(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

So you're there in Malachi chapter 4 and I contemplated what I was going to do a Father's Day sermon or not this morning. I was obviously going through the Calvinism stuff and I broke down and I'm like, alright, I'll do one on fathers. And obviously there's been kind of a sermon that I've been kind of thinking about anyway when it comes to fatherhood. And this verse right here at the end of Malachi, or these couple verses, let's just read that real quick in verse 5 and 6, it says, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest they come and smite the earth with a curse. Now this is obviously prophesying about John the Baptist and I also believe talking about when Elijah the man actually is going to be coming back right before Jesus comes back the second time. But go to Luke chapter 1 and the thing that I noticed here is that he's going to turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers. And today the patriarchy is demonized. Down with the patriarchy. When it comes to the nuclear family and having a father in the home and having the father be the leader of the home and that is being destroyed today. And you always see the blue haired feminists that are out there saying we should just abolish Father's Day because it offends people that aren't fathers. Now growing up I never was offended, like when I was in my 20s and I wasn't married I'd be like, there's Father's Day and I'm just like, it's Father's Day man, I'm so offended because I don't have children. And the idea with that is so ridiculous, but here's the thing with that, here's the funny thing with that. You know what? We don't give a rip if you give us a holiday. You know what? Having a holiday is not why we became fathers, right? And being honored on Father's Day is not why we became fathers. And it's so funny because you're like, we're going to take away your holiday. You think that's why we did it? And so you think that's why we're raising our kids, that's why we're taking care of our kids because of some holiday? You think we need your accolades and honors to be fathers? You know what? Maybe there are fathers out there that that's why they do it. They want all the attention for what they do. But you know what? If the world says we don't want to honor you fathers, you know what? And that's you anyway. That's not why I'm doing it. I'm doing it to raise my children right. And here's the thing though. In America we need to get both, and you say well obviously we want the children's hearts to be to their fathers, right? That's kind of what I'm going to be getting into a little bit, but how to do that. But honestly we need to get fathers' hearts on their children, okay? And the problem with America today is fatherless children, okay? Fatherless children. And this isn't, you know, like it's across the board. I mean think of like West Virginia, right? And you say well this is, you know, is this white or black or any type of national, this is everywhere, okay? That you have fatherless children, meaning that you have children that are born out of wedlock and then also you just have fathers that just aren't going, they're not there for their children. You know, they basically just step out and, but then the system is basically forcing them to do that because then the mothers don't get as much on their welfare check because the father's in the home. So therefore they purposely keep the father out of the home and just all these different facets that can happen. But here's the thing, we need to have the fathers take responsibility for their children. We need to have fathers that are going to say you know what, I'm going to be the father to my children. I'm going to do the duties of a father for my children and nuts to the system, nuts to what the world says, nuts to the accolades or the honors. Because the honors of being a father are things that are not tangible anyway, okay? And obviously we're giving you some treats, you know, for being a father and you know, I'm not against honoring fathers and basically promoting fathers and saying hey we need to have good fathers out there. And this sermon is going to, the sermon is basically to help you to understand what is your role as a father, you know, what are we supposed to be doing? And go to Luke chapter 1, Luke chapter 1 and verse 16, this is where this is quoted at. Luke chapter 1 and verse 16, this is dealing with John the Baptist, so Zacharias, the angel is talking to Zacharias about the fact that he's going to have a son and his name's going to be John and kind of tell him about what his son's going to do. And so we know this is John the Baptist and all that but verse 16 here, it says, and many of the children of Israel shall turn, shall he turn to the Lord their God and he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias. Now that Elias is the same thing as Elijah but notice that when you're dealing with John the Baptist, the spirit and power of Elijah, it doesn't say that John the Baptist is Elijah and that's why I believe this passage in Malachi 4 is both talking about John the Baptist and also kind of like this ultimate fulfillment where you have the two witnesses, Moses and Elijah that are going to come back and be a witness on the earth. But notice that he's going to, it says that, you know, the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, so that's very similar, right? And the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Notice that what it says here is kind of giving you a little more insight into what he means by this, okay? Why do you want the children to, their hearts to be to the fathers because you need the disobedient to be, to hear the wisdom of the just. You know, the Bible says that a just man walketh in his integrity and the children shall be blessed afterward, okay? And the idea here is that fathers know a little more than children do. Listen foolishness is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction shall drive it far from them, right? I might be misquoting that a little bit but far from him or them, I can't remember. But the idea here is that, listen, children aren't born wise, okay? They're born with foolishness in their heart and we as their parents need to teach them this is right, this is the right way to go because, you know what, there's a way we seem it right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death as much as we as adults need to realize that, listen, children how much the more, okay? And children need to have that heart to say, you know what, my parents know more than me. My parents actually have been on this earth a lot longer than I have, maybe they know a little more. And I know when I was younger and especially in my teenage years, you're like, oh, they don't understand, you know, this isn't, you know, back, you know, we have all this technology now, we have all these different things and, you know, you just think that you know so much more than your parents but listen, you know, just an ounce of experience is worth more than, you know, like a pound of study if you will, you know, that's the kind of the old terminology for, you know, work, right? You know, you think of schooling, you go to school and you get a degree but, listen, how much more is the experience worth something than the schooling? I'm not against schooling and obviously that's needed, okay, to study and to know things, right, all that but the experience and how much more that ingrains in you what you need to do and how to do it and learning from mistakes, right? And children, your parents have learned a lot of things through mistakes. So you're like, oh, you know, that's not bad and you're just like, listen son, listen daughter, I've already learned my lesson from this and, you know, from experience, you know, like I don't even need to tell you why, I just know from experience that this is not the way to go. And so, yes, we need to have the fathers basically have the heart for their children, meaning that they need to realize that that is a major priority in their life, okay? You know, obviously God