Three boys were bragging about their fathers. The first said, “My dad writes some words on paper and calls it a lawsuit, and they pay him for it.” The second said, “Yeah, well, my dad writes some words on paper and calls it a prescription, and they pay him for it.” The third said, “Well, my dad writes some words on a paper and calls it a sermon. And it takes eight guys to collect all the money!”

Dads need respect, regardless of their occupation.

Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, knew it was so. Listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909, she thought of her father, who had raised her and her five siblings after their mother died. So, she spoke to area ministers and YMCA members, and they began to plan a day honoring fathers the next year.

They selected roses as the flower of the day: red if the father was living, white if he was deceased. Interest grew until President Calvin Coolidge made Father’s Day a national holiday in 1924.

I’m glad there’s a Father’s Day, selfishly and spiritually.

We need to remember what God wants us to give our fathers, on this day and each day. More than $22 billion, much of it going to the roughly 100 million ties that will mark the occasion.

But while an extra tie is often appreciated, what else do fathers need?

More than gifts, a good meal, or time for an afternoon nap, what fathers need most is to remember why we were blessed by God with this privilege, and how to fulfill it well.

Graduate from Fatherhood 101

Unfortunately, children do not come with owner’s manuals, Chilton’s car repair books, or operating instructions. But their Creator has told us what we need to know to do this job well. As church leaders, it’s our privilege to help our people understand how to do just that.

So let’s review Fatherhood 101 in the word of God.

A father’s first responsibility is to lead their family spiritually.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25). How did Jesus love us? Unconditionally, selflessly, sacrificially. Love her the same way.

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). Serve each other, meet each other’s needs.

Live so that your wife can more easily fulfill her spiritual responsibility as well: “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). Be the spiritual leader, example, and model in your family and home. Live and lead so that they follow Christ because of you.

A survey conducted by the National Study of Youth and Religion has concluded that adolescents raised in religious households are far more likely to admire their parents and live in healthy families than those who are not. And more recent studies show that reality has not changed. So, lead your family spiritually.

Next, provide for your family financially.

Fathers are to meet their family’s physical and spiritual needs: “…Children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children” (2 Corinthians 12:14).

Freud said, “I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.” Provide financial and physical security and stability for your home.

Third, teach your children biblically.

Describing the principles of Scripture, fathers are commanded to “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:7).

We are further instructed, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

Do you have a time in your home for Bible study and prayer? A time to teach your children what you know of God’s word? Parents are their first pastors, their spiritual guides. The church has your kids one percent of their time, the schools 16 percent; parents have them 83 percent of their time. So teach them biblically.

Fourth, be what you want your children to become.

A godly father “must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect” (1 Timothy 3:4).

It’s been observed that “Till a boy is fifteen, he does what his father says; after that, he does what his father does.” So teach your people to be mindful of their actions, and make sure your actions support that truth as well.

Ultimately, Fatherhood 101 comes down to this: lead your family spiritually, provide for them physically, teach them biblically, and be what you want them to become. Now, let’s focus on the last principle. How can we be the people we want our children to become? What does it take to be godly fathers?

You’re familiar with New Year’s resolutions. Today, I want to offer some Father’s Day resolutions from the list of blessings that begin Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. Eight, in fact. Eight gifts to give to our children, and to our souls as well.

Adopt these Father’s Day resolutions from the Beatitudes

Jesus’ familiar beatitudes begin: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).

To be “poor in spirit” means to know our need of God, that we cannot live and succeed without his help. It means to admit that he is the I Am and I am the I Am Not.

Our culture stands on self-sufficiency. We can meet our needs if we just put in enough hours, take enough classes, and consult enough experts.

God knows better. He knows that our children are eternal souls entrusted to our care. So here’s the first Father’s Day resolution: “I will seek the help of God daily.” Will you make this commitment now?

The second beatitude states, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).

The “mourning” to which Jesus refers is primarily spiritual. Mourning for sin, failures, shortcomings before God. It means to admit that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), myself among them.

Our culture stands on self-assurance. We’re good fathers if we provide financially for our families. Pete Rose heard that his daughter had told a reporter he was a terrible father. He responded, “That’s not true. I’m a great father. Why, just the other day I bought her a new Mercedes.”

As we discussed before, our children are more likely to follow our actions than our words as they get older. So we must spend time every day confessing our sins, staying right with God. And that includes confessing to them when we’ve made mistakes in our parenting.

