Father's Day

Father’s Day 2003

Ephesians 6:1-3

INTRO.- ILL.- A small boy said, "Father’s Day is just like Mother’s Day, only you don’t spend as much on the gift."

And I say, "What gift?"

ILL.- Mark Twain said, "When I was a boy of 14 my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to the 21, I was astonished at how much the old man learned in 7 years."

ILL.- Popular comedian/entertainer Bill Cosby wrote, "Now that my father is a grandfather he just can’t wait to give money to my kids. But when I was a kid and I asked him for 50 cents, he would tell me the story of his life. How he got up at 5 a.m. when he was 70-years-old and walked 23 miles to milk 90 cows. And the farmer for whom he worked had no bucket, so he had to squirt the milk into his little hand and then walk 8 miles to the nearest can. All for 5 cents. The result was...I never got my 50 cents.

"But now he tells my children every time he comes into the house, ’Well, let’s see how much money old Granddad has for his wonderful grandkids.’ And the minute they take money out of his hands I call them over to me and I snatch it away from them. BECAUSE THAT IS MY MONEY."

ILL.- Someone wrote these humorous word entitled, "The World According to Dad." These are words that most dads have said at some time or another to their children.

- This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.

- Quiet. I’m watching the ball game.

- Don’t forget to check the oil.

- Bring back all the change.

- How should I know? Ask your mother.

- I’m not made out of money!

- When I was your age I walked 5 miles to and from school each day and it was uphill both ways.

- You are going and you will have fun!

- Who’s paying the bills around here, anyway?

- If you break your leg don’t come running to me.

- Don’t put your feet on the furniture. Your mother will kill you.

- Get down before you kill yourself. On second thought, go ahead.

- Quit playing with your food.

- Be quiet! Can’t you see I’m trying to think!

- Why? Because I said so!

- If you don’t quit that I’m going to call your mother.

- You better get that junk picked up before your mother comes in here.

- Just wait till you have kids of your own.

- I was not asleep. I was just resting my eyes.

Brethren, I suppose we who are fathers could probably add a couple of quotes to this list.

Being a parent and a father can be an interesting and trying experience.

ILL.- Someone said, "Parents spend the first part of a child’s life urging him to talk and walk, and the rest of his childhood telling him to sit down and keep quiet."

ILL.- One father said to his teenage son, "Do you mind if I use the car tonight? I’m taking your mother out to eat and I would like to impress her."

ILL.- Father said to his daughter, "What’s wrong, Judy? Usually you talk on the phone for hours. This time you only talked for 30 minutes. How come?"

Judy replied, "It was the wrong number."

ILL.- A letter from a college student to his parents read, "Please send food packages! All they serve here is breakfast, lunch and dinner."

ILL.- Another son wrote home to his dad. He said, "Dear Dad, Please let me hear from you more often, even if it’s only five or ten."

Both parenting and fatherhood can be a real trial. And yet a real blessing.

Brethren, we are here today to remember the Lord and honor our earthly fathers. We need to do both.

PROP.- I want us to think about some of the things for which we should say, "Thanks, Dad!"

1- Thanks for material provision

2- Thanks for faithful instruction

3- Thanks for godly illustration

I. THANKS FOR MATERIAL PROVISION

I Tim. 5:8 "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

Wow! That’s powerful. If a father does not provide materially for his family (food, clothing, shelter) then he has denied the faith of Christ and is worse than unbelievers.

Why would such a father be worse than unbelievers? BECAUSE EVEN UNBELIEVERS PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES!

ILL.- My dad passed away on Dec. 11, 1982. If he was alive today he would be almost 93 years old. He lived to be 72. Dad drove a truck for most of his life. He hauled livestock to and from the Joplin, MO, stockyards. He hauled hogs, cattle, and sheep. Dad didn’t make much money but we always had food on the table and clothes to wear.