Since I began my Mother’s Day message this year with a little information about how that special day started, I thought I’d do something similar on this year’s Father’s Day…
The idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington.
A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father’s Day while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in the year 1909; having been raised by her father—after her mother’s death, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her; it was her father who made all the parental sacrifices in her life; he was, in her eyes, a courageous, selfless, and loving man.
Her father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910; in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the 3rd Sunday in June as Father’s Day.
And here’s one more detail about Father’s Day that some of you may not know: Roses are the flowers of Father’s Day—red for fathers still living; white for fathers who have passed away…
Folks, A GOOD FATHER IS ONE OF THE MOST UNSUNG, UNPRAISED, UNNOTICED, AND UNAPPRECIATED HEROES IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!
One time there was a little boy who was asked to define Father’s Day. He said, “It’s just like Mother’s Day, only you don’t spend as much on the present.” I don’t know if you know this or not, but before the existence of cell phones, the greatest number of long-distance calls were made on Mother’s Day; the largest number of collect calls … were made on Father’s Day!
Since this is generally a day of reminiscing, I can’t help but think of my own father and some of the wonderful things he used to say to us kids… Here’re a dad’s favorite sayings:
Go ask your mother!
Just wait ‘til I get home!
When I was your age…
Why, I used to walk to school for miles … in the snow!
Well, that’s the reality of many of our lives … and today is the day we need to be celebrating the incredible gift of ‘fatherhood.’ We could go to many places in the Bible to see examples of godly fathers, but today I want us to turn our attention to the OT book of Joshua. Joshua was one of those very special, godly dads…
At the age of 110, he summoned the leaders of Israel to a place called Shechem for his farewell address (at the end of his life):
He charged them to obey the Lord who had fought for them and who had given them an inheritance.
He warned them of the danger of apostacy, saying (Joshua 24:15, NLT), “…choose today whom you will serve.”
Listen now to Joshua’s address to the people of God:
“So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” 16 The people replied, “We would never abandon the LORD and serve other gods. 17 For the LORD our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. 18 It was the LORD who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the LORD, for he alone is our God.” – Joshua 24:14-18 (NLT)
So, Joshua chose the perfect setting for his final words to God’s people—Shechem. Shechem was alive with sacred memories; it was the place of…
Abraham’s altar…
Jacob’s well…
25 years earlier, a tremendous dedication service had taken place there…
As Joshua spoke, he did so with an authority of experience, because he’d walked with Moses for 40 years and then he’d led Israel in the Conquest of Canaan—another 25 years. HE REINFORCED HIS POPULARITY WITH GOD’S PEOPLE THROUGH THE POWER OF A GOOD EXAMPLE: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”
There’re lots of things we could say about Joshua, but I just want to touch on two qualities he possessed that would serve dads well today, too. In other words, we have before us—dads—ONE HUMONGOUS OPPORTUNITY … that can make an eternal difference in our kids’ lives (no small thing)! You have the opportunity, like Joshua, to…
BE THE PRIEST OF THE HOME! Folks, first … Joshua acknowledged his responsibility for the spiritual life of his family; he spoke for his family; he declared their intent … when it came to their life with God; here’re some things—dads—you need to know about being a priest:
A priest cannot function unless he is in close contact with God!
What does that tell you about your own life with God?
According to the Bible, the family was designed to be the basic educational unit in life (Deut. 6:6-9; 11:18; Eph. 6:4)—the father taking a lead role in teaching his children how to walk in the ways of the Lord…
The greatest thing a father can do is to pass on to his children the love of God…
I think we all know that … love begets love. In Chapter 3, Verse 11, Joshua urges Israel to make their love for God a special goal…
You probably remember the little fellow, frightened by a thunder storm (lightening & thunder), who called out one night, “Daddy, come. I’m scared!” “Son,” the father said, “God loves you and he’ll take care of you.” “I know God loves me,” the little boy replied, “but right now I want somebody who has skin on!”
