Father’s Day - 2012 - Holy Men

Temple Baptist Church - 6-17-2012

1 Timothy 2:8

Introduction:

A. First of all, I want to say, “Happy Father’s Day” to each of you men this morning. I pray that you have a wonderful day and thank you for being a part of this pastor’s life.

 

B. Secondly, I want to say to you ladies and young people, “I pray that you will make this a special day for that man in your lives! I wish mine was here so that I could call him and tell him how much I love and respected him.” You will never know how much he does for you and what he means to you until he is taken out of your lives. He is irreplaceable! God made him that way.

1. He is the spiritual leader of your homes.

2. He is the head of the wife.

3. He is the glory of his children.

4. He is the loving grandfather to his grandchildren.

C. I want to thank each of you good men for your faithfulness and example to our people. In these last days, Good men are hard to find!

Isaiah 4:1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. (Good men are like “hen’s teeth:” they are hard to find and this is a shame. God made man in His own image to oversee the works of His hands as well as lead in example and worship.)

D. Today’s world is full of the wrong kind of men.

1. Men who are sissies. They dress in “gay” apparel; they walk with a “twitch;” they speak with a “lisp;” they grow their hair like women; and I would hate to be in a foxhole with one of them! There was a time when men were known for their toughness. I am not advocating anything but even Hollywood actors have changed from:

1. Peter Lawford – a highly decorated British general.

2. Marlene Dietrich – who renounced her homeland (Germany) because of the Nazis and rejected Hitler’s request for her to return.

3. Michael Caine – British rifleman, Michael Caine fought as a rifleman in the Royal Fusiliers during the Korean War conflict. Caine was enlisted from 1952 to 1954.

4. David Niven – British Army Commando, Rifleman, Later Commando

Was initially present at the Dunkirk evacuation, before later seeing combat action during Normandy. Also took part in missions behind enemy lines as a Royal Marine Commando.

5. Audie Murphy – First Lieutenant U.S. Army - Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star (x2), Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (x2), Purple Heart (x3), French Legion of Honor, French Croix de Guerre, Belgian Croix de Guerre. Audie Murphy became one of the most highly decorated soldiers of World War II. After lying about his age in order to enlist at 16-years-old, Murphy was rejected several times from different military branches for his small stature. Murphy was prolific in Sicily and Italy, before his division invaded France where he won the Medal of Honor.

6. James Stewart – Brigadier General, Bomber Pilot – Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross (x2), Air Medal (x4), Army Commendation Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Presidential Medal of Freedom, French Croix de Guerre . Initially rejected from the air force for being underweight, Stewart beefed up and became the first major Hollywood star to enlist during World War II. Stewart eventually flew in 25 bombing missions over occupied Europe as well as starting a pilot training school which educated 200,000 pilots during the course of the conflict.

7. Charles Bronson – U.S. Air Force, Bronson served as a tail-gunner in 25 long-range bombing runs over Japan. Received a purple heart for wounds sustained when his B-29 was hit by anti-aircraft fire.

8. Paul Newman – U.S. Air Force, gunner and radioman, South Pacific WWII.

9. Clark Gable – U.S. Air Force, reconnaissance, gunner, highly decorated.

10. Lee Marvin – U.S. Marine Corp – Fought with the US Marines in the Pacific theatre of World War II. Wounded during the Battle of Saipan.

11. Henry Fonda – U.S. Navy – Also served in the Pacific, aboard the Destroyer USS Satterlee. Fonda had previously raised funds for the defence of Britain and was awarded a Bronze Star for bravery.

12. Ernest Borgnine – U.S. Navy – Gunner’s Mate, Borgnine has remained a staunch supporter of the US Navy since his stint in the Pacific theatre during World War II.

13. Eddie Albert – U.S. Navy – Awarded the Bronze Star for his exploits as a landing craft driver in Tarawa, for successfully extracting over 70 wounded allied soldiers whilst under enemy fire.

14. Kirk Douglas – U.S. Navy – Douglas was a member of an Anti-Submarine unit in the Pacific. Purple Heart

2. Men who are self-centered. They do not care about their family, home, church, or nation! Being a man is accepting the God given responsibility given to him.

3. Men who are sinful. They do what they want and care nothing for those who have to pay the price. Drink, drugs, and perversion. They care not what God or man says. 

E. The need for godly fathers and strong homes achieved through husbands with Biblical standards is great. I preached last Sunday on the fall of our nation, churches, and homes. Much of this is because of a lack of good men.

F. The word “Father” is not only the identity of biological kinship, it is a title of honor given to those who establish anything important in human affairs. 

1. George Washington is called the “Father of Our Nation.”

2. Herodotus is called The “Father of History.”

3. Hippocrates is called the Father of Medicine.”

4. Adam is called the “Father of the Human Race.”

G. So, when I use the word “Fathers” this morning, I am speaking to all of you dear men! You may not even be a “father” but you are role models for our children here in the church. 

H. I do not want to preach a negative message this morning but I do feel obligated to say these things. Our text verse for this Father’s Day says, “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

I. These words were written by Paul but through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. What kind of men does the Holy Ghost speak of?

1. God give us some Strong Men. “men” God said men, not women. Thank God for you women but you cannot replace the man. God never intended for the woman to compete with your man. God intended for you to complete your man. God give us men!

1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

a. Men who are strong but do not fear to be compassionate.

b. Men who are strong but do not fear to be gentle.

c. Men who are strong but do not fear meekness.

d. Men who are strong but are giving instead of demanding.

2. God give us Praying Men. “pray” Prayer Warriors! Prayer in their closets; prayer their homes; prayer in their churches. The greatest power in Heaven and Earth is available through prayer. Through prayer we can cast down our strongholds, overcome our temptations, outlast our enemies, uphold our families, hedge about our pastor, help deliver our nation, and remove our obstacles and mountains.

Job 1:4-5 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

3. God give us Many Men. “every where” The marines may be looking for a few good men but the work of the LORD needs countless men! Most missionary churches are characterized by a lot of women and children but an absence of men. We find that true here also as good men are harder to find and, therefore, fewer in number. The laborers are few today and the harvest is overwhelming! Multitudes are in the Valley of Decision with no one to lead them to Christ. There are few to show them the true way of salvation through both witness and Christian walk.

Matthew 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

4. God give us some Worshipping Men. “lifting up holy hands” Men who are not ashamed to publically worship! Throughout the Bible, it is the men who set the example in worship. Thank God for worshipping women who praise their wonderful Lord. We need men who will stand and declare what great things the Lord has done for them. We need men who sing with all of their hearts and give a hearty “Praise the Lord” or “Amen” once in a while.

2 Samuel 6:13-15 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

5. God give us some Spiritual Men. “holy hands” Men who live lives of purity and godliness. Clean hearts, clean lives, and clean lips. Men who, if followed, will lead others in right paths. Paths of righteousness for the Lord’s sake.

Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

6. God give us Gentle Men. “without wrath” Men who do not take offense to everything said and read. Men not easily offended or angered by the actions of others. Men who are not offended or angry at the Word preached from the pulpits. Men who recognize the Word of God as it is and bow to its precepts. Men who can forgive their enemies in a Christ like manner. Men who are not brawlers and strikers. We need men, not machismo! 

Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

7. God give us Faithful Men. “without…doubting” Faithful to their nation; faithful to their families; and faithful to their churches. When the Lord returns, will He find faithful men?

1 Timothy 1:12-14 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion: Again, I want to wish each of you Fathers and all men a wonderful day. I love and appreciate you more than you will ever know. God bless!