A FATHER’S LOVE!

Ephesians 6:1-4

INTRODUCTION: We are as a nation now no longer training our children to be God-fearing obedient children. That reason is the very reason our God instituted marriage in the first place: Malachi 2:15-16. Because of fatherless families today in our nation 15 million children are growing up in households without a father present. At least in part that is why our nation is seeing a huge increase in crime and dysfunctional families.

I. DOWPLAYING DAD’S!

There is a movement in our nation downplaying the position and importance of godly fathers and mothers. Our God has given fathers a very important role in the lives of his wife and in the lives of his children and of our society in general. Today, men are walking away from their God-given responsibility to love his wife and to train his children to love and obey the Lord! Ephesians 6:1-4. God has given us a clear commandment to love our wife! Ephesians 5:25-33.; Numbers 30:1-2. When a man walks away from his marriage vows and abandons his wife and children he hardly ever realizes the devastation it will cause in the lives of both his wife and his children: Malachi 2:13-16. In our nation today over 40% of the children being raised are being raised in homes without their biological father living there!

II. GODLY FATHERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

When the early disciples asked the Lord Jesus to teach them how to pray, here is what Jesus said: Luke 11:2-4: Sadly so few fathers ever connect the dots here. If daddy doesn’t love mom and daddy doesn’t love me enough to stay with us, how can I trust a heavenly Father? The largest group of people today in America living below the poverty level are children being raised by just their mothers. One of the key roles of a Christian father is to be a soil preparer. Matthew 13:3-9. If daddies don’t care enough to be there to help their children to be good soil, who will do it? Good soil takes a good gardener. Dad that is meant to be you! 1 John 3:1-3.

III. LOVE YOUR CHILDREN WITH THE LOVE OF GOD!

You dad can love your children in a way no one else ever will. Proverbs 29:15; Proverbs 22:6; Proverbs 20:7. Dad be a man of God! Stay at the high calling God has called you to! Because it is hard to keep doing the right thing God called men; not boys to be fathers. Fathers are called to be God’s comforters for their children: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. Our heavenly Father set the example here. Just before our Lord Jesus was going to be tempted of the devil, the heavenly Father comforted his son: Matthew 3:16-4:1. If God the Father knew how important comforting Jesus Christ both God and man, how much more should we comfort our children who are only a human boy or girl? Matthew 3:17. All our children are going to face temptation and how our children respond to those temptations will often be in response to the comfort of acceptance given to them by their father. Acts 20:35. Fathers, keep on giving the gift that only you can give to your wife and children. Be a godly man and stick with the job of loving your wife and your children with the love of God for God’s glory and the good of your family!