Introduction: Today is Father’s Day and to be honest it does not carry with it the same endearment as Mother’s Day.
On Mother’s Day, Cards are purchased, Restaurants are filled to capacity and preachers preach sermons on how to love and honor one’s mother. According to “A Discover Card Survey” On Mother’s day the average amount spent on mothers is $41, the average amount spent on dad - $31!
Also on Mother’s Day, one sees the highest volume of long distance phone calls.
However, according to one expert children go through 4 stages of dealing with their fathers.
In stage 1 they call you dada.
In stage 2 they grow and call you daddy.
As they mature and reach stage 3 they call you dad.
Finally in stage 4 they call you collect.
While our culture may give preferential treatment to moms, make no mistake fathers you are essential to a healthy family.
Scores of research studies have documented the positive effects of involved fathers here is just a sampling of the benefits:
• The National Center for Educational Statistics reported that when fathers are involved in their children’s education, the kids were more likely to get A’s, enjoy school, and participate in extracurricular activities.
• Fathers who are involved with their children demonstrate "a greater ability to take initiative and evidence self-control." When these boys grew up, they were more likely to be good dads themselves.
But when fathers are isolated or uninvolved with their children, here’s the result:
• Their children have a higher rate of asthma, headaches, anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems.
• Teenagers are at greater risk of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use, and suicide
• Adolescent girls are 3 times more likely to engage in sexual relations by the time they turn 15 and 5 times more likely to become a teen mother.
MAKE NO MISTAKE DADS; YOU PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE LIFE OF YOUR CHILDREN.
As Father’s our goal should be to give our children ROOTS AND WINGS in Biology we learn roots do three things
• They give plants stability by holding them in place.
• They draw nourishment from the soil
• They store food and water.
For children, roots come from love for God, strong Christian values and a healthy self image. Roots give our children the ability to learn and grow as well as stability to face the storms of life.
Wings give our children the ability to fly – to make sound choices, overcome obstacles, maintain a positive attitude and reach the potential God intended for them.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO ONE THING – THE VALUES WE PASS ON
Values don’t just happen they must be learned and lived. Values are not exclusively a “DAD THING” all of us must have values that we hold dear. In Matthew’s gospel Jesus teaches his disciples a fundamental lesson about values by asking them a pointed question found in verse 26 of the 16th Chapter - What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
1. Jesus speaks of the enormous capacity of achievement within our reach
A. God has created us to be the crowning achievement of his creation.
We are not simply part of the animal kingdom; we did not evolve as the “survival of the fittest” We are made in the image of God. Our unique personhood afford us advantages our all of creation.
Jesus states we figuratively have the capacity for gaining the whole world.
B. The world is not our prize
The second part of the sentence carries with it the lesson for the disciples – YET FORFEITS HIS SOUL. There is the rub – while we have the capacity for great gain of worldly riches, prestige, status and honor it comes with a cost. We can lose our way. Jesus wanted his disciples to understand what the world sees as a success is not the most important aspect of ones life.
C. Understand the background of this text.
The disciples have been with Jesus now some 2 ½ years he is six months away from the crucifixion. His earthly ministry is almost over – he understands what is before him. What he wants his disciples to understand is his kingdom is not about wealth, not about status or power but about kingdom living, seeing the big picture of God’s kingdom in light of their daily life. Jesus gives a stern warning. One can gain the world – but you can forfeit your soul.
2. How does one forfeit one’s soul?
Scripture gives us several ways…
A. Drift away.
A Spiritual life does not just happen. If you are going to have spiritual values it is important that you are intentional about you faith.
Too many people are to cavalier about their faith they simply drift away. What are signs that you are drifting
• Church attendance becomes hit and miss
• Involvement with other Christians is avoided
• Priorities shift
Hebrew writer warns - So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. Hebrews 2:1. He goes on to say in verse 3 What makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself?
If we are going to have godly values it is because we are intentional, not drifting in and out but focused on God
B. Distraction
A second way we can forfeit our soul is by being distracted. The greatest example of Distraction comes from the life of Peter in Matthew 14, [Peter walks on Water] - During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It’s a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid." "Lord, if it’s you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
I believe Satan’s number one tool against the church is to get the church distracted. We take our eyes off the prize. In warning the early Christians the Hebrew writer wrote: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. Hebrews 12:1-2
The Hebrew writer says let us strip off the weights that slow us down and hinder our progress. He calls them sins – WHAT SINS CAUSE US TO BE DISTRACTED?
