Today we're looking at obviously the topic of fathers.
We have to talk about fathers when it comes to Father's Day.
And the best fatherly example we have in the Bible of course is God the Father.
Now the book of John is often a book that we instruct new believers to read.
You know when someone newly gets saved we encourage them to read the book of John because
it is quite a simple book, it's probably the easiest book of the Bible to understand.
But just because it is the easiest book of the Bible to understand you should not neglect
it in your Bible reading.
Like when you're going through the Bible and you're trying to get good doctrine you
should not go, well the book of John that's for beginners, that's for those that have
recently come to know Christ as Savior.
But what you need to understand, especially one thing that you probably noticed there
in John 5 is how much Jesus Christ spoke of his Heavenly Father.
Now again that might seem like a very basic doctrine to you.
We believe in the Trinity, we believe in one God in three persons and you know the Father,
the Son, the Holy Ghost, they're all free individuals and yet there is one God that
we worship.
Some people have a hard time understanding that concept and it is a deep doctrine, it
is a doctrine that Jesus Christ himself came to this earth to reveal unto us and the biggest
teaching on the Trinity, especially the relationship between Father and Son is found in the book
of John.
So I strongly encourage you, especially if you're having questions about the Trinity,
go to the book of John.
It will really cement you.
I'm not saying the Trinity is not found in the Old Testament Scriptures, of course it
is.
All the doctrines that you read in the New Testament are going to be found in the Old
Testament Scriptures.
But Jesus Christ came in the New Testament with clarity.
He said he came to declare the name of his Father.
He came to declare the relationship and when it comes to family, one thing you need to
understand is that family did not begin with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Family already existed within the nature of God, Father and Son.
Authority did not come into being when God created all things, authority already existed
from eternity in the relationship from Father to Son and Jesus Christ many times says that
the Father is greater than he because of his authority.
The Father has a different role with him as the Son and then we obviously are familiar
with scriptures where Christ came to this earth and said not my will be done but thy
will be done, speaking of the Father and of course when it was time for the Holy Spirit
to the comforter, another comforter is the word I'm looking for, another comforter was
supposed to come, Jesus Christ said I'm going to go and ask the Father to send the comforter
and so we see that the direction, the instruction all comes from the Heavenly Father and within
the nature of God there is family, within the nature of God there is authority.
And so when we want to understand family, especially if we want to understand what it
means to be a parent and especially a father, the best place to go is to see the relationship
between God the Father and God the Son.
And so we're going to spend our time only in the book of John this morning.
It's not going to be a very complicated sermon today, pretty straightforward but the title
for the sermon this morning is Qualities Every Father Should Have, Qualities Every Father
Should Have and as I was creating this list I recognised just even within myself areas
that I can improve as a father and if you're a father today please look at these qualities,
please ask yourself do I meet this standard, am I fulfilling this role as a father or am
I not and if you're not hey you need to fix that in your life.
And you might say well maybe this message is just for fathers, I'm not a father yet,
but if you're a man you may very well become a father, it is God's will for us to eventually
have a family and a home and all these things so hey it's better that you learn these things
now before fatherhood so you make less mistakes than others of us that have been fathers and
made many mistakes on the journey.
And if you're a wife you might say well this is not for me, it's not Mother's Day or it's
not whatever, yeah but you know what if these are qualities that your husband ought to have
toward his children then as mothers and as wives you should be there in support, encouraging
your husband to have these qualities about themselves, develop those qualities, not shoot
him down when he tries to have these things.
And children, you know when it comes to children, you know you may see faults in your fathers
and you will, you know maybe little children don't see the faults just yet but as you grow
up and you become teenagers you're going to start seeing the faults of your parents and
especially of your fathers and when that happens please don't think your dad is some
hypocrite, your dad's doing his best, he's trying his best okay and when you start seeing
faults in your parents that's the time for you to lay your eyes on your Heavenly Father
who's got no faults okay and just as much as your father makes mistakes you're going
to make mistakes in life, we all make mistakes in life and that's why God and Christ came
to give us such a perfect example to help us in our daily life.
Alright we're in John chapter 5, look at verse number 19, let's start with the first
point there.
John chapter 5 verse number 19, Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do,
and what think so whether he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Hey what's one of the first things we see here with Christ speaking of his Heavenly
Father?
He says look I'm just doing what I saw my Father do, now fathers that's a very scary
thought you know when your children start to do the things that their father does but
Brethren the first point that I have for you, fathers are examples to follow, fathers are
examples to follow, how did Christ know what to do when it came to this earth?
He observed his father you know as he saw his father bless the righteous as he saw his
father do great things and great works, you know Christ saw that eternal heavenly example
and he said I'm going to do likewise.
Fathers we need to be examples that our children can follow and it's not good enough to say
do what I say but not what I do, it's wrong, I know that's the saying, it's a bit of a
joke that's out there but people do feel that way, hey kids do what I say not what I do,
look the truth is we know we're not perfect, we know we're going to mess up but fathers
we should at the most try to be the best examples we can be toward our children.
