A FATHER'S RESPONSIBILITY
Pastor Allan Kircher
June 19th 2011
Gen 18:17-19 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Have you ever noticed that on Mother's day we tell Mothers how great they are and on Father's day we tell Father's what they need to do to be great Fathers-it's almost as if a Mother "automatically" becomes great while a Father must continually work at it!!
There are a number of “descriptions" given of a Father. A father is:
-a person who gives his daughter to a man who isn't nearly good enough so he can have grandchildren that are better than anyone else's
A Dad is a fellow who has replaced the currency in his wallet with snapshots of his family.
Someone has said (and I believe it is true) that "A Boy loves his mother, but he follows his father." That places a tremendous responsibility on Fathers.
The home doesn’t need a man in the house, it needs a father!
1. THE PROVIDER-
• Father is charged with providing for the family.
• Paul says that if a man will not provide for his own he has denied the faith and is worst than an Infidel.
• He told the Thessalonians that if a man would not work neither should he eat.
• It is the responsibility of the Father to provide food and shelter for his family.
The entrance of sin into life meant that man had to earn his living by the sweat of his brow.
This turned work into a JOB instead of a JOY.
But then God gave us a "Two edged sword" to allow us to turn our labor into Joy again.
A) The Privilege of providing for a Family- This meets some deep inner need of man and makes him feel complete.
B) The New Birth- It is the presence of Christ in a man's heart that changes work from wearisome into wonderful.
Matt 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
2. THE PROTECTOR- Families need an Authority Figure.
The lack of such a Figure can be seen in today's society: Suicide, drug abuse, alcoholism, and sexual promiscuity are epidemic among teenagers.
• 20 teens attempt to end their lives every 30 minutes.
• 685 teens become drug users ever 30 minutes.
• 23 teenage girls have abortions every 30 minutes.
• 3 million American teenagers have been treated for alcoholism since 1980.
• 9,000 teenagers are killed each year while driving drunk.
Father's accept the responsibility/be alive in God.
A man inherits some respect but most of it has to be earned by consistent living.
Wives are commanded by God to give this respect to the husband- Eph 5:22, Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
It’s a two way street/ husband acts way he should/wife will…
Eph. 5:33, “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
3. THE PUNISHER- Prov 13:24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.
Never punish your child when YOU'RE angry- you're not punishing them to satisfy your Pride but for their good.
Compliment and criticize your child's behavior--not the child.
4. THE PATTERN- A man was crossing a field to a tavern one day when he looked behind him and saw his son. "Look dad", the boy exclaimed. "I'm following in your footsteps". The dad immediately turned around and went back home.
• One survey found/both parents/faithful/Lord 93% kids remain faithful.
• If one parent/faithful/figure dropped to 73%.
• When both parents/moderately faithful/53% young remained faithful
• Both parents were only occasional attendee's the figure dropped to 6%.
• These statistics speak a loud and clear message.
• Your children will follow your leading.
5. THE PRIEST- DEU 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. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Fathers, Your responsibilities are awesome. You need help.
The Heavenly Father wants to enable you to be the Father you should be. Commit yourself to him today.
HERE IS A CHECK LIST FOR FATHERS
Fathers have a responsibility today that is awesome;
Can only be handled if father has a personal continuing relationship with Christ.
1. I will love my wife more- Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
* I will seek to be faithful in doing little loving things for her
* opening the car doors, placing her chair at the table, * giving her little gifts on special occasions,
* writing her love letters when I'm gone from home.
* take her hand as we stroll in the park.
* praise her in the presence of my children.
Now the husband’s headship must be exercised in love, gentleness and consideration for his wife and family.
Our kids need to see that dad is devoted, committed and loves his wife.
A child who knows his parents love each other has a security and stability about life which is gained no other way.
2. I will listen more. Most fathers find it hard to listen.
* Busy with the burdens of work; end of the day/tired.
Listen when/child shares/little hurts and complaints,
Listen what he is excited about.
Try to refrain from words of impatience.
Such times can be the best times to show love and kindness.
One evening a small boy tried to show his father a scratch on his finger. Finally, after repeated attempts to gain his father's attention, the father stopped reading the newspaper and said impatiently, "Well, I can't do anything about it, can I?" "Yes, Daddy," his small son said, "You could have said, 'Oh'".
The father, who listens to his child when he is small, will find that he will have a child who cares what his father says later in life.
* Estimated/average child asks 500,000 questions/age of 15.
What a privilege for every parent-- unlimited opportunities to share something about the meaning of life and about your own dependence on God!
3. Seek more opportunities to give/child a feeling of belonging. PS 127:3 Children are a heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is His reward.
