Be A Godly Father (Father's Day 2017)

18/06/2017 15:22

 LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE 

Date: 15 June, 2017
Text: Job 1
Title: Be A Godly Father
Theme: Job was a God honoring father who endured in his godliness.
Proposition:
Rhetorical:
Introduction:
 
Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
2  And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
exp. Job certainly qualifies as an example of a father. He has ten children. At the end of the book, God gives him ten more children. (7 sons and 3 daughters.)
exp. God used Job as an example of righteousness.
6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
7  And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
 ill. God used him as an example of righteousness when speaking with Ezekiel about his judgment upon Israel for idolatry.
Eze 14:14  Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 14:20  Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
 
The message this morning - Be a Godly Father (but it could as well be, Wife, Son, Daughter....) You can all have a wonderful spiritual impact on your family if you are a righteous man or woman. Are you a Godly Father this morning? Are you having a positive spiritual impact upon your family?
 
I. A Godly father has a sanctifying influence upon his children.
5  And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them,
exp. These were adult children - they are away from home - but from however far away - Job sends His blessing to His children through his mediation with God on their behalf.
 ill. Paul taught that one saved person has a sanctifying influence in a family.
I Corinthians 7:13  And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
15  But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
16  For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
 exp. None are holy who do not have Jesus Christ in their hearts. But, the best opportunity for unsaed children, spouse or parents to receive Christ - is to see Christ lived before them - to have themselves prayed for by believing family and be introduced to Jesus through the Word of God.
 ill. Hudson Taylor's conversion: (wholesomewords.org) His conversion occurred in this way. On the afternoon of a holiday, whilst looking over some booklets and tracts in his father's library, he came across one which appeared more attractive than the others. He glanced at it, and then sat down to read the story, resolving to omit the application. When he took up the tract, as he himself testified, he was in an utterly unconcerned state, and had made up his mind to lay it down whenever it began to be "prosy."
At the time when he was perusing the little Gospel message, his mother was on her knees in her bedroom, seventy miles distant, pleading with God for the conversion of her only boy. Whilst on a visit to some friends, at the time alluded to, she became so burdened and exercised about Hudson's spiritual and eternal welfare that she turned the key in her bedroom door, and on bended knees, resolved that she would not leave the room until the Lord had saved him.
 ill. James Stewart's conversion:
"'What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?' 
All night and into the following day this question haunted him. Finally, even as he was in the midst of thousands of people, he felt as though he were rushing into hel every time he started toward the goal wiht the ball. Finally he cired out in his heart. 'God God, don't damn my soul! The moment the referree blows the whistle, I'll get saved!' And tue to his word, as soon as the game was over, James knelt where he was in his football togs and gave his entire life to the lord Jesus, bclaiming salvation from sin through His precious shed blood.\'I hurried out of the stadium,' He remembers, 'pas the crowds and ran home to Mother to tell her the wonderful news. When she opened the door I cried, 'Mother, I'm saved! Im saved?' and burst into tears. I was astonished at my mother's lack of excitement. She said quietly, 'Yes, I know. God told me that you wold be saved this week....' My mother had prayed through and had received the witness of theSpirit that her prayers were answered.'"
app. What kind of sanctifying blessing are you SENDING from near or afar? A godly father has a sanctifying influence upon his children.
 
II. A Godly father sacrifices for the spiritual needs of his children.
...and rose up early in the morning, 
 exp. The first thing Job did, which necessitated an early waking hour was to be a mediator with God for His children.
 ill. I've gotten up early to do things at times - but there are always important reasons.
- flying to Ireland - important to be on time at the airport.
- hunting - important to be in the stand before first light.
- traveling by car - important to be outside of NYC before traffic makes it impossible.
- An appointment that I must make - Imortant that I be there on time.
exp. I don't get out of bed - if it isn't important. How important is interceding for your family to you? (Or intercession for your church, your community, your nation, your world....)
ill. Jesus rose early to pray.
Mar 1:35  And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
 app. I wonder how different our families, communties, world would be if we had father's who had to get their feet out of bed to get to their knees in prayer. A GODLY FATHER SACRIFICES FOR THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF HIS CHILDREN.
 