How can we tell our children to work hard if they see Dad playing video games all day?
You know how can we tell our children hey learn and get an education and get some smarts
if they don't see their father trying to educate themselves you know trying to better themselves
in their intelligence or what have you?
How can we say to our children read your Bibles and they don't see Dad ever pick up the Bible?
How can we say to our children church is important but then whenever else there's anything else
that's in life they're going to rather do that than go to the house of the Lord?
You know fathers this is a scary thought that we are to be examples unto our children and
already point number one I already see failings in my life, I mean I'm sure there are times
that I'm great examples to my children but there are other times when I'm not a good
example like there are other times that you know I'm not behaving like I ought to as a
father and the last thing I want is for my children to imitate what they see in me at
the same time children when you see failings in your parents once again what did I ask
you to do?
Remember that your parents aren't perfect, your father is not perfect, set your eyes
on the Heavenly Father who is perfect that does see all things.
So fathers we need to instruct our children you know if we want our children not to be
worldly, not to be caught up in the world, not to be you know to lust the things of this
earth, then fathers why are you lusting after the things of this earth?
You know this is all so important that we set an example for our children to follow
I remember you know many years ago like when we first my daughter Isabel she was I don't
know 3 years old or something like that she was very young and we were watching the TV
you know back then it was just TV with advertisements you know between programs and stuff like that
and you know I never really thought much about it we were watching I don't know what we were
watching TV was on and then there was an advertisement and it was some I don't know some worldly
song was on there but you know I'm so desensitised because like you just see so much weakness
in the world you almost don't even realise when it's in your house and then my daughter
pulls me up and says dad you know you told me we shouldn't listen to this kind of music
why is it on and I'm like of course you know of course and I think not long after I actually
got rid of the whole TV I just said you know what I don't want this in my house because
I'm so desensitised and I don't realise that I'm actually setting a bad example to my children
but you know your kids pick up on it and they pick up on it pretty young you know so parents
it's so important dads, dads, fathers this is the father's day message, fathers you are
examples to follow please think about the example that you set forth before your children
let's continue there in verse number 20 John 5 20 for the father loveth the son and showeth
him all things that himself doeth and he will show him greater works than these that ye
may marvel now we've already seen we've already talked about you know the father was an example
it says here once again the father is showing Christ you know all the things that he does
but I want you to notice the first part of that verse for the father loveth the son did
Christ have any doubts that his heavenly father loved him he had no doubts whatsoever did
he he said my father loves me the father loveth the son point number two fathers, fathers
must show love to their children fathers you must show love to your children now this is
a tricky one dads I know how much you work I know how hard you labour I know what it's
like okay when you're there Monday to Friday all those hours you work hard alright and
you labour and you do it out of love for your family you do it to provide you do it to give
them what they need you do it so they can have food they can have a roof over their
heads so they can have clothing so they can have their education so they can have some
fun whatever it is fathers I know you do it out of love for your children but sometimes
sometimes you you're so tired from work you know and you've done it for your family don't
get me wrong you know your love is there that's why you're there otherwise you wouldn't be
at work otherwise you wouldn't be doing that job that that causes you to suffer and get
frustrated but you come home and you're so tired and you say look I just need time out
I just need time for myself fathers you need to make time for your children you need to
make time you need to show them that you love you think you've shown them you say but
I've been out of work eight nine ten hours twelve hours a day at laboring for my family
don't they know that I love them but your kids don't understand that is your kids what
they see what they value is the time they spend with you if you say man I'm working
so hard for my family you know and you don't do anything with your children they're not
going to understand your love you know I know this example a friend of mine told me
of his uncle his uncle worked you know he was an immigrant came to Australia worked
hard you know twelve fourteen hours a day he did it for the love of his family he bought
the house he bought investment properties he had investment property after investment
property after investment property worked hard worked hard worked hard because he couldn't
have these opportunities from the country that he came from and he literally was worth
millions millions of dollars then he gets cancer and dies and his children you know
his children said dad never loved us dad never spent time with us you know the father had all
these plans of the future we're gonna spend time together we're gonna go on holidays we're gonna
be able to enjoy all this labor that I've you know worked hard for he gets sick and he dies
never was able to spend time with his children his children just said you know what dad never
loved us dad never spent time with us he never cared for us and after the dad perishes there's
millions of dollars you go wow that's wonderful and now the kids don't even talk to each other
because they all had a fight as to who got what you know that's what money does right the love
of money causes problems and divisions you know my heart goes out to that father who tried so
hard to labor and to love his family but he did not spend time with his children you see the
children had doubts whether his father even loved them and so they had no love even for one another
because they did not have an example to follow from their dad but when it comes to Christ he
says for the father love of the son Christ never had any doubts that his father loved him you know
