FATHER’S LOVE – JUNE 20, 2021

FATHERHOOD AS DESIGNED

Proverbs 20:7 – The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.

“My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” – Clarence Budington Kelland

Who’s Your Daddy?

Biology Is The Least Of What Makes Someone A Father

I. A Father is a source of identity.

• Isaiah 64:8 – But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
• We Need Fathers. Many assert patriarchy is the problem with society, but research suggests absent fathers are the root issue of many of society’s problems.
• The Identity Question – Who Am I?
• Identity – Knowing Who We are in Christ!
• Luke 15:20-24 – ²⁰ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³ And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
• Like Father Like Son – “Like father, like son: every good tree maketh good fruits.” – William Langland
• “To be in your children’s memories tomorrow. You have to be in their lives today.” – Barbara Johnson
• John 14:23 ESV – Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
• John 1:18 ESV – No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

II. A Father Provides

• 1 Timothy 5:8 – But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
• The Father in heaven provides.
  • God, Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering. (Genesis 22:8)
  • Matthew 6:8 –Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
  • Matthew 7:9-11 ESV – ⁹ Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
• A. Material Provision
  • Proverbs 13:22 – A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
  • PROVIDE ADVANCE THINKING AND FORESIGHT
  • To “provide for” is the English translation of the Greek word, “pronoeó”. Pronoeo is made up of two Greek words, 1. “Pró” (“before”) and 2. “noiéō” (“think”).
  • Put these two words together and you have; “to think (plan) before, showing necessary forethought to act properly (in God’s will).”
  • Interesting is the etymology of “provide”. It comes from Latin and almost means the thing as pro-noieo. Pro, again means “before”, just like the Greek. But “vide” from provide comes from the Latin word “VIDEO” which means to “see”. Thus you end up with something like “look ahead” or “foresee”!
  • Fathers think ahead and give vision to the family.
• B. Direction, Guidance, and Vision
  • When fathers lack vision their children lack destiny.
  • Proverbs 22:6 ESV – Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
  • Proverbs 15:5 ESV – A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

III. A Father Corrects and Discipline

• Proverbs 13:24 – Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
• Discipline is not out of anger but of compassion.
  • Psalms 103:13 ESV – As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
  • Ephesians 6:4 ESV – Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
  • Colossians 3:21 ESV – Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
• Fathers are the Discipler of the Family
  • Genesis 18:19 KJV – For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD…
• God is Treating You as Sons
  • Hebrews 12:7-11 – ⁷ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. ¹¹ For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
• 1. What father does not discipline his son?
• 2. A father earns respect through discipline.
• 3. Discipline should be painful (It is not easy)

IV. A Father Loves Unconditionally

• Unconditional and Unreserved Father’s Love
  • Psalms 103:13 – As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
  • Romans 5:8 – But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
  • John 3:16 – For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
• Christ shared with the Father’s Love
  • Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
• Sharing with the Love of the Father
  • 1 John 3:16-20 – ¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

God knows our weaknesses and still loves us.

The Story of a Father’s Love

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPCK4THZtng&ab_channel=reinamendoza
• A Father’s Love – Dick and Rick Hoyt
• Of all the races Mr. Hoyt ran, he completed only one marathon without his son. “I don’t have the desire to do it without him,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 1986. “I’d rather be out there doing it with Rick.”
• Rick Hoyt: “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.”

INTO THE ARMS OF A STRONG HEAVENLY FATHER