is our number one priority, right? But go to Ephesians chapter 6, Ephesians chapter 6. You know, my kids, you know, it's funny because we kind of explaining to them that, you know, I love God, number one. I love Holly, number two, and I love them, number three, meaning like that's the way it goes down, right? The tear of like I love God first, right? I love Holly next, my wife, and then I love my children next. And they're trying to comprehend it like, you know, the fact that that doesn't mean I don't love them, right? Because the world has it backwards, doesn't it? The world has it backwards. They say, well, it should be your children, your wife, or your spouse, right? And then God. But it's the other way around. But here's the thing, though. If you love God, you're going to love your wife more. And if you love your wife the way you're supposed to love your wife, you're going to love your children more, okay? And by the way, your children eventually are going to leave, and then you're just left with your spouse, okay? So you better be loving on your spouse during that time of your children. Plus, you know what? If you're not loving on your spouse, and then you guys break up, then what's that do to your children, okay? So these are the priorities. Notice what it says in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 1. It says, Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. So we just got, you know, we'll see, if you go to Ephesians 5, you deal with the fact that, you know, husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. Then it says, Wives, submit yourselves unto your husband, even as the church submits himself, you know, submits itself unto Christ, you know? And so what does it go? It goes, Christ, husband, wife, children, okay? But you know, it's funny because my children didn't even understand this. I said, let me ask you, and I'll ask Clara because Clara, I believe, got saved and I actually prayed with her just recently, and she wants to get baptized here soon. I said, Clara, do you love God more than me? And she says, yes, but I still love you, right? And I'm like, see how that works, though? Just because you love God more than me doesn't mean you don't love me a lot, right? And the same thing when I say, well, I love Holly more than my children, listen, that doesn't mean that I don't love them a lot, right? Or if I love God more, if I said, Holly, I love God more than you, see, what people hear with that is that I don't love my wife, right? But really, what, and the world doesn't understand this, but if I love God first, God's telling me to love my wife, God's saying that if I don't love my wife, then I'm not a good husband, and not only that, if I love God, I'm going to end up loving my wife a lot more, and if I love my wife, then my children are going to be loved a lot more, okay? My children are going to be loved a lot more if we're together for that whole time of us raising them together, won't it? So you got to keep the priorities, and husbands and wives, you need to keep this priority that your love and that bond between husband and wife has to stay solidified. You have to keep that, the main priority is your marriage, okay? That doesn't mean that you're just like neglecting your children, okay? I'm not saying that, but what I'm saying is that when you look at, okay, as far as where your time's spent, don't neglect your wife. You need to be saying, hey, I need to spend time with my wife, I need to spend time with her, I need to have this relationship with her so that my kids will have, you know, parents that are in this loving relationship so that they'll have all the love they need with that whole relationship. Colossians 3 is repeating the same thing that we're seeing here, but we see that fathers, you're not to provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In Colossians 3 and verse 20, it says, children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Hear that, children? Obey your parents in all things. So whatever your parents tell you to do, you need to do it. And you're like, well, you know, what if they tell us to say, well, obviously if your parents tell you to go kill somebody in cold blood, then that's not, you're not supposed to do that, okay? But listen, if your parents tell you to eat something that you don't want to eat, if they tell you to clean your room, if they tell you to do something that's not explicitly commanded or not, or commanded against in the Bible, then you need to do it. And let me say this, most all the time what your parents are telling you to do are not going to be explicitly, you know, against what the Bible says. And that's always where they're like, wow, you know, what if they tell me, it's like, it's always this outlier over here where it's like, well, what if they told me to bring them a beer or something like that, or they told me to do this? And it's always these outliers, it's like, just do what your parents tell you to do. And you know what, obviously if it's just blatantly a sin, you know, what they're telling you to do, then you could say, hey, this is what the Bible teaches, you know, I don't feel comfortable doing that, or whatever the case may be. But it's always a cop-out, let's just be honest, that's a cop-out in a lot of cases where children are trying to pull that card and say, well, you know, and it's always like, well, I don't believe that that's the best way to do it. Who cares if it's the best way to do it? Your parents are telling you to do it, do it. By the way, they're probably right anyway, you don't know what you're talking about. So when it comes to what's the best way, they've already tried all the other ways by that point anyway. So now go to 1 Timothy chapter 5, 1 Timothy chapter 5. Now it says to not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is to the fathers, by the way. And one thing I want to get across here is that, first of all, we are to be the provider of our family, okay? So as fathers, the big role that we have is that we provide for our families, you know, we pay the bills, we take care of our families, right? And all that. Now look at 1 Timothy chapter 5 just to show you that, 1 Timothy chapter 5 and verse 8, it says, but if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he had denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. Now it's not saying you're an infidel, an infidel is an unbeliever, but it's basically saying you're worse than an unbeliever. You know, if you're not providing for your own house, okay? And you know what, men out there that just leave their children, leave their wives, and just leave them to fend for themselves, if they're a believer, they're worse than an infidel. If they're an unbeliever, they're just bad. I mean, like, it's bad across the board, but listen, one of our main priorities is to be a provider for our families. You know, that's what Adam, you know, he used to till the ground by the sweat of his face and to provide for the family. Now go to Mark chapter 3, Mark chapter 3, another thing when I think about being a provider is also being a protector, okay? Being a protector because, let's face it, men are the stronger vessel. Now I know in 2021 people just lose their minds when you say that, but the Bible says, give honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel. And you know what, anatomy, biology, men are stronger than women. It's just the way it is. And this passage here in Mark 3, verse 27, is actually where Jesus is talking about like casting out devils and all this stuff, but the principle is the same here that having a strong husband at home, there's a sense of security that's there, okay? And ladies, I'm sure you would agree with this, that even without, you know, outside of having children, having a husband that you believe would be able to protect you has a strong sense of security that's attached to that, that if you're walking down the street and someone were to try to hurt you, that you know that your husband's not just going to hide behind you, okay, or run and be like, well, I'm faster than you, you know, you're the