Father’s day
June 15, 2003 AM
matthew 6:9-13
(Mat 6:9 NKJV) "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
(Mat 6:10 NKJV) Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
(Mat 6:11 NKJV) Give us this day our daily bread.
(Mat 6:12 NKJV) And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
(Mat 6:13 NKJV) And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
There are several places in the new testament where we get to listen in on conversations between Jesus and His Father.
We call them prayers -- but the reality is that it is conversations between a father and son.
And the text I read this morning is perhaps the most famous or well known of the conversations or prayers.
What I want us to see today is the relationship between Father and son.
And as we celebrate this Father’s day --
Maybe we can pattern our relationships after theirs.
1) First -- I want you to see the respect and honor that Jesus had for his father
(Mat 6:9 NKJV) ... Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
That of course is not the same thing as the little boy who came home from Church telling his parents that he now knew God’s first name.
The parents said "excuse me, we didn’t know God had a first name."
The little boy replied "sure he does, it’s "howard".
The parents were stunned -- a God named Howard didn;t seem quite right.
So they asked him where he heard that.
The little boy said in Kids church they taught us the Lord’s prayer --
Our father who is in heaven, Howard be your name".
The word "hallowed" means "holy and set apart".
That tells me that Jesus had a true respect for his father.
But respect is not something you can demand,
It is something earned through past behavior.
Dad, if you want your kids respect -- you get it by the integrity you show your kids.
God the Father had always kept his word with Jesus.
He had always dealt with Jesus in rightness and holiness.
Jesus never had to wonder where God stood on the issues of right or wrong --
He always knew -- and could refer to His father as "Holy and set apart.
2) Second -- he knew his father had a spiritual plan for his life
(Mat 6:10 NKJV) Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Dad -- your kids need to know that you have a spiritual plan.
If you don’t -- your kids won’t.
Jesus knew exactly what the Father had planned.
It was never ambiguous, or hidden, or questionable.
Dad -- when one week your in church and the next week your not,
One week your reading the Word and the next week your not,
Your kids wind up confused spiritually.
Jesus knew that His Father had a spiritual plan -- and that He would stick to that plan.
3) Thirdly -- Jesus knew his father would take care of him
(Mat 6:11 NKJV) Give us this day our daily bread.
Notice Jesus didn’t say give us this day our daily x-box.
Or give us this day our daily skate board, or barbie, or any other thing.
Dad -- it’s not about things.
It’s not about stuff.
It’s about being there for your kids,
It’s about the basics --
Food is pretty basic
So is love, time, concern ....
These things are what matters.
Jesus knew his Father would take care of Him.
4) Next -- Jesus had learned from his father what forgiveness really meant.
(Mat 6:12 NKJV) And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
Dad -- you children will see and hear how far your forgiveness goes.
They will watch how you rise up against others who wrong you,
They will see how many grudges you carry,
They will listen to your words that tear down others --
And they will believe that you feel the same way about them.
Their impression of unconditional love will be based on your walk in forgiveness.
5) Then we see that jesus knew his father would lead him the right way.
(Mat 6:13 NKJV) And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.
Dad -- you are an example in all that you do.
Leading your children into temptation is one of those thing we would rather not think about.
But dad -- whatever standard you set will be the standard your kids set --
Except it will seem lower.
For instance -- whatever excuse you use to stay out of church ,
They will find an excuse that makes just as much sense to them as your did.
Whatever standard you set for TV and movies and behavior --
They will follow -- with standards that make sense to them.
Dad -- don’t lead them into temptation --
Rather deliver them from what the enemy intends to do to them.
6) lastly, jesus was willing to follow where his father was leading
He said, "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
That doesn’t happen because dad demanded it --
That happens because the son recognized the spiritual authority and leadership of the father.
Dad -- you may be a great provider,
You may be a wonderful friend,
You may be a lot of fun --
But are you leading them spiritually?
Will your children recognize your spiritual authority?
Will your children rise up to call you blessed?