So here’s the second Father’s Day resolution: “I will confess my sins daily.” Will you start today?

Jesus continues: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

The Greek word translated “meek” meant strength under submission. Biblically, it means to be under the control of the Holy Spirit, to obey the command to be “filled [or controlled] by the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

Our culture is self-reliant. As long as our finances are healthy, our jobs productive, and our health is good, our future is secure.

God knows that we do not possess the wisdom, patience, or strength we need; that we must have the Spirit’s power. So here’s our third Father’s Day resolution: “I will submit daily to the control of the Holy Spirit.” Will you make this surrender right now?

The fourth beatitude: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

“Righteousness” in Scripture deals with our actions, but also with our motives and our thoughts. God’s word teaches that as we think in our hearts, so we are (Proverbs 23:7, KJV). Moody said your character is what you do when no one is looking.

Our culture judges only our actions. So long as we are righteous in the eyes of our peers, we’re doing all we must.

But God sees our hearts. He knows that our children so often do what we do. So here’s our fourth Father’s Day resolution: “I will think and act by the word of God.” Does anything need to change in your life this morning as a result?

The fifth beatitude: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

Grace gives what we don’t deserve; mercy does not give what we do deserve.

Our culture knows little of mercy. We are driven by performance, possessions, and perfection. So we drive our children to succeed as we have. Recent periodicals have documented the problem of sports stress, for instance, as parents live vicariously through their children and push them to succeed at all costs.

But God knows that we fail more than we succeed, and that our children need our forgiveness, unconditional love, and mercy. So here’s our fifth Father’s Day resolution: “I will forgive my children when they fail.” As your Father forgives you.

The sixth beatitude promises, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).

To be “pure in heart” means to live by God’s single purpose for your life. What is that purpose? To “love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others as yourself” (Matthew 22:37, 39).

Our culture defines success by how much we own, while God defines it by how much we give. Our culture measures us by how many people love us, while God measures us by how many people we love.

So here’s our sixth Father’s Day resolution: “I will love my Father, my family, and others unconditionally.”

The seventh beatitude states, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).

A “peacemaker” is one who seeks righteous resolution to conflict, not just the absence of conflict but the presence of justice.

Our culture thrives on competition, victory, and success. God wants our families to live in harmony and peace with each other in an atmosphere of mutual respect and love.

So here’s our seventh Father’s Day resolution: “I will teach my children to respect and love each other.”

The last beatitude concludes: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

Living by these principles will cost us. Humility, confession of sin, submission to God, biblical thinking, forgiveness, unconditional love, and mutual respect are not popular values in our culture.

So here’s our last Father’s Day resolution: “I will pay any price to be a man of God.” Our God— and our families—are worth our sacrifice.

We can give our children no greater gift than to be such men of God.

A Father’s Day parable

Chuck Swindoll said it well: “Dad is not perfect; he would be the first to admit it. Nor is he infallible, much to his own disappointment. Nor altogether fair, nor always right. But there’s one thing he is always—he is your dad, the only one you’ll ever have. Take it from me, there’s only one thing he needs on Father’s Day. Plain and simple, he needs to hear you say, ‘Dad, I love you.’”

If your earthly father is still with you today, will you give him this gift? If God has brought other men into your life who have filled that role and been a father to you in some way, will you tell them as well?

And if you’re a father, will you give your children these resolutions from the word of God?

Each is necessary, which is why Jesus included all of them in his Sermon. But, at the same time, most of us are better at some than others. With which do you need to start today?

A group of botanists hiking in the Alps found a very rare flower. It was growing on a ledge of rock which could be reached only at great peril and with a lifeline. None were experienced climbers, so they found a local shepherd boy and offered him several gold coins to climb down the rope and retrieve the flower.

The boy wanted the money but feared that the job was too dangerous. He would have to trust strangers to hold his lifeline. Suddenly, he had an idea. He left the group and returned a moment later holding the hand of a much older man.

He ran with excitement to the edge of the cliff and said to the botanists, “You can tie the rope under my arms now. I’ll go into the canyon, as long as you let my father hold the rope.”

Whose rope is in your hand today?

 

Denison Forum

 

An Air India plane with more than two hundred people on board has crashed near the airport in India’s western city of Ahmedabad, officials said this morning. The flight was scheduled to depart at 3:40 a.m. ET. The plane was taking off and was headed to London’s Gatwick airport when it crashed in a densely populated civilian area, causing a massive fire with billowing black smoke.