weaker vessel, you know, I can run faster than you. It's like, you know, it's like that whole thing, you know, you don't have to run faster than a bear, you have to run faster than one of your friends, you know. So the idea here though is that you want to be strong and notice what it says in Mark chapter 3 and verse 27, no man can enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house. So what you want, ideal situation, ladies, you want to marry a strong man that's going to be able to protect you. Now, I'm not saying they have to be like Arnold Schwarzenegger or like some MMA fighter or something like that to where he's going to be able to like take him down and put him into like, you know, some kind of like hold and break his arm or something like that. But listen, Jesus said buy a sword. He said, you know, if you don't have a sword, sell your garment and buy a sword. And you know what, you know, most men in here are carrying swords right now. Now modern day swords, obviously we know what we're talking about. We're talking about having a gun, right? And the thing is that not just that, but just the idea that you're not weak and also not that you have to be so much like this super strong guy, but you have the mentality that you're going to die for your wife, right? Because the Bible says that we need to love our wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, okay? So when you think about, ladies, don't you want a husband that would put his life down on the line for you and say, you know what, I'm going to die for you. If I have to, I'll just die for you, you can get away. Not the other way around. And there are men out there that are like that. You know what, the world wants you to think that that's what ladies want and that's what women want, but it's a lie. You know, like they're just, they're wanting all the men to be effeminate and to be in touch with their feminine side and have, you know, be all, you know, basically emotional and all that. That's not what ladies want. Nobody wants like an Indiana Jones that has a bullwhip that's going to basically swing them out of danger, okay? And have a theme song going after you when you're doing it, okay? You know, that's what ladies want. They want someone that's strong, that's confident, that's going to protect them when there's danger. But listen, children need that too. I remember, you know, like my dad, you know, would either, well, I mean he always went to the shooting match in July, you know, the national shooting match and everything, but also sometimes he'd have to go like out for training on some equipment or something like that when he'd do that. And I still remember this story and my mom could maybe like, you know, fill in the gaps, but there was a time, and I can't remember if you were at Camp Perry, this was so long ago, but my mom locked the keys in the car at Foodland or something like that and I think it was Justin that like someone was trying to get it open and Justin was just losing his mind. And he's like, he's basically saying, my dad's not here, he's all the way over here, you know, we're completely like, just like, you know, like we've lost everything, you know, because he's not there. And there is something to say about like when my dad wasn't at home, the sense of security wasn't as tight, right? Just having a man in the house, you know, when you're a child, right, you know, obviously when, you know, when, you know, you get older, you know, I'm a full grown man now, so, you know, like I'm in my mom's house and my dad's not there, I'm not like, oh, you know, I feel a little more secure if my dad was here. Obviously there's confidence in numbers, you know, the more men that are there, you'd feel more confident that, you know, if someone was coming after you, you'd be able to take it. But, you know what, as a child though, you had that kind of security, that confidence that there's someone that's stronger in the house. And my kids think that I'm Superman, you know, when it comes to strength, like I'll pick up something and be like, how in the world did you pick that up? And it's just like nothing, you know, it's like you're picking up like a basket of like clothes or something like that and you can just toss it up there and they're just like trying all their might to even push it, you know. But the idea is that that strength and just the thought of that strength, right, where like my wife can't pick it up or she's having trouble picking it up and I'm just like, you know, one arm, just throwing it up there. And you know what, that gives kids this sense of security that, hey, I'm safe, I'm safe at home. And if you don't think that doesn't do something psychologically to kids, you know, when they grow up with that mentality that I feel safe, I feel secure, that does something for kids that, you know, you can see the effects where they don't have it, where they don't have that security. They don't have that security that someone's taking care of them and all that. And I'm not here to drag on moms that, you know, are in a situation where the father's not at home or that children that are at home that don't have a father there can't turn out right because obviously they can't, okay. But what I'm saying is that, listen, the statistics don't lie when it comes to fatherless homes. And listen, fathers, you need to have that heart to say, you know what, I'm not going to let that happen to my kids. My kids are going to have the best opportunity to turn out right. And go to Song of Solomon 3, just to kind of add to this, dealing with that security. Now in this case, Solomon literally had security, okay. So on this realm of like, how safe would you feel right now? So Solomon's wife, and obviously this is a love song that's going on here, is talking about how secure she feels, okay, from her husband, or with, not from her husband, but with her husband. Notice what it says in Song of Solomon 3 and verse 7, it says, Behold his bed, which is Solomon's, three score valiant men are about it of the valiant of Israel. They all hold swords, being expert in war. Every man has his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. Now think about that, three score, that's 60. That means he has 60 valiant men that are expert at war, that are basically guarding their bedroom because of fear of the night. Now that's, you know, obviously this is narrator type of thing speaking, meaning that, listen, at night it's dark, you can't see what's going on, obviously there's that idea of the lack of security or sense of security because you can't see what's going on, and people are going to do things at night because of the cloak of darkness, right, and just that sense of security there. I'm not saying you need to hire 60 people to guard your house, okay, but you would feel secure and that's why all these, you know what, all these libtards out in Hollywood, they have 60 people with guns on securing them, they're like, I feel secure, I don't have a gun, right, that's the mentality, I don't need a gun, well what about the 60 guards that are around you that are holding like semi-auto like weapons that at any drop of the hat they need to take out someone they can, and so it's very hypocritical obviously for them to do that. So in most cases though you're not going to have 60 guards because you're not King Solomon with all the riches of the world behind you, but you can be that husband that says, hey, listen, I'm expert at war, you know, I've proved my weapon, and listen, if someone came into my house, they're going to have a massive hole in their chest when I get done with them, either by a shotgun, you know, a .45, an AR-15, I mean pick your choices, whatever I have near me, okay, that they're going to get taken out, and the thing is that there's a sense of security there, isn't there, that your children have, and you know, and I know I'm kind of sticking on this point, but listen, fathers, this is the one reason that we need to get the children's hearts, because they need that type of security, we'll be driving home and it'll be at night, and you know, kids will be kids and