Best Father Ever!

Best Father Ever!

Matthew 6:6-13

Sermon by Rick Crandall

McClendon Baptist Church - June 20, 2010

*I miss my Dad. He’s been gone for 36 years now, and I want to see him more than ever. My dad was kind, patient hard-working, smart and funny. He loved to tease and kid around with people. And like my wife, Dad never met a stranger. He was a talker. My dad could have had a good conversation with a telephone pole. Dad liked golf, and he loved the Braves, even back when all they ever did was lose.

*During World War II, Dad went off to help save us from the Nazis. And when he got home he was the Prince Charming who rescued my mother from a horrible home. It was so bad that the only time we ever went there was for my grandparents’ funerals.

*My dad surely wasn’t perfect, but he was full of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And he was a wonderful father to his kids.

*If you have a good dad, thank God! Appreciate your dad, and get to know him while you can.

-Ask him what it was like when he was a kid.

-Ask him how he met your mom.

-Get to know your dad.

*Now you may not have had a good daddy like mine. My own father didn’t. My grandmother divorced my unfaithful grandfather in 1928, and my Dad became the man of the house at age 8.

*Lot’s of kids today don’t have good fathers.

40% of children living in single-parent homes haven’t seen their father at all during the past year.

85% of youths in prison today grew up in fatherless homes.

90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes. (1)

*You may not have had a good earthly father, but you can have the best Father of all!

-If you trust in Jesus Christ, you will have the best Father of all.

-His Heavenly Father will become your Heavenly Father, as you are born again into the Family of God.

*But how is our Heavenly Father the best father of all?

1. First: He has the best head.

*Nobody is smarter than our Heavenly Father. In vs. 6, Jesus tells us that our Heavenly Father “sees in secret.” Our Heavenly Father sees everything, everywhere. He sees me. He sees you.

*Our Heavenly Father sees everything, and He knows everything. As Jesus said in vs. 7-8:

7. “When you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

*Our Heavenly Father knows everything about everything. There are almost 7 billion people in the world today, but that doesn’t strain God a bit. He is able to keep up with every person every moment of every day. He knows everything that’s going on in your life. Jesus said that He even knows the number of hairs on your head.

-I can’t see the blood coursing through your veins this morning. -- But God can.

-I can’t see the hurt you brought to church today. -- But God can.

-I don’t know the ugly way you were treated last week. -- But God does.

*He sees every tear, every fear, every problem, every pain, every hope and dream, every success, every failure. God fully knows and understands you. He knows you infinitely better than you know yourself. He knows every need. He knows what you need, even before you ask him.

*Our Heavenly Father has the best head.

2. And He has the best heart.

*God is good all the time! In vs. 6, Jesus said: “When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

*Our Heavenly Father is sitting up in Heaven greatly desiring to do good things for His people, if we will only ask. Billy Graham once said, “Heaven is full of answers to prayers for which no one ever bothered to ask.” (2)

*Why? -- Because God is good! Our Heavenly Father wants to reward His children. And in vs. 6, He promises to reward you “openly.” The word picture in the original language means something shining and clear to see. God is so good that He wants you to see His rewards in your life.

*And we see more of God’s goodness in vs. 9, where Jesus said to pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. “Hallowed” means “holy” and there is much more depth to this word, but it certainly means that God is pure and good.