FATHER'S
DAY
STATEMENT 1: TODAY we observe Father's Day.
I'm sure everyone of us wants to be a good
Father and Grandfather.
A. Read Father ideas about dating
B. We have to go to the Bible to know what
Fathers and sons are to be like.
C. Bible gives us great illustrations
Mark 14:36 And he said, Abba, Father, all
things [are] possible unto thee; take away
this cup from me: nevertheless not what I
will, but what thou wilt.
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father.
Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God
hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into
your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
A. Abba-Arabic word meaning Daddy.
B. FATHERS SHOULD BE DAD'S
1. Any man can be a Father, but it
takes a special person to be called Dad.
WHAT MAKES A DAD?
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad
Author is unknown
THE MARINES SAY THAT THEY WANT A FEW GOOD MEN,
TODAY GOD WANTS GODLY MEN. GODLY FATHERS AND
DADS AND GRANDFATHERS AND GRANDDADS.
A. GODLY FATHERS ARE IN CRITICAL DEMAND TODAY.
1. HERE'S WHY:
A. 50% Divorce rate
B. Media, Entertainment industry, are
hostile to traditional family values.
E. Aborting 1.5 MILLION babies annually
G. Public education has become dangerous
I. Godly male leadership in our homes is
fast disappearing.
J. We are the industrialized world's most
violent society.
2. QUESTION: Why is all of this happening?
Why is the preciousness of family life as
we know it disappearing. Why is it
disengrating? Who is to blame? Where does
the responsibility lie?
A. Gov't; schools; media; television violent
nintendo games.
B. Not altogether to blame,not responsible.
3. Father's, Grandfather's we are to blame?
A. Because God the Father says so.
1. TEXT: Ephesians 6:4 "And, ye fathers,
provoke not your children to wrath:
but bring them up in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord."
4. American needs a major spiritual awakening
among its Fathers and grandfathers.
Text: Luke 15:11-24
Introduction:
Of all the fathers we find in the Bible, this
man is portrayed as a Godlly Father. We know
very little about him other than he was the one
that Jesus chose to use to illustrate to us the
relationship of the child of God to the
Heavenly Father and the Father to the child.
1. Had two sons, One was called prodical.
2. Really both sons had their problems
A. Today we want to focus on the Father
3. APPROACHABLE FATHER. v12-18
A. The family history is unknown.
1. There is an indication that they were
a wealthy family
B. THE YOUNGER SON HAD DREAMS:
1. He wanted to travel and see things he
had never seen before.
2. He wanted to go to the far country.
a. He dreamed of a great task, but
found great temptation.
b. He dreamed of adventure, but
instead he found agony.
c. He dreamed of prestige, but he
found poverty.
d. He dreamed of romance, but he wound
up in rags.
e. He dreamed of happiness, but found
himself in the hog pen.
C. APPEARS OLDER SON WAS MANAGER
1. He probably was a hard taskmaster
2. Being brothers sometimes difficult
3. Notice younger son came to the Father
4. Some would have slipped away without
talking with his Father.
a. He had Fathers permission to go.
5. Still others might have gotten
someone else to intercede for them.
D. THIS FATHER WAS APPROACHABLE BY HIS SONS
1. DADS we need to be approachable.
2. Can your children come to you about
anything?
3. Have you made yourself available to
them?
4. Our Heavenly Father is very
approachable by those who need Him.
4. HE WAS A SPIRITUAL FATHER. v18
A. When his son thought about what he had
done he realized that he had sinned.
1. That means dad had taught him right.
2. Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in
the way he should go; and when he is
old, he will not depart
3. The responsibility for child rearing
rests upon the shoulder of the
parents, not the school, and NOT THE
GOVERNMENT.
4. However, there is no guarantees!
5. Our children have freedom to choose
the way they take in life.
6. Hopefully they have been guided by
Spiritual Fathers.
7. If your children are serving God,
thank God for it and be an
encouragement to them.
7. If they aren't walking for the Lord,
pray for them and do your best to
influence them for Christ.
B. The son associated heaven with his
father.
1. He could not be reminded of God
without remembering his father.
2. What an impact that father had on
his son.
3. Fathers, are we making the proper
impression on our children?
4. Have our children been taught how
to pray by listening to us?
5. Have we taught them to love God's
Word?
6. If we don't, who will?
5. AFFECTIONATE FATHER. v20
A. Real Dad's aren't afraid to show their
emotions.
1. Too many men think that it isn't manly
to weep.
2. Jesus wept often!
B. We see his look of love. v20
1. The father had been looking for his
son to return.
2. When he saw him, he ran and hugged and
kissed him.
3. What a beautiful picture...God longs
for us to come home to Him
4. Do you need to come to God this
morning?
5. Have you been wasting your life in the
far country of sin?
C. This father pictures for us the love and
Compassion of our Heavenly Father.
1. It also pictures the love of Abba
Father. A true daddy Father.
Conclusion:
The father didn't care about how long his son
had been away, now he was home. He didn't care
about smell of the swine, now he was home.
What a challenge to all of us this morning. To
be a dad or granddad like the dad in this bible
If you have drifted away from God for whatever
the reason, why not come home today? God is
waiting to receive you this morning. Will you
come? He will make a great Dad out of you. | 