FATHERHOOD

#1 · June 19, 2006, 11:34 am

Quote from Forum Archives on June 19, 2006, 11:34 am
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
FATHERHOOD

June 18, 2006

TEXT: Luke 11:5-13

In case you havent noticed, fatherhood can be tricky. It takes a great deal of effort and work and finesse to be able to go out into the workforce on a daily basis and contend with the forces out there that frequently require men to be tough enough to confront situations, be confronted by situations, and make difficult decisions, then turn around and go home and be the patient, wise, and compassionate role model to our children. The effort is multiplied many times over when our children demonstrate that they want to be children. Case in point: A boss couldnt figure out why one of his most valued employees had not come to work or phoned in sick one day. Facing an urgent problem, he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper. "Hello?" "Is your daddy home?" he asked. "Yes," whispered the small voice. "May I talk with him?" The child whispered, "No." Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your Mommy there?" "Yes." "May I talk with her?" Again the small voice whispered, "No." Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the Boss asked, "Is anybody else there?" "Yes," whispered the child, "a policeman." Wondering what a policeman would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, "May I speak with the policeman?" "No, he's busy", whispered the child. "Busy doing what?" "Talking to Mommy and Daddy and the Fireman," came the whispered answer. Growing more worried, the Boss heard what sounded like a helicopter through the earpiece on the phone. The boss asked, "What is that noise?" "A hello-copper" answered the whispering voice. "What is going on there?" demanded the boss. Again, whispering, the child answered, "The search team just landed he hello-copper." Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated the boss asked, "What are they searching for?" Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle ..."ME!"

Yes, indeed, fatherhood can be challenging. Writes Bill Cosby in his book entitled Fatherhood, Even though your kids will consistently do the exact opposite of what you're telling them to do, you have to keep loving them just as much. (Bill Cosby, Fatherhood, quote obtained online) God knows all about that. Just look at Adam and Eve. Created by God to walk with Him and to care for the garden in which they were placed, they had one simple instruction of obedience. Genesis 2:16-17: And the Lord God commanded the man, You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die. Eventually, both the woman and the man did just the exact opposite.

Unfortunately, we dont even have to go back as far as Eden to discover this trait; just look at us today. Whether child or adult, we humans have a knack for listening to instructions from authority and then turning right around and doing the opposite. Not many weeks ago, the Kokomo Tribune ran a series of articles about the suffering of addicted gamblers. In interviews, addicts and family members alike talked about how difficult it is to get help for this serious problem. But what group is typically ridiculed and marginalized when gambling issues come up? Even though the Bible does not directly address gambling as it does other sins, it is clearly no surprise that the effects and consequences of gambling negatively impact our walk with God. So, Christians are typically among those who have opposed the legalization and sanctioning of gambling. And, true to form, Christians are mocked and ridiculed as unfair bigots when they voice opposition to gambling. We are assaulted with arguments of moral relativism: Well, it may be immoral for you, but that doesnt make it immoral for everybody. You cant impose your morality on me. Advocates of this and other sinful behavior then march right out and do it anyway. And then they wonder why theres never enough government money around to fix the problems they have created.

Fortunately for all of us, God loves us enough to save us in spite of ourselves. God makes a clear distinction between Himself and us. Like the little boy hiding from His parents, we all too often try to hid from God. Adam and Eve tried it; didnt work, but they tried it. God comes and finds us and says, You disobey me at every turn, but I love you enough to die for you and welcome you back into My arms.

The purpose of this testimony about prayer in Luke 11 is to distinguish God from us. When we seek God, He does not hide Himself from us. We are told in verse 10, For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. This is a description of divine Fatherhood. He further distinguishes Himself in the following comparison: Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

Obviously, Jesus did not know about the Fear Factor show, where you might get anything, including snakes and scorpions. Setting modern television aside, though, Jesus points out that human fathers want to provide for their sons; their families. Human fathers want to give fish and eggs to their children, not snakes and scorpions. We want to give good gifts to those we love. That is our calling and our inclination as fathers.

Jesus then makes his point through contrast. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! In his discussion on these Scriptures, Bible scholar William Barclay writes, That story, said Jesus, will tell you about prayer. The lesson of this parable is not that we must persist in prayer; it is not that we must batter at God's door until we finally compel him for very weariness to give us what we want, until we coerce an unwilling God to answer. A parable literally means something laid alongside. If we lay something beside another thing to teach a lesson, that lesson may be drawn from the fact that the things are like each other or from the fact that the things are a contrast to each other. The point here is based, not on likeness, but on contrast. What Jesus says is, If a churlish and unwilling householder can in the end be coerced by a friend's shameless persistence into giving him what he needs, how much more will God who is a loving Father supply all his children's needs? If you, he says, who are evil, know that you are bound to supply your children's needs, how much more will God? This does not absolve us from intensity in prayer. After all, we can guarantee the reality and sincerity of our desire only by the passion with which we pray. But it does mean this, that we are not wringing gifts from an unwilling God, but going to one who knows our needs better than we know them ourselves and whose heart towards us is the heart of generous love. If we do not receive what we pray for, it is not because God grudgingly refuses to give it but because he has some better thing for us. There is no such thing as unanswered prayer. The answer given may not be the answer we desired or expected; but even when it is a refusal it is the answer of the love and the wisdom of God. (William Barclay, Luke, The Barclay Daily Bible Study Series - New Testament, Westminster John Knox Press, Ligouri Publications Faithware edition)

