SERMON BRIEF
Date Written: June 14, 2006
Date Preached: June 18, 2006
Where Preached: OZHBC (AM)
Sermon Details:
Series Title: Idolatry in the Church
Sermon Title: A Dad God Would Approve of…
Sermon Text: 2 Tim 2:14-19 don’t read until after intro…
Introduction:
Do you remember when you used to look at your dad and think he could do ANYTHING… that he could solve any problem… that he was your hero… so many of us used to see our dad in that light, kind of like a story I heard one time…
A little boy and his dad visited a country store, when they were about to leave the owner of the store offered the little boy some free candy. "get a hand full of candy", the owner said to the little boy.
The little boy just stood there looking up at his dad. The owner repeated himself, "Son get a hand full of candy, it’s free." Again the little boy did not move and continued to look up at his dad.
Finally after a few seconds, the dad reached into the candy jar and got a hand full of candy and gave it to his son. As they were walking back home, the dad asked his son, “Son, why didn’t you grab a hand full of the free candy…?”
The boy grinned and looked at his dad and said "Because DAD, I know that your hand is bigger than mine."
This was a young man who thought his dad could do anything. Dads are great for things like that… but many of us do not realize how wonderful our dads are until it is too late.
Far too often we grow to think that we know so much more than our dad… but as we get older… we begin to realize how smart our parents really were… Dads can be pretty clever just listen to this story of a very clever dad…
There was a young man who had just rec’d his driver’s license and when he got home, he asked his dad, who was a preacher, if they could discuss him borrowing the car.
His dad took him into his study and said to the boy, "I’ll make a deal with you. If you bring up your grades, study your Bible a little, and get a haircut, then we’ll talk about the use of the car."
After about a month, the boy came back and again asked his dad if they could discuss the use of the car. They again went to the dad’s study where his dad said, "Son, I’ve been so very proud of you. You have brought up your grades, you’ve studied your Bible diligently, but you didn’t get your haircut."
The young man waited a moment and replied, "Dad, I’ve been thinking about that. You know, Samson had long hair, Moses had long hair, Noah had long hair, even Jesus had long hair..." His dad interrupted him at that point and said, "You are right son, they did have long hair, but remember that they also walked everywhere they went!"
Dads are smart and they use situations in life to teach object lessons to their children. So many of us who have become dads want to be a better dad…
We think to ourselves, what can I do to make myself a better dad to my children? Which, in turn, will make me a better husband to my wife. As believers, we understand that dads are the ones who are set aside by God to be the leader of the family.
We realize the importance of being a good dad and how important having a good dad in our household is to our family.
Did you know that many studies conducted by Yale, Johns Hopkins and other universities have documented the following information about dads;
The absence of a dad is a stronger factor than poverty in contributing to juvenile delinquency.
In 48 cultures around the world crime rates were highest among adults who as children had been raised without a dad...
A study of 39 teenage girls suffering from anorexia nervosa showed that 36 of them had one common denominator; lack of closeness with their dad
An emotionally or physically absent dad contributes to a child’s
(1) low motivation for achievement;
(2) inability to defer immediate gratification for later rewards;
(3) low self esteem;
(4) susceptibility to group influence and juvenile delinquency.
Erma Bombeck once wrote a column on what it means to be a good dad…she wrote…
“…Now, If you’re like most men - even those who had a poor experience with their own dads - you have a general idea of the kind of dad you want to be. You have a picture in your mind of what a model dad looks like and you want to be the kind of dad!” The dad…
• whose hears, "my dad keeps his promises”
• whose children feel secure, confident, loved and accepted
• whose children develop a reputation of integrity; honest, ethical, and hardworking
• whose children stand up to peer pressure
• whose kids say no to drugs and alcohol and risky behavior
• whose children quickly admit their mistakes, are forgiving and patient
• whose children save sex for marriage, and remain faithful to their spouse
• whose children have a hard time picking out a fathers day card (not because they say too much but say too little)
That’s the kind of father we all want to be. That’s the kind of father I want to be. But I know that I am not the type of dad that I should be...