parents you know sometimes your children might say dad mom sometimes I don't know if you love me I
don't think you love me you know and that's a serious thing you shouldn't be like a stupid kid
you know of course I love you look how much I've done for you so how don't what you know what part
of our relationship has not developed very well you know where can I improve how can I show you
my love you know is that the way I do I have to maybe tell you maybe I have to even write it in
a letter you know write it in an email write it somehow so they can see that you have loved spent
time with them show them tell them how much you love them how much you value them tell them what
you will do for them you know if you had to even give of yourself to you know and give them the
example of hey you know what yes I've been away from the house these 10 hours a day but I did it
because I loved you I did it I labored and I to make sure you had everything you had to your
availability so you could live a fulfilled fulfilled life so point number two fathers
must show love to their children look at verse number 21 for as the father raises up the dead
and quick enough them even so the son quick enough whom he will Jesus Christ says man I've seen my
father bring back the dead he goes then I also I also have the ability to quicken him I will to
make a life to bring alive to essentially of course give everlasting life what example do we
have here again Christ is doing what the father's done point number three is fathers should teach
their children how to preach the gospel fathers should teach their children how to preach the
gospel you know we may say you know that you know we talk about these amazing miracles that we see
in the Old Testament where the the dead are raised by the hand of some prophet or you know
Christ rose people from the dead or even the Apostles after Christ rose some from the dead
you might say these wonderful miracles and go man that'd be so wonderful to see that but brethren
every time you see a soul saved you've given that person eternal life you've quickened them from the
dead that was spiritually dead and now they're spiritually alive and the soul is on their way
to heaven not to the second death any longer you can also bring back people from the dead
by preaching the gospel to the lost by giving them the opportunity to call upon the Lord for
salvation but I want to notice how Christ said that he saw his father do this so then I'm gonna
do this too so fathers we should teach our children how to give the gospel okay you know
sometimes we think oh my child goes to church they'll be fine they'll learn the doctrines in
the church you know it's believe it or not even as a pastor even as a father and a pastor like
my children can be in church and I can be preaching with my pastor's hat on and they
won't understand it exactly the same as if I gave him the same doctrine at home as a dad they don't
see me you know when my kids at church they don't see me as pastor Kevin they just see me as dad
like there's dad behind the pulpit waffling on again I mean they know it's the Word of God they
value Church of course you know they've grown up in church and all of that but I'm still dad you
know and I've actually had to learn that you know what just preaching behind the pulpit is good for
most but when it comes to my kids I need to go one-on-one with them and still give them good
doctrine sound doctrine and parents I strongly encourage you when you bring your children to
church yes I heard some doctrine yes they're gonna pick up certain truths but how about you
go home afterwards and cement the great truths that you've learned as well to your children
but you know pet dads let's teach our kids how to go soul-winning you know it's great to have
fellowship with a brethren takes our you know someone from church and go soul-winning with them
but I think you'll find something very special when you take one of your children with you and
they see you give the gospel and they see you save a soul that's something special and as much
as wonderful it has been to take each one of you guys soul-winning the best time soul-winning was
with my kids you know I remember that when I took my daughter first time and she saw her first soul
saved and the tears were in her eyes and she you know could say wow this works you know wow this
person gets it this person was on their way to hell and now they have the confidence of Jesus
Christ that they go to heaven because of him fathers should teach the children how to preach
the gospel let's go to the next verse verse number 22 for the father judgeth no man but have
committed all judgment unto the son so Christ is saying here that all men everybody is going to be
judged by himself so when we talk about the great white throne judgment that you read about in the
book of Revelation when those whose names are not found in the book of life are cast into the lake
of fire who is doing that judgment is it God the father of God the son is it got the father according
to this verse got the son right according to this verse where does it say again for the for for the
father judgeth no man but have committed all judgment unto the son you see the the one who
is judging us at will not ask because we're saved the one that is judging the unbelievers of the
great white throne judgment is the son is Jesus Christ son and as believers we're also going to
face the judgment we're also going to go before the judgment seat of Christ we're not going to be
judged for our our our our sins we're not gonna be judged for our iniquities we're gonna be judged
for the works that we did for Christ and when he judges us he's going to reward us for what we've
done but Christ does the judgment what's my point here pastor we're not gonna be the judge well
actually the Bible says we're gonna judge angels so we're gonna pass judgment as well and you know
in the millennium Bible says I'm gonna rule and reign with Christ and so we're gonna be passing
judgment on the earth as well but that's not so much my points my point is here the father has
allowed his son to pass judgment and my next point that I have here point number four is that fathers
should guide their children how to pass judgment fathers should guide their children how to pass
judgment a lot of people don't understand what the what the word judgment mean judgment word is
right it's like sometimes I do even we've been Christian even when we've in Christendom they'll
say ah don't judge I don't know like the Bible's I've got a lot of judgments look to judge all it
means is to make a decision like when you got up in the morning and decided to have breakfast you
