Text: “Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives” (Exodus 20:12).
There are only two people I know about who did not have an earthly father and mother. Those people were Adam and Eve. Each one of us was brought into this world through the efforts of an earthly father and mother. Those of us who are parents know about the amazing miracle of birth.
We also know about the trials, tribulations, and sometimes the heartaches of raising those children we had the privilege of bringing into this world. Children in the same family are different in many respects. Some are willing to follow in the footsteps of their Godly parents, but some are rebellious and choose to follow the ways of the world.
Some children are kind, considerate, and respectful while others are mean, inconsiderate, and disrespectful. There are those children who want everything their way regardless of right or wrong. Material possessions are a major goal with many young people.
It takes strong Godly parents to raise children. Scripture tells us that “The husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23).
This verse of Scripture is not to be misinterpreted. In other words, man is not better than woman and man is not on a higher level than woman; instead, they are equal. Man has the responsibility of providing leadership in the home just as God provides leadership for the church. Man’s or dad’s or father’s leadership must be in the same spirit, same devotion, same attitude as that exhibited by Christ when He walked upon the surface of the earth.
As we search through the Scripture, we find that Jesus exhibited many fatherly traits or characteristics. Jesus was obedient, trusting, responsible, prayerful, promise keeper, loving, compassionate, faithful, understanding, sharing, leader, and a savior. A good earthly father will follow in the footsteps of a good leader, that leader being non-other than our Lord.
In our Scripture reading, we find a father who is obedient to God and to the Jewish Law. This father had two sons and the younger son wanted to be independent and venture out into the world to live life as he pleased. Most fathers agree that young people think they know more about life than they really do. A good father hates to see one of his children make a bad choice and then have to suffer the consequences.
According to Jewish Law, a father’s estate was to be divided after the death of the father, but the father had the option of dividing his estate before his death. The younger son in this illustration said to the father, “Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me” (v. 12).
This younger son wanted to be independent. He wanted to go out into the world and live the way of the world. He thought he knew more about life than his father and with his part of the estate, life would be wonderful, exciting, and rewarding. The younger son received one-third of the estate while the older son received two-thirds.
The younger son left home and went out into the world to enjoy what he thought was a good life while the older son stayed at home and was faithful, obedient, and continued to work in the fields for his father.
This father was obedient and trusting. He was obedient to God and to the Jewish Law and he trusted that the younger son was in good hands, because God, the Father, would offer him safety and protection.
Another father in Scripture who was obedient and trusting was Abraham. Abraham was married to Sarah, but for some reason, Sarah was never able to have children. Then one day the Lord appeared to Abraham and said to him, “Sarah your wife shall have a son” (Genesis 18: 10).
Abraham had been obedient to God and trusted God throughout his life, so he had no reason not believe that God would make it possible for Sarah to have a child. Scripture tells us, “For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him” (Genesis 21:2). This son’s name was Isaac.
Some years later, God spoke to Abraham and said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2). Abraham did just this, but when the time came for him to sacrifice his son God intervened.
God said to Abraham, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him for now I know that you fear God, and since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (Genesis 22:12). God was testing Abraham’s faith. Abraham was willing to give all that he had to God. Abraham knew that as a parent his son really belonged to God. As a responsible father, Abraham was willing to return to God the life God entrusted to him.
Abraham not only loved his son, Isaac, but he also loved his God. This is something that all earthly fathers need to know. God gives them good gifts for being obedient, trusting, and responsible. The gifts He gives them are given out of love. The father of the young son gave the son his portion of the estate because of the Jewish Law but more so out of love for him.
As the Scripture tells us, the young son ventured off into the far country and started living a life that would soon end in disaster. The father was obedient in giving the son an opportunity to be on his own, but the son was disobedient for wanting to escape the father’s household. The father trusted the son with his share of the estate and the son trusted people who soon helped him lose his money.
The father had the responsibility of raising the son and teaching the son right from wrong and instilling in him dependence upon Almighty God. As the son left his father’s household, I am confident the father kept him in prayer, asking God to watch over him and keep him safe. I believe the father also asked God to teach his son a lesson through this life experience.
I am sure that all of us have had the experience of learning something first-hand. I am referring to a time when we thought we were doing right when our parents knew we were on the wrong road. How many things in life have you wanted and your parents tried to tell you how unnecessary they were?
How many times have you wanted to go somewhere or do something just because your friends were involved and you didn’t listen to the parent’s good advice? How many times did your parents bail you out of some situation or predicament that you would have never gotten in if you had listened?
Why do fathers and mothers try to protect their children? It is because their love is very strong for them. Children do not appear because of accident. Children are a gift from Almighty God. A good father wants his children to be obedient, trusting, responsible, and to have a personal relationship with God. A good father has faith in God and faith in his children.
There is another father in the Bible that we don’t know too much about, but we do know that he was obedient, faithful, understanding, and loving. This father’s name was Joseph and he was the earthly father of Jesus. I say earthly father because he raised Jesus in the light of God the Father. It is true that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, but Joseph had the responsibility of raising this human being.
Before Joseph and Mary were married, Mary was found to be pregnant. Scripture says Joseph was a “just man” and he was not willing to make a public example of Mary. Joseph followed the laws of the day and he followed God’s laws. Joseph was a father to be although at first he did not fully understand Mary’s pregnancy.
It appeared that Mary had been unfaithful and according to the Jewish Law, Joseph had a right to divorce Mary and Mary could have been legally stoned to death. Joseph was a man of God and obedient and faithful to God, he did not want anything to happen to Mary.
Scriptures says, “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit’” (Matthew 1:20). Joseph, being obedient to God, took Mary as his wife.