But I also know that for me to become the dad I want to be…I need a model… I need an example of a dad that I can pattern myself after!
I need an example of a dad from whom I can learn and imitate. For us to become the dad we want to be… we need to look to God… we need to know just what kind of father would God approve of…
This morning I want us to turn to 2 Tim 2:14-19 and I want us to see four qualities God’s Word shares with us that dads need and that God approves of…READ PASSAGE HERE
Now I realize that the context of this letter from Paul to Timothy was for pastors… or leaders of the church. However, the principle that the Holy Spirit establishes for church leaders is equally applicable to those who lead our families… so what we learn in these verses are just as important as qualities for DADS as there are for pastors…
The 1st trait I can see Paul reveals can be found in v.14 and it is that God approves of…
1. A dad who capably teaches his family (v.14)
“…Remind them of these things, charging them before God not to fight about words; this is in no way profitable and leads to the ruin of the hearers...”
a. A Constant Reminder of God’s Word…
There is an old saying is that says when we stop learning, we stop living. We should be learning each and everyday of our life…
But what God’s word is sharing here is that the leader of the house… the Dad… is to be ever teaching and reminding his family about the teachings of Jesus and what God’s Word says…
And he is NOT to do it in a nagging and grinding way, but he is to do it lovingly and with strong grace as we find in 2:1…
He is to lovingly teach, and continue to teach each and every day…being a capable reminder of God’s love and teachings for his family…
The Dad is tasked by God to lead spiritually… so that means the Dad MUST study God’s Word extensively so that he can be the capable teacher he is called to be…
b. Always focusing on the main thing…
Teaching is about knowing what information is important and what information is not…
Far too often, we as believers, get caught us in arguments and disagreements over the most trivial of things…
I know that as Baptists we can really show our selfish and self-centered nature when we begin to argue over trivial matters…
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago how some churches have split over things like the color of the carpet, or where to put the piano, or what kind of lighting they should have, or whether or not they should use the hymnals…
I agree that these things must be discussed and solved, BUT far too often we all these things to consume us…and the ministry of the church suffers because of we have allowed the minor things to become the main thing…
The same goes in the family. The dad is charged by God to lead and guide his family in a godly manner, and in that leading he must focus on the main thing.
His goal is to guide his family according to God’s Word… and there comes a point and time in every family where there are disagreements and troubles… but it is the duty of the dad to keep the family focused and keeping the main thing the main thing…
Dads, don’t allow the enemy to get you distracted! Stay on focus with God’s Word and lead as you are called to lead…
c. Knows that failure to teach, leads to destruction
For if we as Dads do NOT teach as we should… if we do NOT lead as we should the outcome is almost certain in that it is going to lead to our destruction as a family.
The man who is NOT leading his family is the man who is shunning God’s calling and for that God is going to discipline you. And if you are not willing to take up the mantle that God has placed before you… God may remove you from the picture so that those in your family can have the teaching they deserve and need so badly…
Now that is NOT a threat by God… but we do know that God’s Word will not return void and when God has a plan it is NOT going to be foiled by man…
If we allow our children to argue and fight over things that are NOT of any importance and we allow them to grow up and live a lifestyle that does not look to God for guidance and leadership, we are leading our families into destruction…
God is looking for Dads who are going to be capable teachers for their families, but another trait that God approves is…
2. A dad who is consistently virtuous for his family (v.15)
“…Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth...”
a. Focused on living as HE should…
The thing about being a teacher of God’s Word is that you must also be a ‘liver’ of God’s Word for your teaching to be effective. It is the old axiom “You gotta practice what you preach…”
A dad is called to be the spiritual leader… not just in teaching God’s Word but in living out the teachings of the Bible as well.
In v.15 we find Paul telling Timothy to be diligent… or to be vigilant in his walk… to be careful and watchful… so that he could teach others.