they'll just be like, you know, what if a monster came into our van right now, you know, it's like dark, you know, it's just like, what if a monster like busts through the windows and came in the van, I'd be like, well, I would shoot it, it would be dead, and we'd move on, you know, I'm like, first of all, there's no monster that's going to be blowing through the windows of our car, what are you thinking about, first of all, but second of all, it's just that idea that, listen, I'd be like, what if a bear came in here, what if a lion, you know, and they'll like name some exotic animal, I'm like, we're in West Virginia, just so you know, like those things aren't around here, I mean, unless the Hobatter Zoo, like they get loose and they somehow make it over to where we're at, but I'm like, first of all, it's not going to get in the house, if it got in the house, I would take it out, you know, don't worry about it, but listen, obviously my wife can say that to them, right, that same thing to them, but do you think it has a little more gravity when a man says it to them, okay, there's a little more gravity there when it comes to a man that they know is stronger than everybody in the house and they know that, hey, I do shoot things and I've shot deer and I've done different things, you know, that they know that I can kill an animal and drag it five miles, not that I want to, but that being said is that, you know, don't take that out of the equation. Now another thing that the husband is supposed to do is be a chastener, okay, meaning that they need to be one that administers discipline. Now one thing I want to point out here is that don't think that that's our only job to be a provider and protector, that is a crucial job, okay, I hope I made that very clear, that is a crucial job to be a provider and a protector, but that is not our only job as a father, we don't just come home, you know, sit down with our AR-15 and just put up our feet and be like tell me when danger is about to come, okay, you know, we're supposed to come home and we're supposed to actually be a father at home, okay, and go to Hebrews chapter 12, Hebrews chapter 12, because I know that there's some people out there that think well, you know, the schooling, the chastening, and everything that deals with the children's learning is all on the wife, not the case, now, is my wife going to be chastening my children more, yeah, because she's around them more, is she going to be schooling them more, yeah, because she's going to be around them more, right, so obviously they're probably going to end up doing it more just because they're going to be around them more while I'm at work, right, but when you come home, it's not like you just be like alright, well, my job is done for the day, and just not do anything with your kids, not play with your kids, not teach your kids anything, not discipline your kids at all, you know what, we need to be all of that when we come home. Go to Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 5, Hebrews chapter 12 verse 5, it says, and ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, my son despise thou, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him, for whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom ye receive it. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not, but if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. So this is very crucial, we explain this out solely a lot, you know, that you're saved by grace, you're saved by faith, you have eternal life, you can never lose your salvation, there's nothing you can do to lose your salvation, but obviously physically speaking in this life, God's going to deal with you as with children, you know, like as far as you're a son or daughter of God, and he's going to chasten you in this life, and if you don't receive chastisement, then you're not his child, because I don't go around spanking other kids, right, that aren't mine. That would be wrong, right? I'm not going to spank any of your kids, I'm not going to spank any kids that are outside anywhere else, it's my kids, that's it, okay? And that's the way God looks at it, is that he's chastening his children, but if you don't receive chastisement, then are you bastards and not sons, and what that means is that you're fatherless, right, you're not his children, okay? Well keep reading there, because he likens it, or he basically compares it to what we do as parents, okay? So this is God chastening us, right, as his children, and obviously God, the father, you know, talking about here, and in Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 9, it says, Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. So who was correcting them? The fathers. Now this doesn't negate moms, okay, so I'm not here to say, like, all right, it's just the father's job to chasten, but to think that it's just the mother's job, that is not biblical. He that spareth his rod, hateth his son, the Bible says. He that spareth his rod, hateth his son. That's clearly a man, right? And the idea here is that, obviously it's talking about fathers, it says, Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he to our prophet, that we might be partakers of his holiness. So he's basically stating that, you know, your father's chastening, you gave them reverence, how much more should you give reverence to the father of lights? And he's basically stating that, you know what, your fathers did it for their own pleasure, meaning that, you know, sometimes, you know, like they embarrass you in the store, and you're just like, you're getting the spanking. And you know that part of the reason is because they need to be spanked, but part of the reason is just like, that's not going to happen again because you embarrassed me in front of everybody in this store, right? And there's a bit of flesh that's a part of that, but here's the thing, the Bible also says that, you know, if a child asks a father, like an egg or a fish, would you give them a scorpion, would you give them a serpent? And he's like, if you being evil, know how to give good gifts, right? So he's not negating that parents do things for, you know, good things for their children or anything like that, but he's basically showing you the dichotomy of how much more, right? So if your fathers are chasing you because they want you to turn out right, listen, they're not doing it for the most righteous reasons as much as God is. God is doing it purely so that it'll be profitable to you, okay? Does that make sense? There's no like, you know, him just wanting to get back at you or anything like that. No, he's doing it because he loves you, wants you to be profited by it. That's why he's doing it. And obviously, we need to try to be more like God when it comes to chastening. We need to be on that side of it, but we're also just human when it comes to that. But notice in verse 11, it says, now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous. So at the same, you know, when you think of like chastening, yeah, it's not fun. It's not fun to spank your children. It's not fun to chasten your children because they're not gonna be happy about it. They're gonna be crying about it. And it's not, you're not having a good fun time when that's going on. No one likes doing it. If you like doing it, you're sick, you know, like that's weird. You know, like you're, you shouldn't be doing it then. If you're enjoying chastening your children, that's messed up. No one enjoys it, right? You'd rather just get along with your children and everybody be having a good time and just, you know, be able to just enjoy the time that you have with your children. But at the time, it doesn't seem, you know, it seems to be joyous not to chasten, right? But ultimately, it's grievous because in the end, they're not gonna turn out right. They're gonna turn out to be, you know, bad people if you, if they don't receive chastisement. Notice what it says right after this, it says, nevertheless, afterward it yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. So fathers, this needs to be there. Chasing needs to be there. We