Living As God’s Children (Father’s Day 2012)

LIVING AS GOD’S CHILDREN

Text: Ephesians 3:14- 17

What do you think of when you think about greeting cards? What companies do you think of that make those greeting cards? There are two companies that come to mind. American Greeting cards and Hallmark are the two companies that are most likely the ones that we think about.

When we think of Hall mark, what is the phrase that we associate with Hallmark? “Hallmark, when you care enough to send the best”. How many of you actually check your cards to see if someone cared enough to send the best?

How many of you are willing to bet that Hallmark created “Father’s Day” as a day to bring in profits for their company? Today we will explore the origin of Father’s Day, our Heavenly Father’s World and what it mean to live as God’s children.

FATHER’S DAY

What is the origin of Father’s Day? An author named Cheri Sicard writes…

1) The celebration of Dad's special day can most likely be credited to Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington State, who first suggested the idea of the holiday in 1909”.

2) Mrs. Dodd's father, civil war veteran William Smart, was widowed when his wife died in childbirth with their sixth child. Despite the obvious hardships, Mr. Smart proceeded to raise the newborn along with his five other children, by himself.

3) It wasn't until Sonora Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent. The original date chosen for the holiday was June 5, Mr. Smart's birthday, however the celebration was postponed until June 19, the third Sunday in June, because there was not enough time to prepare.

4) At about the same time in various towns and cities across America other people were beginning to celebrate a Father's Day. Some accounts credit Mrs. Charles Clayton of West Virginia, as the founder of Father's Day, although most histories give credit to Mrs. Dodd.”

Was more than one avenue that helped to found Father’s Day?

1) In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day, but it never became official until 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson signed the presidential proclamation that set aside the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day.”

2) The other author complements the history of Father’s Day by giving the details of what happened to Father’s Day following Lyndon B. Johnson’s Presidency. “In 1972, President Nixon made it permanent by signing a congressional resolution which called for the official recognition of Father's Day.” (Raymond McHenry. ed. McHenry’s Quips, Quotes And Other Notes. [quoted from: Brian's Lines, May/June 1994]. Third Printing. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 2004, p. 99). Father’s Day obviously is not as old as Mother’s Day. Nevertheless, the role that fathers have in the life of their families is very important. The Bible helps us to understand that earthly fathers should live a life that resembles the traits of our Heavenly Father.

THIS IS OUR FATHER’S WORLD

God made us stewards of this world that He created. Are we doing a good job of taking care of the world that he made?

1) Stewards of God’s creation: We hear a lot about going “Green” these days.

2) Uncertainties : At the same time, we hear about the economy and how uncertain it is. We watch the gas prices; success and failure in the stock market; companies whose futures are in jeopardy; preserving our natural resources; preserving endangered species. We obviously cannot control things beyond our control. At the same time, we are responsible for the things that are in our control.

Jesus calls us to be disciples to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). What does that have to do with stewardship?

1) Workers in God’s Vineyard: We are the modern day workers of the vineyard---the world that God created.

2) Good Samaritans: We have responsibilities to reach out to the lost. We have a responsibility to help those are like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:37). 3) Our brother’s keepers: We are the keepers of our brothers and sisters. We are called to demonstrate God’s love in our actions.

4) Loving God and neighbor: We are called to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We are called to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. The ways that we love God is reflect in the ways that we love our neighbors. 5) Known as disciples: Others will know that we are His disciples by the way that we live and love.

LIVING AS GOD’S CHILDREN

Have you ever listened to how we pray the Lord’s prayer? That prayer has so much information in it.

1) God’s name: The Lord’s prayer teaches us that we are to live in such a way that it brings glory to God’s name.