GOD’S PLAN FOR BECOMING A FATHER
2 CORINTHIANS. 6:18 "I WILL BE A FATHER TO YOU, AND YOU WILL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY."
INTRODUCTION
THIS MORNING IS A SPECIAL DAY THAT HAS BEEN SET ASIDE TO HONOR FATHERS.
SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING HOW FATHER'S DAY EVER COME ABOUT? WAS IT JUST BECAUSE SOME DAD WANTED SOME PRESENTS?
A HARD-WORKING SINGLE DAD NAMED WILLIAM JACKSON SMART WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE CREATION OF FATHER'S DAY. HIS WIFE DIED IN 1898 WHILE GIVING BIRTH TO THEIR SIXTH CHILD, AND THE CIVIL WAR VETERAN WAS LEFT TO RAISE THE CHILDREN ALONE IN RURAL WASHINGTON.
IN MAY 1909, SMART'S DAUGHTER, BY THEN A MARRIED WOMAN NAMED SONORA DODD, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, HEARD A SERMON ENUMERATING THE VIRTUES OF MOTHERHOOD. IT WAS MOTHER'S DAY, A NEW AMERICAN HOLIDAY THAT HAD BEGUN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. SONORA DECIDED TO HONOR HER DAD'S DEDICATION TO HIS CHILDREN BY SEEKING TO HAVE A FATHER'S DAY DESIGNATED ON THE CALENDAR IN THE SAME MONTH HE WAS BORN.
TO REMIND THEIR CHURCHES OF THE APPRECIATION OWED TO FATHERS. THE MAYOR OF SPOKANE ISSUED THE FIRST FATHER'S DAY PROCLAMATION AND SOON AFTERWARDS THE GOVERNOR OF WASHINGTON SET THE THIRD SUNDAY IN JUNE FOR THE STATE WIDE OBSERVANCE. THE FIRST FATHER'S DAY WAS HELD ON JUNE 19, 1910. IN 1924 PRESIDENT CALVIN COOLIDGE RECOMMENDED THAT FATHER'S DAY BE NOTED IN ALL STATES.
THE DAY CAUGHT ON, BUT IT WASN'T PERMANENTLY ESTABLISHED AS AN ANNUAL HOLIDAY IN THE US UNTIL 1972.
THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER “GOD’S PLAN FOR BECOMING A FATHER.”
TODAY WITHIN MANY HOMES THE FATHER IS NO MORE THAN A BREADWINNER, OR A LIVE-IN PAY CHECK WHO, IN SOME CASES MERELY SUPPLEMENTS THE INCOME OF HIS WIFE.
HE HAS NO AUTHORITY, NOR DOES HE WANT ANY BECAUSE HE FEARS THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT GOES WITH IT.
IN OTHER HOMES HOWEVER, THE FATHER IS A DOMINEERING, DEMANDING MAN WHO ABUSES HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN AND USES THEM FOR HIS OWN SELF-GRATIFICATION.
IT IS APPARENT FROM THE GENERAL STATE OF FAMILIES WITHIN OUR NATION THAT SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG.
FAMILIES ARE FALLING APART, CHILDREN ARE TORN BETWEEN PARENTS AS A RESULT OF DIVORCE, AND PROBLEMS SUCH AS CHILD ABUSE, AND BATTERED WIVES ARE INCREASING STEADILY.
WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS?
MANY WOULD SIMPLY SAY THAT IT IS ALL A SIGN OF THE END TIMES WHICH ME LIVE IN.
WHEN WE EXAMINE THE SCRIPTURES HOWEVER, WE FIND THAT MANY OF THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT FAMILIES ARE FACED WITH TODAY WERE EXPERIENCED BY FAMILIES THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO.
NOT ONLY THIS, BUT WE ALSO FIND THAT THE REASON FOR THESE PROBLEMS WAS MANY TIMES BECAUSE OF THE FATHER OF THE HOUSEHOLD.
2 SAMUEL 12:10-12 NOW, THEREFORE, THE SWORD WILL NEVER DEPART FROM YOUR HOUSE, BECAUSE YOU DESPISED ME AND TOOK THE WIFE OF URIAH THE HITTITE TO BE YOUR OWN.' 11"THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS: 'OUT OF YOUR OWN HOUSEHOLD I AM GOING TO BRING CALAMITY UPON YOU. BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES I WILL TAKE YOUR WIVES AND GIVE THEM TO ONE WHO IS CLOSE TO YOU, AND HE WILL LIE WITH YOUR WIVES IN BROAD DAYLIGHT