need to be, we need to be chasing our children and not just put it on the wives. Like I said, it's probably gonna be more on the wives because they're just gonna be around them more. I mean, that's just statistics, okay? That they're gonna end up, and just to be honest with you, my children are a lot more emotional around my wife than they are around me, okay? Because they're like fighting for her attention, you know, they want mama's attention at all times. They all wanna be on her at all times and it's just not that much with me, okay? So when it's, like if it's just me there, like if I'm just watching them and Holly's like going to the store or something like that and I'm watching them, it's not as emotional because they just don't have that same type of attachment to the father as they do the mother and therefore I don't need to usually spank him as much. Now do I spank him? Of course. I mean, like goodnight. I heard one preacher say one time, he's like, you're probably gonna be spanking your toddlers like once a day unless they're like an angel sent down from heaven and then it might be every other day, right? Now children are different and I know people, some people are just like, well, you know, I haven't, you know, I don't spank them much at all or whatever and I'm not here to judge you or to say like, hey, this is the way it is because children are different and every one of my children are different when it comes to their personalities. Some have an iron will and it doesn't matter how much you spank them, they're just like ah, you know? And then the other person is just like, you just mention you're gonna spank them and they're just like, you know, just tears like flowing, you gotta like hug them, be like, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, you know, like there's just like two different extremes there. So don't get me wrong, there's different people, different, you know, personalities, all that stuff but listen, that needs to be there, okay? It needs to be there on the father's side and this sermon's for the fathers, okay? That fathers don't think that when you come home that your duties are done, okay? Because listen, the mom's duties never end. Why do you think the father's duties would end at some point in the day, okay? Now, and I go to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, now there's three things that I see dealing with what fathers are supposed to be doing here in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. So I hope you get this is that we want our children's hearts to be toward the father's and as much as you think that that doesn't make sense if you chasten them that they will be, it will be. And I'm talking about like biblical chastening, I'm not talking about hurting your children, I'm not talking about child abuse, I'm talking about, you know, applying the seed of learning to, I'm going to mess that up, the rod to the seed of learning or something like that. You know, my name is Jimmy, give me all you got, you know? There's some phrases that I hear and I just cannot get them out right. But the idea here is obviously we're talking about spanking a child on their padded bottom, you know, that's not going to be, you know, you're not maiming them, you're not hurting them, you're not being abusive, okay? But it's enough to where they know I don't want that, okay? Now notice what it says in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 10, it says ye are witnesses and God also how wholly and justly and unblameably we behave ourselves among you that believe. As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father doth his children that ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. So there's three things that I see there because it says as a father doth his children, it says exhorted, comforted and charged, okay? So let's think about that for a second. The first thing it says is to exhort, okay? Now look at Colossians chapter 3, Colossians chapter 3, I'm sorry, not Colossians chapter 3, 1 Timothy chapter 6, 1 Timothy chapter 6 and exhorting a lot of times is coupled with teaching, okay? And so the thing that I want you to get here is that we're supposed to be teaching our children. Now we homeschool our children so that's going to be like all across the board, you know, teaching our children but this isn't just talking about schooling like as far as reading, writing arithmetic, you know, the three R's, just kidding. The idea is that we're talking about like obviously Bible, we're talking about life, we're talking about like changing a tire, we're talking about like changing oil, like different things that, you know, you would teach your kids like to do that are just common things that they should be doing and exhorting them, okay? And exhort a lot of times is more of like an uplifting teaching, right? You're trying to exhort them to be, you're not discouraging them and that's where Colossians 3 comes in and you don't have to turn there, we kind of already read it in verse 21, it says, fathers provoke not your children to anger lest they be discouraged. So the opposite of being discouraged is to exhort, okay? So you need to exhort them so that they're not discouraged. So that means that your children, you know, mess up, right? You're trying to show them how to do something, they mess up and be like, you're awful at this, like you're never going to be good at this, like just stop, get out of my face. Now, that's obviously not the way you're supposed to deal with it and there's a meme out there which is hilarious. It says, nothing you can say to me will offend me because I used to hold the flashlight for my dad. You know what, you don't really realize that pain until you are that dad and you're like, can you hold this flashlight for me? And they're like looking up here and you're just like, I'm right here, I'm right here and I need the flashlight right here and they're just like all over and they're just like, are you having a seizure, like what's going on? And so, you know, but the idea here is that we need to be loving and exhorting and be like, you know what, you know, obviously they're only going to get better by just doing it and practicing and all that stuff too. So you need to be gentle with your children and not like just like throw them off and be like, you don't know what you're doing and just, you know, I'll do it. Now the point is you need to exhort them, you need to teach them how to do it, okay? And in 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 2 it says, and they that have believing masters let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather do them service because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort, okay, so I want you to see how that's coupled there, teaching and exhorting. It says, if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strives of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, eversommisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness from such withdrawal by yourself. And you know what, what it comes down to is that when we're exhorting and teaching our children it should be based off the Bible, you know, it should be based off Bible principles. And you know, we should be teaching our children that gain is in godliness. Or how about this, covetousness is bad, okay. And I remember, you know, my dad would, you know, we definitely had more than others and you know, my dad, but we also weren't rich, meaning that what we had my parents worked hard for and you know, just getting like dirt bikes or four wheelers or different things like that, that you know, I just remember my dad really just, it was a rebuke, but it was like dealing with covetousness or material things, like wanting those type of things. And he'd always tell me, you know, that Jesus is way more important than anything on this earth. And any time I ever got anything like that, he'd always make me say that, you know, like what's more important than any of this. He'd always make me say it. And you know, I wasn't like, I don't want to say it, but it was just kind of like this, you know, like reminder