Fathers- A Picture Of God To His Children

Fathers- a picture of God to his children

Main Thought:

1. Come to understand something of God’s love by being with my children.

Opening:

1. A home is not just a home. God is trying to get something across through our homes.

The triumphs- the defeats

The success- the failures…

And through it all God is teaching us something of himself.

2. A husband and his wife, is just not a husband and wife. There is symbolism, there

is picture behind this union.

a. "This mystery is great: but I speak in regard of Christ and of the church." (Ephesians 5:32, ASV)

Mystery- 3466 moos•tay•ree•on religious secrets, confided only to the initiated and not to ordinary mortals.

Jesus after the crowds have left would often tell his disciples what the parables meant. They were members of the inner club, the club of mysteries if you will.

b. God is trying to teach us something of himself and us through this union.

A. Fathers, oh the power of influence they wield

1. It has been said a child is not likely to find a Father in God unless he finds first something of God in his father.

A Bible school teacher asked her class to draw a picture of God for her. A little boy finished first and said, “I drew a picture of my daddy because I don’t know what God looks like, but I know what my dad looks like.”

Sounds like Jesus and Thomas- Lord, shew us the father. Jesus answers, when you have seen me, you have seen the father.

A son is the reflection of his father

2. Contrast the above story with this story.

A man write, my wife was having lunch with a non-Christian friend a few years ago. She asked her friend if she minded prayer before the meal. Her friend said, "That’s fine," so my wife started her prayer with the phrase "Dear heavenly Father." When she finished, her friend said that she could never pray those words since her father was such an [expletive].

3. The power a father wields

a. While they refer to us as the “old man” they long for the approval of this old man

Even when they are bucking us, the crave a hand of firmness, a hand bringing calm and composure to their mixed up world.

B. Coming to know God’s heart by listening to my own

1. The longer I live, that more I come to believe, that we have the indelible stamp of God on us.

a. I see too much of the God of the Old testament- Fierce- Scary, One to be reverenced.

You wanted to run to him and away at the same time.

b. Yet I see the same God in the New Testament…

A God of Love - unconditional acceptance

Willing to give of himself for his wayward children

Continually reaching out to us when we spurn his advances towards relationship.

C. I have a precious child of my own. She reminds me so much of myself and God.

1. She will turn from me, not answer me, act like she doesn’t care…

all the while she is craving her fathers love.

a. Those actions are only a ploy, testing the boundaries of a father’s love.

2. I see myself in her. I turn away from God. I will do my own thing. Then when it does not work, I act indifferent. I act As thought I don’t mind.

a. The father reaches out. Let me fix that for you. I turn away. I can do it myself,…. All the while crying silently…. Papa, please don’t let me go.

3. When she was younger she was not a morning person and would spurn her fathers affections. The later when she woke up more, she would stroke my beard. The wanted attention. I WAS THERE. I did not leave.

a. I see something of father God and me in that picture.

D. Who is able to effectively model our heavenly father?

1. With all my failures as a father????

I shout at my children when I should whisper.

I discipline them when I should be hugging them….

2. I know something of God’s heart by watching and listening to my own when I am with my children

a. I sometimes sneak into my sons room and just stare at them.

1. I cannot believe these precious boys are mine.

2. Sometimes they catch me staring at them as one did just in the last week or so

b. I watch my girls. Such beautiful and graceful work of art they are. How precious.

Why such a high calling for such lowly men?

E. Do we know what we have in our homes?

1. Do we realize the awesome responsibility that goes with it?