OceanSide church of Christ

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GOD, THE PERFECT FATHER

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Being a father is one of the most important roles in the world.

1.     It involves more than merely fathering a child.

2.    It involves more than paying child support.

3.     It involves more than maintaining a residence for children until they turn 18 years old.

 

B.   Most dads understand these things.

1.     They are trying to be the best they can be.

2.    However, they know they fall short.  They know they could do better.

3.     They want to do better.

 

C.   What better way to become an improved father than by following the ultimate example of fatherhood, God the Father.

 

D.   We invite your attention to the early chapters of Genesis.  God had created Adam and Eve.  He was their Father.  In fact, Luke 3:38 refers to Adam as “the son of God.”

 

I.          GOD WAS A FATHER WHO PROVIDED

 

A.   God made certain that the basic needs of His children were covered.

1.     A home:  the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:8)

2.    Food:  The herbs and fruit trees (Gen. 1:29)

3.     Water:  A river went out of Eden (Gen. 2:10)

 

B.   Fathers, be good providers (I Tim. 5:8).

 

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

 

C.   NOTE:  God provided the basics.  The extras, the luxuries, the wants and desires often cause undue burden upon the father.  Too many hours at work and too many jobs bring harm to his home.

 

 

 

II.        GOD WAS A FATHER WHO HAD EXPECTATIONS

 

A.   Man was not put in the Garden of Eden with no responsibilities (Gen. 2:15).

 

And the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

 

1.     God could have taken care of the garden by Himself, but He did not.

2.    God placed that burden upon His children.

 

B.   Dads are wise to put expectations upon their children from a young age.

1.     Proper care of clothes

2.    Ordering of room

3.     Assistance with household chores

4.    A part-time job when the child gets old enough

5.    School work

 

C.   Not having expectations makes the child lazy, self-centered, and dependent upon others (Prov. 10:26).

 

As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

 

III.      GOD WAS A FATHER WHO SET LIMITS

 

A.   Limits are boundaries that children should not cross.  While they are young, we refer to these as “no-no’s.”

 

B.   God set limits with Adam and Eve (Gen. 2:16-17).

 

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:  for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

C.   Every child needs limits set upon his life:  bedtimes, curfews, TV, computer, cell phones, clothing, and types of friends.

 

D.   NOTE:  God’s rules came with consequences attached.

1.     …for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

2.    All “good” rules have the consequences attached.

3.     The child has the choice to follow the rule or receive the consequence.

 

IV.       GOD WAS A FATHER WHO SPENT TIME WITH HIS CHILDREN

 

A.   Genesis 3:8

 

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…

 

1.     In this verse, we see that God made His presence felt within the garden.

2.    Deism states that God created the Universe and then withdrew Himself to a far, distant place with little, if any, contact with His creation.

3.     Not so.  God was concerned about His children and spent time among them.

 

B.   Reports on the amount of time fathers spend with their children.

1.     49 minutes per day                      6.5 hours per week

2.    In divorced homes, this statistic is drastically reduced:

a.    Approximately 34% of children live apart from their fathers.

b.    Of these, 40% have not seen their father in one year.  (FL statistics)

 

C.   If parents are going to truly influence their children, they must spend significant amounts of time with them.

1.     We have been duped into a distinction between “quality time” and “quantity of time.”

2.    A person cannot miraculously produce quality time.  Quality time comes within the context of quantity of time.

 

D.   Ephesians 5:16

 

Redeeming the time because the days are evil.

 

V.        GOD WAS A FATHER WHO HELD HIS CHILDREN ACCOUNTABLE

 

A.   God had made the rule for His children:  If you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall die.

 

B.   As a good parent, God held His children accountable.

1.     Genesis 3:9-11

 

And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.  And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked?  Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

 

2.    Points about God’s accountability:

a.    It came with immediate consequences, not second and third chances.

b.    It involved everyone who was involved in the sin:  Adam, Eve, and Satan.

 

C.   Fathers must hold their children accountable.  It is a matter of love for their children (Prov. 13:24).

 

His that spareth the rod hateth his son:  he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

 

VI.       GOD WAS A FATHER WHO GAVE HIS CHILDREN HOPE

 

A.   The hope God gave His children was a Messianic prophecy (Gen. 3:15).

 

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her see, it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

 

1.     This is the first prophecy concerning Jesus Christ in the Bible.

2.    Jesus is “the seed” of the woman.

3.     Satan would bruise the heel of Jesus.

4.    Jesus would bruise the head of Satan.

a.    Here is the hope.

b.    Jesus would strike a crushing blow to Satan.  This would occur when Jesus was raised from the dead.

 

B.   Fathers need to provide hope for their children.

1.     Hope is expressed in our desires and expectations.

2.    Hope is provided by our assistance and guidance.

3.     Hope is found in words of encouragement.

4.    Hope is found in praise for work well done.

 

C.   Colossians 3:21

 

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   God placed fathers in and over the home for a good reason.

 

B.   We need fathers to take their responsibilities seriously.

 

C.   God Himself provides a powerful example for all fathers to follow.