In fact, Jesus here tells us that our Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. The gift that Jesus and the Father hold in highest esteem is the Holy Spirit. I believe that this is because the Holy Spirit provides us the wisdom and knowledge we need to be able to approach God. We cannot approach God unless convicted by the Holy Spirit. We cannot seek healing for others or for ourselves unless empowered by the Holy Spirit. We cannot open Gods many gift boxes to us unless enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

God is a self-revealing God. He does not give us little peek-a-boo glimpses here and there. He reveals Himself completely. He revealed Himself to Adam and then Eve. He revealed Himself to Abraham on many occasions. He revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush and again on Mt. Sinai. Ultimately, He revealed Himself to all of us through the self-revelation of Jesus Christ. More than likely, we are not capable of coming close to comprehending the revealed Lord in one massive moment of comprehension. Instead, we grow in our knowledge of God through moments of insight that shed new light on this aspect of Gods revelation and then another aspect at another time. These insights take place because the Holy Spirit enables us to take our experiences and connect them with Gods message. What a wonderful, delightful, and vital gift our Father in heaven has given to us!

Again, we have a contrast. On Fathers Day, Fathers are honored with gifts and cards from their children and family members. It is good to honor the impact and influence of Fathers this way. Bill Cosby writes, Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope. (Bill Cosby, Fatherhood, quote obtained online) Besides, it helps Hallmark and others sell their cards. The contrast here is that our Father in heaven gives His children the gift instead of the other way around. His good and perfect gift of the Holy Spirit. In other words, as He did with His only begotten Son, God gives Himself to His children.

There is only one gift that we can give God in return on Fathers Day or any other day. That, of course, is the gift of accepting His gift of saving love. God has an infinite resource of divine blessings and gifts He wants to rain upon us, but they can come only when we have said yes firmly and completely to Gods invitation to recognize our sinful disobedience to God, repent of our sins, and believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ, as our personal Savior. Until that born-again moment of salvation happens, God cannot respond to our prayers because His gifts are rejected by those who refuse to believe. But to those who believe, Gods good and perfect gifts are abundantly given.

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Happy Fathers Day, God.

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana
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Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

FATHERHOOD

June 18, 2006

TEXT: Luke 11:5-13

In case you havent noticed, fatherhood can be tricky. It takes a great deal of effort and work and finesse to be able to go out into the workforce on a daily basis and contend with the forces out there that frequently require men to be tough enough to confront situations, be confronted by situations, and make difficult decisions, then turn around and go home and be the patient, wise, and compassionate role model to our children. The effort is multiplied many times over when our children demonstrate that they want to be children. Case in point: A boss couldnt figure out why one of his most valued employees had not come to work or phoned in sick one day. Facing an urgent problem, he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper. "Hello?" "Is your daddy home?" he asked. "Yes," whispered the small voice. "May I talk with him?" The child whispered, "No." Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your Mommy there?" "Yes." "May I talk with her?" Again the small voice whispered, "No." Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the Boss asked, "Is anybody else there?" "Yes," whispered the child, "a policeman." Wondering what a policeman would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, "May I speak with the policeman?" "No, he's busy", whispered the child. "Busy doing what?" "Talking to Mommy and Daddy and the Fireman," came the whispered answer. Growing more worried, the Boss heard what sounded like a helicopter through the earpiece on the phone. The boss asked, "What is that noise?" "A hello-copper" answered the whispering voice. "What is going on there?" demanded the boss. Again, whispering, the child answered, "The search team just landed he hello-copper." Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated the boss asked, "What are they searching for?" Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle ..."ME!"

Yes, indeed, fatherhood can be challenging. Writes Bill Cosby in his book entitled Fatherhood, Even though your kids will consistently do the exact opposite of what you're telling them to do, you have to keep loving them just as much. (Bill Cosby, Fatherhood, quote obtained online) God knows all about that. Just look at Adam and Eve. Created by God to walk with Him and to care for the garden in which they were placed, they had one simple instruction of obedience. Genesis 2:16-17: And the Lord God commanded the man, You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die. Eventually, both the woman and the man did just the exact opposite.

