Fathers day 2020

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Being a dad is hard.

I remember the “trash I used to talk” as a young dad toting Gabriel around Fort Worth in his baby bjorn. 

I have learned from my many mistakes.

I try to repent quickly and look at God as Father to help me continually course correct and get on point.

I want my sons to see that repentance and imitate my course correction, not my mistakes.

Big Idea: Look at God the Father and Jesus the Son as our example from John’s gospel as our example to imitate.  

Hebrews 1:1-3 (ESV) “1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature,…”

• In Jesus, we learn what God is like in revealed glory.
  • John 1:14 (ESV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
    • Jesus displays God’s glory, among many ways, in the Father / Son inner-Trinitarian relationship.

• The Father / Son relationship is the image we bear as parents and children.
  • Thus it’s totally normal for this relationship to feel right and work right.
    • It is also why we can be so broken when we get this wrong.
  • This, then, is the model we want to strive to reproduce. 

• We don’t need as first examples, famous coach dads and their books.
  • Nothing wrong with a good human example. 
• Better: God the Father and God the Son from his Manual.

NOTE: IT IS HOLY SPIRIT’S MISSION TO HIGHLIGHT THIS RELATIONSHIP AND BE HIDDEN IN IT. 

Gospel of John: What does the bible teach us about God the Father in relation to the Son?

John 5:17 The Father is working…he has a mission…and the Son is working with Father on that same mission. 

John 5:19 The Son operates under the authority of the Father.

John 5:20 The Father loves the Son and holds nothing back from him even while on mission, and the Father continues to work through the Son so that others may marvel at God. 

• Though distant in some manner while incarnate on earth, Son and Father are ever separated, and Father never abandons the Son. 

John 5:30 The Son never operates alone. Rather, the Son comes after the will of the Father even while on mission away from pre-incarnate glory. 

John 6:26-27 The Son carries the “seal” of approval and effectiveness of the Father for the mission of securing in himself eternal life for those who receive him. 

• Matthew 3:17 Father is well pleased with the Son. 
• John 17:1 Father shines the light of glory on the Son, and the Son shines the light of glory on the Father.

How do we apply the truths about Father and Son?

1. Parents/Children, believe that the cultural intoxication of the need to rebel against and escape from good parental oversight is demonic and opposite of the kingdom of God. Rebellion is not just the normal “teen” expectation. 
   1. Biological development is never an excuse to act on impulses against what God says is prime, optimal and full joy. 
   2. Children, resist the temptation to buck the good oversight of your parents. Fight it!
      1. Jesus never operated outside of the Father’s will. He submitted to the Father’s way. 
      2. We are to operate under authority all the time. 
         1. This is why I tell my sons: Always ask!
         2. It’s the human relational imitation of us praying: asking, seeking and knocking. 

2. Fathers, have a purpose that you are striving for that lines up with God’s mission, and move your children to that mission. 
   1. Let your children see you evangelize and disciple folks…NOT JUST PURSUING A CAREER.

3. Fathers, work to be the kind of authority our kids can and will run toward. 
   1. The love between Father and Son is palpable in John, and can be with us and our kids. 
      1. Find that biblical balance between just discipline and lavish grace. 
      2. Fight to know God’s mission and stay on it, insist on it, with a velvet covered hammer to not be hindered by Satan’s advances. 
         1. Keep the main thing, the main thing: Know God and make him known. Love God and love neighbor through the gospel work / message of Jesus. 

4. Fathers, bless your children at all appropriate stages with your seal of approval. 
   1. For the Jolly household we have 4 stages: Manhood/Vocational Pursuit/Entrance into vocation/Marriage
   2. We have sought to place our seal on each of those stages:
      1. Celebration with family and friends. 
      2. The use gender appropriate symbols. 
   3. There is power in our blessing our children biblically with God’s affirmation and our approval of what God says is good. 
   4. Illustration of the blessing I just spoke over Gabriel at his graduation (phase 2) celebration: 
      1. Matthew 13:44 (ESV) 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
      2. Enter the field God has set before you (college in preparation for vocation/calling), but may you find not merely a vocation. Rather as you kick over clods of dirt in class, relationships, internships and the like, may you find the kingdom of God and be willing to sell all the treasures you accumulate to have that invaluable treasure of immeasurable worth in Jesus’ kingdom so that you will hold your vocation in the right place…a temporary tool in your belt to stay in, advance and fully enter the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. 

5. Fathers, lean hard into the gospel and receive the already purchased pardon for our mess ups. 
   1. Then be quick to ask for forgiveness with words and show growth in transformed deeds. 
   2. In so doing we will model not only righteousness but how to correct unrighteousness.

6. Worship, and let your kids see you worship the Lord. Don’t be out worshiped. 
   1. Jesus constantly looked to the Father and did what he was doing. 
      1. Be that into the worship and honor of Jesus, fathers. 
   2. Don’t fail to be an example of how to worship well. 
      1. So, let’s set that example well right now.