Welcome Home everyone
Happy Father’s Day
I’m so blessed to have our only son Bradley and our youngest daughter, Sami here with us today. You kids, not only make Father’s Day possible, you make it great.I am thankful for all 4 of our kids.
Our text today comes from a time when God is establishing the structure of life for Israel. Israel is young as a nation and through the law given to Moses, God gives a charge to the people, but this charge is aimed not at the priests or those in authority, but at the fathers.
My big idea today is that fathers have a directive that we can follow that will determine what kind of legacy we will leave. My prayer today is that by hearing this message together everyone of us will know the meaning of our passage and how it plays out in the lives of each of individual, not just the fathers. If you have your Bibles with you today, please join me as we read the Shema. If you automatically went to Deuteronomy 6:4-9 she my wife later, she has an extra hug for you.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 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. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
In order to help me share with you today, I have separated my thoughts into 3 sections or points.
There Should Be No Other gods Before Him.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Deuteronomy 6:4
There is only one true God and there should be nothing in our hearts or in our line of sight that we love more than God. This is the charge of God for all men and father’s not to exclude the ladies or anyone else, but if we take this in the intended context, we must see that this charge is really aimed at the Father/husband. Dads, we honor you today, but this honor is due as a result of God’s charge and anointing He has established for your position over the family unit.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Deuteronomy 6:4
God has revealed something about how we are to see Him and what His true place is in our lives. He is God. He is God alone and we shall not put anything or anyone beside Him. This helps us to understand straight out, how our lives need to be prioritized.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
Ephesians 5:25-27-
Men, your first order, aside from God, is to love your wife. Your headship over the family is a shadowing of Christ’s headship over the church. That one day your marriage will become an offering unto the Lord, pure and blameless. Hear me now, no matter how much you love and invest in your marriage, family, or your job, they are not to displace your relationship with your heavenly Father. Nor can we make idols of possessions, hobbies, or lifestyles. We are not honored here today because we are somehow kings of our castles, rather we are the servant of the lord unto our families.
Our leadership is dependent on keeping our heavenly Father in proper context.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:21
Dads, receive your honor today but also take up the charge for which you were commissioned. Being a Father is difficult and sometimes thankless work. But it is one of life’s greatest joys.
Ultimately, it is through a right understanding of the Father’s place in our lives that we are able to serve our families well. If you are out of sync with your heavenly Father then you will be out of sync with your marriage and out of sync with your ability to parent as well. Many have a philosophy of how the prioritize God and family in their lives. My personal feeling is this, if you can prioritize God then you can deprioritize God. And if you can deprioritize God, then you can deprioritize your wife. We must remember our covenant with Christ as a nonnegotiable element of our lives as to build a culture of serving the Father in all areas of life. But if in your life God is and He has permeated every aspect of your life. Then in the culture of your life and family God Just Is. Then your wife is always # 1, Don’t ever treat your wife like #2 When you have this right, God your heavenly Father will be your constant source of refilling and refreshing. And in this you will always have something to give your wife/family. You notice that the Bible doesn’t have a lot to say about parenting. Its because if you get the first 2 correct the kids will naturally follow suit. You cannot draw from an empty well. You must be refreshed in the knowledge of the Lord your God. The Lord is one.
Love God With Every Part Of Your Being
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
Deuteronomy 6:5-6
If we love God, then we will keep his commands.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37-40
This is next natural progression of a relationship with Christ. Accepting Him as Lord overall. Pressing His commands on your heart. And then becoming obedient. We have the ability and to teach godliness to our families. Not by what we say but by our example.
Loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength identifies the all of the elements of our human ability and consciousness. It speaks to our mind, thoughts, desires and to our will and determination, our physical power, endurance, and perseverance.
Make God The Centerpiece Of Your Home And Family Life.
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. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:7-9
When you make a decision for Christ it should reflect on how you live. If someone comes to your home, they should be able to detect some clue about your faith. I don’t mean that all should run down to Hobby Lobby to buy up all of the scripture décor items for your home. But there should be some semblance that you are a follower of Christ.
You should talk about it And your life and belongings should be marked by God’s word.
Dads, your influence within the life of your child should impact how your child sees God. Dads, your sons will know who God is by there relationship. They will know how to serve their families by you. They will know how to be a man/man of God. Your daughters will choose their husbands largely by your influence and their internal ability to trust God will be heavily influenced by how you execute this charge. Dad We honor you today and many of us are here today because of the prayers and influences of our fathers. Young men begin your journey today with the end in mind. They always say if you could speak to your younger self. What would you say? I feel as though I’m here today speaking to my younger self. I want to say to directly…
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 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. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Will you give God Lordship in your life? Will you love Him with everything you have? Will you make Him the centerpiece of your home and teach your children about who He is? Remember the devil seeks only to kill steal and destroy. Steal your freedom, kill your joy, and destroy your destiny for hope and love. But God has a plan! He’s stealing from your neighbor, your family, and your loved ones today.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Jesus, He’s the Son of the living God, and we can receive from Him today His Righteousness, His purpose and His calling. Will you call on him today? Your salvation/forgiveness is just one prayer away. Will you trust in his ability to do what He said He would do? Will you believe today? Many of you need a fresh touch from God today. Is there some form of unbelief or a fracture of trust as it relates to God in your life today? God wants to redeem and restore those areas of your life? He wants to restore Joy and hope for you today. You’re hearing this now and the Holy Spirit has brought someone or something to mind. He wants to speak life into this today. He wants to bring healing in this area today. There are areas of deep regret when it comes to your relationship with God and you have rejected Christ as your savior …It’s not too late
It’s not too late to humble yourself before him today, hold out your arms and open your hands to receive from him today. Will you say yes to Jesus, today? Will you bow your heads with me? Some of you already know the Lord, but maybe he’s put something on your heart that you need to deal with, you need to ask his forgiveness today. If that’s you will you just acknowledge that to him today. This is just you and God here. Now someone here may not have that relationship with Jesus and today you’ve felt him tugging at your heart, you’ve been hurt, and you’re guarded, I know. Jesus is here and wants set things right in your life.
If you’ll say Pastor, I want Jesus to be my Lord and savior. Remember, it’s just you and God here. Will you pray with me today, We’ll pray here as a family and you can repeat after me. Jesus, I know that I’m a sinner. I ask you today for your forgiveness. I believe that you died for my sins and on that 3rd day, you rose from the dead. I ask you to come into my heart today. I trust and follow you as my Lord and savior. Guide me and help me to do your will. In Jesus’ name Amen.
“‘“The Lord bless you
Numbers 6:24-26
and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’