Come And Be A Godly Father Series

Called to be Godly Father’s

Do not Exasperate

Do nurture

Do discipline

Do Train

Seoul -- At his father’s funeral, American Carl Lewis placed his 100-meter gold medal from the 1984 Olympics in his father’s hands. "Don’t worry," he told his surprised mother. "I’ll get another one."

A year later, in the 100-meter final at the 1988 games, Lewis was competing against Canadian world-record-holder Ben Johnson. Halfway through the race Johnson was five feet in front. Lewis was convinced he could catch him. But at 80 meters, he was still five feet behind. It’s over, Dad, Lewis thought. As Johnson crossed the finish, he stared back at Lewis and thrust his right arm in the air, index finger extended. Lewis was exasperated. He had noticed Johnson’s bulging muscles and yellow-tinged eyes, both indications of steroid use. "I didn’t have the medal, but I could still give to my father by acting with class and dignity," Lewis said later. He shook Johnson’s hand and left the track. But then came the announcement that Johnson had tested positive for anabolic steroids. He was stripped of his medal. The gold went to Lewis, a replacement for the medal he had given his father. David Wallechinsky, The Complete Book of the Olympics, Reader’s Digest.

Do not Exasperate your Child

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephes. 6:4 (NIV)

Father’s first we want to thank each of you who has taken this responsibility seriously, for all others God is calling you to take your responsibility seriously today.

God calls Christian fathers to a different standard, to lovingly lead your children.

Will you answer Him today?

God calls men to lovingly lead their kids today just as He did in the first century.

Our kids are the image bearers of God who need to be managed and trained.

Fathers, God calls us to provide a proper nurturing environment where our kids can grow up to love and serve Christ.

We are called not to bring our children to parorgizo, par-org-id’-zo; Greek, to anger alongside, i.e. enrage :- anger, provoke to wrath. Present tense.

This meant they were to stop doing something that was common and continuous.

Paul puts it this way in Colossians 3:21: “Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.”

If we exasperate our kids, they can become bitter.

Instead lets love and lead them to Christ likedness.

Will you commit to show the "agapeo" love that was shown you, to your most prized possessions in Christ, your children?

Do nurture

but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephes. 6:4 KJV

Nurturing is just the opposite of exasperating our children.

Fathers, we are called to nourish our wife and children by sharing the love and encouragement of our Lord actively.

Fathers, we are to take an active part in shaping the character of our children.

Proverbs 29:15 says, “A child left to himself brings shame to his mother.”

John MacArthur puts it this way: “What ruins most children is not what their parents do to them, but what they do not do for them.”

As someone has said, “One way to correct your children is to correct the example you’re setting for them.”

Do discipline

but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephes. 6:4 KJV

We are to bring them up in the training and nouthesia, noo-thes-ee’-ah; Greek, calling attention to, i.e. (by implication) mild rebuke or warning :- admonition.

If we are raising up our children to be Christ like, these characteristics of Christ should be predominant in their character and mannerisms.

In proper discipline, we tell and show them when they do things that are harmful to their image of Christ in this current age.

Proverbs 13:24 in the NKJV provides a challenge to us dads: “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.”

The New Living Translation puts it: “If you refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don’t love them; if you love your children, you will be prompt to discipline them.”

We are called to give loving discipline as shown of God in Hebrews 12:11: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Let’s understand the difference between punishment and discipline.

The purpose of punishment is to inflict penalty and focuses on our "crimes or misdeeds" of the past.

The purpose of discipline is to promote growth by looking to the future. Isn’t that were Christ seeks after us, knowing that we are growing daily in our Christ likedness.

Fathers, our kids are looking for us to train them and love them by disciplining them and showing them we love them.