OceanSide church of Christ

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A GREAT DAD

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     As I look back at being a dad, I would say that I was a good dad, but not a great dad.

1.       Being older, you have more wisdom and knowledge.

2.       As you look back, you know there are things you could have done much differently as a father.

 

B.     This morning, the title of our lesson is:  “A Great Dad.”

1.       We have several young men in the church who are dads.

2.       There are young men of this congregation who will be dads one of these days.

 

C.     If you are going to be a dad, why not be “A Great Dad”?

 

I.     GREAT DADS LOVE THE LORD

 

A.     There is no greater being than God.  Great dads know this.

1.       He has provided the home.

2.       He governs the home.

3.       He watches over every home that has been established.

 

B.     As Moses spoke one of his final speeches to the nation of Israel, he exhorted them to love God just before he commanded them to teach their children (Deut. 6:4-5).

 

Hear, O Israel:  the Lord our God is one Lord:  and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

 

C.     Loving God is much more than mouthing the words or having some warm, fuzzy feeling in one’s heart about loving God.  Love must manifest itself in one way, obedience to God’s commands.

1.       John 14:15

 

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

 

2.       John 14:21

 

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me…

 

3.       I John 5:3

 

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments:  and his commandments are not grievous.

 

D.    Loving God keeps one close to the one who instituted the home.  There is wisdom in being near Him.  There are blessings that come from being near Him.  Great fathers know this.

 

II.      GREAT DADS TRAIN THEIR CHILDREN

 

A.     The exhortation to train children is found in Proverbs 22:6.

 

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

 

1.       Definition of train:

a.       Strong (2596):  to narrow…to initiate or disciple

b.      BDB:  to train, dedicate, inaugurate

2.       Training involves instruction, but it also involves the hands-on, the practical, and the application of the things that are taught.

 

B.     There are many, many areas wherein dads need to train their children.

1.       In the study of God’s Word

2.       In how to work and labor

3.       In how to properly manage finances

 

C.     The great example of Abraham (Gen. 18:19).

 

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

 

III.     GREAT DADS SET AN EXAMPLE

 

A.     It is one thing to hear something taught.  It another thing to see it lived in the life of a person.

 

B.     Paul knew the power of an example.  Thus, he made sure he was one to others (I Cor. 11:1).

 

Be ye followers of me, even as I also man of Christ.

 

C.     Dads need to set the example in many areas of life.

1.       Being faithful to God

2.       Being a good husband to his wife

3.       Showing how to practice the virtues of Christian living in daily activities of life.

 

D.    One flaw in a pattern can cause the thing that is created to be damaged and destroyed.

 

IV.     GREAT DADS ASK FOR FORGIVENESS

 

A.     There is no such thing as a perfect dad.  All dads are humans and will make mistakes.

 

B.     Some mistakes that we make can involve sin: 

1.       Telling a lie

2.       Exploding in rage and anger

3.       Immortal activities

4.       Hypocrisy

 

C.     Some mistakes are not sinful, but need forgiveness.

1.       Michael’s passport

2.       Selling a dog when my daughter was not there

3.       Changing schools

4.       Punishment when the child is innocent

 

D.    This is hard for dads because forgiveness involves humility.

1.       Humility involves lowering one’s self before another.

2.       Bowing before our children and asking for forgiveness is tough.

3.       Proverbs 18:12

 

Before destruction the heart of men is haughty, and before honour is humility.

 

V.      GREAT DADS FIGHT FOR THEIR FAMILIES

 

A.     Since God designed the home, it is not surprising that Satan seeks to destroy it.

 

B.     The home is being attacked in many ways by the wicked one, even Christian homes.

1.       Divorce

2.       Immorality

3.       Busy-ness

4.       Confusion of Biblical roles

5.       Lack of spiritual leadership

6.       Materialism

7.       Tolerance of the world

 

C.     Great dads will fight for their families

1.       Two verses:

a.       I Timothy 6:12

 

Fight the good fight of faith…

 

b.      II Timothy 2:3

 

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

 

2.       A great example:  Joshua (Josh. 24:15)

 

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:  but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

 

VI.     GREAT DADS MAKE IT TO HEAVEN

 

A.     We mentioned that Abraham was a father who the Lord knew would train his children.

 

B.     Here are some other things that we know about Abraham.

1.       Abraham is in God’s “Hall of Fame of the Faithful.”  He is mentioned specifically in six verses.

2.       We also know that Abraham is in the realm of Paradise in the Hadean realm (Luke 16:23).

 

And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

 

C.     Heaven is for those who are faithful and true in carrying out God’s will on earth.

1.       Matthew 7:21

 

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

 

2.       Revelation 22:14

 

Blessed are they that keep his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     It is intriguing how God assigns to man positions that He Himself occupies.

1.       He has given the position of shepherds to elders and Jesus is “the Good Shepherd.”

2.       He has assigned the role of deacons for servants in the church, and Jesus Himself was a servant.

 

B.     God has given the position of father to men upon the earth, and He Himself occupies the position of Father.

1.       He created the position.

2.       He occupies the position.

3.       He is the one who can perfectly judge those who are in the position.

 

C.     Ephesians 5:1

 

Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children.