made a judgment call am I gonna have corn flakes am I gonna have coca pops or am I gonna have toast
or am I gonna have eggs all right whatever it is right you made a judgment call look all our life
I don't know what it was I come I'm gonna probably mess it up here but I remember reading somewhere
that we make something like something I could be a bit wrong here something like six thousand
decisions every day of our life okay I'm gonna wake up at this time okay am I gonna brush my
teeth now I'm gonna brush my teeth later all right what time am I gonna go I'm gonna avoid
the traffic you know there's traffic you know should I go this route I'm gonna go that route
we are constantly passing judgments and look that's just a regular life but there's also a
time to pass judgment over what is right and what is wrong right because we're all going to face
those decisions that in time in life well we're gonna face be faced with temptations you know
confusing times and your children and fathers adults you know look the world is confusing as
it is I mean people don't even know if they're boys and girls anymore that's how confused the
world is and our children are growing up in this world they're gonna be even more confused than we
ever have been but you know what God's given us his Bible okay what's wonderful about being a
Christian we don't always have to decide what is right we don't have to decide what is right
wrong it's okay God you told me what is right and wrong let me pass judgment according to your way
and that's great as parents because we have to make those big calls as fathers especially as
the head of your home you need to make those big decisions and live or die by those decisions but
then we also have to teach our children you know children you have to make decisions you're not
always gonna have dad here you know we're gonna pass away one day you're gonna have your own
families you're gonna have your own adult lives you're gonna have to make your own decisions
you're gonna have to face your own temptations when mom and dad aren't around and you better
make sure you know how to pass judgment and so the best way to pass judgment is of course to
open his word know what God says know what God says is right and wrong know what God says is
holy and unholy and just follow the commandments of God but fathers we need to teach our kids that
we need to teach them you know it's not just off they heard pastor Kevin teach them please don't
make these mistakes that I see you know fathers make in church of the church of the church and
then the kids are out of church and they don't care about the things of God and then living their
life without passing judgment according to how God directed them and then parents are like but I
took him to church I did everything right and I see their broken heartedness and it makes me so
sad when I say that happened it's because parents did not teach their kids they thought like I just
take them to church and they'll be okay it's wrong dads you teach them look at John chapter
5 verse number 30 please John chapter 5 verse number 30 Christ is in verse number 30 I can of
mine own self do nothing as I hear I judge now we're sort of on the same we are on the same
topic here as I hear I judge guys as we hear God's Word we judge we make a decision because of here
what we hear not here pastor Kevin here God's Word okay then that's how you judge Christ has
given us the example and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will
of the father which have sent me so we need to teach our children in order for you to pass
righteous judgments you're not seeking your own will because your own will you know your own will
you know it's selfish you know your own will is many times fulfilling the lust of the flesh you
say no I'm gonna pass judgment you know this decision if I go this way it's what I prefer
it's what I want maybe it's going to make me more wealthy following this path but is it really the
path that the father wants me to follow is it my will or is it God's will I can only pass righteous
judgment if I know what God's Word says that's what it means to pass judgment guys not to pass
according to our will you know our will will always seek your own will it's not gonna see
God's will that's why Jesus Christ gets example not my will but thy will be done and if Christ
had to say those words and we know that Christ is God how much more do we have to say Lord not
my will you know it's man I'd say look I cannot be honest with you if it was my will I would not
be a pastor I would not be passed into churches it's not easy if it was my will I just be
continuing the jobs I had in the past earning good money you know if it was my will you know
but there comes a time in life you have to say Lord not my will Lord what's your will what do
you want Lord and that's not just big decisions it's every decision in life you know every
everything your father's the way you're guiding your family into doing this or doing that you
need to be able to say God what is your will let me follow your will not my will so fathers should
guide their children how to pass judgment look at verse number 36 John chapter 5 verse number 36
Christ says but I have greater witness than that of John speaking out John the Baptist there he says
for the works now wait to notice this part for the works which the Father have given me to finish
the same works that I do bear witness of me that the Father have sent me what does Jesus Christ say
he says the Father Heavenly Father gave me work to do fathers teach your children to do the chores
around the house teach your children to make their bed okay to fold their clothes to clean up after
themselves I mean they don't have to absolutely everything whatever it is whatever your dynamics
or your family works however it works the best okay put your dirty clothes in the laundry you
know help mum around you know make sure when you when you when you prepare your breakfast you put
your breakfast away you know teach your children to work but not just to work it says Jesus Christ
says for the works that Father have given me to finish to finish man we have a problem we start
works we start projects we start hobbies and you know we never finish you know it just sits there
and then your wife is like are you gonna get rid of that we're gonna finish that yeah yeah I'm gonna
finish that but when I don't know when it'll get done it's there but men we have this problem we
start a job and we don't finish it we start a hobby we start an idea we start a plan and we
never get it done it's bad habits bad habits no it's good that you're busy it's good that you're
trying to work and doing things with your hands but look the example or the teaching that Christ