Likewise this implies that the spiritual leader of the home… DAD… is to be watchful and careful in his walk with Christ. Avoiding pitfalls and steering clear of trouble… so that he can be the teacher and example that God has called him to be…
It does a dad NO GOOD if they know all things and can impart the knowledge… but they do not practice what they preach…
Example: Smoking in the home… to teach your children that smoking was harmful to their health and that they should NOT do it… but yet you smoke… this is teaching a double standard to your children…
If you try to teach your children to drive safely and obey the rules of the road, and yet you are getting tickets and having many accidents… another double standard…
What about when you are trying to teach your children patience and yet when a car pulls out in front of you OR the car in front of you at the traffic light does not move right away when the light turns green… YOU GET MAD and scream at them!
I can remember the standard answer in my household when this obvious double standard reared its ugly head… do you remember hear this as a child… or maybe you have said it a time or two as a parent… “Don’t do as I do… DO as I SAY do…”
It is like telling your children it is good to go to church and they should go… but you will NOT go! This is NOT how God wants dads to act…
We are to act DILIGENTLY in our walk with Christ seeking God’s approval in our lives… but we are also to be…
b. One who is NOT ashamed of Christ…
A dad should NEVER portray to his children that they are ashamed of being a Christian. In fact, as the spiritual leader of the home, the Dad must be the one on the forefront… He must be willing to step out and lead his family…
One who leads by living… who leads by doing… not simply talking! Are you that type of dad today?
c. A student of the Word, teaching it correctly…
And if you are going to be leader and be watchful and diligent in your walk…
If you are going to be the leader who is NOT ashamed, who is willing to step out and lead by living…
Then you must be well versed in the teachings of Scripture… Dads it is your DUTY to study God’s word so that you can live the life that reflects Christ to your family each and every day.
Regardless of the situation in life… your family is going to look to you for guidance, advice and wisdom. That is your job! However, if you have not studied in God’s Word, then you will be on your own and you can lead your family down the wrong path if you try to do it on your own.
When you study God’s word… have you ever noticed how easy it can be if you take just one verse or a part of a verse… and you can make it apply to almost ANYTHING you want it to…
To be a dad that gains God’s approval, you must teach God’s Word as it is written… Reading and studying God’s Word and t teaching it as it is expected by God to be taught…
For the Bible means what the Bible means… it is not left open to our interpretation! There are many applications and principles we can gather in a certain verse… but those applications and principles can NEVER go against the original meaning of the passage… to do so is heresy!
WE are to study God’s word and then teach it to our family in the RIGHT manner, so that they understand what God is saying!
Dads, we must be capable teachers and consistently virtuous, but another trait that God approves is…
3. A dad who consciously leads his family (v.16)
“…But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness…”
a. Knows what NOT to say…
A dad who is seeking the approval of God and is reading and studying God’s word to teach it correctly is a man who is going to need to know what NOT to teach and what NOT to say!
Dads we must learn to hear God’s Holy Spirit in our lives so that we can discern the time to speak and the time to be quiet…
There is an old saying for those in the ministry… “Pick your battles wisely, don’t fight and die on a hill needlessly…’
Likewise, Dads we have to know when to be quiet and we have to teach our families to know when to be quiet.
When is it time to be quiet? To some people, when to be quiet is a mystery beyond anything they can comprehend. You know these people… they have something to say about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING!
In Ecclesiastes the Bible shares that there is a time for everything under the sun… a time to talk… and a time to be quiet…but so often as believers we fail to recognize when it is time to NOT speak!
We find ourselves arguing over the most petty of things. In the Middle Ages there were priests who would argue over how many angels could fit on the head of a pin…
Even today we find ourselves arguing over things that are really NOT that important, when it comes to the eternal view of things!
Example: A young man came to church and was about to walk in but a deacon stopped him at the door and said… YOU can’t come it wearing that sleeveless t-shirt… this is God’s house…
The young man was about to leave when the Pastor, who had overheard the deacon chastise this young man, came up and said, I believe we can make allowances for this man…he wants to come to church… we are NOT going to turn him away!
