Father Lessons From The Tape Measure Series

FBMB

Fathers Day

June 19, 2011

Father Lessons From

The Tape Measure

Selected

Intro.: Today is Father’s Day and I want to say Happy Day Dad! I trust that already, you have had a blessed day, or will have. For all that you do for your family may you be rewarded by your family and by God. I have prayed for that to be so. For some I know this may be a difficult day. Maybe your dad has already passed away, maybe you don’t have a dad who loves and cares for you, maybe you have not talked to your dad in years or maybe you have never talked to him - as others celebrate this day I pray the God of all Fathers will comfort you and make this day special in that way.

This morning we have a gift for each of the fathers present today so fathers would you please stand to receive your gift. I want you to have it now because I want you to hold it while I’m speaking. You may not be a note-taker but I want you to hold this gift in your hand and make some mental notes as I draw several parallels from that gift. Looking at a message Father Lessons from the Tape Measure. I want to begin with a story from the Bible.

Almost 3000 years ago an Israelite scribe named Shaphan raced excitedly into the presence of the most powerful man in Jerusalem. In his trembling hands he held an ancient scroll. His heart pounded as he carefully prepared to present it to King Josiah.

In retrospect, nothing could have prepared him for what he read because no one in his entire generation had ever been exposed to what he now held in his hands. The Book of the Law had been lost, but now was found.

As unimaginable as it may seem to our Bible-saturated modern culture, it is estimated that by the time the Scriptures were brought to King Josiah they had been lost for almost 100 years. The Word of God had not been read or followed for an entire generation. But everything changed when the Book found its way into the hands of King Josiah.

According to 2 Chronicles 34:18 before Shaphan gave Josiah the scrolls, he read their entire contents to him. Every word spoke pressed down on his heart like a crushing hammer. This was God’s standard, and Josiah realized it had gone completely ignored for nearly a century.

In response, the king grabbed his clothes and tore them in anguish. He was so deeply moved by what he heard that he ripped his royal robe in horror and remorse. For the first time in his life, he understood all that God demanded of him.

Then, in a decisive moment, he resolved to never let it happen again. You see, once Josiah possessed the Word of God, he realized that the Word of God must now posses him. He set out to change his entire world, starting with the world within himself.

In a special way the story of Josiah gives us hope. Though the Word of God had been lost in the Temple, it was also found there too. Oh that today, even this day, the church and especially on this day men and fathers would rediscover the rich blessings of the Scriptures!

Dad, as you hold that tape measure in your hands today I want you to think of three words and how that relates to your life as a father.

I. Legacy

A. What you hold in your hand has been around for over 140 years.

1. The folding wooden carpenter’s ruler was the pre-Madonna but the spring tape measure received its first patent in 1868.

2. That’s a lot of measuring, that’s a lot of tape measures.

3. For the average user tape measures don’t wear out generally.

4. Some of you who use yours multiple times in a day do need to replace it.

5. You might get a different brand, color, style but it’s still going to be some kind of tape measure.

6. POINT: The tape measure has outlived the inventor’s life.

B. Fathers, Men - Out live your life.

1. Invest in things that matter to God and then invest make a legacy that will last in your family and your grandchildren.

2. Make a legacy that will carry on in the lives of people in your church and community.

3. Outlive your life so that others can out live their lives.

4. Live your life in such a way so that it makes a difference for the Kingdom of God.

5. Illus: My spiritual family circle was completed this week.

6. This is your once in history opportunity so make it count for God and His church.