What A Father Does ...

What a Father Does

Ephesians 6:4

… Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. [NKJV]

OPENING REMARKS:

A. Father’s Day

.. Today is Father’s Day.

1. Observe

. This day we honor and remember those men in our lives who are or were a father to us.

. Some call these men “Father,” some call him “Pops,” some call him “Dad” or “Daddy,” and still others just call them by their name or perhaps even as my son often calls me – “Big Guy.”

. No matter how you address this man in your life – it is hoped, especially today, that you can honor him and pray that God will give him wisdom in being a father.

2. Understand

. We do not honor fathers today simply because we honored our mothers last month.

. We do not honor fathers today because Sonora Dodd first came up with the idea in 1901.

. We do not honor fathers today because President Calvin Coolidge promoted the day as a national observance in 1924.

. We do not honor fathers today because President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father’s Day.

. We do not honor fathers today because President Nixon made it a national holiday.

. Instead, we honor fathers today because they have had a key role in our lives and we are grateful for all of their sacrifice on our behalf. ----- [Kemuel Travis, Sermon: A Godly Father, www.SermonCentral.com, downloaded 03 June 08 (adapted).] -----

B. Celebration Time

.. If you are like most for this day – you buy dad a card and sometimes a gift.

.. Many have a cookout or dad is treated to a meal at a restaurant w/o having to pay.

.. If your father has passed on – some will put flowers on his grave, others will just reminisce/smile.

NOTE: No matter how you celebrate this day – your focus is to honor your father.

C. Where do you fit in:

Mark Twain

When I was a boy of 14 my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in 7 years. ----- [Steve Shepherd, Sermon: Father’s Day 2000, www.SermonCentral.com, downloaded 03, June 08.] -----

.. Dad viewed over the years –

Age 1-3 Dad gets a nice gift & card that his wife has bought for their child.

Age 4-7 Dad gets a crayon drawn card & a novelty gift from the child.

Age 8-10 Dad gets a funny card along with a useful gift–handkerchiefs or a tie.

Age 11-13 Dad gets a funny card and a gift his wife knows he wants.

Age 14-15 Dad gets a funny card and sometimes a gift.

Age 16-19 Dad gets a I’m sorry | I did not have any money this year!

Age 20-30 Dad gets a “What would you like for me to buy you?”

Age 31-50 Dad gets a card, a shirt or perhaps a nice tie | a phone call if he is not near.

Age 50 + Dad gets a I sure do miss him – I wish I could talk to him today.

NOTE: Remember the gift is not important – BUT / “Treatment”| “Honor” | “Respect” are:

Exodus 20:12 – (cf. Ephesians 6:1-3)

Honor your father and mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.”

D. Dads get a bad rap today –

.. Post-Modern Culture view – men are portrayed in a non-flattering way:

. They are made to look like bumbling idiots in TV sitcoms and on commercials.

. Women’s organizations say that dads are not needed – they teach that a woman can do just as good of a job or perhaps even better at raising a family w/o a man and science has helped to promote that thought greatly by investigating ways for women to conceive w/o a man.

. Often dads are displayed as being self-centered, uncaring, selfish, and especially unloving when it comes to children. They are portrayed as someone that the children can not trust to keep their word. They are seen to be behaving badly and are not a good role model for kids.

.. However, this is not reality – the majority of dads are usually very good fathers.

. We may think that they are weird by the things they wear, that they lack emotion when we are excited, that they are always complaining when we want, or that they seem to be always someplace else in their minds, when we engage them – but all in all for most fathers – when your situation calls for no other person to look to for help – dad is the one who is there. Kids love their moms, but usually it is dad they look to for their help – this is because most dads are very good fathers and are extremely proud of their children with a special love for them that only a father can know.