INTRO. - ILL.- Today 100 years have elapsed since the first father’s Day was celebrated. Fathers of 1900 didn’t have it nearly as good as fathers of today; but they did have a few advantages:
In 1900, fathers prayed their children would learn English. Today, fathers pray their children will speak English.
In 1900, a father’s horsepower meant his horses. Today, it’s the size of his car, truck, etc.
In 1900, if a father put a roof over his family’s head, he was a success. Today, it takes a roof, deck, pool, and 4-car garage. And that’s just the vacation home.
In 1900, a father waited for the doctor to tell him when the baby arrived. Today, a father must wear a smock, know how to breathe, and make sure he has a video camera.
In 1900, fathers passed on clothing to their sons. Today, kids wouldn’t touch Dad’s clothes if they were sliding naked down an icicle.
In 1900, fathers could count on children to join the family business. Today, fathers pray their kids will soon come home from college long enough to teach them how to work the computer and set the VCR.
In 1900, fathers shook their children gently and whispered, "Wake up, it’s time for school." Today, kids shake their fathers violently at 6 a.m., shouting: "Wake up, it’s time for baseball practice or soccer, etc."
In 1900, a father came home from work to find his wife and children at the supper table. Today, a father comes home to a note: "Jimmy’s at baseball, Cindy’s at gymnastics, I’m at adult-Ed, Pizza in fridge."
In 1900, fathers and sons would have heart-to-heart conversations while fishing in a stream. Today, fathers pluck the headphones off their sons’ ears and shout, "WHEN YOU HAVE A MINUTE.."
Some is these are most certainly true! How very sad the way America has changed and most of it IS NOT for the better! It’s not for the betterment of the home and for the children!
Now a few father’s day quotes.
Peter De Vries: My father hated radio and he could not wait for television to be invented so that he could hate that too.
Robert Orben: Life was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards.
Mark Twain: When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.
Now today I want us to consider the thought, "Just like my father."
James Baldwin wrote: Children have never been good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.
It’s probably true that even if kids don’t listen to their fathers AND THEIR MOTHERS, they will still imitate them in certain ways.
Whom did you imitate? Which parent do you most resemble in attitude, character, work, etc.?
PROP.- There are two fathers we may want to be just like.
1- our earthly father
2- our heavenly father (but let me personalize this with "my" earthly father and "my" heavenly father)
I. MY EARTHLY FATHER
Eph. 6:1-3 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."
I don’t know how well I honored my father when he was living. As I got older I certainly respected him and tried to honor him. And today I want to honor his memory.
I’ve spoke of my father before and mentioned some negative things in his life, which, of course, I don’t want to imitate.
My father’s name is Georgia Leo Shepherd. He went by Leo and signed his name, G. Leo. Dad was born on July 13, 1910 and passed away on Dec. 11, 1982 at the age of 72 years. He died just two days after my 38th birthday. And his death was a huge blow to me and it still affects me to this day.
Dad drank beer and sometimes hard liquor but I only saw him drunk one time when I was small. But dad was not a mean drunk. He was a happy drunk. Dad also smoked all his life, which I feel sad about, because I believe that it helped to kill him at the age of 72. As we know, smoking is hard on your health and especially, your heart. And dad died of a heart attack.
Dad also used bad language at times, which I don’t want to imitate. But dad had some good qualities, which I do need to imitate.
Dad was a harder worker. He drove a cattle truck out of the Joplin, MO, stockyards. And I loved being able to go with him on short trips. It was a big deal to a little boy to ride in that BIG International Harvester truck. At least, I thought so back then.
And I loved it when dad let me use what we called a "hotshot" to prod those cattle whenever we unloaded them.
Dad was a hard worker, not a slacker. He worked for the same company for many years, which was evidence of his hard work. Dad drove his truck well. He could back that trailer into a chute perfectly on his first try. And that truck had no power steering like the trucks today. I NEED TO IMITATE HIS HARD WORK.
Prov. 14:23 "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty."
In addition, Dad always provided for us. We never had a car until around 1950 and I think it was a 1947 Chevy. Prior to that we all piled into dad’s semi-truck to go places.
We always had food on the table. We never went without a meal, that I recall. I don’t remember, however, ever eating out. Perhaps we did but I just don’t remember it. Of course, there were no fast food restaurants at that time so if we ate out, it was at some restaurant.
We always had decent clothing. Our clothing was fancy and name brand but it was adequate. And my brother and I got haircuts on a regular basis. Dad saw to that.
