Father's Day

Father’s Day

June 19, 2011

Introduction

Why do we celebrate Father’s Day? From Wikipedia, we have the following: The first observance of Father's Day actually took place in Fairmont, West Virginia on July 5, 1908. It was organized by Mrs. Grace Golden Clayton, who wanted to celebrate the lives of the 210 fathers who had been lost in the Monongah Mining disaster several months earlier in Monongah, West Virginia, on December 6, 1907. It's possible that Clayton was influenced by the first celebration of Mother's Day that same year, just a few miles away. Clayton chose the Sunday nearest to the birthday of her recently deceased father. Unfortunately, the day was overshadowed by other events in the city. West Virginia did not officially register the holiday, and it was not celebrated again. All the credit for Father's Day went to Sonora Dodd from Spokane, who invented independently her own celebration of Father's Day just two years later, also influenced by Jarvis' Mother's Day. Clayton's celebration was forgotten until 1972, when one of the attendants to the celebration saw Nixon's proclamation of Father's Day, and worked to recover its legacy.

So what was Mother’s Day all about? Mother’s Day was a modified, Memorial Day, so what is Memorial Day all about? It is about honoring and remembering the men who have given their lives in battle for our country, so Father’s Day is a day to remember our Fathers. And we will add to that, reflecting on fatherhood.

Body

I. Fatherhood.

Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad. ~ Anonymous

Too many men have taken that statement in a bad way..

41% of all children born in the USA today are illegitimate!

(Eph 5:3-5 NKJV) But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; {4} neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. {5} For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

1. What does this have to do with Father’s Day?

2. It cheapens fatherhood and makes it less that it should be.

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,

He called it ... Dad

- Author Unknown

While no man may measure up to that description, it is at least pointing in the right direction.

1. “The warmth of a summer sun, The calm of a quiet sea,”

(Eph 6:4 NKJV) And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

A man's children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season. ~ Anonymous

2. “The comforting arm of night,”

(Eph 6:10-11 NKJV) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. {11} Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

3. The faith of a mustard seed,

(Mat 17:20 NKJV) So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

4. The calm assurance of faith.

(Psa 37:25 NKJV) I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

II. Do we look like our fathers?

A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father. ~ Gabriel García Márquez

A. Jesus was One Who could say He looked like His Father.

(John 14:9 NKJV) Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

B. We need to look as much like the Father as we possibly can.

C. Some day we will be similar to Jesus if we follow Him.

(1 John 3:2-3 NKJV) Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. {3} And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

D. But do we look like our earthly fathers?

1. My dad was a giving dad.

a. He sold his business in Hoisington, Kansas and moved to Yates Center to get Don away from a bad girl.

b. He sold our home and furniture to move to New Mexico for my health.

2. He was a very religious man.

a. He read his Bible and prayed everyday.

b. He never missed a church service.

c. He served as an elder for many years.

III. Why Father’s Day? -- It’s a Memorial.

A. We are to honor our parents.

(Eph 6:2-3 NKJV) "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: {3} "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

B. We need to remember our parents and honor them.

C. We need to act honorably as parents and encourage our children to be good parents.

(1 Cor 16:13 NASB) Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

Conclusion

I. Being a father is a tremendous honor and responsibility.

II. We need to honor our father’s

III. We need to act honorably as God’s children.

IV. Are you a child of God? Have you been born again?

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