For Fathers, For Kids

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Introductory Texts

1. Malachi 4:6

2. Romans 5:15

3. John 8:39

The Works of Abraham

1. Abraham obtained righteousness by faith.

2. He tithed.

3. He rescued Lot with 318 servants trained in his own household.

4. He commanded his children after him.

The Fatherhood of Abraham: Genesis 18:19

1. To circumcise his son.

2. To find him a wife.

3. To leave a legacy or an inheritance to his son.

4. To teach his son a trade

Two kinds of men:

1. Cannot accept responsibility

2. Accepts responsibility for self and for others

Your care for others is the measure of your greatness: Luke 9:47-48

1. The rise of fatherlessness

2. The immaturity of fathers

a. Moses

b. Eli

Taking responsibility

1. The responsibilities of men: Genesis 2:15

a. Guide, Guard Govern

b. Stewardship, relationship, leadership

2. Four responsibilities for fathers:

a. Make sure our sons and daughters are saved

b. Leave our children an inheritance of faith

c. We are to give our children a work ethic

d. We are to help them find a spouse.

Four things a father provides his family

1. Intimacy, discipline, love, and value

2. Counterfeit families

Application: Bring in the children, prayer for the children and for the fathers

My subject today is, “Turning the hearts of the fathers to the children.” This comes from Malachi, the last 2 verses, where God said He would send the spirit of the Prophet Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers, lest He smite the Earth with a curse.

How many of you are fathers here today? May I see your hands? How many of you have sons? How may of you have daughters? Now, listen to me. How many of you are more concerned about watching over your daughters and protecting them than you are your sons? That’s because you don’t want your daughter going out with a guy like you used to be!

When you pick up the Bible and begin to read Genesis 1, and you read the first five books of the Bible, you’ll find that it is simply the story of seven men. The first five books of the Bible are simply the story of seven men because all of God’s revelation comes through man. And when God wanted to reveal Himself in person, He did it in the man, Christ Jesus.

Now, I don’t want the ladies to think that I’m generically genderizing that—that only men get the revelation. I use the word “man” meaning “Mankind” because it embraces both men and women. The revelation of God simply comes through Mankind, or through His human creation on this Earth.

In Romans 5:15, it says, “For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more of the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”

God holds the man accountable. He does not say by one woman sin entered into the world; He says by one man. Eve was deceived; Adam made a choice. God still holds the man accountable, because God gave His commandments and His Word to the man, and Adam gave it to Eve.

Let us read out of John 8:39. Jesus is in a confrontation with some Jewish people, and they are challenging Him as to His statements, His veracity, His identity. They could find nothing wrong with Him. The only accusation they could make against Him was on the basis of His identity. And as He answered them, He said this to these who were questioning Him, trying to entrap Him: “They said, Abraham is our father. And Jesus saith unto them, If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.”

You would do the works of Abraham. If you’re taking notes, write the four works of Abraham:

1. Abraham obtained righteousness by faith. He entered into a covenant relationship with God, and as a sign of that covenant, he was given circumcision. For every covenant that God makes, God gives a sign of the covenant. It’s an external evidence of an internal work. With Noah, it was a rainbow. With Abraham, it was circumcision. With you and I, who have been born again, it’s water baptism. There’s always an external evidence of the internal work of a covenant relationship between God and man. And so it was that Abraham entered into a covenant with God, obtaining righteousness by faith and not by works.

2. He tithed. There are only three reasons a man won’t tithe: unbelief, fear, or greed. If every man in every church tithed, there would be no need for special offerings. So wait a minute, and listen to me! The next time the pastor takes a special offering, turn to the guy next to you and simply say, “When are you going to start tithing?”