At the time of writing, officials have not yet confirmed whether there are fatalities. However, the company that owns Air India has activated an emergency center, stating, “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.”

When we hear or see news like this, we are immediately shocked by the tragedy and grieve for all those affected. And we are forced to admit the reality of our mortality. Humans are brilliant enough to create machines that can fly at incredible speeds and heights, but not brilliant enough to ensure our safety when we travel on them. It is the same with every other dimension of our lives—our cars can crash, our homes can collapse in a storm. Medical science is more advanced than ever, but our bodies still grow sick and die.

None of this is what you wanted to read this morning, or what I wanted to write when I woke up and started to work. But the Christian faith offers a hope in the face of mortality found nowhere else, a way of seeing death and life that redeems the former and embraces the latter.

This hope was expressed long ago in a surprising way that is still powerfully relevant today.

“I shall have become a human being”

St. Ignatius of Antioch was, according to early tradition, a disciple of the Apostle John. In the year 107, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Trajan, he was arrested and ordered to renounce his faith. He refused, so he was bound in chains and sent to Rome for execution, where he was fed to the lions in the Circus Maximus.

On his journey to Rome, he wrote seven letters to various Christian congregations. The last was to the church in Rome, asking them not to try to stop his martyrdom. In it, he wrote:

The pains of birth are upon me. Be understanding, my brethren: do not hinder me from coming to life, do not wish me to die. I desire to belong to God: do not give me to the world, do not try to deceive me with material things. Allow me to receive the pure light: when I have reached it, I shall become a man.

In this sense, he continued, “Allow me to follow the example of the Passion of my God.” He added that when he died, he would “succeed in reaching God” and in that moment “shall have received true mercy, and I shall have become a human being.”

His letter frames physical death in a way I find enormously encouraging.

“This mortal body must put on immortality”

God created us for eternity, not for this finite time and fallen world. This earthly life is therefore our “gestation period,” that time during which we are being formed for the life to come. Then, when we “die,” we are “born” into the life for which we were always intended.

However, those who are still in the “womb” of this world cannot see those in heaven any more than a baby still in its mother’s womb could see a sibling who left her body to be born. Like a baby in its mother’s womb, this world is all they know. When we were in the womb, if we had been given the choice to remain where it seemed safe and familiar rather than being expelled through a painful physical process into a world we had no proof even existed, we might well have sought to stay where we were and feared what came next.

But imagine that someone who had been born into the world outside the womb could somehow reduce themselves down to become a fetus again and speak to us in ways we could understand. Their “resurrection” from what we would call death would be proof that the same could happen one day for us (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:20).

In this case, what we knew as death would be the essential precursor to life that far transcends the life we had known. This is what Paul meant when he wrote, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable” (v. 50). To the contrary, “this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality (v. 53, my emphasis).

“The ringing testimony of the Christian faith”

Knowing that death is but the gateway to true life can change the way Christians approach every moment of every day until that time.

First, we are emboldened to serve Jesus at all personal costs, knowing that the worst that can happen to us in this world leads to the best that can happen to us. We already “have eternal life” (John 3:16), so we can face persecution with joy and adversity with hope. Singing hymns at midnight can be our witness to our fellow “prisoners” until the prison doors are opened and we are set free (Acts 16:25–26).

Second, we are encouraged to use this world for the world to come, knowing that all we see is fleeting but that present faithfulness echoes in eternity. Br. Lucas Hall of the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Boston is right: “Our daily tasks, even very good and important ones, are not themselves eternal, and so derive their worth from how much they facilitate [our] encounter with Jesus, the eternal living God.” Living for the next world turned this world “upside down” (Acts 17:6) and will do so again.

Please take a moment to pray for all those affected by the Air India crash. Then take another moment to reflect on the fact of your mortality. If Jesus is your Lord, embrace his promise that “everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:26). And ask the Spirit who empowered the first Christians at Pentecost to empower your faith and witness today.

When early believers faced growing opposition and persecution, they prayed for the Lord to “grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness” (Acts 4:29). As a result, “the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness” (v. 31).

Now it’s our turn.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr believed,

“The God whom we worship is not a weak and incompetent God. He is able to beat back gigantic waves of opposition and to bring low prodigious mountains of evil. The ringing testimony of the Christian faith is that God is able.”

Do you agree?

Quote for the day:

“Death is the chariot our heavenly Father sends to bring us to himself.” —Erwin Lutzer

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• Who was David Ben-Gurion?
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