Slide #1
Video…
Welcome…guest cards.
Happy FATHERS’ DAY.
I begin today with a quick story that I found while studying for my message…
Father’s Day Humor…A Story about David…
After David’s first year of college…he returned home during his summer vacation and asked his dad if he could take the family car back with him to college.
After thinking about the request…His dad agreed to David’s request… but only under these conditions.
1st)… he must continue to have good grades in all his classes’…2nd)…he must work a part time job while he is in school to cover the expenses that go along with owning a car… and 3rd)… he has to get and keep a decent haircut.
The summer quickly passed before David had to return to school David and his father talked about the car.
David had followed two of the three things that he had promised his dad he would do… except for getting his hair cut.
When the father saw that his son had refused to get a haircut… he asked David for an explanation.
David quickly said, "Hey dad, even Jesus had long hair."
His Father replied quickly back,
"Yes, son, you're absolutely right. And remember that…Jesus also walked everywhere he went."
Fathers always seem to have the right things to say don’t they?
Since today is father’s day I would like to talk to you about a father from the bible…who is often overlooked because of the story that took place around his life.
In my opinion this father was one of the most important role models in the history of mankind.
We’ve all heard the saying “when the going gets tough…the tough get going” I think that this quote could have been written from this man’s character.
The father I’m talking about this morning is Joseph... the husband of Mary and the adopted father of Jesus.
Most people have heard the story about Mary and Jesus.
But not many people even take time to think about the influence that Joseph…the father of Jesus…made in his child’s life as He was growing up.
Being a father is a very difficult thing to do.
There are a lot of responsibilities that go along side of being a father…
Dads feel the pressures of being the provider…and the protector…
But can you imagine the added pressure that Joseph felt… when an angel sent from God Himself… revealed to Joseph in a dream that he was being chosen to help raise the prophesized and much anticipated Savior of the world.
Slide #2 Read Matthew 1:18-21…
Prayer
After reading this story over and over again from my Bible…I couldn’t help but think about how important the fathers’ role is in a child’s ’life.
What was so special about Joseph…We read that he was “a just man”. (What does that mean?)
Obviously he was a man that lived his daily life by Jewish laws and traditions. He was a man with strong beliefs.
He was a man who was prepared to do what was right…despite the pain he knew it would cause.
He was a man who loved God…and his heritage…How did this dream affect his life?
A little History about this story…about Joseph and Mary both...
Although we don’t have any official records about their correct age…as close as one could guess…Joseph was approximately 18 years old…where Mary was thought to be around 15.
Both of these kids resided in the town of Nazareth…a town located approximately 80 miles north of the Holy City of Jerusalem…15 miles east of the Sea of Galilee.
Joseph was employed as a craftsman…(a carpenter) and Mary was a homemaker.
And just to make life a little more exciting…Joseph and Mary’s marriage (like many of Jewish tradition) had been prearranged.
But what was different about their union was their marriage was united by God well before… (Gabriel) An Angel of the Lord… visited Joseph in a dream… (Read vs. 20)
Gabriel explained to Joseph that the child that Mary was carrying was the long awaited redeemer of the world…sent from God and He (Joseph himself) had been chosen to be the earthly father of the child.
The Bible doesn’t really tell us much about Joseph…but I believe that Joseph was a believer of God well before the visit from the angel in a dream.
But here is what was so cool about Joseph… Not only was he a Godly man before the visit…but after the visit he shows greater responsibility by becoming a man of integrity and character.
Men…dads…integrity and character is established when you are being called to do something that seems out of your reach…and you step up to the challenge.
“Leaders are born when integrity and character are established…”
So what can we learn from Joseph today?
The first act of obedience we can learn from Joseph was…
Slide#3 His Faithfulness to God
How many men here today can boldly say that we are doing our very best to be faithful to God?
This is a characteristic that is lacking in many men in our society today.
Today it is becoming harder and harder to find men who are willing to step up to the responsibilities that come along side of becoming a Godly father.
Since the beginning of time it has always been…God’s desire for a man to unite in a relationship with a woman and begin a family. (Adam and Eve)
But this is where our culture has neglected to listen to what the Bible teaches us.
We try and live our lives without God leading in our homes…Without placing God first in our own lives.
And in all honesty…without you asking God to be the head of your household…you will daily struggle with the role of being a father.
We could learn a lot from Joseph…even though his marriage was prearranged…he knew the importance of obeying God first and the law second.
His be-troth-al period (engagement)was to last approximately one year…and because of his love for God…and Mary…(please catch this) he was willing to remain faithful to Mary by waiting to have any sexual relations with her until after they were married.
