[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 21st of June, 2015. Look for the video on our Vimeo channel, http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]
The past few weeks I’ve looked into the matter of service, and specifically in serving God. In every instance, all the forms of service we’ve looked at are based on one thing: love. And it all starts with our Father’s love.
This brings us to today, and to our observance of fatherhood, an institution that has drastically decayed in American society for too many years now. Listen and follow along as I read from the 1st letter the Apostle Paul sent to the church in Corinth, chapter 13 verses 1 through 8, reading from the New Living Translation of our Bible…
This brings us to today, and to our observance of fatherhood, an institution that has drastically decayed in American society for too many years now. Listen and follow along as I read from the 1st letter the Apostle Paul sent to the church in Corinth, chapter 13 verses 1 through 8, reading from the New Living Translation of our Bible…
1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!
--1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (NLT)
Let us pray… Lord God, our Father who sits on high, we come before You this Father’s Day in the name of Your Son Jesus and under the power of Your Holy Spirit that we might hear Your message and better understand Your will for us. Thank You, Father, for always being with us. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
The following appeared in the October 15, 1992 issue of the magazine Bits & Pieces:
There's a Spanish story of a father and son who had become estranged. The son ran away, and the father set off to find him. The father searched for months and months, but to no avail. Finally, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper. The ad read: “Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father.” On Saturday at noon, 800 Paco’s showed up, all looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers.
Haven’t we all looked to our fathers for love and, yes, at times, forgiveness, for understanding and encouragement, for help and strength when we need it most? We still have a Father willing to do all that for us, and more. The Apostle John, in the 1st sentence of the 3rd chapter of his first letter to the early Christians, shared this amazing blessing…
The following appeared in the October 15, 1992 issue of the magazine Bits & Pieces:
There's a Spanish story of a father and son who had become estranged. The son ran away, and the father set off to find him. The father searched for months and months, but to no avail. Finally, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper. The ad read: “Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father.” On Saturday at noon, 800 Paco’s showed up, all looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers.
Haven’t we all looked to our fathers for love and, yes, at times, forgiveness, for understanding and encouragement, for help and strength when we need it most? We still have a Father willing to do all that for us, and more. The Apostle John, in the 1st sentence of the 3rd chapter of his first letter to the early Christians, shared this amazing blessing…
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!
--1 John 3:1a (NKJV)
Fathers can be sort of an enigma, a puzzle, can’t they. Generally, our mothers tend to raise us, to nurture us. The humor columnist Erma Bombeck once described her father as the one who went off to work each day, who mowed the lawn, who drove the car around to pick everyone else up close to the door when it was raining, the one who took all the pictures but was seldom in any, the one who could open the jar of pickles and who wasn’t afraid to go down into the basement alone.
Fathers are that, but so much more. Or at least they should be.
In his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 6 verses 1 through 4, the Apostle Paul reiterates God’s command to children, but adds a very important instruction to parents, and especially appropriate for fathers…
Fathers are that, but so much more. Or at least they should be.
In his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 6 verses 1 through 4, the Apostle Paul reiterates God’s command to children, but adds a very important instruction to parents, and especially appropriate for fathers…
1 Children, you belong to the Lord, and you do the right thing when you obey your parents. The first commandment with a promise says, 2 “Obey your father and your mother, 3 and you will have a long and happy life.”
4 Parents, don’t be hard on your children. Raise them properly. Teach them and instruct them about the Lord.
--Ephesians 6:1-4 (CEV)
Did you catch that last part, fathers? “Teach your children and instruct them about the Lord.” How do we best teach but by example? If a picture is worth a thousand words, then an example must be worth a thousand pictures. But what kind of example should we set?
