How To Make Or Break A Dad

"HOW TO MAKE OR BREAK A DAD"

TEXT: LUKE 15:11-24

INTRODUCTION

TODAY IS FATHER’S DAY, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL THE DADS OUT THERE.

LET’S BE HONEST THOUGH FATHER’S DAY IS JUST NOT AS BIG AS MOTHER’S DAY. THAT’S NOT SOUR GRAPES, THAT’S THE TRUTH. ON MOTHER’S DAY THERE IS A HIGHER ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH, MOTHER’S HAVE CORSAGES ON, EMOTIONS RUN HIGH, PEOPLE GATHER AT MOM’S HOUSE, TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE. BUT ON FATHER’S DAY, THE CHURCH IS NOT FULL, EMOTIONS ARE NOT AS HIGH AND BUSINESSES DO NOT PROFIT AS MUCH.

BUT THAT’S UNDERSTANDABLE BECAUSE MOST FATHERS ARE NOT AS SENSITIVE TO CHILDREN’S NEEDS AND AS ALERT TO SENTIMENT AS MOTHERS.

I HEARD OF YOUNG MOTHER WHO WENT DOWN TO THE NURSERY AT A HOSPITAL AND FOUND HER YOUNG HUSBAND PEERING DOWN AT HIS NEWBORN BABY WHO WAS ASLEEP. THE MOTHER COULD TELL HE WAS CAPTIVATED BY THE SCENE AS HE STOOD THERE LOOKING AT THE SLEEPING INFANT. SHE WAS SO TOUCHED THAT FINALLY SHE TIPTOED UP BEHIND HIM AND SLIPPED HER ARM THROUGH HIS AND SAID, "HONEY, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?" HE SAID, "I JUST CAN’T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY’RE ABLE TO MAKE A CRIB LIKE THIS FOR $89.95." FOR THE MOST PART FATHER’S ARE NOT AS SENTIMENTAL.

HAVE YOU NOTICED HOW FATHERS IN OUR MODERN SOCIETY ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST... ON MOST "FAMILY" SHOWS ON TV YOU’LL FIND THAT THE FATHER IS USUALLY PORTRAYED AS A BUFFOON. HE’S THE OBJECT OF SCORN AND RIDICULE, AND HE CAN’T DO ANYTHING RIGHT...

REMEMBER THE MOVIE "MR MOM," THE MOM GOES TO WORK AND THE DAD TAKES OVER THE HOUSEHOLD. AND IT’S A COMPLETE DISASTER. THE PLACE NEARLY COLLAPSES.

ERMA BOMBECK IN HER USUAL HUMOROUS WAY WROTE THE FOLLOWING ABOUT FATHERS, "WHEN I WAS KID A FATHER WAS LIKE A LIGHT IN THE REFRIGERATOR. EVERY BODY’S HOUSE HAD ONE BUT NO ONE REALLY KNEW WHAT EITHER DID WHEN THE DOOR WAS SHUT."

THE STORY IS TOLD OF A FATHER OF 5 WHO CAME HOME WITH A TOY, HE SUMMONED HIS CHILDREN AND ASKED WHICH ONE SHOULD BE GIVEN THE PRESENT. "WHO IS THE MOST OBEDIENT, NEVER TALKS BACK TO MOM AND DOES EVERY THING HE OR SHE IS TOLD TO DO?" HE INQUIRED. THERE WAS SILENCE, AND THEN A CHORUS OF VOICES: "YOU PLAY WITH IT DADDY!"

I’M GLAD THERE IS A FATHER’S DAY. EVEN THOUGH IT ISN’T AS SIGNIFICANT OR SPECIAL AS MOTHER’S DAY IT STILL GIVES US A CHANCE

TO HONOR THOSE WHO STAND AT THE HELM, WHO THE GATHER THEIR TEAM IN A HUDDLE AND WHO LEAD THE FAMILY INTO LIFE’S BATTLE.

I’VE GIVEN MANY SERMONS ON FATHER’S DAY AND ON OTHER DAYS CHALLENGING MEN AND FATHERS TO BE GODLY MEN; AND REMINDING THEM OF WHAT THEIR BIBLICAL ROLE IS. SERMONS WHERE I HAVE USED GOD’S PLUMBLINE - HIS HOLY WORD AND HAVE SHOWN WHERE WE HAVE FALLEN SHORT AS MEN, HUSBANDS AND AS FATHERS. SERMONS WHERE THOUGH WE FEEL CHALLENGED WE ALSO FEEL A LITTLE BEATEN UP.

I AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT TODAY, TODAY WHAT I WANT TO DO IS STUDY LUKE 15:11-24, A VERY FAMILIAR PASSAGE -- AND SEE HOW THIS STORY ILLUSTRATES HOW SONS AND DAUGHTERS CAN EITHER MAKE THEIR DADS MISERABLE OR JOYFUL ACCORDING TO THEIR BEHAVIOR...

SEE HOW CHILDREN CAN MAKE OR BREAK A DAD.

LUKE 15:11-24

HOW TO BREAK A DAD

IN THESE VERSES WE SEE A LEAST 3 WAYS THAT THE PRODIGAL SON BROKE HIS DAD. AND THREE WAYS THAT CHILDREN STILL BREAK DADS TODAY.

HE WITHDREW FROM HIS FATHER’S LOVE

THE YOUNGER SON SAID, "FATHER GIVE ME MY SHARE OF THE ESTATE" AND NOT LONG AFTER THAT HE TOOK OFF. NOW THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH A CHILD LEAVING HOME -- IT’S EXPECTED AND NATURAL, BUT WE GET THE IMPRESSION HERE THAT THIS SON LEFT PREMATURELY.

SO WHAT IT IS THAT REALLY BROKE HIS DAD’S HEART WAS HIS SON’S ATTITUDE IN LEAVING. HE COULDN’T WAIT TO GET AWAY FROM HIS FATHER AS QUICKLY, AND AS AR AS POSSIBLE,

HE WAS THOUGHTLESS.

HE WAS TIRED OF WAITING, FOR HIS FATHER TO DIE TO GET HIS INHERITANCE.

HE WAS TIRED OF WAITING, FOR HIS FATHER TO DIVIDE IT UP.

AND HE DIDN’T CARE HOW IT MADE HIS FATHER FEEL. HE JUST WANTED OUT. HE REJECTED HIS FATHER’S LOVE.

SONS AND DAUGHTERS, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A DAD MISERABLE - IF YOU WANT TO BREAK HIS HEART, JUST MAKE IT CLEAR TO HIM BY YOUR ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES THAT YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT HIS LOVE, THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO BE AROUND HIM. WHEN HE PUTS HIS ARM AROUND YOU, JERK AWAY. WHEN HE TRIES TO GIVE YOU GUIDANCE, SNEER BACK AT HIM, "GET OFF MY CASE, GET OFF MY BACK, GIVE ME SPACE."