO SHARE HIS COMPANIONSHIP

ILL.- Dr. Charles Weigle composed the favorite hymn, “No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus.” One day he visited Pasadena, CA. Early that morning he had an opportunity to walk through some of the famous rose gardens when the full fragrance of the flowers filled the air.

Later in the day he arrived at the hotel where a Bible conference was being held. As he took his seat, a man turned to him and said, “Dr. Weigle, I know where you’ve been. You toured one of our lovely gardens, for I can smell the pleasing aroma on your clothing.”

Weigle said, “My prayer is that I may walk so closely with the Lord that the fragrance of His grace will pervade my being. I want people to know by my words, actions, and songs that I have been with Jesus.”

Apparently, this was true for Enoch. His walk with so intimate with God that He emitted or oozed with the smell and presence of God. Unimaginable!

Acts 4:13 “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” Could this be said of us?

II Corinthians 5:6-7 “Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight." (or we walk by faith)