Our Father Knows Best

OUR FATHER KNOWS BEST

EPH. 6:1-4

I. 10 REASONS ITS GOOD TO BE A MAN

10.You NEVER NEED TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS, you are never lost, so you say!

9 .You can go to the bathroom without a support group.

8. If someone forgets to invite you to something he can still be your friend.

7. You can drop by to see a friend without bringing a little gift.

6. If another guy shows up at the same party in the same outfit, you might become lifelong buddies.

5. One wallet, one pair of shoes, one color, all seasons.

4. There is always a game on somewhere.

3. Your pals can be trusted never to trap you with, “So…notice anything different?”

2. If something mechanical doesn’t work, you can bash it with a hammer and throw it across the room.

1. You can do your nails with a pocketknife.

B. There are a lot of great things about being a man but the greatest is you get to be a dad!

1. One of the awesome things about being a dad is the impact you have on your children—their spiritual and emotion well-being.



C. These statistics just confirm what our heavenly Father said 2,000 years ago when He spoke thru Paul in Eph. 6 of the importance of fathers in child rearing! READ

1. It is so crucial God packed this passage with commands.

*obey * honor *do not provoke * bring them up

1.Men, you have an awesome impact on your children—that’s a fact!

2.The questions is, What kind of impact will you have?

D. If you will follow God’s Word today, you will have a beneficial, godly impact...

II. FATHERS, DON’T FORCE FEED YOUR CHILDREN--NURTURE THEM! (4)

The command is not to exasperate our children—to needlessly make them angry

1. Paul does not specify exactly how these fathers were exasperating their children but the historical context gives us a clue.

Illus. In the first century, when this passage was written, families were presided over by fathers who could do whatever they pleased in their homes. Rome had a law called patria potestas, which meant “the father’s power.” Men who were Roman citizens were given absolute property rights over their families. By law, the children and the wife were regarded as the patriarch’s personal chattel, and he could do with them what he wished. A displeased father could disown his children, sell them into slavery, or even kill them if he wished.

When a child was born, the baby was placed between the father’s feet. If the father picked up the baby, the child stayed in the home. If he turned and walked away, the child was either left to die or sold at auction. Seneca, a contemporary of the apostle Paul, described Roman policy with regard to unwanted animals: “We slaughter a fierce ox; we strangle a mad dog; we plunge a knife into a sick cow. Children born weak or deformed we drown.”

C. These fathers were exasperating their children by being overbearing and dictatorial!

*Men, you are not the football coach or the drill sergeant

*you are their father

1. Most fathers have the tendency to be overbearing with their children especially their sons.

Illus. If I had sons first I would have killed them

*But, I have got to be the leader, right?

2. What separates a dictator from a leader?

*dictator is harsh—demanding

*dictator will not allow discussion

3. Our children are people not slaves or employees

4. We should be firm but not overbearing or dictatorial

D. 2nd—giving Rules without a relationship

1. Dad is great at setting rules but he has no relationship with the kids.

2. All he is, is a rule maker.

3. The children do not know his heart—all they see is the rules that seem oppressive and they get exasperated.

4. Teens rebel against relationships (lack of)

E. 3rd—When dad shows favoritism

F. 4th—out burst of anger, sharp cutting words

1. Dad loses his temper and blows up at them

2. They have one of two reactions:

*they wilt, crushed

*they sleeve with anger, pressure cooker

G. 5th—Never being satisfied with what they do

1.If they make an A—you wanted A+,

2.They get 3 hits, score 2 runs, catch 6 balls but you go not even mention those, you criticize them for missing that one fly ball?

Illus. Shawn Davis (pitching and Tom)

3. Let your children know what pleases you and them compliment them when they do!

H. Unkept promises—

1.We are going fishing this weekend—plays golf

2.We will do something together when I get home from work—”I have some work I need to do”

H. Paul is not specific because there are numerous ways father might exasperate ….

Dad ask yourself, “Am I exasperating my …