III. A Godly father cares for the spiritual needs of ALL his children.
...and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all:
exp. The sacrifices represented the lamb of God the Lord Jesus Christ. Job pleaded the blood sacrifice for his children and we plead the BLOOD OF JESUS as the sacrifice for our children.
note: He didn't leave a single one of them out of his prayers and sacrifice.
question: Is there anyone too hard against God in your family for which you will not pray? Or to whom you won't speak to plead the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for them? Why won't you? 
question? Are they more hard hearted than the Jesus hater, killer and persecutor of Christians, Saul of Tarsus.
1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
 app. Have we forgotten who God is and denied His power to bring men to Himself?
 ill. Adonirum Judson - Devout atheist until the death of his friend, another devout atheist. God brought Judston to himself. I wonder who was praying in faith for his conversion, seeking to tell him of the blood of the Lamb and having a sanctifying influence upon his life.
app. A Godly father cares for the spiritual needs of ALL His children. Are you praying for all and telling all of the sacrifice that has been offered for them?
 
IV. A Godly father understands the potential for failure in his children.
...for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, 
 exp. Job knew the potential for failure rooted in the hearts of his children. 
We are not told about the spiritual needs of his children other than Job's concern. 
Our hope is that a godly father raised godly children
Pro 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
and yet the potential for failure was there AND IT TROUBLED JOB AND MOTIVATED HIS INTERCESSION AND SACRIFICE.
ill. As a youth pastor, school disciplinarian, I often had to approach parents about the failures of their children. Katie and I were suprised how many times parents refused to see error in the lives of their children. My wife and I were newleyweds at the time and hoped that as we grew our family we would take leaderships side against our children to help our children to follow the Lord.
exp. Many parents make excuse of their children's disobedience and give reasons for it. Not Job - He accepted that his children would fail - BUT RATHER THAN WORRY ABOUT IT - HE LET IT MOTIVATE HIM TO PRAYER AND SACRIFICE FOR THEIR SPIRITUAL BENEFIT.
 app. Do you want some motivation to take you to your knees? Your children could fail spiritually because of your lack of AWARENESS OF THEIR POTENTIAL FOR FAILURE. 
A Godly father understands the potential for failure in His children.
 
V. A Godly father cares about the heart of his children.
...and cursed God in their hearts. 
 exp. Job wasn't prepared to accept what he could see on the outside. He was concerned about WHAT HE COULD NOT SEE ON THE INSIDE.
ill. When you see a robot - what you can't see is what controls it. The motors, gears, computer programming. It's outside responds to what is being controlled internally.
ill: The heart is the spiritual control centre of the life.
Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Matthew 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
no wonder Solomon said to his boys....
Pro 23:26  My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
ill. One of the failures of Christianity has been - teaching a set of rules to make people look like Christians - but failing to reach the heart where men are MADE CHRISTIANS.
 app. Are you concerned about the heart of your children? Or is it ok as long as they get by in obedience and don't cause any significant problems in your family or at church. Will you be suprised when they walk away from God - BECAUSE GOD NEVER HAD THEIR HEART?
A Godly father cares about the heart of his children.
 
VI. A Godly father never stops active involvement in the spiritual well being of his children.
Thus did Job continually.
exp. This wasn't an unusual day in the life of Job (other than the spiritual attack by Satan which is about to take place.) This was the pattern of Job's life. He got up early to intercede for his family and had daily concern for their spiritual well beging.
ill. My wife has just found out - 
that she has homeschooled our children for 10 years and has 15 or so to go. 
If God allows us to live to see it - we will right now have children in our home for around 30 years or longer.
We will have teenagers in our home for 20 of those years.
Then we enter into the grandparent/ parent stage of parenting.
This intercession doesn't end IT JUST CONTINUES WITH GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY.
Ill. Hearing grandma Shore weep in prayer for her grandkids- deeply impacted my life.
app. Job didn't quit....have you? How consistenly are you intereceding and pleading the blood of Christ for your family. How is your sanctifying influence upon your home?
 
conclusion: Job was a father - but more than that - HE WAS A GODLY FATHER.
 
How about you?
 
I. A Godly father has a sanctifying influence upon his children.
 
II. A Godly father sacrifices for the spiritual needs of his children.
 
III. A Godly father cares for the spiritual needs of ALL his children.
 
IV. A Godly father understands the potential for failure in his children.
 
V. A Godly father cares about the heart of his children.
 

 

VI. A Godly father never stops active involvement in the spiritual well being of his children.

Date: 15 June, 2017

Text: Job 1

Title: Be A Godly Father

Theme: Job was a God honoring father who endured in his godliness.