• Dedicate your children to God/cause you to realize/they are a gift from God
• God has placed them in your care/BETTER HANDLE THEM WITH CARE/better hold to what you told God places you.
• Teach your children to fear the Lord,
• Turn away from evil, & to love righteousness.
• To Hate iniquity--instill in them Gods attitude toward sin--Live before God, the way you would have them live before God
• Protect them from ungodly influences
• Satan is out to destroy them just as much as you & I
• Establish them in church---if you see no need in faithfulness to God’s house, nether will they
• Encourage them to remain separate from this world,
• Instill in them some godly standards,
There is still a word in the bible called fornication: -
Sex before marriage is a sin, living together outside the bounds of marriage is a sin.
Teach them to fear, & reverence God & His Name, His word, & His house
teach them they are stranger & pilgrims upon this earth—
we look for a place called heaven for that is where our citizenship is--& Christ is there.
* Instruct them in the importance in the Baptism of the Holy Ghost:
* Teach them God has a purpose for their life-
* Instruct them the importance of Prayer & the Word of God--have family devotions
• Teach by your life, your actions, not just words --for words mean very little, if they’re not applied.
Teach them God loves them too much to reward them for disobedience
Teach them --his love is unconditional, but his promises are not
Teach them that they cannot expect God to bless them with:
Finances without Tithing
Wisdom without the Word
Freedom without Forgiveness
Victory without Accountability
Abundance without Obedience
Teach & practice it yourself.
4. I will express words/appreciation/praise more.
* Our family’s seldom hear words/commendation/encouragement when they do a job well or exhibit good behavior.
Probably no other thing encourages a child to love life, to seek accomplishment and to gain confidence more than proper, sincere praise- not flattery, but honest compliments when he does well. Correct the wrong; commend the right.
5.I will spend more time together. Eph 5:16 Make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
A group of 300 seventh and eighth grade boys kept accurate records of how much time their fathers actually spent with them over a two-week period. Most saw their father only at the dinner table. A number never saw their father for days at a time. The average time a father and son were alone for an entire week was 7 1/2 minutes.
6.I will laugh more- Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Somehow we manage enough muscle to handle the big things of life but forget that life is largely made up of little things.
A father's faithfulness in the small things determines the happiness of his children...and, not just that, it strongly influences their spiritual direction.
7. The best father is the one who knows God as his heavenly father. Only Jesus Christ can provide that relationship. Place that childlike faith in Christ today.
FATHER NOAH
Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Being a Father in these last days is a difficult task. A Father must be a Provider, a Partner, a Priest, and a Pattern. In the case of Noah this meant:
A Consistent Effort. Worked and preached for 120 years.
A Combined Effort All Noah's family worked together.
A Committed Effort- Noah was the LAST MAN ON EARTH TO DO THE JOB
Prepared an ark to the saving of his household- His work and his "religion" blended into the same thing. His Children knew what he stood for and what he was trying to accomplish
Noah could do this because He:
I. HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD- Noah walked with God on a daily basis He did not simply know ABOUT God he knew God!
II. LISTENED TO THE WORD OF GOD- God told Noah what was going to happen and what he should do to make preparations and Noah followed God's instructions.
What do you do in your life that is caused by God's directions to you?
III. ACTED UPON WHAT GOD SAID- Prepared an ark to the saving of his household.
A Long term Project.
A well planned Project.
A family involving Project (Many men today are so busy being successful until they lose sight of the family they're to be successful for!).
IV. WAS WILLING TO FACE OPPOSITION TO STAND FOR GOD. Condemned all who did not heed god's advice- Other children were more popular but Noah's didn't drown!!
Think back with me to the first Passover--
As God was bring one last plague upon Egypt, how the death angel was going to pass & slay the firstborn of Egypt, the only safety for the children would be the blood of a lamb, the blood was to be placed on the door post & the upper post.
• It was the father who was to take the lamb,
• it was the father who was to apply the blood—T
• THE SAFETY OF THE FAMILY DEPENDED ON THE FATHER—
• if he placed the blood upon the door, the family would be spared from death, & tragedy—
• if he failed his duty, the death angel killed his firstborn..
Listen there is a death angel passing through the U. S. of America—
• he’s coming with drugs, sexual disease, & rebellion.--
• He wants to enter through the TV cartoons, movies, HBO, MTV. ETC.
• He wants to enter through acquaintances--be selective of your child’s friends.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:
• He’s out to steal their innocent’s, their virginity,
• their dignity, their minds, bodies & souls—
• He’s out to hurt our children—
As Godly fearing Men, we say, I put him on notice; he has to come through my prayers,
I’ll fight him with everything I’ve got.
