A Fathers Blessing

INTRODUCTION

Opening Statement: This week I needed an oil change and car check-up for both of my vehicles, so I took both of my cars to Herb Winters at the Shell station here in town. (They do a great job. When I go in there, it feels like I’m going back in time when my own father would take me to the local filling station, buy me a Slim Jim and a Nehi orange or grape soda). After we got things squared away, Herb walked behind the station with me and said, “I want to give you something. It’s something about Father’s Day.” He handed me this piece entitled, “When I Was A Boy.”

4 yrs old My Daddy could do anything.

5 yrs old My Daddy knows everything.

6 yrs old My Dad is smarter than your dad

8 yrs old My Dad doesn’t exactly know everything.

10 yrs old When my Dad grew up in the olden days things were sure different.

12 yrs old My Dad doesn’t know anything about that, he’s too old to remember.

14 yrs old My Dad is so old fashion.

18 yrs old My Dad is really out of it.

25 yrs old My Dad knows about that, but he should, because he’s been around so long.

30 yrs old Maybe we should ask Dad?

35 yrs old I won’t do anything about that until I talk to Dad.

40 yrs old I wonder how Dad would have handled this?

50 yrs old I’d give anything if Dad were here now, so I could talk this over with him.

Some of you fondly remember your fathers. Others celebrate their fathers today who they still have with them. To all of you fathers, Happy Fathers Day. There’s one thing that we all need from our fathers and from our Heavenly Father– it’s his blessing and smile of approval on our lives.

Title: A Fathers Blessing

Illustration: In his book about fatherhood, in the chapter titled, "A Baffling Question," Bill Cosby wrote, "So you have decided to have children. You have decided to give up quiet evenings at home when you listened to good music and read good books. You have decided to give up lazy weekends when you just held each other in your arms and assured each other of your love." "You have decided to give up candlelight dinners where you could finish complete sentences. You have decided to change all your couches into trampolines. You have decided to give up your pursuit of the reproduction of fine art, and start coping with the pursuit of the reproduction of yourself. Why? That’s the baffling question." He went on, "Poets tell us that one of the reasons that we want to have children is because we desire immortality. Yes, I must confess that I asked God for a son to carry on my family name. And God did exactly what I asked Him to do. But now there are times when I ask my son not to reveal his identity. I beg him, `Make up a name. Tell them anything, but don’t tell them you belong to me, whatever you do.’" "Immortality?" he says. "Now that I am the father of five, my only hope is that I will live long enough to see all five of them leave home."

Transition: Maybe you have felt that way, too. Home is sometimes a maze of personalities and confusion and reactions. Fatherhood may be a bit confusing, but I don’t think God’s perception of what the father is to be and ought to do has changed.

Transition: So this morning I’d like for you to turn to the 27th chapter of Genesis, to the story of Isaac bestowing his blessing to Jacob. Of course, the blessing was intended for the oldest son, Esau. But through deception the blessing was given to Jacob instead. Our focus is not the deception, however, it is on the blessing.

Text: Genesis 27:25-34

Recitation: 27:25 Isaac said, "Bring some of the wild game for me to eat, my son.Then I will bless you." So Jacob brought it to him and he ate it. He also brought him wine, and Isaac drank. 27:26 Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come here and kiss me, my son." 27:27 So Jacob went over and kissed him. When Isaac caught the scent of his clothing, he blessed him, saying,

"Yes, my son smells like the scent of an open field which the LORD has blessed. 27:28 May God give you the dew of the sky and the richness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine. 27:29 May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. You will be lord over your brothers, and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.