 

Introduction:

 

Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

2  And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

exp. Job certainly qualifies as an example of a father. He has ten children. At the end of the book, God gives him ten more children. (7 sons and 3 daughters.)

exp. God used Job as an example of righteousness.

6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

7  And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

8  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

 ill. God used him as an example of righteousness when speaking with Ezekiel about his judgment upon Israel for idolatry.

Eze 14:14  Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.

Eze 14:20  Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

 

The message this morning - Be a Godly Father (but it could as well be, Wife, Son, Daughter....) You can all have a wonderful spiritual impact on your family if you are a righteous man or woman. Are you a Godly Father this morning? Are you having a positive spiritual impact upon your family?

 

I. A Godly father has a sanctifying influence upon his children.

5  And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them,

exp. These were adult children - they are away from home - but from however far away - Job sends His blessing to His children through his mediation with God on their behalf.

 ill. Paul taught that one saved person has a sanctifying influence in a family.

I Corinthians 7:13  And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

14  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

15  But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

16  For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

 exp. None are holy who do not have Jesus Christ in their hearts. But, the best opportunity for unsaed children, spouse or parents to receive Christ - is to see Christ lived before them - to have themselves prayed for by believing family and be introduced to Jesus through the Word of God.

 ill. Hudson Taylor's conversion: (wholesomewords.org) His conversion occurred in this way. On the afternoon of a holiday, whilst looking over some booklets and tracts in his father's library, he came across one which appeared more attractive than the others. He glanced at it, and then sat down to read the story, resolving to omit the application. When he took up the tract, as he himself testified, he was in an utterly unconcerned state, and had made up his mind to lay it down whenever it began to be "prosy."

At the time when he was perusing the little Gospel message, his mother was on her knees in her bedroom, seventy miles distant, pleading with God for the conversion of her only boy. Whilst on a visit to some friends, at the time alluded to, she became so burdened and exercised about Hudson's spiritual and eternal welfare that she turned the key in her bedroom door, and on bended knees, resolved that she would not leave the room until the Lord had saved him.

 ill. James Stewart's conversion:

"'What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?' 

All night and into the following day this question haunted him. Finally, even as he was in the midst of thousands of people, he felt as though he were rushing into hel every time he started toward the goal wiht the ball. Finally he cired out in his heart. 'God God, don't damn my soul! The moment the referree blows the whistle, I'll get saved!' And tue to his word, as soon as the game was over, James knelt where he was in his football togs and gave his entire life to the lord Jesus, bclaiming salvation from sin through His precious shed blood.\'I hurried out of the stadium,' He remembers, 'pas the crowds and ran home to Mother to tell her the wonderful news. When she opened the door I cried, 'Mother, I'm saved! Im saved?' and burst into tears. I was astonished at my mother's lack of excitement. She said quietly, 'Yes, I know. God told me that you wold be saved this week....' My mother had prayed through and had received the witness of theSpirit that her prayers were answered.'"

app. What kind of sanctifying blessing are you SENDING from near or afar? A godly father has a sanctifying influence upon his children.

 

II. A Godly father sacrifices for the spiritual needs of his children.

...and rose up early in the morning, 

 exp. The first thing Job did, which necessitated an early waking hour was to be a mediator with God for His children.

 ill. I've gotten up early to do things at times - but there are always important reasons.

- flying to Ireland - important to be on time at the airport.

- hunting - important to be in the stand before first light.

- traveling by car - important to be outside of NYC before traffic makes it impossible.

- An appointment that I must make - Imortant that I be there on time.

exp. I don't get out of bed - if it isn't important. How important is interceding for your family to you? (Or intercession for your church, your community, your nation, your world....)

ill. Jesus rose early to pray.

Mar 1:35  And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

 app. I wonder how different our families, communties, world would be if we had father's who had to get their feet out of bed to get to their knees in prayer. A GODLY FATHER SACRIFICES FOR THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF HIS CHILDREN.

