A Closer Walk with Thee
Meditations on Christian Doctrine
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The Fearful Father
Sermon Outline
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Acts 20:28
NKJV
In ancient China, the people desired security from the barbaric hordes to the north, so they built the great Chinese wall. It was so high they knew no one could climb over it and so thick that nothing could break it down. They settled back to enjoy their security. During the first 100 years of the wall’s existence, China was invaded three times. Not once did the barbaric hordes break down the wall or climb over the top. Each time they bribed a gatekeeper and then marched right through the gates. The Chinese were so busy relying upon the walls of stone that they forgot to teach integrity to their children.
Are we teaching our children integrity? Do our children respond to life the same way when we are not around – as when we are? Are we endeavoring as Christian Fathers to raise our young ones in the “nurture and admonition of Jesus Christ our Lord”? As Ephesians 6:4 says we must do. "Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Eph_6:4).
Max Jukes lived in New York. He did not believe in Christ or in Christian training. He refused to take his children to church, even when they asked to go. He has had 1,026 descendants-300 were sent to prison for an average term of 13 years each; 190 were public prostitutes; 680 were admitted alcoholics. His family thus far, has cost the state in excess of $420,000. They have made no contribution to society that is of any benefit.
Jonathan Edwards lived in the same state, at the same time as Jukes. He loved the Lord and saw that his children were in church every Sunday, as he served the Lord to the best of his ability. He has had 929 descendants-of these, 430 were ministers; 86 became university presidents; 75 authored good books; five were elected to the United States Congress and two to the Senate. One was Vice-President of this nation. His family never cost the state one cent but has contributed immeasurably to the life of plenty in this land today.
Jonathan Edwards was a man of principle who feared God- do you?
We must be good fathers to our children – Col 3:20
20 lChildren, obey your parents min all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
21 nFathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
Likewise in Ephesians 5:4 we read - And cyou, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but dbring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
The Father is looked upon as the major instructor of a families children in the ways of righteousness.
This instruction extends beyond devotions or Sabbath days and enters into every day life. Each and every moment spent with a child is an opportunity for instruction in righteousness.
Mowing the grass
Fixing the roof
Playing ball
Playing dolls
Confrontation of sin
Confession of personal sin
But we could go on all day about WHAT Fathers should do and WHO Fathers should be and WHEN and WHERE and HOW Fathers should act; We could beg from scripture numerous texts that would show us how to train our children.
Truth is though that a Father is only as good as the Father he serves. Our relationship with the family is only as good as our relationship with God. You cannot impart wisdom you do not possess. You cannot teach that which you have never been taught. You cannot disciple others until you are a disciple – and you cannot live out spiritually what has never been put in.
Mat 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
Think About It
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
Much of Christianity is better caught than taught. For the Christian Father we should not be surprised when we learn that our children “Do as they see and not as we say.”
Today’s exhortation is not one that says: “Here is what you should be doing as a Father” But rather it is a message of “Here is who you should know and please to be a Father.”
But before we begin let’s pray:
Have you responded to Christ’s invitation in Matthew 11:28… Take My yoke upon you dand learn from Me, for I am 6gentle and elowly in heart, fand you will find rest for your souls…
Jesus’ desire has always been that men learn of Him. Today’s text is found in Jeremiah 9:23 et al.
Jeremiah 9:23
e“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his fmight,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But glet him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising loving-kindness, 1judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
hFor in these I delight,” says the Lord.
Near-sighted
A forester near Hamburg, Germany, found an unusual bird’s nest. It was a tiny tin can in which a full-grown cuckoo was imprisoned. Apparently the can had been used by some smaller bird for a nest, and the cuckoo egg had been left there in accordance with the custom of the cuckoo of leaving eggs in other birds’ nests. When the eggs hatched, the foster parents discovered that they had a stranger in their home-a cuckoo. When flying-time came, all were able to leave the nest but the cuckoo who was too large to get through the opening in the can. So the foster parents continued to feed the imprisoned bird who, for lack of exercise, had become so fat that it filled the entire can. Its misery was ended only when the forester opened the can and let the bird out. Many men never fly, spiritually speaking, because they are never able to break the bonds that hold them to the narrow restrictions of the single viewpoint of truth they have chosen. God will break the bonds of the man of faith who deliberately opens his heart and mind to "the whole counsel of God" as found in His Word from Genesis to Revelation.
