Cross Creek Community Church, Pastor Dave Martin – June 21, 2015
Building a Father
“Father’s Day”Heb 3:4 & Selected
It was in 1966 when Lyndon Johnson signed the proclamation declaring that the third Sunday in June would be set aside as Father's Day, a day when we would recognize and honor and pay tribute to our earthly fathers.
As I look over this building today and I must tell you it is a beautiful sight to see so many of you fathers here, sitting with your families. There is something special about a dad and his children when they are in church together. I heard about a young boy that was sitting with his dad in church and the offering plate was being passed. As they got closer the young boy told his father, don't pay for me, dad, I'm under five.
Then I heard about a little girl who walked out of the service after it was over and she said to the pastor, When I grow up, I'm going to give you some money. The pastor said, Thank you my dear, but why? She said, Because my dad says you are the poorest preacher we ever had.
BUILDER - This morning, Building a Father… Things are moving behind scenes toward our building project…
I read about some men in a pickup truck who drove into a local lumberyard. One of the men walked into the office and said, ’we need some 4x2’s. The clerk said, ’You mean 2x4’s don’t you?’ The man said, not sure I’ll go check, and he went back to his truck and quickly returned and said, “Yeah, I meant 2x4’s.” All right good. How long do you need them? The customer paused for a minute and said, I’d better go check… After alittle while, the customer returned back to the office and said, a long time. We’re gonna build a house!
- Everyone in this room is a builder one way or another… The greatest building we do is with people.
- Whether we know it or not we all influence people for better or worst… toward God or away from God
- Everyone in this room has been built/influenced by your parents or others, now you too are building lives… Your own and those around you… Especially when it come to your family… Impressionable children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews… You are a builder, but God is the greatest builder of all…
Hebrews 3:4 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
- “House” oi-kos – often refers to families, people of God, not a physical house or dwelling… God is Creator, the owner… As good stewards, we manage His property… God grants abilities, skills to build
- For Father’s Day I would like to share a few thoughts about building a father. If I could build a father...
- If I Could… I would Build a Wise Father
- Do we need wisdom today? You bet we do… Maneuvering through this maze called life… Multitude of decisions… Where to live or place to work, school to attend, vehicles to drive, places to shop, vacations to take, friends to have, day to day activities to engage in, church to attend, spiritual activities to pursue… Loving my wife, disciplining my children, thousands of choices we make…
Eph 5:15 15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise,
- True wisdom begins by a personal act of our will to fear the Lord and to run from wicked evil things
Proverbs 14:16 16 A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.
- As we exercise a reverential fear of God, with a cautious lifestyle, we become wise in building…
- In obedience to God’s Word,His operating manual for life… God our Creator, the giver of wisdom
- Wise to build his life and those around him upon a good foundation, Jesus is the Rock
Mt 7:24 24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
- Wise fathers build upon a good foundation rather than foolishly building your life and family upon sand that will collapse when the storms begin to blow… My friend, there will be storms… Wise dad
- If I Could… I would Build a Patient Father
I read a story about a father who became disturbed about the length of time his six-year-old son was taking to get home from school.So the father decided he would make the trip to discover for himself how long it should take a small boy to cover the distance. The father settled on 20 minutes but his son was still taking an hour. Finally the father decided to make the trip with his son.
After the trip, the father said, "The 20 minutes I thought reasonable was right, but I failed to consider such important things as a side trip to track down a trail of ants...or an educational stop to watch a man fix a flat tire...or the time it took to swing around a half dozen telephone poles...or how much time it took for a boy just to get acquainted with two stray dogs and a brown cat.
"In short," said the father, "I had forgotten what it is really like to be six years old."… Listen carefully, it takes great patience to be a good father.
