Series: Father Day
Passage:
Title: Three Reasons to Thank God for Dad
Focus: Fatherhood
Hook: A small boy once said… "Father’s Day is just like Mother’s Day, only you don’t spend as much on the gift." Here’s some other thoughts on Father’s… Play Cosby video
Introduction: Being father can be an interesting, tiresome, and exhausting experience. While we all know there is a special place for mom, there’s also a special place for dad. Being a Fathers and fatherhood is a real blessing. While we worship our heavenly father, we want to honor our earthly fathers today, showing ways we can say thank Dad!
“If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8
#1: Thank God for Father’s that Provide (1 Timothy 5:8)
• Explanation: If a father does not provide materially for his family (food, clothing, shelter) he has denied the faith of Christ and is worse than unbelievers! How? Because even unbelievers provide for their families!
• Illustration: My dad provided for our family when I was little…
o Worked many jobs – paper route, sold suits, etc. all while pastoring.
o Saved his “pennies” – Always remember there being a change jar.
o Put my mom and two (adopted) kids through college.
• Application: My dad provided for us with food, clothing and shelter all the time. While it may not have always been the latest and greatest, it was providing and he always pointed back to Christ for the blessings that were received.
o If our earthly fathers provided for us, we owe them our gratitude. If they failed we owe them our forgiveness. Either be thankful or forgiving!
• When we forgive we're not doing it just for the other person, we're doing it for our own good… We must forgive the people who hurt us so you can get out of prison (break the chains). We’ll never be free until we do. Let go of hose wrongs... Get bitterness out of your life. That's the only way we’ll be free. It’s amazing what can happen in our life when we release all that poison.
• Be thankful or forgiving today! Thank God for all the fathers who provide and thank God for the fathers who are breaking the chains of the past!
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”” Ephesians 6:4
#2: Thank God for Father’s that Instruct (Ephesians 6:4)
• Explanation: Parents are commanded to not be hard on our children but raise them properly with Godly teaching and instruction. Great fathers instruct in loving discipline, which the Lord himself approves! While it may feel right to be harsh, a Father who instructs his children will “win” in the long haul.
• Illustration: Ways my dad was a good instructor…
o Talking about sex on the golf course in my fit of rage.
o Going out to “have a coke” after long weeks of school.
o Waited patiently with his words instead of speaking “in the moment”.
• Application: Dad’s… Ask, “Am I a coach or a critic?” Coaches instruct, critics insult. A loving Father gives healthy instruction about school, work, relationships, dating, etc. training a child in the ways he should go. Faithful instruction is important and we must be careful how we deliver it. All criticism and no praise is not good! Are we coaches or critics?
o Listen to the story of a critical father instead of a loving coach…. "I took my children to school but not to church. I taught them to drink but not of the living water. I enrolled them in Little League but not Sunday School. I showed them how to fish but not to be fisher of men. I made the Lord’s Day a holiday, rather than a holy day… I taught them the church was full of hypocrites and made the greater hypocrite of them and me. "I gave them a color TV but provided no Bible. I handed them the keys to the car but did not give to them the keys of the kingdom of God. I taught them how to make a living but failed to bring them to Christ who alone can make a life."
• If your father was a Godly instructor, thank him! If not, forgive and work diligently to break the bonds of generational sin! We can do this through Christ, giving faithful instruction in the ways of the Lord!
“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1
#3: Thank God for Father’s that Illustrate (1 Corinthians 11:1)
• Explanation: Godly illustration means more is caught than taught. Paul says to the Corinthian church, who were his children in the faith, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
o NOTE: Paul didn’t say, "Do everything I do." He said, "Do everything I do which is Christ like." AKA, Follow the example that is Christ!
• Paul wasn’t perfect and neither are we but overall we strive to give a Godly example through never ending love!
• Illustration: Ways I could see Christ in my dad…
o Giving time when it could have gone elsewhere…
o Calling out sin (gas station)…
• Application: Thank God for all fathers who have been godly illustrations, godly examples to follow! If we had this growing up, go thank Dad today! If we didn’t, strive to forgive and break the chains. Reset the score for generations to follow!
Conclusion: Why should we praise God for Dad’s?
o Because of the provision they provide in our everyday lives!
o Because of the instruction that they deliver to our thirty souls.
o Because of the beautiful illustrations they show in the midst of human error.