 

III. A Godly father cares for the spiritual needs of ALL his children.

...and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all:

exp. The sacrifices represented the lamb of God the Lord Jesus Christ. Job pleaded the blood sacrifice for his children and we plead the BLOOD OF JESUS as the sacrifice for our children.

note: He didn't leave a single one of them out of his prayers and sacrifice.

question: Is there anyone too hard against God in your family for which you will not pray? Or to whom you won't speak to plead the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for them? Why won't you? 

question? Are they more hard hearted than the Jesus hater, killer and persecutor of Christians, Saul of Tarsus.

1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

 app. Have we forgotten who God is and denied His power to bring men to Himself?

 ill. Adonirum Judson - Devout atheist until the death of his friend, another devout atheist. God brought Judston to himself. I wonder who was praying in faith for his conversion, seeking to tell him of the blood of the Lamb and having a sanctifying influence upon his life.

app. A Godly father cares for the spiritual needs of ALL His children. Are you praying for all and telling all of the sacrifice that has been offered for them?

 

IV. A Godly father understands the potential for failure in his children.

...for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, 

 exp. Job knew the potential for failure rooted in the hearts of his children. 

We are not told about the spiritual needs of his children other than Job's concern. 

Our hope is that a godly father raised godly children

Pro 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

and yet the potential for failure was there AND IT TROUBLED JOB AND MOTIVATED HIS INTERCESSION AND SACRIFICE.

ill. As a youth pastor, school disciplinarian, I often had to approach parents about the failures of their children. Katie and I were suprised how many times parents refused to see error in the lives of their children. My wife and I were newleyweds at the time and hoped that as we grew our family we would take leaderships side against our children to help our children to follow the Lord.

exp. Many parents make excuse of their children's disobedience and give reasons for it. Not Job - He accepted that his children would fail - BUT RATHER THAN WORRY ABOUT IT - HE LET IT MOTIVATE HIM TO PRAYER AND SACRIFICE FOR THEIR SPIRITUAL BENEFIT.

 app. Do you want some motivation to take you to your knees? Your children could fail spiritually because of your lack of AWARENESS OF THEIR POTENTIAL FOR FAILURE. 

A Godly father understands the potential for failure in His children.

 

V. A Godly father cares about the heart of his children.

...and cursed God in their hearts. 

 exp. Job wasn't prepared to accept what he could see on the outside. He was concerned about WHAT HE COULD NOT SEE ON THE INSIDE.

ill. When you see a robot - what you can't see is what controls it. The motors, gears, computer programming. It's outside responds to what is being controlled internally.

ill: The heart is the spiritual control centre of the life.

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Matthew 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

no wonder Solomon said to his boys....

Pro 23:26  My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

ill. One of the failures of Christianity has been - teaching a set of rules to make people look like Christians - but failing to reach the heart where men are MADE CHRISTIANS.

 app. Are you concerned about the heart of your children? Or is it ok as long as they get by in obedience and don't cause any significant problems in your family or at church. Will you be suprised when they walk away from God - BECAUSE GOD NEVER HAD THEIR HEART?

A Godly father cares about the heart of his children.

 

VI. A Godly father never stops active involvement in the spiritual well being of his children.

Thus did Job continually.

exp. This wasn't an unusual day in the life of Job (other than the spiritual attack by Satan which is about to take place.) This was the pattern of Job's life. He got up early to intercede for his family and had daily concern for their spiritual well beging.

ill. My wife has just found out - 

that she has homeschooled our children for 10 years and has 15 or so to go. 

If God allows us to live to see it - we will right now have children in our home for around 30 years or longer.

We will have teenagers in our home for 20 of those years.

Then we enter into the grandparent/ parent stage of parenting.

This intercession doesn't end IT JUST CONTINUES WITH GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY.

Ill. Hearing grandma Shore weep in prayer for her grandkids- deeply impacted my life.

app. Job didn't quit....have you? How consistenly are you intereceding and pleading the blood of Christ for your family. How is your sanctifying influence upon your home?

 

conclusion: Job was a father - but more than that - HE WAS A GODLY FATHER.

 

How about you?

 

I. A Godly father has a sanctifying influence upon his children.

 

II. A Godly father sacrifices for the spiritual needs of his children.

 

III. A Godly father cares for the spiritual needs of ALL his children.

 

IV. A Godly father understands the potential for failure in his children.

 

V. A Godly father cares about the heart of his children.

 

 

VI. A Godly father never stops active involvement in the spiritual well being of his children.

Back