If we accept that our Bible is our user’s manual for life on this earth, then, Fathers, the first step we should follow can be found in the Book of Joshua, chapter 22, verse 5…
If we accept that our Bible is our user’s manual for life on this earth, then, Fathers, the first step we should follow can be found in the Book of Joshua, chapter 22, verse 5…
5 “But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
--Joshua 22:5 (NKJV)
The prophet Micah puts it pretty simply, in chapter 6 verse 8 of his book…
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
--Micah 6:8 (NKJV)
If we are to be called men of God, we are to seek justice and do what is right. We are to love mercy and extend it to others. And we are to walk humbly with God, following His example, keeping His commandments, serving Him with all our heart and soul. If we do this, we’ll be well on the way to being better fathers.
Now I will grant you that parenthood is not for the faint of heart. Fatherhood in itself requires a special kind of courage. But you know, courage has nothing to do with the absence of fear. In fact, World War I American fighter ace and war hero Eddie Rickenbacker once said, “Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”
I’ve always been deathly afraid of snakes. My father was terrified of them and he passed that irrational fear along to me at a very early age. I was determine not to repeat that mistake with my own child.
I remember quite well one sunny summer day when I was lying on the ground working beneath my old car. I heard my daughter, who would have been around 4 or 5 or 6 at the time, chattering away as she approached the car and I could see her little legs and feet when she got near the front bumper. And then she innocently uttered words that turned my blood cold: “Daddy? Is that a snake?”
I froze, the terror welling up inside me – my “fight or flight” instinct kicking into high gear. I calmed myself enough to pull my head out and glance down where she was pointing, just a few feet from where I lay. Sure enough, there was a small green garter snake obliviously slithering away.
My heart started beating again and I said, “Yes, Sweetie, that’s a snake”, as I tucked my head back under the car and resumed my work, now trembling from the adrenaline rush and sweating as the fear slowly evaporated.
By Eddie Rickenbacker’s terms, I believe that was a display of courage. But to be a father as God intended, as He shows us by example, requires a much greater courage than not freaking out over a nearby snake.
Before we started our service, I had our guys in the A/V booth play a little clip from the movie, “Courageous”. If you haven’t seen that movie, I would highly recommend it – maybe we can show it for a movie night some evening. In the clip you saw four men, four fathers, promising to live up to the resolution they had each just signed. I’d like to read that resolution to you now …
I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.
I will love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.
I will be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ died for me.
I will bless my children and teach them to love God with all their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.
I will train them to honor authority and live responsibly.
I will confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.
I will pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.
I will work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.
I will forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.
I will learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.
I will seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.
I will courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.
And at the end is another quote from Joshua, chapter 24, verse 15: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
I will courageously work with the strength God provides… That is faith in action – being scared, but trusting in God to provide the strength and encouragement needed to fulfill this resolution or any other task in life.
The role of fathers in modern society has been reduced to nearly absurd levels. In our lifetime we’ve gone from the wisdom of “Father Knows Best” to the likes of Homer on “The Simpsons”. In television shows and the movies, fathers are generally a character for the kids to make fun of or an impediment to get around so they can do what they want to do.
More and more children live in fatherless households. Who sets the example for them? Who shows them how a man is supposed to live, how a man is supposed to treat a woman, how a man is supposed to take care of his family? Can we count on television and movies to do a good job of setting the proper example? Well, we could if all movies were like “Courageous”. I have one more short clip to show…
[* The last speech at the end of the movie. *]
There was a very key line in there for most of us men here today. Not only can the ideals espoused by this resolution be applied to our own children, but there is another call to action there: To love and mentor others who have no father in their lives but who desperately need help and direction.
It all goes back to today’s scripture reading, starting with verses 1 through 3: If I could speak all languages of earth and angels, if I had the gift of prophecy and understood all of God’s plans and possessed all knowledge, if I gave everything to the poor, even sacrificed my own body, if I could lay claim to all of this but had no love in my heart for others, then it would all be for nothing, I would gain nothing, I would have nothing.
Then verses 4 through 7 definitely describe a true father’s love: A father’s love is patient and kind. It is not jealous or possessive or demanding. It is not boastful or proud or rude or irritable. It forgets when it is wronged and rejoices when truth and righteousness win out. A father’s love never gives up, it never loses faith. It is always hopeful and endures no matter what. Everything else may fade with time, but a father’s love will last forever.
