Be A Father Worth Following

Be A Father Worth Following

Mark 5:21-43

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - June 17, 2012

BACKGROUND

*Happy Father’s Day again, Dads! -- This morning, let’s look at an inspirational dad from the Word of God. His name is Jairus. That means "enlightened by God," and we can learn a lot from his life, so please open your Bibles to Mark 5:21-43.

INTRODUCTION

*Dad’s we thank God for you! -- And we thank you for all of the good you are doing in your family, our church and our community.

*The longer I live, the more I appreciate my dad. My dad helped raise his two little sisters when his father abandoned the family. He went off to war to help save us from the Nazis. And just like Prince Charming, he rescued my mother from a horrible home.

*My dad was compassionate and kind, hard working, funny, and full of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I am so looking forward to seeing him again. But until that day, I want to be a father worth following. And you can be a father worth following. Jairus shows us how.

1. First: Seek the Lord.

*This is what Jairus did in vs. 21-23:

21. Now when Jesus had crossed over (i.e. back to Galilee), a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.

22. And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet

23. and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.’’

*Jairus was in a desperate situation in these verses. His only daughter was near the point of death, and Jairus couldn’t make her well. Sometimes our loved ones will be hurting. And there will be nothing we can do to help them on our own.

*Jairus shows us exactly what to do in a situation like that: Seek the Lord! Take your troubles to Jesus! Go to Jesus humbly, boldly, passionately, and expectantly. Go to Jesus.

[1] Seek the Lord for His help. Call on the Lord! Throw yourself at Jesus’ feet. Throw yourself on the compassionate mercy of God. In Psalm 145:17-18, King David said:

17. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works.

18. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.

*Then in 1 Chronicles 28:9, speaking as a father to a son, King David said: "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever."

*David told his son, "If you seek God, He will be found by you."

-We need to seek the Lord for His help.

[2] But also seek the Lord for worship.

*Matthew 9:18 tells us that when Jairus came to Jesus, he worshipped him. We all need to worship the Lord. But dads, our worship is especially important for us to be the fathers God wants us to be.

*Pastor Arlen Payne urges us to see that Jairus fell down at Jesus’ feet without reservation. And notice that Jairus went himself. He did not send his wife. He didn’t send a servant. He went to Jesus himself.

*Our society would be infinitely better off today if dads would seek Jesus without shame, if we all would be the spiritual leaders in our homes. Our nation is in the mess it’s in partly because dads are out seeking golf balls on Sunday morning instead of seeking God. They send the wife and kids to church. (1)

*Dad’s, let your kids see YOU seeking the Lord in worship: Taking them to church, reading the Word of God, praying together, living for Jesus. May God help us all to be dads who will faithfully seek the Lord!

*Jesus promises that if we seek, we will find.

-And you can be a father worth following if you will seek the Lord.

2. But also stand-up for your children.

*Take a passionate stand for your children. There is no question that Jairus dearly loved his daughter. We see his love in the way he came to Jesus in vs. 22&23:

22. . . When (Jairus) saw (Jesus), he fell at His feet

23. and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.’’