If I had this fatherhood thing to do all over again, that’s what I’d want to be to my kids—God’s love … with skin on! We also see this in Joshua’s life: Joshua, the warrior, has become Joshua, the man of peace… So, how did that come about … for Joshua (and for us)?
Well, in order to become ‘men of peace,’ we first have to open up our lives to God’s Spirit of Peace. I’m reminded of that famous conversation between Jesus and Peter in John 21 (15, NLT) where Jesus looked at Peter and said, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” Peter had to open up his life to God’s love in/for Christ before he could share that love with others…
If we want to give love (agape) to others, including our children, we must first receive love; if we are to be ‘men of peace and love,’ passing that love on to our children, we must first absorb it! And that comes from walking closely with the God of love…
Next, in being the priest of our homes, we need to know this: Joshua led his family by example; the family will usually follow the parent, but especially the father. Someone once said, “A boy loves his mother, but will follow his father.” I believe that to be true, especially for our young men…
Some months ago, I heard a touching story about a humble, man of God, whose young son had become very ill. After the boy had undergone an exhaustive series of tests, the father was told the shocking news that his son had a terminal illness. The youngster had accepted Christ as his Savior, so the father was assured that death would result in his son going to heaven. But, he wondered how to his young son that the reality of his illness was soon to be death…
After earnestly seeking direction from God in prayer, he went with a heavy heart through the hospital to his son’s bedside. First he read a passage of scripture and had a time of prayer with his young son. Then he gently told him that the doctors could only promise him a few more days to live. “Are you afraid to meet Jesus?” he asked his boy. Blinking away a few tears, his young son said bravely, “No … not if he’s like you, Dad!”
The stakes of being a father … can be eternal! We need to be the priest of the home … the one who leads our kids, by example, to follow the one true God who we’ll be spending eternity with; we need to be their ‘go-between’ with God. And finally, as priest of the home, the godly father is also a man of prayer. Joshua did this—asking for wisdom and courage for himself, and protection for his wife and children. Are we that kind of priest/go-between for our families?
Here’s the 2nd quality Joshua possessed as a dad: He was/we have the opportunity to: BE THE (SPIRITUAL) PLANNER OF THE FAMILY!
I don’t know if you know this or not, but there’s a TOP 10 list out there that is … “10 Ways to Fail as a Parent.” I’m not going to go through the entire list with you, but let me share #10 today; it goes like this:
10. Let your children make their own choices in the matter of religion. Be careful not to influence them in any way.
Remember, that’s only if you want to fail as a parent… Instead: Along with being a priest—the ‘go-between’ of the family, godly fathers must also have a plan for the spiritual life of their loved ones; Joshua said, “We will serve the Lord”; so … how?
Dads, we must strive—with God’s help—for family unity! Unity in the household is so important … because…
When the family is united, it’ll be able to withstand trials that come their way! Joshua pushed with a godly determination to persevere with his family—standing alone with them if need be; we must be willing too!
This godly determination, then, must extend into the devotional life of the family… Joshua was determined to establish a spiritual oasis for his family; and in such an oasis … spiritual giants are grown; that includes our families, too!
So, dads, what a humongous opportunity lies before us—an opportunity that’ll have eternal consequences for our families—wife and kids!
Be the priest of the home—the ‘go-between’ who leads & prays for your family…
Be the planner of the home, with a plan for your family’s walk with God…
Let me close on this very special Father’s Day with a prayer of blessing for our dads…
Mender of toys, leader of boys [and girls],
Changer of fuses, kisser of bruises,
Bless him, O Lord.
Mover of couches, soother of ouches,
Pounder of nails, teller of tales,
Reward him, O Lord.
Hanger of screens, counselor of teens,
Fixer of bikes, chastiser of tykes,
Help him, O Lord.
Raker of leaves, cleaner of eaves,
Dryer of dishes, fulfiller of wishes,
Bless him, O Lord.
…and may God bless each and every one of the fathers of our lives … on this day and in the days ahead… AMEN.