The Fulfillment of Fatherhood
Breakfast and Chapel with Dad – Calvary Baptist School chapel service
Proverbs 23
- 24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
- 25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
Intro: Being a dad is one of the greatest things in the world. I’ve been blessed to have five children. I’ve got three in Heaven.
I. The Father’s Reward
Psalm 127
- 3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
- 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
- 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
One of the most unappreciated things in the world today is the reward of being a dad.
Many men look at children as a burden. The Bible says they are a reward from God.
Being a dad is one of the greatest privileges known to man.
You may not have a membership at the golf club, but you’ve got a child.
You may not have a hunting cabin in the mountains of West Virginia, but you’ve got a child.
You may not have a shop out back of your house with a muscle car to work on, but you’ve got kids.
You may not have a lot of the things that the world says would be rewarding, but you are a daddy.
In the United States, there are more than 64 million men who identify themselves as being a father. Out of that figure, only 26.5 million men are part of a home where they are married to a spouse and have children under the age of 18 living there.
The Importance of Fathers
#1. 85% of youth who are currently in prison grew up in a fatherless home. (Texas Department of Corrections)
#2. 7 out of every 10 youth that are housed in state-operated correctional facilities, including detention and residential treatment, come from a fatherless home. (U.S. Department of Justice)
#3. 39% of students in the United States, from the first grade to their senior year of high school, do not have a father at home. Children without a father are 4 times more likely to be living in poverty than children with a father. (National Public Radio)
#4. Children from fatherless homes are twice as likely to drop out from school before graduating than children who have a father in their lives. (National Public Radio)
#5. 24.7 million children in the United States live in a home where their biological father is not present. That equates to 1 in every 3 children in the United States not having access to their father. (National Public Radio)
#6. Girls who live in a fatherless home have a 100% higher risk of suffering from obesity than girls who have their father present. Teen girls from fatherless homes are also 4 times more likely to become mothers before the age of 20. (National Public Radio)
#7. 57% of the fatherless homes in the United States involved African-American/Black households. Hispanic households have a 31% fatherless rate, while Caucasian/White households have a 20% fatherless rate. (National Public Radio)
#8. In 2011, 44% of children in homes headed by a single mother were living in poverty. Just 12% of children in married-couple families were living in poverty. (U.S. Census Bureau)
#9. Children who live in a single-parent home are more than 2 times more likely to commit suicide than children in a two-parent home. (The Lancet)
II. The Father’s Rejoicing
- Proverbs 10:1 A wise son maketh a glad father…
- Proverbs 15:20 A wise son maketh a glad father…
We should make it clear to our children what it is that will make us happy.
It is ok to be proud of them for their talents and skills.
It is ok to rejoice in their ability to play ball or play an instrument.
It is fine to get excited about your child’s hobbies and accomplishments. But do they know what makes you happy?
- Proverbs 17:21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
- Proverbs 28:7 Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.
- Proverbs 29:3 Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father…
III. The Father’s Responsibility
Of all the responsibilities we have as fathers, teaching our children wisdom is at the top of the list.
We have a major role to play in whether or not our children grow up to be wise or grow up to be fools.
They will look to us for guidance and direction.
What are we teaching them?
Where are we pointing them?
- Psalm 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Are we pointing them towards sports figures? Are we pointing them to secular heroes?
Are we pointing them to the world’s definition of success?
If we are going to achieve the fulfillment of fatherhood, we must teach our children wisdom.
Proverbs 1
- 1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
- 2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
- 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
- 4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
- Proverbs 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
- Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
- Proverbs 16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
Conclusion:
The title of this message has two meanings.
1. One, the joy and gladness and fulfillment of being a father.
3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
The fulfillment of fatherhood is when you’ve taught your children the truth, and they bought into it; they believed it; they were convinced of it, and they walk in it.
There’s nothing greater – there is no greater joy – there is no greater fulfillment for a father than that.
2. Secondly, actually fulfilling the primary purpose and duty of being a father.
- Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
If we teach our children wisdom and to walk in truth, we have fulfilled our job as a father.