2021 – Year of the Lord’s Favour – Fathers’ Day | June 20, 2021

Welcome back for Sunday Service. Another day that God has granted us to praise and worship Him. So let us all give our heart out to God who has been faithful always.

As you all are aware, today is Father’s day, so let us all celebrate the blessings of fatherhood today with our “Father’s Day” special service.

Our heavenly Father is the best example of perfectness. Today we will talk about the role of father. What exactly a role model should do, especially if our father is our role model?

And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

When God commanded Noah, Noah never questioned God because He believed what God has spoken. He had total faith in God and he was concerned about his children and family. We must also believe what God speaks with us.

God told Noah his purpose to destroy the wicked world by water. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. It is with all believers, enabling them to understand and apply the declarations and warnings of the written word. God chose to do it by a flood of waters, which should drown the world. As he chooses the rod with which he corrects his children, so he chooses the sword with which he cuts off his enemies. God established his covenant with Noah.

Children learn things most of the times by watching and observing us.

On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark,

Dear people of God, are you building an ark for your family? There is so much of wickedness destroying the young life, what are you going to do?

For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Fathers, are you protecting your children? How are you planning to protect your children? Are you preparing your children to praise and worship in heaven when time will come? So, if your answer is yes, then how about this… are you building an ark?

And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Fathers, understand that yoi are the priest in gour home.

Abraham raised Abraham like his own son, eventhough Lot was his brother.

And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom.

Genesis 13:10‭-‬12

Abram having offered Lot the choice, he at once accepted it. Passion and selfishness make men rude. Lot looked to the goodness of the land; therefore he doubted not that in such a fruitful soil he should certainly thrive. But what came of it? Those who, in choosing relations, callings, dwellings, or settlements, are guided and governed by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or the pride of life, cannot expect God’s presence or blessing. They are commonly disappointed even in that which they principally aim at. In all our choices this principle should rule, That is best for us, which is best for our souls. Lot little considered the badness of the inhabitants. The men of Sodom were impudent, daring sinners. This was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness. God often gives great plenty to great sinners. It has often been the vexatious lot of good men to live among wicked neighbours; and it must be the more grievous, if, as Lot here, they have brought it upon themselves by a wrong choice.

On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.

Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.

Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.

No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad.

Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Fathers must discipline their children if they want to save their children.

Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will look upon their downfall. Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

Parents must consider the benefit of due correction, and the mischief of undue indulgence. Let not the righteous have their faith and hope shocked by the increase of sin and sinners, but let them wait with patience. Children must not be suffered to go without rebuke when they do amiss.

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

The Greek word used here for discipline is παιδεία, (Literally pronounced as“Paideia.”) This word carries the idea of punishment in it. When we punish our children, they dont like, neither we. Discipline is never likeable and the painful thing that we go through is going to lead to a very bright future. Not only for child, but for parents as well.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

The final example ..

Our ‘Heavenly Father‘ is the perfect father!

Jesus tells us the parable of Prodigal son in the Gospel of Luke….

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”‘ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'”

The parable of the prodigal son shows the nature of repentance, and the Lord’s readiness to welcome and bless all who return to him. It fully sets forth the riches of gospel grace; and it has been, and will be, while the world stands, of unspeakable use to poor sinners, to direct and to encourage them in repenting and returning to God.

The five important things that we learn from the parable of prodigal son when son returns to his father, here are these:

Irrespective of the son’s condition, father kissed his son. Kiss is a sign of forgiveness.

Robe is a sign of honor.

Ring is a sign of authority.

This is a sign of freedom.

A joyful welcome.

Our heavenly father is the perfect example for us to follow. Dear people and especially dear fathers, watch out, be prepared and if you feel you are late already, do not worry. Today is the day to start building that ark again, to protect your family, especially your children.

We hope you feel uplifted with today’s message. We look forward to see you again next Sunday. Again, “Happy Father’s day!” to all the fathers. God bless!