Unfortunately, we dont even have to go back as far as Eden to discover this trait; just look at us today. Whether child or adult, we humans have a knack for listening to instructions from authority and then turning right around and doing the opposite. Not many weeks ago, the Kokomo Tribune ran a series of articles about the suffering of addicted gamblers. In interviews, addicts and family members alike talked about how difficult it is to get help for this serious problem. But what group is typically ridiculed and marginalized when gambling issues come up? Even though the Bible does not directly address gambling as it does other sins, it is clearly no surprise that the effects and consequences of gambling negatively impact our walk with God. So, Christians are typically among those who have opposed the legalization and sanctioning of gambling. And, true to form, Christians are mocked and ridiculed as unfair bigots when they voice opposition to gambling. We are assaulted with arguments of moral relativism: Well, it may be immoral for you, but that doesnt make it immoral for everybody. You cant impose your morality on me. Advocates of this and other sinful behavior then march right out and do it anyway. And then they wonder why theres never enough government money around to fix the problems they have created.

Fortunately for all of us, God loves us enough to save us in spite of ourselves. God makes a clear distinction between Himself and us. Like the little boy hiding from His parents, we all too often try to hid from God. Adam and Eve tried it; didnt work, but they tried it. God comes and finds us and says, You disobey me at every turn, but I love you enough to die for you and welcome you back into My arms.

The purpose of this testimony about prayer in Luke 11 is to distinguish God from us. When we seek God, He does not hide Himself from us. We are told in verse 10, For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. This is a description of divine Fatherhood. He further distinguishes Himself in the following comparison: Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

Obviously, Jesus did not know about the Fear Factor show, where you might get anything, including snakes and scorpions. Setting modern television aside, though, Jesus points out that human fathers want to provide for their sons; their families. Human fathers want to give fish and eggs to their children, not snakes and scorpions. We want to give good gifts to those we love. That is our calling and our inclination as fathers.

Jesus then makes his point through contrast. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! In his discussion on these Scriptures, Bible scholar William Barclay writes, That story, said Jesus, will tell you about prayer. The lesson of this parable is not that we must persist in prayer; it is not that we must batter at God's door until we finally compel him for very weariness to give us what we want, until we coerce an unwilling God to answer. A parable literally means something laid alongside. If we lay something beside another thing to teach a lesson, that lesson may be drawn from the fact that the things are like each other or from the fact that the things are a contrast to each other. The point here is based, not on likeness, but on contrast. What Jesus says is, If a churlish and unwilling householder can in the end be coerced by a friend's shameless persistence into giving him what he needs, how much more will God who is a loving Father supply all his children's needs? If you, he says, who are evil, know that you are bound to supply your children's needs, how much more will God? This does not absolve us from intensity in prayer. After all, we can guarantee the reality and sincerity of our desire only by the passion with which we pray. But it does mean this, that we are not wringing gifts from an unwilling God, but going to one who knows our needs better than we know them ourselves and whose heart towards us is the heart of generous love. If we do not receive what we pray for, it is not because God grudgingly refuses to give it but because he has some better thing for us. There is no such thing as unanswered prayer. The answer given may not be the answer we desired or expected; but even when it is a refusal it is the answer of the love and the wisdom of God. (William Barclay, Luke, The Barclay Daily Bible Study Series - New Testament, Westminster John Knox Press, Ligouri Publications Faithware edition)

In fact, Jesus here tells us that our Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. The gift that Jesus and the Father hold in highest esteem is the Holy Spirit. I believe that this is because the Holy Spirit provides us the wisdom and knowledge we need to be able to approach God. We cannot approach God unless convicted by the Holy Spirit. We cannot seek healing for others or for ourselves unless empowered by the Holy Spirit. We cannot open Gods many gift boxes to us unless enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

God is a self-revealing God. He does not give us little peek-a-boo glimpses here and there. He reveals Himself completely. He revealed Himself to Adam and then Eve. He revealed Himself to Abraham on many occasions. He revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush and again on Mt. Sinai. Ultimately, He revealed Himself to all of us through the self-revelation of Jesus Christ. More than likely, we are not capable of coming close to comprehending the revealed Lord in one massive moment of comprehension. Instead, we grow in our knowledge of God through moments of insight that shed new light on this aspect of Gods revelation and then another aspect at another time. These insights take place because the Holy Spirit enables us to take our experiences and connect them with Gods message. What a wonderful, delightful, and vital gift our Father in heaven has given to us!

Again, we have a contrast. On Fathers Day, Fathers are honored with gifts and cards from their children and family members. It is good to honor the impact and influence of Fathers this way. Bill Cosby writes, Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope. (Bill Cosby, Fatherhood, quote obtained online) Besides, it helps Hallmark and others sell their cards. The contrast here is that our Father in heaven gives His children the gift instead of the other way around. His good and perfect gift of the Holy Spirit. In other words, as He did with His only begotten Son, God gives Himself to His children.

There is only one gift that we can give God in return on Fathers Day or any other day. That, of course, is the gift of accepting His gift of saving love. God has an infinite resource of divine blessings and gifts He wants to rain upon us, but they can come only when we have said yes firmly and completely to Gods invitation to recognize our sinful disobedience to God, repent of our sins, and believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ, as our personal Savior. Until that born-again moment of salvation happens, God cannot respond to our prayers because His gifts are rejected by those who refuse to believe. But to those who believe, Gods good and perfect gifts are abundantly given.

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Happy Fathers Day, God.

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana

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