I’m not willing to sit idly by as he brings havoc in my home--
your family will be destroyed, if you do not take the blood & apply it over the lives of your children—
IF you fail to make Christ a part of Your home--
Regardless of what others say, regardless of what others think, or do,--
Let us stand with Joshua, & Declare--AS FOR ME & MY HOUSE WE WILL SERVE THE LORD
Here’s my point—If you are the head of the Home, who is the head of you?--Christ,
I hope today --when you get home—
If there is anything that will hinder the ministry of God in your home--he will show you & you will run it out of your house.
God is looking to you and me as the Priest of our home, to lead the home into the things of God.
V. LOOKED BEYOND "NOW" TO THE FUTURE. He had respect unto the recompense of Reward.
Willing to build a Boat now for a Mansion in the future.
Faith Involves:
Heart- Relationship = Faith to believe God, Fellowship to be warned by God
Head- Mind Set- moved with Fear (Reverential Respect for God's authority and Judgment)
Hands- Actions- Built an ark that saved his household that condemned the world
Reward- Became heir of the righteousness which is by Faith
Noah was saved himself, His family was saved, and He allowed God's Plan to continue.
What more can God ask of anyone??
MEEK MEN
Some people’s view of God today is "little Jesus meek and mild"
I ask them how that relates to His wiping the money changers in the Temple or calling the Pharisees a bunch of snakes!!
I want Christians who will be MEN that take a stand, assume responsibility, and be alive to make an impact for God.
What the Bible said about "Meek Men".
• I assumed "Meekness" would be/word applied to women much more than men.
• Surprise, Surprise. "Meek" is used only one time in direct reference to woman; and there it's use to describe her "hidden man" of the heart!-
• Men live in a rough and tumble world today.
• Business it trying to beat them down,
• women's movement is trying to eat the up
• Young people are trying to wear them out.
• Can a man survive as a "Meek Man" today?
In today's world aren't we looking more for a Father to be a "Macho man" than a "Meek Man"?
Maybe we don't really understand what it means to be Meek?
The Hebrew and Greek word "meek" all come from a root word meaning humble or mild
Am I saying then that a man should be effeminate, a "wimp", and a doormat for everyone else? NO!!
The Bible says "Effeminate" is a way to stay out of Heaven (1 Cor 6:9)
• men are continually told to be bold in their dedication
• Strong in their stand for God.
Let's see what the Bible really means about "Meek Men".
1. MEEKNESS DESCRIBES A GREAT LEADER
• Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth (Num 12:3).
• A Great Leader is one who Leads; not Drives!
• A good Father is one who is remembered for the Strength of his example; not the Strength of his arm.
2. MEEKNESS IS USED TO DESCRIBE JESUS-
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Mat 11:29).
• Strong enough to defeat Sin and Satan
• gentle enough to offer shelter to the needy
(Everyone remembers the Love of Mother's Hug but no one forgets the security Dad's arms provide when the lighten and thunder rumble).
Even as King, Jesus showed His Meekness: Tell ye the daughter of Zion, see your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on colt, the foal of a donkey.(Mat 21:5).
Blessed is the Father who can reign as King in his house while taking out the garbage!!
3. THE CHARACTER OF MEEKNESS:
MEEKNESS SHOWS A MAN IS AT PEACE WITH HIMSELF-
The meek shall eat and be satisfied; they who seek the Lord will praise him—may your hearts live forever!! (Psalm 22:26).
• You no longer have to prove yourself to everyone else.
In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength: (Isa 30:15).
4.MEEKNESS OBTAINS GOD'S LEADERSHIP- He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way(Psalm 25:9).
A good Father knows enough to know he doesn't know it all!
• In meekness he waits upon the Lord for guidance he needs to lead his family.
5.MEEKNESS IS PART OF THE CHARACTER OF A CHRISTIAN
*Gentleness and self-control: against such there is no law.
* With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; (Eph 4:2)
As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience Col. 3:12 shouldn’t that be all the Father’s memory verse!
But you, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness (1 Tim 6:11)
6. MEEKNESS MEANS YOU'LL BE THE ULTIMATE WINNER-
But the meek shall inherit the land; and enjoy great peace. (Psalm 37:11)
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Mat 5:5)
The LORD sustains the humble: but casts the wicked to the ground. (Psalm 147:6)
MEEKNESS IS THE OTHER SIDE OF REPENTANCE.
WE BECOME HUMBLE ENOUGH TO REALIZE THAT A REALLY "MEEK MAN" IS ONE WHO TURNS FROM SIN AND ACCEPTS THE SALVATION CHRIST OFFERS-
Therefore get rid of all the moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (James 1:21)
The way to be a real "Meek Man", and the Father you should be, is to Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.
Be a Man FOR the Lord but be MEEK BEFORE the Lord.
