Fatherhood in the Bible
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon OutlinesFather’s Day Sermon Outline
I. Introduction
A. There is a great need in our day for fathers to live up to their God-given tasks.
1. One of the reasons that the church is as weak as it is in many places is because fathers are not fulfilling their spiritual duties
2. One of the reasons that some many of the youth of our day are involved in drugs, premarital sex, gangs activity, and a host of other sinful things is because fathers are not fulfilling their responsibilities
B. It is time that we as fathers and grandfathers realize the awesome responsibility we have in molding our children’s spiritual lives
1. It is time that fathers do more with their children that just play ball or paper dolls with them.
2. It is time for fathers to act like spiritual giants in the family
C. In our lesson of the hour we are going to discuss:
1. The type of fathers not needed
2. The type of fathers desperately needed
II. Discussion
A. THE TYPE OF FATHERS NOT NEEDED
1. We do not need fathers today who will pitch their tents toward Sodom as did ancient Lot.
a. When time came for the separation of Abraham and Lot, Lot clearly made a choice indicating his materialism
b. Genesis 13:10-13
c. Sodom was not a prosperous place for the raising of a family
d. 2 Peter 2:7-8
e. If righteous Lot was tormented day by day by the wickedness surrounding him, just think about the effect this
would have on his family
f. Genesis 19 seems to indicate that some of Lot’s children choose to remain behind – and not leave with Lot.
g. All too often fathers made many of life’s decisions with materialism as a dominant factor
2. We do not need fathers today who will not restrain their children like the Eli of old.
a. 1 Samuel 2:12, 17, 24 … the reason they were so wicked – Eli “restrained them not” (1 Samuel 3:13)
b. Ours is a permissive age
1) Many boys and girls grow up and never see daddy set out a boundary line for their actions
2) They never hear daddy say no to their demands
3) They never feel his weight behind corporal punishment
c. Fathers who are too permissive are the greatest enemy of a child
1) Proverbs 29:15, 17
2) Fathers must discipline his children
3. We do not need fathers today who practice theft, deception, and dishonesty as did Achan in Joshua’s day.
a. Israel has just crossed the swollen Jordan River and plans were made to capture Jericho … God said – Joshua 6:2
1) The Lord made it plain that all the spoils belonged to Him … Joshua 6:17-19
2) After Israel defeated Jericho, they travel next to conquer Ai, but Ai defeated Israel – Joshua asks God why? …
Joshua 7: 11 – there is sin in the camp
3) Someone had taken that which belonged to God and the whole congregation was suffering the consequences
4) Achan was the guilty party … Joshua 7:20-21
5) Joshua 7:25-26
b. The practice of dishonesty marches rampantly through the land today
1) How can fathers who practice dishonesty be good fathers?
2) When children see … tools taken from the job / Holiday Inn / bragging about short changing the local merchant –
they will be influenced
4. We do not need fathers today such as Jeroboam was to Nadab
a. Jeroboam was the first of 19 kings of the northern kingdom, and had the opportunity of setting a righteous
tone for his government and for his successors, one of who would be his son Nadab – but instead he choose to walk by his own sinful stubbornness
b. Note 1 Kings 15:25-26
c. Nadab did not have a righteous father to emulate
5. We do not need fathers today who rear their children in the speech of Ashdod
a. Such was the case in Nehemiah’s day
1) Nehemiah 13:23-24
2) The root of the problem was that Jewish men made the wrong choice of women, and it was effecting the purity
of their speech
b. Making spiritual application to this – we are getting further removed all the time from the language of sound doctrine
1) Many of our young people no longer call Bible things by Bible names and are not doing Bible things in Bible ways
2) Fathers are many times to blame
B. THE TYPE OF FATHERS DESPERATELY NEEDED
1. We need fathers today who will emulate Enoch
a. Genesis 5:21-24
b. Hebrews 11:5
c. Jude 14-15
d. These verses picture Enoch as a father who walked with God, a man of great faith, and a man who was not afraid to
speak out against ungodly speech and conduct
e. Are we as fathers leaving this kind of example for our children?
2. We need fathers today who will emulate Noah
a. Hebrews 11:6
b. Peter called his a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5)
c. Genesis 6:8-9
d. Noah was a great father:
1) Concerned about the saving of his children
2) He taught them (a preacher of righteousness)
3) He walked with God leaving his children a great example to follow
3. We need fathers today who will emulate Abraham
a. Genesis 18:19
1) He “trained the way they go” (Proverbs 22:6)
2) Ephesians 6:4
b. If Abraham would have failed as a father it is doubtful that he would have had the title “father of all them that believe” (Romans 4:11)
4. We need fathers today who will emulate Joshua
a. Joshua trusted in God when others would not (spies … promise land) … what a great example to leave his children!
b. Joshua 24:15
1) Joshua didn’t care what other fathers were doing – he and his family were going to serve the Lord
2) Have you determined that you and your family will serve the Lord?
5. We need father today who will emulate Zacharias, the father of John the Baptizer
a. Luke 1:5-6
b. These are high commendation for a man
1) He acquired these qualities before he became a father
2) He choose a wife with the same qualities
c. Godly preparation for fatherhood is imperative
d. Men need to excel in the keeping of Biblical commands if they are going to succeed as fathers.
III. Conclusion
A. Today is Fathers’ Day, a day that we remember and give respect unto our fathers – a day that we say thank you.
B. But let us also use this day to evaluate our fatherhood.
1. Are we being the type of fathers that will be of spiritual benefit to our children?
2. Are we being the type of fathers that are pleasing unto God?
C. Fathers, let us work harder in our obligations as the father of our children.