The deacon protested with an argument that the clothes were inappropriate for church. The pastor insisted and the young man came in…
Later that night the young man was touched by the message and music and he came forward and gave his life to the Lord. The deacon was so broken when he saw this he ran to the young man and asked his forgiveness…
We argue over the silliest things and when we insist on arguing over them and pushing them to the limit… NOTHING good can come of it…
The Bible tells us in the book of James that the tongue is the most dangerous part of our bodies… and when we use it to the point of where we don’t know when to stop… people are going to get hurt and our witness will suffer!
I am not saying that wearing ragged sleeveless shirts into church is my preference, but if it comes down to them wearing that to church and NOT coming to church… I will choose the ragged shirts in church every time!
Another example of NOT knowing when to stop… is when we use language or conversation that is NOT uplifting to our brothers or sisters in Christ…when we are critical in nature and cutting in our speech!
If your speech is not uplifting, maybe you should go in your prayer closet and pray about what you are going to say before you say it… allow God to lead and guide what you are going to say…
b. Knows why He should NOT be saying it…
Dads we need to know when NOT to speak because we are to be watchful and diligent in our walk… The enemy will use ANY method of getting us to dirty our witness to the world…
We should not say empty words or argue senselessly because it is damaging to our witness for Christ. There are things to stand fast on in the faith… but there are also things that are tradition and when the rubber meets the road… they are NOT crucial to our faith and we need to understand that they are NOT things to argue about… because when we do… we damage our witness!
Dads, we must be capable teachers, consistently virtuous, and conscious leaders but there is yet another trait that God approves and it is…
4. A dad who is continually authentic with his family (v.19)
“…Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness…"
a. The DAD is the foundation of the home…
The dad is the foundation of the home. As we have already seen when there is NOT a dad present, the success rate of the family falls dramatically.
Understand this is not a slight on the children or the single mother who is raising those children… it is simply the order of things as God has made them.
The dad is supposed to be there for his family and is supposed to lead them spiritually, because God has established him as the leader of the home…
Now you younger women here today, you need to understand that it was Adam that was created first and then Eve… Eve was created to be the completion of Adam… Adam was the one tasked by God to bear the burden of the family… Eve was tasked by God to be the helpmate… not the leader!
This doesn’t elevate man over woman… in fact in God’s eyes, according to Scripture man and woman are equal in His sight… But man and woman have differing roles in the nature of things… that is simply the way God created things…
So dads, it is your duty to take the reigns… be authentic with your family by being the leader that God has created you to be…
b. He has the wisdom to know that when you talk the talk, you have to walk the walk
But understand this dads, God has placed you in a position of leadership… but to be there and to succeed you have to live as God has called you to live… to talk the talk…you gotta walk the walk!
Dad, you have to have the wisdom to understand this and lean on God to help you in your time of need… your time of leadership… help you with your family…
c. Guides his family away from sin, not toward it…
And when you allow God to lead you…when you claim Him and walk in Him… God is going to lead you and guide you away from that which will damage your walk and witness for Christ… and that which will damage your family as well…
A Dad who is reading his Bible, praying as he should, and listening to God is a dad who is going to hear God’s warnings and is going to heed those warnings and keep his family out of danger…
Conclusion:
William A. Ward has said, "The mediocre father tells. The good father explains. The superior father demonstrates. The great father inspires.
What kind of dad do you want to be today? I pray that all dads here would seek to be the dad that God approves of…
• A dad who first knows Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior…
• A dad who 2nd is a witness to his family for Christ and is leading them to Him…
• A dad who is teaching his family the Bible and God’s principles so that they would come to know Christ as Savior…
You have heard about what God expects of dads… but really this is what God expects of everyone… but you cannot do it on your own! You will ultimately fail and fall short… the Bible is clear in Rom 3:23 when it says that, “…all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory…”
On our own we fail and fall short of God’s perfection, and because of that we are forever doomed to a hell and eternity outside of the presence of God…
But this morning I want you to know that God does not want that to happen! He has provided a way for your sin to be forgiven… He did this in the person of Jesus Christ!
• Jesus came born of a virgin…
• He lived a perfect life…
• He died on the cross for our sins…
• He was buried and rose again on the 3rd day…
• He is now preparing a place in heaven for ALL who call on Him as Savior…
This morning God is calling you…