Our Father in heaven sets the very example of love that Paul described. This resolution is modeled after that love, our Father’s love. Any man can join in on this resolution – fathers, grandfathers, never-been-fathers.
Are you willing and courageous? Who will sign this promise and pledge, before your family and before God? Who will join this effort to teach our children and instruct them about the Lord? Who will accept the role and responsibility God has given us? Who will answer the call to action? Who will?
So where are you men of courage? Where are you fathers who fear the Lord? It’s time to rise up and answer the call that God has issued to us. And to say, “I will”. I will.
I will!
Amen.
Let us pray… Heavenly Father, we come before You this Father’s Day to honor You and all our earthly fathers, whether they are with us or not. We know that You are always with us, Father, and always will be, no matter what. Please help us remember that, Lord, when we are most in need of a father’s love and understanding.
Father God, we need Your love and forgiveness. We need Your strength and encouragement. We need Your understanding and guidance. We need You to be our Father, always at our side.
Holy Father, You know we all have faults. Our earthly fathers are and were not perfect. We that are fathers are not perfect. Only You, Lord, and Your Son Jesus, are perfect in every way. Help us to always follow Your example in dealing with our children, our grandchildren, and any others we interact with each day. And help us understand, Lord, that if we are all Your children, all we who believe in Your Son Jesus, then we are all brothers and sisters. And in a way, we are all mothers and fathers to those who need one. Help us men, Lord, be the kind of man You want us to be. Help us be good fathers, to our children and to those who need a father’s influence in their lives. Help us be better sons to all those who stand as our fathers. And help us be better husbands to our wives and to all those who need the help and support a man can give. Help us accept the full responsibility You have given us, Lord.
Hear us now, please Father, as we pray to You silently in the quiet, seeking Your strength, Your resolve, Your guidance...
Lord let us serve You, and let us lead our households in service to You. Let us show Your love by loving others. Let us be the very best fathers, following Your wonderful example. And let us make every day Father’s Day, not in celebration of ourselves but in worship of You. This in the holiest name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Now I will grant you that parenthood is not for the faint of heart. Fatherhood in itself requires a special kind of courage. But you know, courage has nothing to do with the absence of fear. In fact, World War I American fighter ace and war hero Eddie Rickenbacker once said, “Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”
I’ve always been deathly afraid of snakes. My father was terrified of them and he passed that irrational fear along to me at a very early age. I was determine not to repeat that mistake with my own child.
I remember quite well one sunny summer day when I was lying on the ground working beneath my old car. I heard my daughter, who would have been around 4 or 5 or 6 at the time, chattering away as she approached the car and I could see her little legs and feet when she got near the front bumper. And then she innocently uttered words that turned my blood cold: “Daddy? Is that a snake?”
I froze, the terror welling up inside me – my “fight or flight” instinct kicking into high gear. I calmed myself enough to pull my head out and glance down where she was pointing, just a few feet from where I lay. Sure enough, there was a small green garter snake obliviously slithering away.
My heart started beating again and I said, “Yes, Sweetie, that’s a snake”, as I tucked my head back under the car and resumed my work, now trembling from the adrenaline rush and sweating as the fear slowly evaporated.
By Eddie Rickenbacker’s terms, I believe that was a display of courage. But to be a father as God intended, as He shows us by example, requires a much greater courage than not freaking out over a nearby snake.
Before we started our service, I had our guys in the A/V booth play a little clip from the movie, “Courageous”. If you haven’t seen that movie, I would highly recommend it – maybe we can show it for a movie night some evening. In the clip you saw four men, four fathers, promising to live up to the resolution they had each just signed. I’d like to read that resolution to you now …
I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.
I will love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.
I will be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ died for me.
I will bless my children and teach them to love God with all their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.
