Fathers
by: Dalton Gilreath

I.              Introduction

A.   Hiel rebuilt Jericho in the days of Ahab (1 Kings 16:34)

                                          i.    Once the foundation was laid he lost his firstborn

                                        ii.    Once the city was finished he lost his youngest son

1.    God had cursed the city to never be rebuilt (Joshua 6:26)

2.    Hiel was an ungodly father who finished building the city even after he lost his firstborn

B.   Most fathers may not be as bad as Hiel but a godly father is a rare find

                                          i.    In this study we want to honor fathers for what they do and also recognize what our Heavenly Father does for us

                                        ii.    Consider five points from Deuteronomy 8:1-10

II.            Purpose (Deut 8:1, 6-10)

A.   God was a father to Israel because He wanted them to live and enter in the Promised Land

                                          i.    Any godly father wants his children to have a spiritually successful life and be with God in Heaven eternally

                                        ii.    Everything he says and does regarding his children are for this purpose

B.   Recall that Jesus said He came for the same purpose (John 10:10)

                                          i.    He wanted us to live and to do so abundantly

                                        ii.    To live and die an ungodly life  is the opposite of what Jesus wanted

1.    Solomon says an “untimely” birth is better than a wasted life (Ecc 6:3)

2.    It would be better to die at childbirth than to live ungodly

III.           Pattern (Deut 8:2a)

A.   As a father God also set a pattern for Israel as their leader

                                          i.    He showed them the path that they might simply follow Him

                                        ii.    In a literal sense He was a cloud by day and fire by night

B.   A godly father must also lead by example as he sets a pattern for his home

                                          i.    Paul exhorted, comforted, and charged the Thessalonians like a father does his children

1.    Exhorted means to encourage obedience willfully

2.    Comforted means to encourage joyful obedience

3.    Charged means to encourage caution in their life

                                        ii.    A father wants his children to obey willfully and joyfully and to live carefully

IV.          Proves (Deut 8:2b)

A.   God proved, or tested, Israel to see their faithfulness

                                          i.    God tries His people like silver (Psa 66:10)

                                        ii.    An example would be when God tested Israel to pick up manna daily (Ex 16:4)

B.   A godly father tests his children as well

                                          i.    For example, he may give his children assignments or chores

                                        ii.    He gives them responsibilities and sees how they do

                                       iii.    He allows them to make decisions and teaches then along the way

V.           Provides (Deut 8:3-4)

A.   God provided all the necessities of life for Israel those forty years

                                          i.    Today He provides our necessities and more as we are faithful to Him (Matt 6:33)

                                        ii.    A godly father must do the same for his family

B.   God desired that man work from the beginning

                                          i.    The first thing He had Adam do was to work in the garden (Gen 2:15)

                                        ii.    Solomon discusses the need for a man to work hard

1.    A slothful man’s field will be full of weeds and thorns (Prov 24:30-31)

2.    A man who works his field will be able to eat his bread (Prov 12:11)

VI.          Punishes (Deut 8:5)

A.   God disciplined His people when they sinned against Him

                                          i.    He chastens us today as well as a loving father would (Heb 12:5-13)

                                        ii.    He does it because He loves us and so we will learn from our mistakes (Psa 94:12)

B.   A godly father must discipline his children if he loves them

                                          i.    Job says man ought to be happy when he is chastened  (Job 5:17-18)

                                        ii.    Furthermore, a father binds up the wounds from the punishment

1.    Fathers do not enjoy punishing their children

2.    After punishment a father will explain why he had to do so and teach them how to avoid it in the future with a living heart

3.    Ever heard your father say, “It hurt me worse than it hurt you?”

4.    One day the grown child looks back and thanks his/her father