Fathers Day 2008 Provider Protector Priest
Luke 15:11-32
1 Peter 2:9-11
There are many scriptures that demonstrate the characteristics of a good Father. Deciding which ones to speak on is not easy. Life has taught me much so far and this through my walk with Jesus Christ.
Today is Fathers day and while nearly every man can be a father not all live up to the title as described in today’s text.
I have thought long and hard about just what a good father is and I realize I have missed the mark by a long shot. Never the less I have on occasion gotten a few things right. For men life is about being a Provider, being a Protector and for the Christian man it is also about being a Priest in your home.
Jesus calls men to a spiritual leadership in the home and through this parable we learn how to develop a God like attitude, affection and acceptance of ourselves and our role as fathers to our children.
Youth is full of learning and learning requires that we make mistakes. Often we fail to learn even when great time and effort is put into our instruction. When we fail to learn from Gods instruction He allows us to do it on our own. He does not abandon us he gives us over to our opportunity. All the while we remain a very real and heartfelt concern in the hope that we will indeed learn.
My father was not an especially affectionate man, he did not hug us a lot or hold our hand or spend time having quiet talks. He would on occasion shake your hand and offer half a hug and on other occasions give you the back of his hand and talk to you about straightening up. My father like so many was too busy trying to feed a family with five kids by holding down two and three jobs simultaneously. He was a good provider.
Mt father was also a good protector I remember when my little brother Peter was four years old and was playing in the front yard while Mom and Dad were gardening in the back yard. A stray dog made its way into the yard and viciously attacked my little brother nearly ripping his face off. My brother’s cries resulted in my father racing to his aid and beating the dog off. My mother was hysterical as Dad chased the animal down the street trying to capture it bare handed.
Many, many hours later and many stitches latter my brother’s face was reassembled. He nearly lost an eye and was horribly scarred but today you can barely see them. My father got us a new dog shortly after that incident. My brother grew to love animals of all kinds especially dogs. No matter what kind of enemy we faced as children our father was there to protect us. A father is supposed to do all he can to protect his family every way that he can.
When it came to his walk with God my father was indeed the Priest of the household. We were raised Catholic so that meant our religious up bringing was very structured with a lot of ceremony. It was effective as we attended separate school and learned our faith from our parents. Our father demonstrated his role by praying at every meal and making sure we all followed the churches teachings by attending church and going to confession regularly. My father sent us to confession a lot I’m not sure we were especially bad kids I think it was a way for him and mom to be alone for an hour.
While I have some personal reservations about the Catholic faith I do not think anyone less a Christian who worships in that denomination. Regular religious instruction is very important for children and a father who openly practices his faith is a living example of a spiritual leader. My father was the Priest in our household and he did a great job at it as a Christian man and a Catholic.
We all have our memories of our fathers and I like you could bring up many criticisms where I felt my father fell short in one or all of the three categories of Provider, Protector and Priest. Life and my own children have taught me to be more generous and more forgiving about the past and my father’s shortcomings. I have had the opportunity to be a father and I now know first hand what a challenge it is to be strong, loving and forgiving and at the same time trying to teach, admonish, encourage and challenge your children. I truly hope my children will see me in a different light after they too become parents to their own children.
Today’s scripture account tells of an impatient child wanting their own way. It speaks of a loving father who realizes his child needs to learn a life lesson on their own. In the message we see the disappointment of the father as the son runs off to the fast life freely spending what was to be his inheritance on selfish desires and pursuits. Then things go from bad to worse for the young person until he comes to his senses.
Even my father’s servants are living better than what I my fathers son am living. I was given freedom I was given an opportunity to make my own way. I fell on my face. Life is a long hard lesson about trying to stand on our own two feet. In the end we realize it’s better to have our Heavenly Father hold us up in His strength than to try to do it ourselves.
Jesus told this story not to condemn the father or the son but to demonstrate for us Gods capacity to love us even when we insist on learning with out relying on His Heavenly instruction. God is always ready to let you or I go our own way. He would prefer to travel with us through life not to complicate or control our life but to make our way in life better, sweeter, more satisfying. God wants us to appreciate the stages of our life and the lessons we learn through each stage.
Fathers, do all you can to provide for your family. In doing so, provide them with the best that God has given to you. Explain to your children how God has been your provider in the different stages of your life. Fathers protect your children from the dangers that lurk in our world and that includes spiritual dangers. It may not be a strange dog, but it could be a cyber prowler over the internet or some other opportunist. Fathers embrace your calling as Priest of your home, take the spiritual leadership and pray in front of your family. Let them see you bow your head and humble yourself before God so that they know you are a person who answers to a higher authority than yourself.
Fathers love your wives with open affection so that the children see a healthy relationship so they can compare what they see in the home against what they see on television or the movies. Fathers pray with your kids not just when they are little but when they like in today’s scripture get caught making bad choices.
Open you arms to them even though it may mean you expose your heart to hurt or disappointment realize how often and in how many ways you have disappointed your Heavenly Father. Fathers learn from Gods word and from Jesus example just what love is and how to suffer for children who may not appreciate all that you have done for them.
Receive them into your open arms with joy and thanksgiving and realize that it is God who has given them to you for a short while. Invest your time as well as your money into your children. Children spell love T-I-M-E.
Finally do not be too hard on your performance as a father. You can only do your best and the rest is up to God. The bible is full of good advice and good examples remember to refer to it from time to time.
Even in King David’s family there were children who brought honor and dishonor upon themselves and upon the family name. We are responsible to raise up a child in the way that they should go. It does not mean that they will choose to go that way despite our best efforts but never the less continue to love them and pray for them.
Play the song by Rodney Atkins Watching You
Let us pray.