I. Thus says the Lord: Verse 23
A. e“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom – Skills
B. Let not the mighty man glory in his fmight - Victories
C. Nor let the rich man glory in his riches – Wealth
James 4:13
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow 8we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? rIt is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15Instead you ought to say, s“If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. tAll such boasting is evil.
17Therefore, uto him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
II. Let him who glories glory in this: Verse 24
A. That he understands – in intellect
B. And that he knows Me – Practically walking with Me
C. The Beginning of Knowledge – Proverbs 1
The aproverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
To know wisdom and instruction,
To 1perceive the words of understanding,
To receive the instruction of wisdom,
Justice, judgment, and equity;
To give prudence to the bsimple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion—
cA wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will 2attain wise counsel,
To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their driddles.
eThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
D. The beginning of confidence - Proverbs 14:26
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
tThe fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.
1. You say within your heart, “But O’ that is Old Testament fear,
2. Legalistic
3. Judgmental
4. Surely God has loved us through the cross to a place of no fear.”
5. I am not talking of a fear of damnation – but fear of chastisement, correction, disapproval, separation.
E. Ephesians 5:15-21 talks of Walkng in Wisdom
15 uSee then that you walk 5circumspectly (carefully), not as fools but as wise, 16 vredeeming the time, wbecause the days are evil.
17 xTherefore do not be unwise, but yunderstand zwhat the will of the Lord is. 18 And ado not be drunk with wine, in which is excess; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another bin psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making cmelody in your heart to the Lord, 20 dgiving thanks always for all things to God the Father ein the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 fsubmitting to one another in the fear of 6God.
F. Too many of us fear man more than God. We are more concerned with saving face than we are concerned with living in grace, therefore…
1. We fail to speak the truth in love with our family
2. We fail to confront our family
3. We fail to question our family
4. Or else when we do we are guarded, fearful of failure, sometimes angry in our manner of approach, not considering or fearing God and the fact that He watches all that we do.
G. But the fear of God is healthy and comes with that truth shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
H. Jeremiah 9 tells us why we should fear God…
III. Let him who glories glory in this: That I am the Lord – Jehovah, self-existent One.
1. Exercising – Making and producing
2. Loving-kindness – Without which we could not be called to salvation
3. 1judgment – without which we could not be convicted unto salvation
4. And righteousness in the earth – without which we would be condemned to damnation
5. Fear is a motivator of righteousness. The more we reverence and respect God and His judgments, the more we walk as men of integrity and care for the things of Christ.
B. Therefore as Christian Fathers who have been entrusted with the truth of God’s word we must be faithful to MODEL God’s word.
IV. hFor in these I delight,” says the Lord.
A. In what?
1. Loving-kindness
2. Judgment
3. Righteousness
4. Not just one of these but all of these.
5. Psa 89:14 Justice and judgment [are] the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. Pro 21:3 To do justice and judgment [is] more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
6. Hos 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
7. Mic 6:6-8 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Mic 6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn [for] my transgression, the fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul? Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
V. We must be Men after God’s own heart.
A. Men who know God, Fear God, Seek God, Love God, Live God, Talk God, Walk God, Breathe God And ever know the Happiness of those Who trust in God
B. We close with Psalm 34
1. Men of Praise
I will bbless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
2. Men of Prayer
I csought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
dThe 1angel of the Lord eencamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.
3. Men of Principal
Oh, ftaste and see that the Lord is good;
gBlessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no 2want to those who fear Him.
The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
hBut those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
4. Men of Piety
Come, you children, listen to me;
iI will teach you the fear of the Lord.
jWho is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking kdeceit.
lDepart from evil and do good;
mSeek peace and pursue it.
nThe eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
oThe face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
pTo 3cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and qthe Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
5. Men of Perseverance
rThe Lord is near sto those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as 4have a contrite spirit.
tMany are the afflictions of the righteous,
uBut the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He guards all his bones;
vNot one of them is broken.
wEvil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be 5condemned.
The Lord xredeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
Finish with exhortations to restoring righteousness!
A Call to salvation for those not yet walking with Christ
A call to sanctification for those who are
