The Fatherhood of God

History of Father's Day

• Father's Day was first suggested by Sonora Dodd in 1910 in Spokane,
  Washington.
  
• Her father raised her alone because her mother had died when she was young.
  
• When others were celebrating Mother's Day, she could not take part since she did not have a mother.
  
• She wanted a similar event to honor fathers so she could express
  her deep love to the father who worked so hard to raise her alone.
  
• She originally planned to celebrate the day on June 6 but the ministers in town who had agreed to help her with the project needed extra time to prepare special Father's Day sermons so they selected the 3^rd Sunday of June.
  
• We still celebrate Father's Day on the third Sunday of June each year.
  
• Mrs. Dodd died in 1978 but was pleased that Father's Day had become a national celebration before her death.
  

 

Modern fatherhood is in trouble.

• The American family is falling apart.
  
• The divorce rate is approaching 50%
  
• 1/3 of all children in the U.S. live in homes without a father
  
• A growing number of children have no meaningful relationship with their father at all
  
• Children, especially boys, who do not have a good male role model have a higher risk for engaging in a number of self-destructive behaviors.
  
• The breakdown of the American family and the collapse of fatherhood in our culture carries over into the spiritual realm as well.
  
• Children, especially boys, who live in a home where the father does not attend church, are significantly less likely to attend church themselves as adults.
  
• Children who did not bond well with their earthly father have significantly more difficulty accepting the concept of a loving Heavenly Father.
  
• Children abused by a male have almost overwhelming difficulties accepting the love of a Heavenly Father.
  
• As difficult as it may be for some to accept, there is a Heavenly Father who does care about us and has a wonderful plan for our lives.
  

  
   

Psalm 40:5 - LORD my God, You have done many things— Your wonderful works and Your plans for us; none can compare with You. If I were to report and speak of them, they are more than can be told.

• Our earthly father may not have been all that we wanted him to be, but our Heavenly Father has big plans for us.
  
• We may wonder where God is when we go through difficult times in life.
  
• God is working behind the scenes in unexpected ways.
  
• It is often hard to see God at work in the midst of our pain, but He is there and He is working.
  
• When we look back later, we often see His hand more clearly than when we were going through the experience itself.
  

  
   

John 1:12-13 - But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.

• Though all people are God's children in a general sense, some people have trusted Christ as Savior and developed a personal relationship with God.
  
• The people who develop this relationship are REALLY the children of God.
  
• Those who receive God as Father are given the RIGHT to be called his children.
  
• Though God wants everyone to accept His fatherhood, many will reject Him.
  
• We accept the fatherhood of God through a relationship with His Son Jesus Christ.
  
• Those who receive His fatherhood become his special children and discover a relationship with the ultimate father figure in the universe.
  
• Regardless of our relationship with our earthly father, God wants to fill the void in our lives as our Heavenly Father.
  
• We may feel that we are unworthy to be one of God's special children.
  
• Notice the passage says that we become His children because He desires it, not because we deserve it.
  
• God looked at all the billions of people on this planet and chose us to have a personal relationship with.
  
• Because God chose us, He did something inside of us to open our hearts and minds so we can come to know Him.
  
• Have we responded to the call of God and embraced Him as our Heavenly Father?
  
• If not, we should make Him our Father on this Father's Day by repenting of our sins and placing our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
  

  
   

Joshua 1:8 - This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

• It is God's desire for us to prosper and succeed in everything we do.
  
• God says that if we study the Bible and carefully follow its instructions for life, then we will have a prosperous and successful future.
  
• Numerous researchers have shown that following biblical principles leads to a more successful life.
  
• Scientists have now proven that prayer speeds healing after surgery and during treatments for cancer.
  
• Financial planners agree that following the principles of saving and generosity found in the Bible are good financial advice.
  
• There are a number of "healthy diets" on the market that are derived from Biblical principles.
  
• A number of relationship gurus draw their advice from the Bible.
  
• A Christian businessmen's group has proven that applying Christian principles to business increases profits.
  
• This does not mean that we will never have struggles or difficulties in life.
  
• It means that God will work through our struggles and difficulties to turn them into opportunities for prosperity and success.
  

  
   

Galatians 3:8 - Now the Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and foretold the good news to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed in you.

 

• God looked down through time and could see how Abraham's family would be a blessing to the world.
  
• God knew that Jesus would come from Abraham's family.
  
• Jesus Christ has changed the world.
  
• Just was God knew Abraham's future, God knew that WE would come to faith in Christ.
  
• God has a part for US to play in making the world a better place.
  
• God has some unique BIG thing that He wants each of us to accomplish in our lives.
  
• Are we working with God to make the world a better place or working against Him?
  
• Are we willing to step outside our comfort zone and let God use us to change the world?
  

  
   

  Conclusion:
  

  • Though fatherhood in America may be in trouble, God has a plan for each of us that is bigger than all the statistics and difficulties facing fatherhood in our society.
    
  • God's plan includes us becoming His special children through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
    
  • God's plan includes helping us have a prosperous and successful life as we put His Word into practice in our lives.
    
  • God's plan includes helping us make the world a better place as we each accomplish some unique thing that only we can do.
    
  • We must decide if we are willing to accept God's plan and work with it or if we want to fight against God's plan?