I will train them to honor authority and live responsibly.
I will confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.
I will pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.
I will work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.
I will forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.
I will learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.
I will seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.
I will courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.
And at the end is another quote from Joshua, chapter 24, verse 15: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
I will courageously work with the strength God provides… That is faith in action – being scared, but trusting in God to provide the strength and encouragement needed to fulfill this resolution or any other task in life.
The role of fathers in modern society has been reduced to nearly absurd levels. In our lifetime we’ve gone from the wisdom of “Father Knows Best” to the likes of Homer on “The Simpsons”. In television shows and the movies, fathers are generally a character for the kids to make fun of or an impediment to get around so they can do what they want to do.
More and more children live in fatherless households. Who sets the example for them? Who shows them how a man is supposed to live, how a man is supposed to treat a woman, how a man is supposed to take care of his family? Can we count on television and movies to do a good job of setting the proper example? Well, we could if all movies were like “Courageous”. I have one more short clip to show…
[* The last speech at the end of the movie. *]
There was a very key line in there for most of us men here today. Not only can the ideals espoused by this resolution be applied to our own children, but there is another call to action there: To love and mentor others who have no father in their lives but who desperately need help and direction.
It all goes back to today’s scripture reading, starting with verses 1 through 3: If I could speak all languages of earth and angels, if I had the gift of prophecy and understood all of God’s plans and possessed all knowledge, if I gave everything to the poor, even sacrificed my own body, if I could lay claim to all of this but had no love in my heart for others, then it would all be for nothing, I would gain nothing, I would have nothing.
Then verses 4 through 7 definitely describe a true father’s love: A father’s love is patient and kind. It is not jealous or possessive or demanding. It is not boastful or proud or rude or irritable. It forgets when it is wronged and rejoices when truth and righteousness win out. A father’s love never gives up, it never loses faith. It is always hopeful and endures no matter what. Everything else may fade with time, but a father’s love will last forever.
Our Father in heaven sets the very example of love that Paul described. This resolution is modeled after that love, our Father’s love. Any man can join in on this resolution – fathers, grandfathers, never-been-fathers.
Are you willing and courageous? Who will sign this promise and pledge, before your family and before God? Who will join this effort to teach our children and instruct them about the Lord? Who will accept the role and responsibility God has given us? Who will answer the call to action? Who will?
So where are you men of courage? Where are you fathers who fear the Lord? It’s time to rise up and answer the call that God has issued to us. And to say, “I will”. I will.
I will!
Amen.
Let us pray… Heavenly Father, we come before You this Father’s Day to honor You and all our earthly fathers, whether they are with us or not. We know that You are always with us, Father, and always will be, no matter what. Please help us remember that, Lord, when we are most in need of a father’s love and understanding.
Father God, we need Your love and forgiveness. We need Your strength and encouragement. We need Your understanding and guidance. We need You to be our Father, always at our side.
Holy Father, You know we all have faults. Our earthly fathers are and were not perfect. We that are fathers are not perfect. Only You, Lord, and Your Son Jesus, are perfect in every way. Help us to always follow Your example in dealing with our children, our grandchildren, and any others we interact with each day. And help us understand, Lord, that if we are all Your children, all we who believe in Your Son Jesus, then we are all brothers and sisters. And in a way, we are all mothers and fathers to those who need one. Help us men, Lord, be the kind of man You want us to be. Help us be good fathers, to our children and to those who need a father’s influence in their lives. Help us be better sons to all those who stand as our fathers. And help us be better husbands to our wives and to all those who need the help and support a man can give. Help us accept the full responsibility You have given us, Lord.
Hear us now, please Father, as we pray to You silently in the quiet, seeking Your strength, Your resolve, Your guidance...
Lord let us serve You, and let us lead our households in service to You. Let us show Your love by loving others. Let us be the very best fathers, following Your wonderful example. And let us make every day Father’s Day, not in celebration of ourselves but in worship of You. This in the holiest name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
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