every single time that listen, these material things don't fall in love with these material things. Like the covetousness or that gain is godliness, you know, like this idea that, that, you know, just having all of these things is what's important. No, you know, what's important is the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we need to be teaching and exhorting those. Now Titus 1, I want you to go to Deuteronomy 6, I'm going to read some other verses here for sake of time. Titus 1, 9 says, holding fast the faithful word as he had been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. So holding fast the faithful word, how are you going to teach and exhort your children if you don't have the faithful word, the word of God, the word of life, the word of truth in order to teach them, okay? Titus 2, 15 says these things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority, let no man despise thee. Listen, we're supposed to speak and exhort and rebuke with all these things. The Bible says preach the word, be instant in season and out of season. You know, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering, right? The idea is that when we're talking about the word of God, you need the word of God to teach them. Now go to Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse 4. Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse 4, it says, Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart. This is where we're supposed to love God first, you know, as fathers and how it translates to our children because if you love God and you're reading His word and you're memorizing His word, guess what? Now you have a lot to teach your children and you have a lot of good things to teach your children. And then keep reading there in verse 7, And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontless between thine eyes, and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house and on thy gates. You know what that means? Everywhere you go, it should be, your whole house should be basically built on this idea of the word of God. Everything that's in your house, you know, there shouldn't be anything in your house that would be against the word of God, and you know what? Notice that it doesn't say, you know, that you're only supposed to be doing this at work, or that even just the wife is supposed to be doing this. And notice that it says that you're supposed to teach your children these things diligently and talk with them when thou sittest in thy house, when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. It's pretty much hitting everything, right? When you lie down, when you rise up, when you're sitting, when you're walking, right? And so it didn't say when you were driving, though. Obviously this means like everywhere. So and the idea there is that, hey, hey, fathers, we're supposed to be exhorting and teaching our children. And you know what? My children are probably going to be getting more of their reading, writing, and arithmetic from my wife just because she's going to be the one that's there at home doing it with them mostly. But do you think when I come home, if they have a problem, that I'm not going to be jumping in there to show them a little bit about math or show them a little bit about this and all that when it comes to that? But listen, that's not the only thing. You know, you should be teaching them the Bible. You should be teaching them just life skills, okay? How to take things apart and everything else. I saw someone post, it's funny because to me this seems very simple, probably because of my dad, is the fact that someone put a post up and said, hey, I need the number of an electrician because I need to change out my chandelier. And in my mind, and you may say, yeah, I need to do that, too. But in my mind I'm like, why would you need to call an electrician for that? Because all I'm thinking is like turn off the breaker, take it off, undo the wiring, put the wiring back on there, screw the new one in, turn back on the breaker and hit the switch and you're good to go, right? Now it's not as simple as that. You got to get a ladder, you know, and then everything doesn't fit right and, you know, all those things that happen in between there. But you know what, my dad, you know, when it came to like electronics or different things like that, it's obvious he was his forte, you know, but when I think of things like that I'm just like, why would you need to do that, okay? And by the way, why would I need to call anybody because I got my brother back there that's literally got Ace Hardware in his house. So, and he's like, man, I really need this tool. And Holly's like, well, did you ask your brother if he had it? I'm like, why would he have that? And then he's like, yeah, I got that and this, like something I don't even know about. I'm like, what in the world? But what I'm saying with that is that there's different things that we can be taught that will make your life a lot easier down the line, right? You can save a lot of money down the line when you're doing that. And I'm not saying everybody needs to know how to do electrical work and all that, but what I'm saying is that things like that, and you may all have different stories as far as what your dad taught you, right, as far as just different things that, you know, how to handle different situations, change a tire, change oil, and some of you are like, my dad didn't tell me how to do any of that. You know, it is what it is, but here's the thing that a lot of us I think would have something that we'd say, my dad showed me how to do this that my mom didn't show me how to do or that my mom wouldn't feel comfortable doing or whatever. The next thing is comfort, right? So I said, exhort it, comfort, charge. So comfort, go to 2 Corinthians chapter 1, 2 Corinthians chapter 1. Comfort, isn't it interesting that the father is supposed to be a comforter? Because you would think that the comforter should be the mother, right? You know, the, not my family, right, my mom was like, my mom, you know, if we would come in, we hurt ourselves, she's like, is it a main artery? You know, are you missing a limb? Then get back out there, you know. It was just like, you know, or if you come in and be like, you know, you're crying or something got hurt or whatever, you're like, let me show you something that really hurts, you know. Let me take you over to the hospital and show you someone that's missing their limb and all this stuff. My mom would always give me a reality check, you know. I was shorter growing up. I was the shortest kid in my class all the way up until high school and I was like the ugly duckling that didn't grow and didn't come into this beautiful swan that you see right now until like, you know, junior year in high school. And you know what, it wasn't fun, you know, because, you know, when you're a kid, you know, the whole like, when you're a teenager, you want the girls to like you, all this stuff. I was always the friend, you know, you know, I was in the friend zone all the time, you know, all that stuff. They like hanging out with me but, you know, whatever. Anyway, it would be sad and my mom would just be like, oh yeah, let me take you to the cancer unit, you know, where the kids are like dying of cancer and I'm like, oh, you know. But it did snap you out of it, right, because it put it in perspective that I had my health, you know, I wasn't in these dire situations and all that. Now, my dad on the other hand was, I wouldn't say he was like the comforting type but he's more the mother hen type when it comes to like being more understanding on like my mom's a little more harsh when it comes to like understanding anything. Like if someone stole something from you, be like, this person just stole this out of my car and be like, oh, that's what you get. I'm like, that's what I get, you're like, that's what you get for putting it in your car. I'm like, what do you mean for putting it in my car and like just everything like that where my dad would be more like on my side, you know, understanding and he's the more the one that's like worried that we're out like doing something or we're out somewhere, we're out in the woods and he's like making sure that we're in before dark and all that. So, it's funny because my dad is probably more the comforting one out of the family. But my mom obviously comforted too but, you know, she definitely put things in perspective. But that being said, notice what it says here in 2 Corinthians chapter 1. 