God is from his father is you need to finish the work and I'm so glad Christ finishes work what
did he say when he's on the cross it is finished he goes I finished the work I did it you know and
look if Christ is not finished at work we are yet in our sins on our way to hell okay so this is
an example that Christ says but his father his father gave him work now I'm not saying fathers
you need to go and get your son a job but I'm just trying to say you need to teach your children a
good work ethic don't let them just be lazy gamers and I talk about gamers a lot because it is a
problem it's a problem I'm also a gamer like I grew up playing games but the difference was in
my day you could play for an hour and you'd be finished or you finish a level and you're done
right or you play Street Fighter and you finish you beat all the bad guys by zone at the end and
you're finished the game's over but today the games go on it's open world it's this and there's
a new thing in there now your credit card you know download this new map and new enemies and
new characters and you level up and just goes on and on and on and then kids are playing all night
long all night long and that's that's their life they've not learned how to work I'm you know what
are you gonna do when you grow up I'm gonna be a game I'm gonna professional gamer no look we
need to teach our kids to labor to work and I get out there in the backyard and and and mow
the lawn and do this and do that we've got to give him the chores and then make sure they finish the
work okay and I think it's also good when your kids do finish the work that you reward them okay
because we know when Christ finished his work and then he ascended up to be with the father the Lord
gave him a place he glorified his son and God calls him sit at the right hand of the father you
know glorifying the sign and gave him a name which is above every name I mean Jesus the Lord God has
done wonderful things for his son and I think when we give our children work to do and they do well
and they finish it then fathers we need to reward them you know thank you for being faithful you know
let's go to I was gonna say McDonald's but it's not good for you know let's go let's go somewhere
that you like to go and you know let's just enjoy each other's company and you know appreciate the
work that you have done but point number five Brevin is fathers are to affirm the importance
of completing work fathers are to affirm the importance of completing work like I said dads
we start things and we don't finish it but hey we saw earlier that way to be fathers point number
one was when meant to be fathers that set examples for our children to follow and if our children see
our especially our sons see us start things and never finish things they see us talk about plans
and never accomplish those plans we're not setting a good example of them completing their work look
at John chapter 5 verse number 37 John chapter 5 verse number 37 there are two passages that I'm
going to get you to turn to here but look at John 5 37 his Christ says as the father himself which
have sent me have borne witness of me Christ says that the father has witnessed of his son to
witness is to testify or to to proclaim of his son what do you think what kind of words do you
think the father said of his son do you think God the father criticized his son you think God the
father went to the men of the earth and said our man that Jesus you know doesn't get much done
around the house when the father bore witness of his son well it continues there you have neither
heard his voice at any time nor seen in shape because no man has seen the father but the point
that I have for you Brevin is point number six here is fathers should speak highly of their
children fathers should speak highly of their children and that's right now you're going but
my children they have problems and they you know they don't always do what I ask them to do and
they they have these issues and they have these social problems you know what everyone's got good
and bad dads you've got good and bad moms you've got good and bad children you've got good and bad
pastors have good and bad are you going to only speak of the bad to your friends and to your
co-workers and to family and friends now you should speak highly you should speak well of
your children especially in public especially to other people come with me to John chapter 8 John
chapter 8 verse number 54 John chapter 8 and verse number 54 John chapter 8 verse number 54
John 8 54 a Jesus answered if I honor myself my honor is nothing it is my father that honoreth
me of whom you say that he is your God is my father that honoreth me parents we have to be
careful not to so what I'm looking for humiliate our children especially in front of other people
look everybody knows like when you speak well of your children everybody knows well you must be
speaking well of them because you love them but at the same time they know of course your children
you don't have to tell everybody how unperfect your children are or how unperfect your spouse
is all right or how unperfect your family is you know what your children are gonna love is when
they do good things and you speak highly of what they've done let's say you've given them work to
do like we saw earlier and they finish the work and you go to church hey brother how are you how's
the family our children doing well man I gave him this project to do the other day and they got it
done they did it well and your children overhear that oh they love it they feel honored they feel
like man I'm valued my parents value me and they want me to be seen in a good light toward other
people I've always hated going to work and I've mentioned this many times in other sermons I've
hated it going to work especially during school holidays and hearing mom's complain about the
children oh the children are home I can't wait for school to start again so I can get out of my
hair it's like oh it's so horrible like you you nurture this child in your womb for nine months
and you brought them into this world and you got to work in front of everybody and complain about
your kids but dads we can do this we can say stupid things that you don't even realize you
know I've said stupid things they don't even realize you know there are times that I've
preached even as a pastor and to give some example of my life I've said something like oh there's a
time when one of my kids did this or that I didn't name them cuz I don't embarrass them but then I
you know afterwards you know my kids like that that's kind of embarrassing you know what you're
right I shouldn't be doing that you know I mean I'll talk bad of myself plenty okay but I won't
