19 June 2005
Psalms 68:4-5a (KJV)
by
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
CP Walker, Taegu South Korea
BIG IDEA: GOD COMMANDS FATHERS to be full-time DADS by demonstrating loving behaviors for THEIR CHILDREN AND THE FATHERLESS.
REFERENCES: If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew &:11 – KJV); Man that is born of a woman is of fw days, and full of trouble (Job 14:1 – KJV); Genesis 22:1-12 (MSG); Psalms 68:4-5a; Malachi 4:4-6; Genesis 1:26-28; Isaiah 3:1-13; Exodus 20:5; Mark 14:36 (And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt);Mark 14:36 (KJV)
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Malachi 4:4-6 (KJV) & Psalms 68:4-5a (KJV)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: Malachi 4:4-6 (KJV) & Psalms 68:4-5a (KJV)
III. READ THE TEXT: Malachi 4:6 (KJV) - And he shall
turn the heart of the fathers to
the children, and the heart of
the children to their fathers
&
Psalms 68:4-5a - Sing unto God,
sing praises to his name: extol
him that rideth upon the heavens
by his name JAH, and rejoice
before him. 5 A father of the
fatherless,…
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate FATHERS to model CHRISTIANITY BY demonstrating LOVING BEHAVIORS to their children and the fatherless.
V. SERMONIC THEME: ”HALF-A-DAD”
INTRODUCTION: “HALF-A-DAD” is the theme of our Fathers’ Day Message. But, before we began, let me not be remiss in saying, Happy Fathers Day to all fathers.
It’s my sincere prayer that you TOO would CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY TODAY, if you haven’t done so already, to acknowledge your FATHER (OR THE FATHERLY IMAGE IN YOUR LIFE) on this special day – FATHERS’ DAY 2005.
******TAKE 5 BEATS******
MOVE 1: I believe “FATHERS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING.
a. WHEN FATHERS ARE ABSENT, CHILDREN SUFFER. FATHERLESSNESS IS link to to poverty, high school drop-out rates, crime, adolescent drug, and teenage pregnancy”.
b. It has been said that God has blessed the United States of America IN MANY WAYS. We are world leaders in many areas: economics, medicine, science and MILITARY MIGHT.
c. In fact, just last evening the 19th Theater Support Command and many of our soldiers within Area IV celebrated the Army’s 230 years of existence. The Army’s Birthday is June 14, 1775.
d. Please join me in a moment of silence – as we commerorate the Army’s 230th Birthday.
******TAKE 5 BEATS******
MOVE 2: AMERICA is, no doubt, the MOST POWERFUL NATION in the world WITH THE MOST POWERFUL ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, COAST GUARDS, AND MARINES.
a. YET, SHAMEFULLY, THERE IS ANOTHER AREA THAT WE ARE ALSO WORLD LEADERS: FATHERLESS-NESS.
b. IN SOME AREAS OF AMERICA, ON JUNE 19, 2005 …,
c. THERE WILL BE MORE THAN 40% - THAT IS AT LEAST 40 OUT OF EVERY 100 – OF OUR CHILDREN will go to bed without a father in the home.
d. And the statistics is even greater when WE IDENTIFY THE HOMES WITHOUT EVEN A HALF – OF – FATHER:
******TAKE 5 BEATS*******
MOVE 3: A man that calls himself dad, WHILE AVOIDING THE FATHER-CHILD FELLOWSHIP and relationship.
a. INSTEAD, HE SPENDS half OF HIS LIFE in the jail of excuses, or in the prison of worldly justifications.
b. Many times HALF-A-DADS ARE un-employed AND un-CONNECTED TO THE CHURCH AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF OTHER BELIEVERS.
c. THEY LIVE OUT-SIDE OF THE FAMILY STRUCTURE THAT IS COMMANDED BY GOD.
d. They come in every size; every shade of color, and in every rank in the military. THEY ARE SOMETIMES Known as being great leaders in the military; and within our civilian communities – BUT GOD SEES THEM AS HALF-A-DADS.
e. FOR YOU SEE THE very foundation of FATHERING IS GOD.