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 3, it says, blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Now we know that the Holy Ghost is called the comforter and it says, I will send you another comforter. So I believe Jesus is also a comforter, right? But it's talking about God the Father being the God of all comfort, okay? So God as a whole was the God of comfort but even each person of the Trinity is a comforter, right? And you have God the Father that's being a comforter and it says in verse 4 there, it says, who comfort us, comforted us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble. By the comfort we're with, we ourselves are comforted of God. And notice how that kind of reciprocates, right? When you have like your Father that comforts you and then you end up kind of comforting others because of that, because you've been taught that, you've been taught to be a comforter through times of trouble. Go to Psalm 23, Psalm 23, Psalm 23, and listen, I'm not saying like fathers we need to get in touch with our feminine side, we just need to be a comforter, right? And being a comforter kind of goes into the fact of having that security and that protection that they feel, right? Because when you have security and protection, don't you feel comfortable, right? So this really kind of goes back to that point of being kind of like that security blanket on your children where they know, hey, my dad's going to protect me, my dad's going to take care of me, I'm not going to starve, I'm not going to get hurt by someone outside of, you know, outside here somewhere or whatever, that my dad will be there to protect me or whatever the case may be, right? And there's that security or what I would think of as comfort that's there. And in Psalm 23 and verse 4 it says, yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. So this is a very famous Psalm, obviously, Psalm 23, but he gives the reason why, okay? So it says that he's going to walk through the valley of the shadow, he's basically saying I'm going to walk through this valley, it's like death is in this valley, but I'm not going to fear evil, I'm not going to fear anything, I'm not going to be afraid, why? For or because, right, for can be because, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. So basically this whole thing is that the Lord is my shepherd, and so obviously we're talking about like kind of the analogy of God being the shepherd and we are the sheep kind of thing. And he's basically saying like we're walking through this valley like the shadow of death, but I'm not going to fear anything because his rod and his staff is there to protect me, right? That comfort that the shepherd is going to take care of you, right? Or that comfort that your father is going to take care of you in times of trouble, right? In times of tribulation, in times of trials, and any type of thing, you may be in danger or maybe you think you're in danger or you just think everything's falling apart, that's where your dad comes in and says, you know what, I'm here for you, I'm going to make sure that nothing happens to you or that you're not going to be devoured with fathers. And you know what, the world doesn't like fathers, you know, and I use that loosely because I would say the world as a whole doesn't hate fathers, it's this minority that just like speaks really loud about it. And they just don't like it, they just want to destroy it. So by and large, you know what, people would say, I wish I had a father at home if I didn't and or if they do have one at home, they appreciate it. Now charging, okay, so we saw that it was, that we were to exhort, now I messed up the or I missed the first one that we said because I'm getting mixed up because I had an exhort, yeah, exhort because I talked about exhorting earlier. Exhort, comfort, and charge. Go to 1 Timothy chapter 4, 1 Timothy chapter 4. So we're supposed to exhort or teach, we're supposed to comfort, but we're also supposed to charge our children, okay? Basically you're supposed to show them where to go, right? Does any army go to war without having a charge to go to war, right? And the idea is that you need a father to say this is the way we're going, this is the route we're going, and in a family that's the way it should be. The father, the husband should be the one saying listen, this is the church we're going to go to, this is the place where we're going to live, right? Talk to you about that and you can have a discussion about it, you know, and like try to figure out what the best route is, but ultimately the husband should be saying hey, you know, after all this and we've talked about all this stuff, this is the route we're going to go. Or all the churches we visited, this is the one we're going to go to. Or whatever the case may be, I'm just using those as kind of an example, but the idea is that listen, the husband should be given the charge and the husband, the father should be given the charge to the children saying this is the way you should go, children. This is the route you should go. Because listen, children need someone to lead them. And obviously mothers, I'm not taking you out of the equation here, but ultimately the fathers need to be the head of this, okay? And the wives should be on, you know, the team of the father, you know, right? The mothers should be on the team of the father and they should be both going in that direction as far as which way they're charging their children to go. It says in verse 11 here, it says these things command and teach, let no man despise thy youth. But be thou an example of the believers, in word and in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity, till I come give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine, neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, meditate upon these things. Give thyself holy to them that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine, continue in them, for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee. Now what's interesting about this and what I want to really point out here is that Timothy is a pastor of a church, okay? And Paul is writing to him, this is a pastoral epistle. He is the leader of the church. But you know what Paul's telling him to do is lead by example, okay? So fathers, if you want to charge your children to go do something, you better be doing it yourself. You can't say, all right, children, go to church, but I'm not going. What kind of example does that lead and why are they going to want to say, hey, this is important to go to if you're not going to go, okay? Or you know, I think you should go soul winning and then you don't, you know? If you're charging your children to go do it, but you're not doing it yourself. And you can put this in anything that you're telling your children to do, okay? Because children will see through that and they'll see, hey, why do I need to do it, but they're not doing it. But you know what you should be doing? This is what I do, you need to come with me. You know what a leader, a good leader does? They lead the charge. You know, they don't just command to go and just sit back and wait for the results. They're ahead of the charge. They're out in front with you. They're fighting the battles with you. And notice what it says, go to 2 Kings chapter 10, I love this story, it's dealing with Jehu. And there's a lot of verses I could take you to on this and I have written down, but just for sake of time, I don't really want to go into them all about charging Timothy to do certain things. The thing that I want you to get with this, that if you're going to charge your kids to do certain things, especially biblical things or just things in general, you