you know cause my children to be humiliated I don't do it anymore you know I've made those
mistakes and you hear about it you know what you're right I shouldn't do that because it's
so easy because you know you don't mean to it's not like you hate your kids it's not like you're
trying to humiliate them all right I mean you do want them to be lifted up you want people to see
your children in a good light be careful about the words that come out of your mouth fathers
okay because you know your children are trying to please you they want they want to be accepted by
you they want to know that you're pleased with them but when they'll know that when you talk to
other people when you witness of them whether you honor or you dishonor them they'll hear that
and it's going to affect their lives you know children who don't feel honored or accepted by
their dads growing up they are constantly looking for that confirmation for the rest of their lives
for the rest of their lives I've seen so many examples people that don't do not grow up with
dads or the dads were so strict and so harsh so critical they constantly looking for confirmation
they can be in their 40s in their 50s in their 60s and they're still hoping that dad will accept
them you know sometimes they'll then look for other people they'll look for pastors you know
I've had times when people have come to me try and treat me try to see me as their dad but I'm
not their dad but they just want to be accepted by a man they just want someone to say you're
doing well in life hey you're okay keep serving the Lord yes you've messed up but hey don't worry
about the past you've got the future to look forward to do good things do righteously according
to God's will and they're just seeking that confirmation they're just seeking that that
assurance that they should have got from dad but they feel that the dads have dishonored them so
fathers please point number six is speak highly of your children it matters for the whole life
the whole life you know it matters come with me to John chapter 10 John chapter 10 please John
chapter 10 verse number 15 John chapter 10 now some of these points of course will overlap this
one kind of overlaps with another one that I mentioned but John 10 15 Christ says as the
father knoweth me even so know I the father and I lay down my life for the sheep Christ is saying
here that the father knows me father knows that I would be willing to die for the sins of man the
father knows that I would be willing to do that and he says and I also know my dad that my dad
would be willing to offer his only begotten son to die for the sins of the whole world okay but
it's not his death so much to lay down for his life for the sheep that I'm thinking about right
now just the first part as the father knoweth me even so know I the father point number seven is
fathers should develop a close relationship okay father should develop a close relationship to
their children to the point where the father can say they know their children and for the
children to be able to say I know my dad okay now that's a pretty serious thing Jesus Christ given
up his life for the sinners for sinners okay I mean this is something that of course they would
have known each other very very deeply they would have had a close connection a close relationship
and this is where it overlaps with another point that I made about that sometimes we work so hard
we work so hard for our families and then we forget to spend time with our children always
we work so hard at work and then we just sit there go home we sit down on the computer looking at
YouTube videos and Facebook and we forget our kids you know what the father spent time in
relationship with his son they can say about one another I know them you know parents how well do
you know your children you know while they're young it's easy to know them because you know
they're not going to have very deep thoughts and they usually just going to do what mum and dad
want but as they become teenagers and they develop into adults they're going to have thoughts and
ideas and and I you know challenges and questions and you need to be available to help them on that
journey as they mature and grow and develop mentally because if they don't know you if they
feel they can't speak to you if they feel like they can't ask you questions they're going to go
to the world they're gonna ask the world questions they're going to ask their friends questions and
brethren their friends in the world are not going to give them biblical answers they're not the
friends and the world's not going to ground hopefully they have good friends that I believe
is likewise but many times they'll find relationships elsewhere that will satisfy their
desire of relationship you know and look Jesus Christ says I know my father my father knows me
we spend time together fathers we need to develop a close relationship with our children you know
and look and again I told you guys I love going soul winning with you I do but I much rather take
my children soul winning and I love going out to lunch with you and I love going out and having
coffee with you and I love hanging out with you guys and having conversations and you know talking
about the Bible and talking about life I love it but I love it even more when it's my children
okay because that's who God's given me and that's who God has given you to spend time to direct them
say man I know them deeply and they know me deeply and you know when you can talk to your children
then those are times that you can actually share your children look you know what mom and dad have
not always been perfect you know look all right you stuffed up in life but you know there were
times when I stuffed up there were times when mom stuffed up right there were times that we made
these mistakes but you know what we've put them behind us we fix the issues and we you know hey
when we make these mistakes we grow out you know we learn the lessons you know we say look we're
not gonna make those mistakes anymore we ask God to help us and we push forward in life develop
that walk that closeness and I think it's a beautiful thing when children are able to spend
time with a with a with a parents especially dad like I said there's something within children
that they want their approval from dad and again dad if you don't give it to them they're going to
get it they're gonna seek it elsewhere they're gonna seek it in some boyfriend okay they're
gonna seek it elsewhere they're not gonna get from their dad so point number seven fathers
should develop a close relationship with their children come with me to John chapter 12 John
chapter 12 please John chapter 12 in verse number 49 now this this point is gonna sound like a joke