I Tim. 5:8 "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
Dad always taught us about good grooming. Dad would come home dirty and smelly sometimes, but he didn’t stay that way. And he taught us boys to wash our hands and clean our finger nails.
And I did imitate my dad in that way. I always get my Saturday night bath! And you won’t see me with dirty finger nails either. I remember watching my dad clean his finger nails with his knife and I inherited that habit.
Dad was quiet but have you ever seen a quiet preacher? Dad knew when to hold his tongue and that’s a very good thing to do! I NEED TO IMITATE SOME OF MY DAD’S QUIETNESS.
Prov. 10:19 "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise."
Dad also knew how to relax and listen to Cardinals on the radio and then years later, he would watch them on TV. And perhaps I needed to imitate in that, because I never did learn to watch the Cardinals.
Brothers and sisters, it’s always a good thing to imitate the good in our father’s lives and anyone else, for that matter.
II. MY HEAVENLY FATHER
Matthew 5:44-48 "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Eph. 5:1-2 "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
It should be obvious to us that if there was one father that we should want to imitate it would be our father in heaven!
What do you admire most about your heavenly Father and would want to imitate? More than likely His love.
I John 4:8 "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
I John 4:16 "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."
One thing we learned while in Sunday School or Vacation Bible School as a kid was that God is love. And who didn’t memorize John 3:16?
God’s love caused Him to give His only Son to be a sacrifice for our sins. He allowed His son to die for all mankind. God’s love cause Him to give His best or give up His best for all mankind.
And we live in a world of takers, not givers. God is the greatest giver there is and we fathers, in fact all of us, need to imitate His love! We all need to be givers, looking for opportunities to give to others!
ILL.- A preacher wrote a wealthy and influential businessman, requesting a subscription to a worthy mission. He promptly received a curt refusal which ended by saying, “As far as I can see, this Christian business is just one continuous give, give, give.”
The preacher wrote back these words: “I wish to thank you for the best definition of the Christian life that I have ever heard.”
Giving makes us look like our heavenly Father! Taking makes people look like the devil who is only interested in self-glorification!
And what else should we want to imitate about our heavenly Father? Many things: His holiness, His mercy, His forgiveness, His grace, His patience, etc.
How could we not want to imitate God’s grace or His graciousness? We’ve heard it said that God’s grace is His unmerited favor on our lives. And it’s true! We don’t merit or deserve His favor or blessing on our lives, BUT HE GIVES IT ANYWAY! That’s why He is God!
ILL.- It was that many years ago Billy Graham was driving through a small southern town and was stopped by a policeman and charged with speeding. Graham admitted his guilt, but was told by the officer that he would have to appear in court.
The judge asked, "Guilty, or not guilty?" When Graham pleaded guilty, the judge replied, "That’ll be ten dollars -- a dollar for every mile you went over the limit." (cheap ticket)
Suddenly the judge recognized the famous preacher. "You have violated the law," he said. "The fine must be paid but I am going to pay it for you."
He took a ten dollar bill from his own wallet, attached it to the ticket, and then later took Graham out and bought him a steak dinner! "That," said Billy Graham, "is how God treats repentant sinners!" And that’s an example of grace!
ILL.- G. W. Knight wrote: "When a person works an eight-hour day and receives a fair day’s pay for his time, that is a wage. When a person competes with an opponent and receives a trophy for his performance, that is a prize. When a person receives appropriate recognition for his long service or high achievements, that is an award.
"But when a person is not capable of earning a wage, can win no prize, and deserves no award--yet receives such a gift anyway--that is a good picture of God’s unmerited favor. This is what we mean when we talk about the grace of God."
Brothers and sisters, God’s grace or His favor is shed on our lives in so many ways: life, breath, daily provision, protection, and most certainly, the promise of eternal life.
We can’t even count the ways in which we are blessed by God’s grace. AND HIS GRACE IS SOMETHING WE FATHERS, WE ALL NEED TO IMITATE!
Luke 6:36 "Be merciful, just as (just like) your Father is merciful."
CONCLUSION--------------------------
ILL.- My dad used to say to me, "Steven, pay attention to what you are doing." And I think dad would be somewhat proud of me today because I AM trying to pay more attention to what I do and especially, to my relationship to God and Christ. I’m trying to pay attention to God and do what He wants me to do!
My heavenly Father would be even prouder of me. He is proud of me when I listen to Him, love Him, spend time with Him, live for Him, and when I serve Him by serving others.
I want to be just like my father in heaven!