*******TAKE 5 BEATS*******
MOVE 4: BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THIS EARTH - BEGAN, GOD THE FATHER and God the Son WENT INTO COUNCIL – IF YOU WILL – AND DECIDED TOGETHER TO CREATE MAN AND WOMAN.
a. AND HE BLESS THEM. AFTER THE BLESSING, HE COMMANDED THEM TO BE FRUIT-FUL AND TO MULTIPLY.
c. IN OTHER WORDS, GOD CALLED MAN TO FATHERHOOD; AND HE COMMANDED HIM TO HAVE HOLY SEX AND PROCREATE - (Genesis 1:26-28).
d. BEFORE, MAN HAD EVER SINNED; AND BEFORE HE KNEW SHAME AND HOW TO HIDE FROM GOD – HE HAD AWARENESS OF GOD’S WORD AND WOMAN’S BEAUTY.
e. FOR THE BIBLE SAYS IN GENESIS 2:23 that when Adam saw WOMAN – FOR THE FIRST TIME – WOMAN who was FIRST INTRODUCE TO HIM by GOD HIMSELF.
f. HE SAID … THIS IS NOW …
g. The Hebrew WORD for “NOW” is PA-AM.
h. IT’S A FEMININE NOUN … which infers TO STEP …
******TAKE 5 BEATS*****
MOVE 5: IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN THIS REAL MAN SAW THIS REAL WOMAN, FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE RESPECTFULLY RECEIVED HER HAND FROM GOD
a. – while simultaneously asking her TO STEP OR WALK FOR HIM … WHILE HE WATCHED AND ADMIRE GOD’S PLAN AND INCLUSION FOR HIS LIFE …
b. FOR ADAM SAID … THIS IS "NOW" … BONE OF MY BONES, AND FLESH OF MY FLESH … (ELABORATE & TELL THE STORY).
c. My brothers and sisters ... the first real man absolutely loved and admired the gift that God The Father brought to him.
d. ... and he did all this before the Fall - and before sex was viewed in a sinful manner.
e. Before intimacy between a man and woman was WAS SEEN IN fleshly MANNER - it was VIEWED HOLY.
f. And I believe from the rudiments of my heart that Adam loved AND RESPECTED HIS WOMAN.
g. IN OUR TEXT, Malachi 4:4-6, WE FIND THAT prior to judgment God will send his prophet (Elijah) to mankind to TURN THE HEARTs OF THE FATHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN AND THE HEART OF THE CHILDREN TO THEIR FATHERS …
******TAKE 5 BEATS *****
MOVE 6: BUT, I CONTEND TODAY, THAT IT’S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR MAN (OR A HALF-A-DAD) TO GIVE WHAT HE DOESN’T HAVE.
a. MAN CAN NOT BLESS HIS CHILDREN or turn their hearts toward him – if he’s not doing everything he can to be a FATHER TO HIS CHILDREN AND THOSE THAT ARE FATHERLESS;
b. FATHER NEEDS TO DEMONSTRATE LOVE, COMMUNICATION, AND AVAILABILITY TO THEIR CHILDREN – FIRST – THROUGH ACTIONS TOWARDS THE MOTHERS OF THEIR CHILDREN.
c. I submit to you this afternoon, that HALF-A-DADS ARE men who have turned their back on GOD’S WORD BY REFUSING TO LOVE, COMMUNICATE, AND AVAIL THEMSELVES TO THEIR CHILDREN … AND THE MOTHER THAT BIRTH THEIR CHILDREN.
d. AS A RESULT, THEY are responsible IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ALONE, FOR many SINGLE MOMS RAISING CHILDREN BY THEMSELVES.
e. HALF-A-DADS CAN BE HEARD IN MANY COMMUNITIES AND IN THE MIDST OF A MULTIPLICITY OF CONVERSATIONS … CALLING THEMSELVES DAD.
f. BUT, THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT IS REALITIVELY SIMPLE:
g. ... HALF-A-DADS AREN’T FULL-PLEDGED FATHERS.
h. They are WANT-A-BE(s) ... FOR YOU SEE ...
******TAKE 5 BEATS******
CELEBRATION:
REAL FATHERS AREN’T HALF-A-DADS …
REAL FATHERS ARE DADS MODELING CHRISTIANITY
REAL FATHERS MODEL CHRISTIANITY BY DEMONSTRATING LOVING BEHAVIORS TO THEIR CHILDREN AND THE FATHERLESS …