Proverbs 19:11 11 A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
- We are in such a hurry, we have little time for patience… Especially in little lives we are building…
I remember when I was around six years old our neighbor/farmer came by pulling an empty hay wagon heading to a field a distance away… Basil France stopped and wanted to know if I wanted to hop up with some other kids and join them… I sure did and jump up on the wagon and headed to Elston’s field. We were gone for over an hour loading wagon up with hay to take back to the barn… Dropping me off at the house I met my dad & mom… Panic stricken and very distraught and upset because they couldn’t find little Davey… My dad was so happyto see me and then patiently taught me never to do what I did again without asking permission or letting someone know… A lesson I never forgot… A lesson I too tried to build into our family as we raised our children… Patience
1 Thessalonians 5:14 14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
- My dad could have lost it in anger and domination, fracturing the fragile thing called relationships
- He showed humility, gentleness and patience with his little boy who was exploring a big world…
Proverbs 14:29 29 A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
- Patiently slow down and think through the situations… Gaining greater insight and understanding
- I would build a wise father… I would build a patient father… and if I could…
- If I Could… I would Build a Godly Father
- God calls us to live peaceful, quiet lives in all godliness and holiness
1 Timothy 2:1-3 “…Pray… that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
- Fathers often raise our children the same way we were raised by our parents… Sometimes good, sometimes not so good… We often view our heavenly Father in the same way as our earthly father. If we were mistreated being raised, we will have the same tendency to raise our children harshly but sadly we produce in our children a distorted view of God… Mean God rather than a loving God
- The ultimate example of Godliness is the example we see in Christ…
1 Corinthians 11:1 1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
- Jesus knew no sin… Laid His life down for our sins… He is our perfect model to emulate…
- No one is perfect except Christ… Our kids are looking at you dad, they need a Christ like example
The CBS news program “48 Hours” did an investigative report on the children of famous people and how they were influenced by what they saw from their parents while growing up. On this program there was an interview with James Raymond, who is the son of a famous person. You couldn’t identify his famous father by his name, however, because he was adopted shortly after birth.
He was raised by a California family who kept his adoption records sealed until he was 31. That was when James discovered that his natural father is David Crosby of the group Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
James Raymond’s habits, preferences, and attitudes were more closely related to his adoptive parents than his natural father. His behavior and beliefs reflected those of the parents who raised him and what is good came not from ancestry but from what he saw happening in his adoptive parent’s lives… We do affect lives around us… Being an example is apparently more powerful than heritage.
Ephesians 5:1-2 1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
- Building a Godly father begins when we come to God seeking His forgiveness through His Son
- Humbling ourselves before the one whom you will give account to someday… New in Christ
- If I Could… I would Build a Loving Father
1 Corinthians 8:1 1 “… We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”
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. He searched for months 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 that Saturday 800 Pacos showed up, looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers…Jesus said:John 13:34 34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Dr. James Dobson, “Loves isn’t something you buy. Your kids spell it T-I-M-E it costs more than MONEY”
Harmon Killebrew who used to play for the Minn. Twins said, “My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, ‘You’re tearing up the grass.’ Dad would reply, ‘We’re not raising grass, we’re raising boys.’” Wise words from a father!
1 John 4:7-8 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
PICTURE - With a timid voice and idolizing eyes, the little boy greeted his father as he returned home from work, "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"Greatly surprised, but giving his boy a glaring look, the father said: "Look, son, not even your mother knows that. Don’t bother me now, I’m tired.""But Daddy, just tell me please, how much do you make an hour," the boy insisted. The father finally giving up replied: "Twenty dollars per hour." "Okay, Daddy, could you loan me ten dollars?" the boy asked.
Showing restlessness and being disturbed, the father yelled: "So that was the reason you asked how much I earn, right! Go to sleep and don’t bother me anymore!"It was already dark and the father was thinking on what he had said and was feeling guilty. Maybe he thought, his son wanted to buy something. Finally, trying to ease his mind, the father went to his son’s room.
"Are you asleep son?" asked the father. "No, Daddy. Why?" replied the boy almost asleep. "Here’s the money you asked for earlier," the father said. "Thanks, Daddy!" rejoiced the son, while putting his hand under his pillow and removing some more money. "Now I have enough! Now, I have twenty dollars!" the boy said to his father, who was gazing at his son, confused at what his son just said. "Daddy could you sell me one hour of your time?" You spell LOVE, T-I-M-E
Psalms 127:1a 1 Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain…
Heavenly Father, grant your earthly fathers and all your servants…
Greater Wisdom! Greater Patience! Greater Godliness! Greater Love!
This Father’s Day, Let’s build our lives with greater Wisdom, Patience, Godliness and Love
Let’s Pray… Have a “Happy Father’s Day”