Father’s Day

Temple Baptist Church - 6-17-2018

Joshua 24:15

Introduction: 

A.  Father’s Day normally takes a back seat to Mother’s Day and I have no problem with that.  We need to make much of our precious wives and mothers because of their great importance to the family structure.  We make much of the ladies and need to do so because we love them and are proud of them.

B.  This is Father’s Day and today we will exalt the man and praise him for the position that the Lord gave to him. 

1.  He is the glory of his children - Proverbs 17:6   Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of childrenare their fathers.  (Dads, you are so very important in the lives of your family and especially in the lives of your children!)

2.  He is the head of his home - 1 Corinthians 11:3  But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.  (The father is the spiritual leader and as goes the father, so goes the home!  Weak fathers = weak homes.  Strong fathers = strong homes. Spiritual fathers = spiritual home.)

a)  We, as fathers, need to take that responsibility seriously!

b)  The wife is to willingly give him that headship.  Dr. B. R. Lakin used to say, “Some husbands are so henpecked that they roost on the foot of the bed at night.”  America needs some men who are born again with a strong spiritual backbone who will begin to lead their family.

C.  Only time and eternity will show the real importance of men in both the family and the work of the Lord.   I am taking a very familiar passage about Joshua, one of the greatest men in biblical history.  The man God chose to replace Moses with and lead the children of Israel into the promised land.

D.  In our text, we find that wonderful testimony of Joshua as he declared to the people that he and his house would serve the Lord.  

1.  Joshua is well known in the Bible for his unwavering faith, commitment, and fearlessness in battle. 

Joshua 10:12  Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

2.  Joshua was a man of God! Being a good father takes preparation before you become one.  Most young men are looking for a good wife while giving little thought to the prospect of fatherhood. 

E.  I want to look at the life of Joshua this morning to see how he progressed to the point of saying, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  What made Joshua a man to lead both Israel and his home?

Numbers 27:15-20  And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying,  (16)  Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,  (17)  Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.  (18)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;  (19)  And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.  (20)  And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

1.  Joshua learned to make War.  Exodus 17:9-13  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.  (10)  So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  (11)  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.  (12)  But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.  (13)  And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.  (Men will never make good Fathers until they are willing to learn to fight.  Men need to learn to fight the right fights.  Men need to learn war.)

Psalms 144:1  A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

2.  Joshua learned to be Wise.  Exodus 17:14  And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.  (Good fathers need to have learned wisdom that comes through our forefathers and history.  Good fathers pray about and make good decisions as their families depend upon them.)

3.  Joshua learned to Work.  Exodus 24:13  And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.  (Good fathers have a good work ethic.  Your responsibility is to provide financially and set an example of hard work for the children to follow.  This also gives wives confidence in the man’s desire and ability to make the home safe and provided for.)

4.  Joshua learned to Worship.  Exodus 33:11  And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.  (He served before Moses before God allowed him to lead.  One day, young men will lead their homes.  They will never learn to be good leaders until they learn to be good followers.  Leading by example.  As time progresses, we are seeing more women step up and more men spiritually setting down.)

5.  Joshua learned to Wait.  Numbers 14:6-9  And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:  (7)  And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.  (8)  If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.  (9)  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. (After wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land.  He had done no wrong but never complained during the time of wandering, trusting God’s wisdom.)

Joshua 1:1-2  Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,  (2)  Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 

5.  Joshua learned to be Worthy.  Joshua 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.  (I find no macho in this verse.  I am confident that Joshua’s family were completely behind his decision to serve the Lord.  His family fully followed Joshua because of his past record of living, loving, and leading in a godly manner.)

Happy Father’s Day!  I love the men of this church!  Be a good Christian and then you will be a good Dad!