Being obedient to God takes will power…It’s something that Satan wants you to fail at.
Men are you bold enough to step up to the challenge and starting today…become more faithful in serving your God?
The Second act of obedience we can learn from Joseph was…he was not only faithful to God but he…
Slide #4 Remained Faithful to Mary…..
Joseph and Mary both knew… Jewish law stated that in order for the be-troth-al period to be honorable… loyalty was required by both man and woman.
(Marriage was a very serious commitment in Jewish tradition) (As it should be today)
Trust becomes a major player when two people fall in love and prepare to spend the rest of their lives together.
The Marriage union builds a bond that when invested in by both parties becomes very difficult to break.
I’ve mentioned it before that God never intended for us…to get married with intentions of…If it doesn’t work…oh well I’ll just go find someone else.
Men if you want to prove to the woman of your life that you really do love her…be the man willing enough to tell her she is worth waiting for. (That my friend honors God)
This is the first step of building a strong relationship…remember that the foundation is the most important part of the home.
This was the type of man that Joseph was…When Joseph made the decision to take Mary as his wife…
He was not only obeying God’s commandments…but he was also showing Mary he loved her by honoring her virginity until they were married.
(Read 24-25)
I’m assuming that …This is possibly why God chose Joseph to be the earthly father of Jesus.
Because a man’s Character is revealed by what he does behind closed doors.
Before the angel visited Joseph in a dream he had decided that he was going to quietly break the engagement between him and Mary.
I mean him of all people… knew that he had not been with Mary…but he was still determined to dissolve the engagement in a way that would not cause public shame to Mary.
Joseph knew that if it got around town that he was not the father of Mary’s child…she would either be stoned or worst yet…possibly killed for her disobedience.
And this was when God sent a messenger to Joseph to confirm Mary’s story (That she was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was soon to give birth to the Savior of the world) (read vs. 20) (do not fear)
This was the point that Joseph made the decision that he would take Mary as his wife.
Even though he was not the physical father of the child……”being a just man” he stepped up and assumed the responsibilities that go along with being a husband and a father. (I believe that this was the changing pointy of his life)
I pray that men…not just in the U.S. but all over the world…begin to structure their lives by what the Bible teaches…not what they have learned from our culture.
“Sin is wrong…and it never will be acceptable in God’s eyes…”
The Third act of obedience we can learn from Joseph was…not only did he love God…and his wife…but he also
Slide #5 Remained Faithful to his Family
Every Husbands dream in life is to have a child who is willing to follow in their footsteps.
Joseph was defiantly not a slouchier in the head of the household role. (He ran a tight ship)
He was a hard worker who was willing to not only invest in his relationship with God…his wife…but he invested in his children as well.
Joseph was a carpenter by trade and clearly as a result of him investing in Jesus life as a boy…Jesus’ trade as well was a carpenter.
(share story watching dad in garage sweating…he was my role model)
This is still just as important for fathers today to teach their children good work ethic.
There are fathers all over the United States who are not living up to the responsibilities that they have been chosen to assume.
Dad you are important to your kids…Are you making a difference in your child’s life.
I did some checking on the internet this past week and found out that there are only two states that hold a higher single-parent family dwelling than us here in New Mexico.
This is one number chart that I wish we were on the bottom of. (47 states doing better than us…Men we have got to pick-up the pace)
How vital is the role of the father in the household?
Let me share with you a few statistics of the impact of fatherless homes.…
• 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless …5 times the average.
• 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the average.
• 85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average.
• 80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes –14 times the average.
71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes – 9 times the average.
• 85% of all youths in prison come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average.
• 75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes – 10 times the average.
Do fathers make a difference? Listen to these encouraging statistics…
• Children with Fathers who are involved are 40% less likely to repeat a grade in school.
• Children with Fathers who are involved are 70% less likely to drop out of school.
• Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to get A’s in school.
• Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities.
Dad…I just want to let you know that God loves you.
Being a Father takes work…not just to raise Godly children…but to build a Godly marriage.
I remind you …that God is still looking for men who are willing to step up to the challenge…and become the leaders in their home.
The bible tells us that God will never give us more than we can handle…
And guys I think it’s time that we…you and I work together as a team and begin to make a difference in our families lives…and this world.
It all begins right here…right now!!!!!
Please stand with me….
Men if you’re here today and you want to see what God can do in your home.
If your marriage has been a little on the outs…why not turn it all over to God today?
(Our ladies are waiting on us to be the leaders of the home)
I am so thankful that you chose to worship with us today.
Slide #6
Announcements….
Father’s Day Gifts…………………..
Baptism…
