“Dad: The Great American Hero”
Father’s Day
June 19, 2005
Intro: Show video clip of kids talking about why their dad is a hero.
Today, we are here to celebrate dads. In our society today, dads don’t get enough credit. We always see on TV that dad never knows what’s going on. He is always in trouble and doesn’t really get it. Or, unfortunately, the media portrays that dad is not even necessary, so he doesn’t exist.
But, God has a different view of dads. And his view reminds us that dads need to be celebrated.
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
Exodus 20:12 (NIV)
God desires for us to treat our parents with honor and respect.
Today, we are gong to look at dads as heroes.
A hero is defined as someone who is admired for their courage; a man among men.
That is a great definition for a dad. You don’t really understand courage until one of your children is in danger and you look at the lengths you will go to rescue that child.
And a man among men is one who can build a fort with one child, play video games with another and then set down to have tea with the youngest and her Barbies.
That is a hero.
The job of any hero is to rescue. To rescue is to free or save from danger.
Sounds like a dad.
Today we are going to use the word RESCUE to help us understand some roles of dad.
R= Relationship
The key aspect to being a dad is to recognize the vital role of relationship with your family.
“Your wife will bear children as a vine bears grapes, your household lush as a vineyard, the children around your table as fresh and promising as young olive shoots. Stand in awe of God’s Yes.
Oh, how he blesses the one who fears God!”
Psalm 128:3-4 (The Message)
God blesses us with relationships. He created us to be relational and social creatures, and our family is a sign of God’s blessing.
We need to cultivate our relationships with our wives and children.
“Our culture has persuaded most men that significance is related more to our balance sheet and our title than teaching our children and cherishing our wives.”
Patrick Morley
Some keys to remember about relationship:
1) Value your child’s uniqueness.
2) Feed your wife’s hobby.
3) Spell love TIME!!!
E= Encourage
We need to learn to encourage our family. We need to be the biggest cheerleaders and fans that our children have.
“Fathers, don’t scold your children so much that they become discouraged and quit trying.”
Col. 3:21 (Living)
There is a fine line between training a child and crushing a spirit.
Some steps for encouraging your kids:
1) Learn positive words.
2) Know the difference between important and superficial.
3) Winning isn’t everything.
4) Remember, their only kids!
S= Support
Learn to support your kids in their endeavors.
Spend some time in your child’s activities. Get to know their friends.
When answering a letter about what does a dad do, Erma Bombeck replied:
It wasn’t until my husband and I had children that I was able to observe firsthand what a father contributed to a child’s life. What did he do to deserve his children’s respect? He rarely fed them, did anything about their sagging diapers, wiped their noses or fannies, played ball, or bonded with them under the hoods of their cars. What did he do? He threw them higher than his head until they were weak from laughter. He cast the deciding vote on the puppy debate. He listened more than he talked. He let them make mistakes. He allowed them to fall from their first two-wheeler without having a heart attack. He read a newspaper while they were trying to parallel park a car for the first time in preparation for their driving test.
If I had to tell someone’s son what a father really does that is important, it would be that he shows up for the job in good times and bad times. He’s a man who is constantly being observed by his children. They learn from him how to handle adversity, anger, disappointment and success.
He won’t laugh at their dreams no matter how impossible they might seem. He will dig out at 1 a.m. when one of his children runs out of gas. He will make unpopular decisions and stand by them. When he is wrong and makes a mistake, he will admit it. He sets the tone for how family members treat one another, members of the opposite sex and people who are different than they are. By example, he can instill a desire to give something back to the community when its needs are greater than theirs.
But mostly, a good father involves himself in his kids’ lives. The more responsibility he has for a child, the harder it is to walk out of his life.
Steps to supporting your kids:
1) Be the coach!
2) Show up for the “unimportant” stuff.
3) Make your home the fun place!
C= Champion
It is our job to be the one to make them think they are the greatest. We make them feel like they can do anything.
Isaiah the prophet when speaking of Jerusalem warring against its neighbor thought of God in that same manner.
“My champion is right here! Let’s take our stand together! Who dares bring suit against me? Let him try!” Isaiah 50:8 (The Message)
Always be your child’s’ advocate.
This does not mean we allow our children to run wild. One of the problems we have today is parents are afraid to parent. But it means that at anytime possible we take our children’s side. Steps to being a champion for your child:
1) Build into your children the right to dream.
2) Spend time for your children in prayer.
U= Understand
Sometimes our kids don’t want us to fix the problem.
The hardest part sometimes is to listen to the problem and let them find a solution.
Growing up is harder on kids than adults. Dr. James Dobson says “the job of parents is to just help them get through it.”
Some steps to understanding your child:
1) Listen!!!
2) Relax
E= Equip
The primary role of a dad is to equip your children for life.
“The duty and role of fathers includes protecting our children from evil as well as teaching them righteousness.” Patrick Morley
“Point your kids in the right direction— when they’re old they won’t be lost.” Proverbs 22:6 (The Message)
We must learn to equip our children to make good choices and to stand-up for Godly principles.
Each child is going to face thousands of choices in life. Our job is to help them look in the right places to learn how to make those choices.
“God’s Message yet again: Go stand at the crossroads and look around. Ask for directions to the old road, the tried and true road. Then take it. Discover the right route for your souls.”
Jeremiah 6:16 (The Message)
The job of parents is to point the child in the right direction.
Steps to equip your child:
1) Let them see your faith.
2) Let them develop faith of their own.
3) Teach them to choose wisely.
Four steps to being a hero:
Honor your wife. (Listen, spend time, touch)
Embrace your kids. (Touch says volumes)
Rest your body. (God designed a seven day cycle for work and rest. When communist Russia tried a ten day cycle, productivity fell.)
Offer your family to God. (Pray. Lead biblically. Let God use you. Make the choice of what your home will be like.)
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15 (NIV)
Dad, today we honor you as a hero. Would you please stand so we can honor you with a round of applause and by praying for you?
Dear Lord,
Before you stand heroes; men who are not perfect, but who desire to be the guardian of their homes. Help them to RESCUE their families. Thank you for our relationships, help us to be encouragers to our children, help us to support them, champion them, understand them and equip them. And Lord, help us to make the wise choices in our lives so that they can make wise choices in theirs. Thank you for these wonderful heroes. Amen.
Today, if you desire to be a hero for your family, would you simply write on your card, the word “HERO” and pass it in during the offering. We want to pray for you and with you as you seek the steps to being the hero God desires you to be in your home.
Maybe you need to begin a relationship of your own with Jesus. If that is you, join me in this prayer:
Dear Jesus,
Please come into my life and help me to be a hero for my family. Thank you that you gave your life to rescue me. I ask you to help me to live my life for your honor and your glory. I give myself to you in Jesus name, amen.