better be showing them by example, okay? You need to be the example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity, right? You need to be that example and it's just like a pastor of a church, right? If I wasn't going soul winning, how many people would be like, you know what, I'm not going to go soul winning now. Probably a lot, right? And listen, that's why churches die out soul winning because the pastor stops going and then eventually everybody else stops going because if the leader's not doing, why would everybody else do it? And if I'm not living a wholly separated life, why would you do it? If I'm not reading my Bible, why would you do it? If I'm not memorizing the Bible, why would you do it? If I'm not studying the Bible, why would you do it? You know, if I'm not leading by example, then why would you do it? That doesn't excuse you, right, because you're your own people, right? It's your own walk with God. But the point is, is that the leader is supposed to be leading by example and saying, come with me. Listen, I'm on this path, come with me. I'm going. You going with me? Not like, all right, everybody, go do your thing and then, you know, I'm not going to do it. And I've seen it time and time again with churches where pastors will delegate all this work and not touch it with one of their fingers, right? See where I'm going with that? And you know, these heavy burdens that were previously to be born but weren't even lifted with one of their fingers, right? But the idea is that you need to lead by example. Go to 2 Kings chapter 10, 2 Kings chapter 10 verse 15. Now this is a story with Jehu and God is commanding Jehu to basically take out the whole house of Ahab. But this story right here with Jehonadab is one that just sticks out to me when I think of leadership. And if you know this story, when he goes after, you know, Jehoram and all that, and they're basically seeing him come from afar off, they'll send a messenger out there, right? They send the messenger like, is it peace? And he says, what do you have to do with peace? Get thee behind me. And they literally just get behind him and start going with him, right? That's the leader right there. Like, you literally are on the other side and then you go up to the guy and then you're just like, I'm following this guy. And he's driving furiously, right? Anyway, so that's a whole other story for another day with Jehu. But in verse 15 here it says, and when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rekab, coming to meet him, and he saluted him and said to him, is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart? And I'll say that 10 times fast. So he thinks he's saying, is your heart right as mine is, right? And then he goes on to say, and Jehonadab answered, it is, if it be, give me thine hand, and he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot, and he said, come with me and see my zeal for the Lord, so they made him ride in his chariot. Did he just put Jehonadab up in there and said, hey, go get it? Or did he bring him up there and say, hey, come see my zeal for the Lord? In fathers, we need to have that mentality when it comes to our children that, hey, listen, if we're going to teach our children to do something, then we better be doing it ourselves. And you probably should be doing it at a higher level, right? Do you not, and listen, I know that I'm not perfect or anything like that, but don't you want your pastor to probably know more than a lot of people in the church? Don't you want him to be a little more knowledgeable than most of the people in the church when it comes to the Bible doctrine? Don't you want him to be like a little more on that up and up when it comes to things that are going on in the church? You don't want him to be the lowest on the totem pole, do you? So you want that to, and listen, as a pastor, that's what I want to do is I want to, I always want to be trying to strive to be one of the people that's studying more and knows more and all this stuff. Now, that doesn't mean that I think I know more than anybody else in here, okay? I want you to be very clear. I'm not here to say like, listen, I've arrived, you should all meet me where I'm at, right? I'm not saying that at all. Because there are people in this church, and many of you know things that I don't know. Know certain doctrines more than I know, or maybe studied out something more than I know, or maybe you're better at soul winning than I am, right? I've done it for a long time, but listen, some people, they can be better soul winners, they can be better singers, they can be better, you know, different things when it goes on to that, but listen, I am striving to be one of the best when it comes to being here in the church, right? Because I am the leader. So that'd be weird if I wasn't trying to be that. But as a father, you know what, if you're going to command your children to do something, then you should be doing it. It shouldn't be this attitude of do what I say, not what I do. And listen, children, ultimately, if it comes down to that, and what they're saying to you is doing right, and they're not doing it, do what's right, okay? I'm not giving you an out here to say, well, my parents aren't doing what they should be doing, therefore, I'm not going to do what I should be doing. I'm not giving you an out, but listen, your children are going to end up doing it a lot more if you're doing it. If you're living righteously, your children are going to end up living righteously. They're going to emulate you more than you know, just what you say. I talk about pounding down food, and all my kids are just talking about pounding down food. They're like, I pounded down those grapes. I'm just like, goodnight. It's not exactly what I wanted to emulate there. So like my vocabulary is like coming out in them, and the crazy things that I say sometimes. But I hope this sermon helps because the one thing that I want to get across, fathers, is that our job is not only to provide. That is our job, okay? That is our job, to provide, but that's not our only job. Our job is to teach, to exhort, to comfort, to protect. We're to be a father 24-7, and obviously, when we're at work, you know, it's not my job. There's not much you can do when you're separated from your family, but when you get home, it's not a time to just like stopping and just put up your feet and say, bring me a sandwich. Okay? Now, you can say that and then eat your sandwich, but then go do something, okay? And you know what? A lot of, I'm just going to be frank with you, a lot of people are taking it, and Christian people are taking it that way, to just come home and be a lump on the wall, and just kind of just, all right, did my job. Your kids need you to do other things, and listen, your wife needs you to do other things, and this isn't a sermon to say that your honey-do list is validated on everything that you try to tell your husband to do. Just remember, he did work all day, but that being said is that, listen, you know, we need to know that that's not our only job, okay? Providing is part of it, you know, that's a major part of it, but that's not the only thing we're supposed to do. So, again, don't forget to get your candy at the end of the service here, fathers, but let's end with a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for today, and thank you for all the fathers here at our church, and thank you for all the children, Lord, and just pray that you'd help us as fathers to be an example to them, to live righteously, to be in purity, and to have faith, and Lord, so that they can emulate what we do, and Lord, just pray that you'd help us to raise our children in inertia and admonition of the Lord. We pray that all our children would get saved at a young age, and Lord, that they would want to serve you and love you, and ultimately, that's the biggest thing that we want more than anything else is that our children would get saved and love you and want to serve you with the rest of their lives. And Lord, we love you. We pray this in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.