1. Introduction:
· People present here today = Grandfathers; Fathers; Potential Fathers.
· All are someone’s son or daughter – all have a father who impacted their life.
· Wonderful Fathers: Loving, Provider, Related, Corrected, Direct you.
· Failed Fathers: Abandoned’ betrayed, abuse, neglected responsibility.
Ephesians 6:2 – “Honour you father and mother” (which is the first commandment with promise)
· Promise: (i) Progress and Success in Life / Relationships.
(ii) Physical Health / Longevity.
· TLB = “a long life full of blessing”.
· Honour = to prize, fix a value upon, esteem, value.
š Revealed in words; personal connection; listening to advice; attitude.
· Dishonour = to teat lightly; like water vapour; despise; give no place to.
š Revealed in words, attitudes, response.
· Honour = Biblical principle for success in life.
š Choose whether to honour and receive benefits of a good choice.
š Based on (i) Position – Identity and role of father as giver of life.
(ii) Character – Who he is, how constructs life.
(iii) Achievement – what he did as father and man.
· Key principle: Honour and value the source - where life came from.
· We are not responsible for the actions of – only our own!
· Failure of fathers have great impact – don’t be defiled by it.
· God is intergenerational – blessings and curses are integrated.
E.g. Esau – Genesis 27:34
- Esau was deeply impacted by loss of his Father’s blessing.
- He had a choice how the respond when he felt cheated.
- Esau became bitter
- Deadly ‘D’s when fathers fail – You Choose!
* Detached * Driven * Dependant * Dominating * Desperate
E.g. Josiah - 2 Kings 22:1-3 - “walked in the ways of his father David”
· Natural Father was Manasseh – he was a wicked man – occults, child sacrifice, evil.
· Josiah made choices:
1) Refused to become bitter.
2) Found refuge in God – who is Father and Comforter.
3) Identified with a Godly man – King David. (300 before Josiah was born)
4) Pursued the Presence of God.
5) Followed the Lifestyle / Example of David.
4. All Can Access a Father’s Blessing in Christ:
· Luke 3:21-27 “the Holy Ghost descended – a voice from heaven”
· Father’s blessing:
1) Personal Touch - Luke 3:22 – Holy Spirit descended – and removed
2) Spoken Words - John 17:8 – The words you gave me…
3) Expressive of Value - Luke 3:22 – My beloved; well pleased of..
4) Prophetic Destiny - John 5:2 – Father loves and show son, John 17:4
5) Commitment - John 16:32 – “not alone, the Father is with me”
· Jesus walked in the blessing of God the Father.
· Jesus modelled what a man can do whose life is committed to God and filled with the Holy Spirit.
· Jesus made it clear – this blessing id for us also.
John 17:26 “..that the love wherewith you have loved me may be in them”.
How Can This Happen?
1) Receive Christ – Commit your life to Him - John 1:12
2) Release the failures / disappointments - Mark 11:25
3) Realign your life to walk in the obedience to the Word of God. - John 14:21-23