Bio Of A First-Class Dad

BIO OF A FIRST-CLASS DAD

Gen. 17:5

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: THE DEFINITION OF BARBECUING

It’s the only type of cooking a "real man" will do. When a man volunteers to do the ’BBQ’ the following chain of events are put into motion:

1. The woman goes to the store.

2. The woman fixes the salad, vegetables, and dessert.

3. The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils, and takes it to the man, who is lounging beside the grill.

4. The man places the meat on the grill.

5. The woman goes inside to set the table and check the vegetables. She comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning.

6. The man takes the meat off the grill and hands it to the woman.

7. The woman prepares the plates and brings them to the table. After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.

8. Everyone praises the man and thanks him for his cooking efforts.

9. The man asks the woman how she enjoyed "her night off." And, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there’s just no pleasing some women.

B. ABRAHAM: FIRST-CLASS FATHER

1. What would you say if I told you there was a man who had more than a million children? Gen. 17:5, God changed Abram’s name to “Father of Many Nations” (Abraham).

2. Rom. 4:16 says Abraham is the “Father of us all.” That’s another way of saying Abraham was a First-Class Dad!

3. WHY DID GOD ENTRUST HIM WITH MILLIONS OF DESCENDANTS? HE HAD GREAT CHARACTERISTICS.

4. What made Abraham such a great father that God would speak of him so highly? We’re going to consider three of his characteristics as we look at the “Bio of a First Class Dad.”

I. A MAN OF LEADERSHIP

“8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” Heb. 11:8-10.

A. TOOK LEAD IN THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

1. 1 Cor. 11:3, “But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” Man is to be head of his household. Just as Jesus is Prophet, Priest, and King to the Body, so a husband is to be his family.

2. Ex. Of Priestly Function: Ex. 12:3; “Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.”

3. Who selected the Lamb? Who killed it? Who was responsible for putting the blood on the doors? The Fathers are to be the priests of their family.

4. God needs Men in this hour! Our sons need to see men being men. [Genuine, strong, true, noble.]

5. The Gender lines are being blurred today and causing confusion to the next generation. God help us restore God’s intended order!

B. ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR CHILDREN

1. Eli was rebuked for not correcting sons, 1 Samuel 3:13.

2. Ladies, if the father is negligent, the mother must take spiritual responsibility. Ex. 4:24-26. Moses wouldn’t circumcise his son, so Zipporah did it.

3. SPRITUAL TRAINING. Gen. 18:17-19 says, “Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

4. It was Abraham’s dependable training which made him eligible to be “Father of Many Nations” and “Exalted Father.”

C. HE SHOWED LOVE TO HIS SON

1. God testified, “Your only son Isaac, whom you love” Gen. 22:2.

2. Many sons have never heard their Fathers say, “I love you.” There’s nothing wimpy about it. It’s a father’s duty and privilege to love his kids.

3. How do you spell “LOVE?” T.I.M.E. The average child spends 25 minutes a week in close interaction with their parents and 25 hours in close interaction with the television!

II. A MAN OF FAITH

A. WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN

1. He lived in a corrupt environment. His father and extended family were idolaters. He came out of Mesopotamia, which was dominated by astrology and idolatry, and following God’s direction, separated from his family and moved to Canaan land/ Palestine.