Follow Your Father -- Peace Church, Loyal, Oklahoma USA

Follow Your Father

Ah, Father’s Day! The one day of the year when we are allowed to say wonderful things about our dads – and ourselves – without being too embarrassed!

The truth is, dads are just as human as everyone else and we want you to say nice things about us. However, not everyone has a wonderful dad like the men that are members of this church!

Psalm 27:7-14; Verse 10: “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.”

Jamie Buckingham tells a story in his book, Power for Living. It was a story first told by Fred Craddock while lecturing at Yale University. He told of going back one summer to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to take a short vacation with his wife. One night they found a quiet little restaurant where they looked forward to a private meal—just the two of them.

While they were waiting for their meal they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting guests. Craddock whispered to his wife, “I hope he doesn’t come over here.” He didn’t want the man to intrude on their privacy. But the man did come by his table.

“Where you folks from?” he asked amicably.

“Oklahoma.”

“Splendid state, I hear, although I’ve never been there. What do you do for a living?”

“I teach homiletics at the graduate seminary of Phillips University.”

“Oh, so you teach preachers, do you? Well, I’ve got a story I want to tell you.” And with that he pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with Craddock and his wife.

Dr. Craddock said he groaned inwardly: Oh no, here comes another preacher story. It seems everyone has one.

The man stuck out his hand. “I’m Ben Hooper. I was born not far from here across the mountains. My mother wasn’t married when I was born so I had a hard time. When I started to school my classmates had a name for me, and it wasn’t a very nice name. I used to go off by myself at recess and during lunch-time because the taunts of my playmates cut so deeply.

“What was worse was going downtown on Saturday afternoon and feeling every eye burning a hole through you. They were all wondering just who my real father was.

“When I was about 12 years old a new preacher came to our church. I would always go in late and slip out early. But one day the preacher said the benediction so fast I got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. I could feel every eye in church on me. Just about the time I got to the door I felt a big hand on my shoulder. I looked up and the preacher was looking right at me.

“Who are you, son? Whose boy are you?’

I felt the old weight come on me. It was like a big black cloud. Even the preacher was putting me down.

But as he looked down at me, studying my face, he began to smile a big smile of recognition. “Wait a minute,” he said, “I know who you are. I see the family resemblance. You are a son of God.”

With that he slapped me across the rump and said, “Boy you’ve got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.”

The old man looked across the table at Fred Craddock and said, “That was the most important single sentence ever said to me.” With that he smiled, shook the hands of Craddock and his wife, and moved on to another table to greet old friends.

Suddenly, Fred Craddock remembered. On two occasions the people of Tennessee had elected an illegitimate to be their governor. One of them was Ben Hooper.

--Jamie Buckingham, Power for Living. Found at www.sermonillustrations.com

A dad is a mender of toys,
A leader of boys.
He's a changer of fuses,
A healer of bruises
He's a mover of couches,
A soother of ouches.
He's a pounder of nails,
A teller of tales.
He's a dryer of dishes,
A fulfiller of wishes
Bless him, O Lord.

Jo Ann Heidbreder

MY DAD

He teaches kindness by being thoughtful and gracious even at home.
He teaches patience by being gentle and understanding over and over.
He teacher honesty by keeping his promises to his family even when it costs.
He teaches courage by living unafraid with faith, in all circumstances.
He teaches justice by being fair and dealing equally with everyone.
He teaches obedience to God's Word by precept and example as he reads and prays daily with his family.
He teaches love for God and His Church as he takes his family regularly to all the services.
His steps are important because others follow.
-Author unknown www.sermonillustrations.com

“Worry not that your children do not listen to you; worry that they watch everything you do!” -Author unknown

Our children learn a lot from us – sometimes much more than we realize! May we be ever careful to teach them God’s Word and God’s ways!

In an ideal world, everyone lives with their biological father and mother. But the sad truth is that ideal worlds do not always exist! Also, some biological dads – even if they still live in the home – are not necessarily good dads.

God is our “Ultimate Father.” Certainly we should learn all we can from our dads, but the “Gold Standard” is to be God.

"Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When He (Jesus) was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After the Feast was over, while His parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking He was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him. After three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers. When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You." "Why were you searching for Me?" He asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in My Father's house?" But they did not understand what He was saying to them. Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:41-52

What do you do with a child like that? You love them, and let them develop all of their talents. It isn’t always easy, but our children are made in God’s image and we are to let them grow and become all they can be.

One of the names we are given for God is “Abba Father.” Romans 8:15-16 This is the equivalent of “Daddy.” God wants this relationship with us. Oh, I know we are to love and respect Him… to fear Him… but that is only one aspect of God!

Dads like their children to come to them with problems – sometimes. Your heavenly Father wants you and me to always take problems to Him!

Earthly dads can and do fix a lot of problems. But some problems have to be turned over to God. In John 16:23 Jesus said, “In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.” “How can that be?” we ask! It’s easy! Jesus is at the right hand of the Father ever making intercession for us!

We have a friend who has had a real battle with cancer. A few years ago her doctor told her she had a 5% chance of living. Only 5% because her cancer was so bad! She responded, “I’ll take it… and turn the rest of it over to God.”

Today she is the picture of health – which a wonderful attitude. When asked if she ever got angry or frustrated, she looked thoughtful, then a little puzzled, and responded, “No, why should I?”

When her husband had a similar problem with cancer he asked the doctor what to do. He responded, “Just watch your wife and do whatever she is doing!”

God wants to love you and take care of your needs – let Him. And, kids of all ages, your dad loves to help you – even if he grumbles sometimes!

The scriptures are perfectly clear – follow your parents’ wisdom – but always draw from God’s wisdom as well.

Sincerely, Pastor Leon

Sunday June 18, 2006

Please feel free to contact Pastor Leon Seaton by e-mail. He will be pleased to hear from you!

Fax: 405-375-6152

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