and maybe it is funny but it's not meant to be funny okay before we read it you know and I'm
going back a few years now I remember just hiring staff like hiring young people straight out of
high school now look when someone finishes year 12 don't you have a certain level of Unix have
a certain expectation of their educational level you go look they should be able to read and write
they should know how to do addition subtraction multiplication and division right maybe okay
algebra and and trigonometry or whatever like maybe we can just say look all right you know
at least because you know you don't learn that in year 12 you learn that in like year 7 and 8
and by like you know by the time you have a year 7 education you're pretty if you've learned all
that stuff you should be pretty set for the world you think and then you hire people and then you're
just asking them basic questions you ask them to just write some basic things you ask them to do
some basic mathematics because that's what the job basic mathematics and they can't do it they
can't communicate they can't just work out simple problems because they've learned how to they do
this is how they talk now on their phones and emojis and before in my time it was BRB be right
back BRB I don't think they do anymore lol laughing out loud is that I don't think they do that
anymore but that was my time but it's becoming even more complicated it's memes right like that's
how children communicate it's strange but look what crisis and again this is not I only brought
this because I'm seeing how our society is going down the toilets okay and it says here in John
12 49 Christ says for I have not spoken of myself but the father which sent me he gave me a
commandments now let's not put it from one he goes he gave me a commandments okay so what's
this commandment that he gave you Jesus what I should say and what I should speak the father
commanded me how I should speak what I should say he says my dad commanded me how to communicate
then he says in verse number 50 and I know that his commandments is life everlasting whatsoever
I speak therefore even as the father said unto me so I speak he goes the father told me to speak
to communicate specifically about life everlasting everlasting life and so I speak parents and dads
especially in 2023 point number eight fathers direct your children how to communicate you have
to teach them these days they're not going to get it in school teach them how to say hello yeah I'm
not kidding how to how to greet people how to be polite how to say please how to say thank you
how to have a conversation how to have an interest in other people and to ask questions about their
lives our children growing up in behind screens and they only know how to communicate behind
screens it's true you know and then it's like oh your kids must be homeschooled because they're
anti-social all the kids are anti-social these days nobody knows how to communicate anymore
parents we need to get back to some basics with our kids teach them how to communicate teach them
how to talk teach them how to think about other people because in this social social media world
it's all about me I'm gonna make a post and let's see how many likes I get let's see how many
comments I get and that makes me feel good so me me me but we know that God's way is others
others first we care about others we want to give a thumbs up to others we want to be able to ask
questions to others we want to show others that they're valued in our eyes but all that begins
by communication sometimes the past I have to teach my church had a I'm not saying this cause
we have first-time visitor okay you guys do a good job but sometimes I say you know we've got to greet
our visitors we've got to greet new people all right someone walks on the street maybe they're
not even saved let's check if they're saved there are churches you know you can walk into many
churches across it's Sydney right now just a random visitor ran stranger you can talk to
everybody down the line walk at a church after an hour and no one's ever gonna check whether you're
saved no one's ever gonna ask you if you know your way to heaven you guys even care about me
but you know I know this church because I hear it I hear stories such and such has come to church
they heard the gospel they got saved they praise God but that should be all about we should know
how to communicate show people that we care and of course Christ came by the commandment of his
father how to speak what to speak I speak about everlasting life tell people how to go to heaven
and that's what Christ prioritized last passage come with me to not the last passage but the last
point that I have about fathers John 16 please John 16 verse number 32 John 16 verse number 32
John 16 32 don't you love the relationship between God the Father God the Son isn't that
such a good example for us I think it is I think it's wonderful and again you know some of you guys
have grown up in broken homes fatherless homes you know you don't even know your dad maybe some of you
guys I don't know and you're like ah man I really missed out okay yes you did miss out from earthly
perspective but all these qualities are found in your Heavenly Father okay so go to a Heavenly
Father you have need of him you need these qualities you need a father as the examples
of this sermon this morning then go to your Heavenly Father he's got all of these qualities
in abundance he'll never leave you in here never forsake you but John 16 32 behold the hour cometh
yea and now is let's stop for a moment when Christ says the hour cometh he's speaking about his
crucifixion okay he's about to face the biggest trouble the biggest suffering anybody on this
earth will ever face okay arrested beaten spat upon whipped mocked you know crucified on the
cross and that's all physically taxing but then he's also going to spiritually take on the sins
your sins and my sins the sins of the whole world upon his body that hour is coming and then he says
yea and net is now come it's it's just around the corner now that ye shall be scattered because we
know that Christ was arrested his disciples were scattered every man to his own and shall leave me
alone something else Christ suffered was loneliness rejection when he was arrested everybody left him
we know that Peter one of his disciples you know denied him three times we know that he was
betrayed by one of his other apostles he says look you're all going to leave me alone but then
what he says is wonderful and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me how good is that so
point number nine fathers fathers should always be available for support fathers you should always be
