July 1, 2023 @ 9:00 AM
Being a father is both a blessing and a responsibility. In part 1 of How To Be A Godly Father, I covered the first two of seven responsibilities of a godly father. I covered the training he needs to provide for his children and the instruction he needs to teach and demonstrate. Let me move onto the next five responsibilities: providing, protecting, loving, leading, and blessing.
1. A Godly Father PROVIDES for his children.
This was the primary role (some would say the only role) fathers in previous generations played. As the sole “breadwinner” for the family, fathers in previous eras were first and foremost providers who worked hard and brought home “the bacon.” In today’s culture, many families depend upon two incomes and fathers are often not the sole provider.
Fathers provide for their children in four ways: physically, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.
a. Physically: Financial provision. 1 Tim. 5:8 “If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.”A godly father leaves an inheritance to his children—parents save for children. (II Cor. 12:14)
b. Emotionally: Children need to feel loved, heard, protected, wanted, safe, and valued. Children need his time. Time with his children is the most important gift he can give them. (Luke 11:11-13)
c. Spiritually: He leads his children in worship. He leads them in both public worship in church and private worship through personal and family devotions. He leads them to take communion together and be baptized. As the family priest, fathers must pray with and for their wives and children. Prayer with a child is bonding and unifying. It connects a child to father and to God.
d. Relationally: Because they are relationally minded, a godly father will provide relationally for his children be involved in a ministry. A wise father recognizes the need for appropriate relationships for his children and helps them make godly friends.
2. A Godly Father PROTECTS his children.
Most men need to be taught to protect others. It is safe to say that most men are more inclined to be self-protective rather than other-protective. The Bible uses the term “covering” to define protection. Fathers are to be the “covering” for their wives and children, protecting them from the storms of life.
a. Physically: No one hits or harms his child without him coming to the rescue. He cannot permit anyone to slap, punch, shove or in any way physically abuse his child.
b. Emotionally: The compassionate father will seek to understand his children. He will intentionally avoid “triggering” them emotionally. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring the up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
c. Spiritually: One of the roles a father plays is that of the spiritual priest for his family. He stands guard over the family through his prayers. The godly father must guard his family against false teachers and Satan’s emissaries who seek to influence his children in ungodly ways.
3. A Godly Father LOVES his children.
His greatest impact on his children will be his love for them—Proverbs 3:12. All legitimate sons are loved—Hebrews 12:7, 8.
4. A Godly Father LEADS his children.
A godly father is the head of his family. By that I mean, he is responsible to lead them.
a. “Head” = kephale in Greek means “ruler, leader, one in charge, one in authority. ”Fathers are in charge of their children.
b. Ephesians 6:1-3, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may turn out well for you, and that you may live long on the earth.”
c. Fathers lead their children in righteous behavior: truth-telling, accepting responsibility for sins and asking for forgiveness, refusing to cheat.
d. Fathers lead the family in daily devotions from God’s Word. They read a passage from the Bible, ask questions for understanding, and pray for one another.
5.A Godly Father BLESSES his children.
Just as God blessed creation (Genesis 1:28) and His Son, Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:17), and as the Old Testament patriarchs blessed their children (Genesis 27:4 ff., 48-49—Isaac, Jacob and the patriarchs bless their children), so fathers pronounce a blessing over each of their children. How do they do that?
a. Acknowledge and thank God for the unique gifts and personality of each child.
b. Pray and ask God to bless and minister through each child.
Conclusion:
A godly father: 1) trains through discipline and 2) instruction 3) provides 4) protects 5) loves 6) leads and 7) blesses his children.
Examples:
Negative – Eli—I Samuel 2:12-17, 22-26, I Samuel 3:12-14, 4:12-18
Positive – Joseph—Luke 2:39-52, Hebrews 5:8
We need godly fathers today more than ever!
Irv