Our Perfect Father

Our Perfect Father (Father’s Day 2021)

Introduction:

Today is a day we honor fathers. Some in here may have wonderful memories of their dad, while others remember a cold or distant dad. No matter how good our fathers were or are, none of us have had perfect dads. Even the best dad has his flaws. This afternoon I want to take a look at the Perfect Father, our Heavenly Father. I hope that dads would want to be more like Him and that all of us would put our hopes in Him. I want to focus on 5 things that our perfect Father does:

1. Our perfect Father loves us. Some people think that God in the New Testament is more loving than in the Old Testament. But that is not true. Our God does not change as humans do. James says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows“ (1:17). He is always a loving God like what these four verses in the OT and NT show: - Psalm 103:13 - As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him. - Psalm 86:15 – But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. - John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - 1 John 3:1 - See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Knowing that we have a loving Father is very important, especially for those whose need for love is much. Nothing and no one can love us as our heavenly Father does. As fathers, God wants us to love our children too. Lack of love from parents has caused so many emotional problems in children. But parents who love their children bring many positive impacts to their lives. Some time ago, “Men Care and JOHNSON & JOHNSON” analyzed hundreds of global studies on fatherhood that show why and how fathers matter. Here is what they reported:

9 Important Ways Dads Impact The Lives of Their Children:

1. Their kids play well with others. 2. Their partners and babies are healthier. 3. Their children are more prepared for school... 4. and go on to be more successful academically. 5. Their children start speaking earlier and are more verbally expressive. 6. Their children grow up less prone to depression. 7. Their sons are less likely to be in trouble. 8. Their daughters are more ambitious in their careers ... 9. and have a more positive self-image.

Fathers play an important role in the development of their children, from their roles in prenatal care to how they play, communicate, and act as role models for their kids. Loving, engaged dads have been shown to have a tremendous impact on how a child grows up. They are truly irreplaceable.

2. Our perfect Father teaches us. The Bible shows that God taught His people since the creation of Adam and Eve about Himself, the truth, and His wills. Look what God said in Genesis 2:16-17, "And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Humans need His guidance and instructions. God also wants fathers to teach their children. Look at Deuteronomy 6:4-9 - “ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Prov. 22:6 tells parents to: "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." We should teach our children about God, morals, responsibility, manners, kindness, and what is right and wrong, that there is a standard of right and wrong that transcends human ideas and opinions. If we do not teach them, the world, Hollywood, and their friends will teach them. Instilling biblical values requires a commitment to teaching our children consistently, repeatedly, and at every opportunity. The task to teach children was given to parents, not priests or prophets, or in our context today not to the pastor, minister, or Sunday School teacher!