• Sin of Apathy
• Sin of Mediocrity
• Sin of Busyness
The key to avoiding distract? KEEP OUR EYES ON JESUS
C. Disobedience
Walking away from God – Disobedience is the choice we make when we chose to live in sin. It is disobedience that separates us from God.
John calls disobedience “spiritual darkness” – 1 John 1:6-8, So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth.
John goes on to say there is a remedy for our disobedience, Vss. 9-10, But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
How do we pass on our values?
How do we live in such a way to honor God?
The answer is found in statements before Jesus asked the question. Look at verses 24-25, Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
The key to passing on values , the key to living a life that honors God is to become a fully committed disciple of Christ – not to be passive about your faith but to dive in with reckless abandonment.
3. Jesus gives us three actions we must take in order to become a fully committed disciple of Christ.
A. Deny oneself
The first requirement to passing on good values – is that of self-denial. A person not willing to deny himself will never be able to be a follower of Christ. The word deny means to completely disown, to utterly separate oneself from something else. Jesus is not telling his followers to deny their unique identity. Every person is a unique part of God’s creation to deny yourself means put away your selfish desires that pull you away from what God desires for you.
• Why is self denial so important in God’s economy? When we focus on self we take our focus off God. In the book, How Life Imitates the World Series, Dave Bosewell tells a story about Earl Weaver, former manager of the Baltimore Orioles and his star player Reggie Jackson. Weaver had a rule that no one could steal a base unless given the steal sign. This upset Jackson because he felt he knew the pitchers and catchers well enough to judge who he could and could not steal off of. So one game he decided to steal without a sign. He got a good jump off the pitcher and easily beat the throw to second base. As he shook the dirt off his uniform, Jackson smiled with delight, feeling he had vindicated his judgment to his manager. Later Weaver took Jackson aside and explained why he hadn’t given the steal sign. First, the next batter was Lee May, his best power hitter other than Jackson. When Jackson stole second, first base was left open, so the other team walked May intentionally, taking the bat out of his hands. Second, the following batter hadn’t been strong against that pitcher, so Weaver felt he had to send up a pinch hitter to try to drive in the men on base. That left Weaver without bench strength later in the game when he needed it. The problem was, Jackson wanted to steal a base, but Weaver wanted to win a Game. We, too, see only so far, but God sees the bigger picture. Focusing on one’s self often time does not allow us to reap God’s blessings.
B. The second requirement to discipleship is to take up one’s cross.
The idea of taking up one’s cross is not…
• Some deep spiritual pilgrimage reserved for the spiritual elite
• Nor is it the common trials of life – cross bearing is not a nagging wife or a domineering mother-in-law or a rebellious child. Nor is it difficulty at work or trouble in the neighborhood.
To take up you cross literally means you are willing to do whatever it takes for the cause of Christ. Following the example of Christ, when he took up the cross to go to Calvary he was willing to endure shame, embarrassment, rejection, pain and death – in other words Jesus is asking us to do what he has already done.
Willingness to take up the cross is the mark of a true disciple. As the hymnist wrote – MUST JESUS BEAR THE CROSS ALONE, AN ALL THE WORLD GO FREE? NO, THERE’S A CROSS FOR EVERYONE AND THERE IS A CROSS FOR ME.
C. The third mark of a discipleship is loyal obedience – FOLLOW ME!
True discipleship is loyal submission to the Lordship of Christ that becomes a pattern for life. 1 John 2:6, Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did
This is how we pass on our values – by living out our faith in obedience to God. This is benchmark for living out our faith – John 12:26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me
The best way to live out your faith is to model it (Letting your light shine)
You model your faith… (DADS)
• When your children hear you pray
• When you put God first in your giving
• When you live a consistent Christian Life
• When you say good things about other believers
• When you love your spouse
Conclusion:
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Jesus asked a question about values – what is really important? Jesus said imagine for a moment you gained the whole world – every possession you ever desired is yours in the world’s eyes you have everything – but in having the world you had to exchange your soul – While the world may look at you and say you have it all, Jesus says you are bankrupt – but if you will abandon everything what world has to offer you will be rich forever!
The question is what do you value – What really matters to you today?
PRAYER
