Sunday Morning Podcast June 17, 2018. Bro. Dave Goble.
Fathers can be the greatest dad, …because of God. We can always encourage someone to be a good dad, and to care about others being their best. God’s Word and the church, should be a place for all to learn to be all that they can be.
TEXT: 2 TIMOTHY 2:16
1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
Some Greatest Dad Attributes; 1) He leads his family as a spiritual leader, leading his children. 2) He loves his wife and the children know it! 3) He connects with his family taking care of their needs both physically and emotionally. 4) He defends his child, or children. 5) He truly “hears” his children. A hearer here, is more than one who listens, or is attentive. A real hearer goes through the problem with the children in their needs. A great dad leads, loves, defends, connects and hears! In 2 Timothy 2nd chapter, above, Paul was as Timothy’s father, and taught Timothy how to be a spiritual leader. A father needs to be a leader, and as such needs to be a true hearer to the family’s concerns, and emotional support. A leader needs to be a learner; if he won’t learn, he cannot lead. Learning something new, is what it means to learn. It’s a privilege to learn, and not to think we know it all. As a man strives for masteries, he continues to learn. If we’re going to be a spiritual leader, we also can’t allow our minds to be entangled with the affairs of this life. For a spiritual leader strives to learn the boundaries God would give him. But if we get so entangled, …we will lose our ability to stay attached to God. This applies to anyone, whether a father or not.
Remind yourself, that “the greatest dad” didn’t start out being one. He has had to continue to want to be measured up to the message of God’s word. And he follows through with it. And when this is the reality, if the children stray away, in their heart they will never forget the good example of a dad you are. In Luke 15th chapter, a younger son of 2, took his inheritance and in a short time spent it all in foolish and wild living. But because he had a father who had been a godly and loving one, he finally realized his condition, and had confidence in his Father’s mercy to let him come home. He offered to be only a servant because of his shame, but his father being merciful received him back as a treasured son, taking care of all and any needs that he had. 20 “And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And his son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 And the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry. Luke 15th chapter. The father clothed, fed and restored the son’s needs both physically and emotionally. No judgment was given to that fully repentant son. If we are going to reconnect with a repentant child, there can be no judgment if they are going to be lovingly received. Is there any judgment in mercy? No because judgment is to only know right and wrong. But mercy ignores judgment, so there can be redemption and restoration. If you’ve been given mercy, you learn how to have it for others. The greatest dad “hears” beyond the resistance their children may “show,” and leads them with mercy!
The Greatest Dad