available to support your children always okay not just in good times but also in bad times
Reverend this is the worst time in the life of any man this is the worst time for Jesus Christ and he
says you know what the Father is with me you know the Father's got my back you know even though I'm
alone my father is going to be with me no matter what and brethren what's wonderful by having your
Heavenly Father is even when the whole world rejects you even when your own family rejects
you God the Father doesn't he's always there for you but fathers fathers in this church you should
always be available for your children for support even after they get married even after they have
their kids even after they have their own lives you know what your children gonna make good
decisions in life praise them for that and you know what they can make bad decisions in life you know
what even when they make bad decisions and they give you a phone call and they say dad I messed
up you go you know what don't worry all right we all make mistakes don't worry you're gonna get
through this with God's help you'll overcome this I'm here I'm praying for you you know what if
there's anything I can do to help you let me know I've got your back even if everybody else rejects
you that's a father that's what a father should be like father should always be available for
support and I love Christ's confidence the whole world can reject me even my own disciples you're
all gonna be scattered you're all gonna leave me you're all gonna forsake me but my father
wants so those are the nine points that I have for you this morning let me go for those nine points
once again father's point number one is father's are examples to follow point number two fathers
must show love to the children point number three father should teach their children how to preach
the gospel point number four father should guide the children how to pass judgment point number
five is father's are to affirm the importance of completing work point number six father should
speak highly of their children point number seven father should develop a close relationship point
number eight father's direct your children how to communicate and point number nine father should
always be available for support now if you're a father and you say pastor I've messed up man I
man out of those nine points I'm like five out of nine and I've got four that I'm failing in you know
well hey take it to God say God the Father help me be more like you help me to overcome my failings
so I can be a better father moving forward but in conclusion come with me to John chapter 8 John
chapter 8 verse number 29 John chapter 8 verse number 29 because it's Father's Day it's Father's
Day and if you're a child in fact you're all children we all have mothers and fathers don't
we but I want you to think about these verses let's make it easy on father let's make it easy
for our fathers this Father's Day John 8 29 let's look at it on the other way now we've seen what a
father should be like but if you're a child if you have a father this is how you should be in
response John chapter 8 verse number 29 Christ says and he that sent me is with me the father
hath not left me alone for I do always those things that please him now look if you're a
child in home at home let me encourage you to do the things that please your dad that please mum
and dad it's going to be the best for you in fact it is the only commandment God gives little
children honor your father and mother obey what they say and God promises you a long and happy
life it's a promise from God we can make it easy for our parents let's do things that will please
our father you know even after I married even I've had my own family you know what I still want to
do things I still wanna make do things that make my dad happy you know I still would like to put
a smile on my father's face even after I've got my own life you know we should be seeking to to
please our dads and look if you've got a bad relationship with your father you know and he's
let's say he's not a complete recreate or something okay but you've got a you know your
relation with your dad's not all there maybe even I haven't even you have no desire to even speak to
him let me encourage you it's Father's Day just pick up the phone you know give your father a call
say dad and I heard from you know you probably heard from me for a while just wanna say happy
Father's Day you know thank you for being my father and I appreciate every good thing you've
done for me even though they may have done bad things but whatever good thing they've done say
that I appreciate the good things that you've done for me that's it you know what that'll please
your dad you know what that'll please your Heavenly Father for you to do such a thing
you know what we should also do the things that please our Heavenly Father that's gonna help us
in life do the things that please our Heavenly Father one more passage John 14 please John 14 31
John 14 31 we saw that the Father loved his son but in John 14 31 Christ says but that the world
may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me commandment even so I do arise let us go
hence even as the Father gave me commandment but he says that the world may know that I love the
Father you know what that's like I said earlier dads you should speak highly of your children
you know what children you should speak highly of dads you know your dad's do labor your dad's work
hard okay that they you know again they're out there working Monday to Friday whatever
their hours are maybe even Saturdays maybe even some Sundays to make ends meet again they do it
for you you think they do it for the money they it's only money for you so you can have what you
need okay and instead of turning around and say you know what dad's never there even though they
should spend time with you that's one of the things learn to appreciate the the things they
do for you okay and let the world know that you love your your parents let others know that you
love your father you know what that he's not just some deadbeat dad you know what he tried hey maybe
my dad wasn't even saved maybe my dad did not even know what the Bible contained maybe my dad's
not even doesn't even know what the heavenly father but you know what we've his limited
knowledge we've his limited understanding with the bad examples he had in his life you know he
tried his best and I love my dad for it so you know mainly in conclusion for those that have
fathers which is all of us let's do those two things let us you know please our fathers let's
do the best we can to put a smile on their face and let us also tell the world let others know
how much we appreciate what our fathers have done for us okay let's pray