The Legacy of a Godly Father

Sep 07, 2016
Doug Keppel

Colossians 3.18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

FATHER’S HOLD A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN SOCIETY!
They deserve a much higher place than they are given credit for today.

American society seems to see fathers as expendable parts of the family unit. 
Sadly, many men today neglect to see the importance of their role as fathers, which is why we have the term “dead-beat dad.”

Almost 40% of the children in America are growing up without their biological father in the home.

FATHERS NEED TO BE REINSTATED TO THE LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE THAT GOD INTENDED FOR THEM!
There is some very strong evidence that points to the fact that the reason American morality and spiritual integrity is at such an all time low is because of the declining value placed on the role of the father in today’s society.
  
My goal is not just to remind our dads of their duties and responsibilities, but also to encourage and remind us all of their importance. That is, the respect and the dignity of the role of a father. I believe that we all need to see that Fathers play an extremely important and vital role in our families.

            Here in Colossians chapter 3, the Bible introduces the family as God intended it to be.
            A.   In Terms Of Authority The Bible Says That The Father Is To Be The Head Of His Household.
                        1.  With that authority comes some responsibility!

                        2.  It is the father who is charged with the responsibility of looking after the best interests of his family: financially, spiritually and socially.

            B.   When A Man Becomes A Father, It Is Important That He Learn How To Conduct Himself.
                        1.  He learns from the way his own father treated him: how he grew up as a child and interacted with his dad.
                                    I thank God for the good and godly example I had growing up!
                                    I can remember my father was always looking out after our family.
                                    I learned a lot by watching him.

People so often have the perception that fathers don’t love their kids as much as mothers, because men aren’t as emotional or endearing.

But, fathers have the capacity to love just as much as any other spiritual being. It’s just oftentimes expressed in different ways.

Fathers express their love when they guard their family and provide good things to their wife and kids.

So, men can learn how to be good dads from father-son relationships.

Unfortunately, with 40% of children now growing up without a dad in the home, we know that many men are not providing a proper example of how to be the right kind of dad.

Given that fact, where else can a man turn to for a proper example of how to be a Father?

                        2.  He can turn to the Word of God and learn from his relationship with God.
The best dads take their example from the Heavenly Father and pass on the legacy of the Lord to their family.
 The legacy of God is the greatest gift a father can give.
 To be like God in the way we manage our household is the greatest expression of love a dad can give to his family.
                                    What does the Bible teach us about our Heavenly Father?
                                    a.  The Bible teaches us that our Heavenly Father shows us His love by His provision for us.
Over and over we see from the Bible our Heavenly Father’s provision for His Children!

Dads we also have the awesome responsibility of providing for our families!
1 Timothy 5:8–“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”
The Bible shows us that the brunt of the responsibility to provide for the welfare of the family rests on the shoulders of the man.
 Dads are always striving to maintain a balance of providing for their family and spending quality time with the family.
 Scripture teaches us that there has to be balance in our lives.

Because men are hard wired with the desire to provide for their family and make a good home for their children, there’s a constant struggle to maintain a balance between the giving of our time and the giving of things.
 As fathers, we must constantly look to God for direction and example on how to manage our households.

God’s great example to us is that He always provides for our needs. But, more importantly, our Heavenly Father always places the greater emphasis on the time we spend together with Him.
 In the same way, a father’s duty to provide for his family shouldn’t overshadow the importance of spending quality time with them either.

So, the Bible teaches us that our Heavenly Father expresses His love by His provision for His children.

 b. The Bible teaches us that our Heavenly Father expresses His love by His discipline of His children.
Proverbs 3:11-12, “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: 12For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”
 1)  A Father Must Discipline Because He Wants The Best For His Children.
Children raised in the discipline of a strong and loving father have greater discipline as adults, and disciplined adults make greater contributors to society.

My father disciplined me! Many times! More times than I care to tell you! But, it was for my benefit that he did it! He did it to develop character in my life! And, it worked!

2)  Discipline Is The Act Of A Father Urging His Kids To Live The Right Way For Their Proper Development.

A family is made by a father’s discipline.
 The father disciplines his children, to make them stronger.

So, The Bible teaches us that our Heavenly Father expresses His love by His provision for His children.
The Bible teaches us that our Heavenly Father expresses His love by His discipline of His children.
                                  
c. The Bible teaches us that our Heavenly Father expresses his love by His protection of His children.
A dad places himself in the way of trouble to protect his family.
 Jesus applied the example of the greatest love possible when He laid down His life to save us!
 In the same way, a father is charged with the duty of laying down his life, his desires, his personal interests for the sake of his family.

I know my own father didn’t work as a painter all his life because he necessarily wanted to, but he did it because it provided for his family. I’m sure there were a lot of things he would have rather done! However, He put the interests of our family before his own.

But the primary expression of love from a father is the legacy of salvation.
 The greatest legacy that a dad can leave behind to his children is Jesus Christ.
 When a parent dies, those left behind often receive an inheritance.

Sometimes that inheritance involves material riches and sometimes it doesn’t.

But there is no greater inheritance than the legacy a father leaves concerning eternal salvation.
Ephesians 6:4–“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

A dad who loves his family will do his best to lead them in the way of the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 2:11-13, “…ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 12That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.”

Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

Conclusion
So we see how that fathers are extremely important people in the lives of their children.
Dad’s we’ve been charged with the duties of providing for, disciplining, protecting, and interceding for our family’s sakes.

Additional Reading