When it came time for the census to be taken, Joseph knew his responsibility and that was to make the trip to Bethlehem to be registered for the census. Joseph’s faith and trust in God made the trip successful and at the same time brought forth the Savior for all mankind. It fulfilled the prophesy in Isaiah 7:14 which says, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
Joseph was obedient to God when God told Joseph in a dream to take the child and his mother and move to Egypt and stay there until further notice. Joseph knew that he was responsible for keeping his family safe from harm.
Every father is responsible for taking care of his family. The father’s love for his family must be so strong that nothing should interfere with their safety and well-being. The father’s faith in God must be evident to his family as well as to others around him. Fathers need to be in constant communication with God the Father through a prayerful life.
Joseph was a man of integrity. He was honest with his family and with other people of the day. Every father needs to have a high degree of integrity. A good father will not lie to his wife or to his children. He will be open-minded and share his thoughts with his family. When he makes a promise, a good father will never break that promise.
As Jesus grew and matured, Joseph taught him the carpentry trade. Joseph took the responsibility to teach his son the art of wood working. In addition, he raised Jesus to be obedient to God the Father. Joseph and his family participated in all the Jewish festivities and attended the synagogue on a regular basis. Joseph knew that Jesus was special because of the words of the angel.
Every father and every mother are special because they have been given the gift of a son or daughter. Every child and every life is a gift of God. No one is here by accident. God gave Adam and Eve their children whom they named Cain and Abel. He gave Abraham and Sarah Isaac. He gave Joseph and Mary his Son Jesus to raise and be their earthly parents. He has given us sons and daughters to raise to be obedient, trusting, responsible, loving, compassionate, and faithful.
Each father is the head of his household which is a privilege granted by God the Father. Fathers need to share a very close relationship with their Heavenly Father. Each father needs to be a leader who is: understanding, loving, obedient, trusting and faithful to God.
My father was a wonderful person. He was a hard worker who placed his family right after his God. My dad was a happy man who was not interested in the material possessions of the world. He had and showed unconditional love for his family. Dad was kind and considerate to each one of us kids. He never laid a hand on us, because we always knew where we stood with him.
Dad was one who served God through service on the various church boards and participated in the church functions. He attended church and was not afraid to be a witness for what he believed.
Dad was one who saw to it that his family was taken care of as well as any other family in town that needed assistance. He was always willing to share what he had with anyone who was lacking. When dad said he would do something, you could be sure he would follow through. If someone needed something dad had, it was as good as theirs. Dad was a leader in our family.
There were times I made wrong choices and had to learn by experience, but dad was always near. He never once said, “I told you so”. Dad never discouraged us from following our dreams, but he did ask us to really think about our actions before we moved forth.
Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman tells about the time he was conducting a prayer meeting when a man gave this testimony: The man said, “I got off at the Pennsylvania depot as a homeless person and for a year I begged on the streets for a living. One day I touched a man on the shoulder and said, ‘Mister, please give me a dime.’
As soon as I saw his face, I recognized my father. ‘Father, don’t you know me?’ I asked. Throwing his arms around me, he cried, ‘I have found you; all I have is yours.’
Think of it, that I, a homeless person, stood begging my own father for ten cents, when for eighteen years he had been looking for me to give me all he was worth!”
The father of the young son in our Scripture reading gave his son what he asked for, his portion of his estate. The son wasted all he had and then realized the mistake he had made. At first his pride would not let him go back to his father, so he worked feeding the pigs. Then out of desperation, he decided to return to his father and ask to be treated like one of the hired hands.
However, the father never gave up on the son. He trusted that God would bring him back home sooner or later. He had forgiven the son for what he had done. The estate money was not an issue. The important issue here was the return of his son. This father had an unconditional love for his son. He had already forgiven his son and was ready to receive him back into the family.
A good earthly father is always ready to receive and forgive a child that has made an error in life. A father has the same unconditional love for his child or children as does the Heavenly Father for each one of his children.
Jesus was obedient to his Heavenly Father. He set the example for each earthly father. Jesus trusted His Father to guide him in the right direction in all that He did. Each earthly father must also trust that God will keep him on the straight and narrow path of life.
Jesus communicated with His Father through prayer on a regular basis. Each of us earthly fathers must also communicate with God each and every day so as to do what would bring glory and honor to Him.
Jesus was responsible for talking to small and large groups of people teaching them the ways leading to His kingdom. Fathers of this day and age must also teach those who are entrusted to them the way that leads to a happy and joyful life as well as the life of eternal bliss.
I heard the story about a young boy who was trying to move a heavy rock. The rock was too heavy for the boy to move. His father stood by watching and then said to the boy, “Are you using all your strength?”
The boy, getting a bit upset, said, “Yes I am using all my strength.”
The father looked at the boy and said, “I hate to tell you this, but you are not using all your strength. You haven’t asked me to help you.”
It is difficult to be a father and at times no matter what we do our efforts are in ineffective. A good father needs to call upon his Heavenly Father for help. Psalm 29:11 says, “The LORD will give strength to His people.” Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden…” (Matthew 11:28).
The young son was received by his father with open arms. A great feast was prepared for him. The best robe was wrapped around him, a ring was placed upon his finger and sandals were put on his feet. A father’s prayers were answered and a family was reunited.
All of us make mistakes in life, but no mistake is beyond forgiveness. Material possessions come and go, but God’s love is forever.
Conclusion:
This is Father’s Day 2008. This is a day for fathers to take inventory of who they are and what their responsibilities are. Each father needs to ask himself:
1. Am I obedient
2. Am I trusting
3. Am I responsible
4. Am I prayerful
5. Do I keep promises
6. Is my love unconditional
7. Am I compassionate
8. Am I faithful
9. Am I understanding
10. Do I share
11. Am I a leader following in Jesus’ footsteps
12. Am I a witness to my Lord
Amen.
