June 21, 2009
Morning Service

Today we celebrate Father’s Day. 

History

Father's Day is a celebration inaugurated in the early twentieth century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting, and to honour and commemorate fathers and forefathers. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving, special dinners to fathers, and family-oriented activities.

The first observance of Father's Day is believed to have been held on July 5, 1908 in a church located in Fairmont, West Virginia, by Dr. Robert Webb of West Virginia at the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South of Fairmont.^{[1] [2]} The church still exists under the name of Central United Methodist Church.

Sonora Smart Dodd of Washington thought independently of the holiday one Sunday in 1909 while listening to a Mother's Day sermon at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church at Spokane,^[3] and she arranged a tribute for her father on June 19, 1910. She was the first to solicit the idea of having an official Father's Day observance to honor all fathers.

It took many years to make the holiday official. In spite of support from the YWCA, the YMCA and churches, it ran the risk of disappearing from the calendar.^[4] Where Mother's Day was met with enthusiasm, Father's Day was met with laughter.^[4] The holiday was gathering attention slowly, but for the wrong reasons. It was the target of much satire, parody and derision, including jokes from the local newspaper Spokesman-Review.^[4] Many people saw it as just the first step in filling the calendar with mindless promotions like "Grandparents' Day", "Professional Secretaries' Day", etc., all the way down to "National Clean Your Desk Day."^[4]

A bill was introduced in 1913,^[5] US President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea in 1924,^{[citation needed]} and a national committee was formed in the 1930s by trade groups in order to legitimize the holiday.^[6] It was made a federal holiday when President Lyndon Johnson issued a proclamation in 1966.

 

God Almighty, who Jesus said is our heavenly Father, placed in order the chain of command.  Such as in the army, Privates, Corporals, Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains,  etc.  Notice what He teaches us:

• 1Co 11:3  But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
• Eph 5:23  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

 

• In this portion of Scripture, chapters 10 – 11 of I Cor. , God, through the Apostle Paul, was giving us what He wanted us to understand concerning, the deliverance of the children of Israel by the hand of Moses.  How that they complained, and griped to Moses about the things that they did not have, and were punished severely by God.  This teaching us not to complain, and belly ache.

 

• He is teaching the unity that we have in being in the body of Christ.

 

• And also the communion service.  That we being many are one bread, and also how that we should keep this service, as a memorial, and not as a time of feasting before one another.

 

The word Father is used 1101 times in the Bible.  The word Fathers is used 549 times.

 

Just as our Heavenly Father wants what is best for His children, we should want what is best for our children.

 

What is best for us, and our children are the teachings of the Word of God.

Listen to what is said concerning the Word of God.

Psa 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psa 119:140  Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.

Psa_7:5; Psa_16:11; Psa_17:14; Psa_21:4; Psa_23:6; Psa_26:9; Psa_27:1; Psa_27:4; Psa_30:5; Psa_31:10; Psa_31:13; Psa_34:12; Psa_36:9; Psa_38:12; Psa_42:8; Psa_61:6; Psa_63:3; Psa_64:1; Psa_66:9; Psa_78:50; Psa_88:3; Psa_91:16; Psa_103:4; Psa_128:5; Psa_133:3; Psa_143:3; Pro_1:19; Pro_2:19; Pro_3:2; Pro_3:18; Pro_3:22; Pro_4:10; Pro_4:13; Pro_4:22; Pro_4:23; Pro_5:6; Pro_6:23; Pro_6:26; Pro_7:23; Pro_8:35; Pro_9:11; Pro_10:11; Pro_10:16; Pro_10:17; Pro_11:19; Pro_11:30; Pro_12:10; Pro_12:28; Pro_13:3; Pro_13:8; Pro_13:12; Pro_13:14; Pro_14:27; Pro_14:30; Pro_15:4; Pro_15:24; Pro_15:31; Pro_16:15; Pro_16:22; Pro_18:21; Pro_19:23; Pro_21:21; Pro_22:4; Pro_31:12;

We are studying the book of Proverbs on Wednesday evenings.  Here is what we are learning.

(Pro 1:8)  My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

(Pro 4:1)  Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

(Pro 6:20)  My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

(Pro 10:1)  The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

(Pro 13:1)  A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

(Pro 15:5)  A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

23 times in the book of Proverbs are these types of instructions given.

 

Are these the types of teachings that we are giving our children?  Do we strive to do what the Word of God teaches us to do?  Do we speak more of Godly things, or worldly things? 

Eph 6:4  And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

(Col 3:21)  Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

• Provoke not your children to wrath;  do we tease, and aggravate our children to discouragement?  Do we teach them to fight?  Be disrespectful to other adults, such as teachers, policemen, others that are in authority?  When we do these types of things we are only assuring there destruction, not their happiness.  The admonition is that we would;

·         bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 

• Pro 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
• 2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

 

Fathers, for many of us, the primary teaching of our children is over, and this is the most impressionable years.  While they are young you should be talking about the things of God to them every day.  You should be expressing how important it is to walk with God, and keep His commandments.  You should be teaching them by word, and example.  You should bring your children to church, and show them, by your example, that this is very pleasing to God.  How that God’s Word will bring them life, and a happy, prosperous life.  

How that going with the ways of the world will bring heartaches, and sorrow, and eventually death.

 

Fathers, you have a challenging opportunity to guide your children, and household into a glorious relationship with God Almighty.  God has chosen you to be the leader of your family.  They will look up to you with great respect, and admiration if you choose to go with God.  They will be proud of you, and listen to your teachings, knowing that it worked for you, and is working for them.

 

This is the ultimate relationship that God would have for a family;

Eph 5:22-23  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.  (23)  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.  Eph 5:24-25  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  (25)  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  Eph 6:1-3  Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.  (2)  Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;  (3)  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.