For reasons perhaps not so obvious to a few who read this blog (though obvious to most others) I have reflected a lot the last couple of weeks on the impact of a faithful and godly father. I was blessed to have had one for 29 years and now hope that I can use his example to be one myself. This might seem to be an abnormal time to share a sermon about fathers. It’s not June after all. However, I have become convinced that we need to spend more time honoring our godly parents while we have them, and thus this week’s Sunday Sermon Starter:
Title: Faithful Fathers of Our Flesh
Text: Hebrews 12:7-11
Main Point: A problem that many people struggle with in life is perspective. We do not always approach life with a proper perspective of what our priorities should be until after the fact. This is because we rely too much on personal experience to make these types of conclusions and such lessons demand success or failure to learn. For this reason the lessons from experience are often not learned until it’s too late to do anything about it. God knew that and dictated the terms of successful fatherhood from His own experience (refer to text). Now these are not necessarily pleasant aspects of fatherhood, but they are necessary to avoid losing our children to the whims of the world. We should be thankful for such fathers who are committed to godly traits and show them the proper respect.
Discussion Points:
§ A Faithful Father Chastises His Children – Children are going to make mistakes. Childhood is marked by inexperience and immaturity. These are natural. However, while it is unpleasant to have to tell someone, even a child, that they are wrong it is a necessary responsibility in life. In 1 Corinthians 13:11 Paul was making a much broader point than the folly of childhood, but he used the folly of childhood to illustrate it. Childish behavior is not necessarily something that is naturally outgrown. You would think it is but we all know people well into their adult years who still act in childish ways. The only way that childish behavior can be properly addressed it to first chastise it. To chastise something is to point out its folly. It’s a process of education, letting the person know that they have done something wrong. Without that chastisement we wander lost without clear direction for how we are to improve and grow in life. That reproof must come at the hands of godly parents and fathers must take the lead. In fact, chastisement is so ingrained in proper parenting that without it Hebrews 12:8 says that we are not legitimate children but viewed as illegitimate castoffs. Fathers, unless we are willing to tell our children when they are wrong we should not be surprised if they do not grow up not knowing when they are. In hindsight aren’t we thankful for godly fathers who chastised us when we needed it?
§ A Faithful Father Corrects His Children – It’s not just enough to tell someone they are wrong unless we can help them determine what they must do to make it right. When children are scolded without any clear direction for the future it is counterproductive to the purpose. When we obey God we must repent and repentance demands correction for our misdeeds. We must correct our lives according to the direction God has provided. Good, godly parents react in the pattern of God the Father – they point out the problem and then proceed to offer clear direction for the future (Hebrews 12:9; Ephesians 6:2-3; Proverbs 3:1-2). Will this demand moments that are uncomfortable? Yes! Will we have to press the limits of our patience in dealing with sarcasm, smart aleckedness, and outright spite? Yes! But do the terms of godly fatherhood demand it? Absolutely!
§ A Faithful Father is Credited by His Children – All of the discipline in the world will not do any good if we do not respect it. Hebrews 12:9 – the decisions of godly fathers and mothers deserve our reverence. Ephesians 6:1-2 – childhood is often viewed as a period of whim and innocence but childhood includes responsibility, the primary of which is obedience. Credit must be given where credit is due. Children should love and show appreciation toward their parents for godly direction while it is being given for it to have the greatest effect.
Too often parents do not see the urgency of their children’s younger years and waste them with other activities viewed as more important. I thank God that mine did.
-Andy Brewer