Dads Do Make a Difference: Understanding Father’s Impact -

Dads Do Make A Difference Father’s Day Sermon notes. Imagine that? There is nothing much more important in life than the impartation that parents place into their children. Deep values of life are permanently deposited into a person from their parents. The study mentioned previously concentrated on a child’s learning ability, self-esteem, and overall happiness in relation to having a dad. Dads do make a difference.

FATHER’S DAY
By Delbert Young

Dads Do Make a Difference

Dads Do Make A Difference Father’s Day Sermon Notes

Scriptures: 1 Kings 14:20, 15:26, 16:16, 25-26, 28, 30, 22:40, 52, 53; 2 Kings 3:1-2, 2 Kings 18:1-4-6

FATHER’S DAY HISTORY

Mrs. John B. Dodd first proposed the idea of a “Father’s Day” in 1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, who was a Civil War veteran and a widower who raised six children. It was after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent.

The first Father’s Day was observed on June 19, 1910. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father’s Day. However, it was not until 1966 that President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father’s D

Father’s Day has become a day to not only honor your father but all men who act as a father figure. Stepfathers, Fathers-in-law, uncles, grandfathers, spiritual fathers, etc. are all honored on Father’s Day. Dads do make a difference.

I am aware that some of us had great dads and some of us had not-so-great dads. I want to minister today to all of us. If you have or had a great dad, it is most likely it is because he had a great dad. If you had a not-so-great dad, it is most likely because he did not have such a great dad. Dads do make a difference. Let’s read our scriptures and then I will explain.

Dads Do Make A Difference Father’s Day Sermon Notes

1 Kings 14:20; 15:26; 16:16, 25-26, 28, 30; 22:40, 52, 53; 2KI 3:1-2;

2 Kings 18:1, 3-6

1 …Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.

4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.

6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.

Hezekiah’s Obituary

The book of 2 Kings 18:3 says that Hezekiah did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. The passage goes on to say that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him (2Ki 18:5). What an obituary Hezekiah had. I want the Lord to be able to say that about me. I want him to say, “Of all the Youngs that were fathers, there were none like Delbert neither before him nor after.” Dads do make a difference.

Dads Do Make A Difference Father’s Day Sermon Notes

All That David His Father Did

Hezekiah did according to all that David his father did. Interestingly, David (1056 B.C.) was Hezekiah’s grandfather fourteen kings before Hezekiah (726 B.C.). Three hundred years later, righteous David was a direct influence to his offspring in the southern kingdom. Yet the scriptures refer to David as Hezekiah’s father. The same is true about wicked Jeroboam (975 B.C.) In the northern kingdom of Israel. He was a wicked influence hundreds of years later (2Ki 17:22; 730 B.C.). Fathers do make a difference. Dads will impart either righteousness or wickedness.

Dads, what we are doing today will not only influence us and our children and perhaps our grandchildren. I am doing something that will influence my seed hundreds of years from now. We all are. We are sending forth righteousness or wickedness. Of course, we understand we inherit from our ancestor’s physical attributes. Also, we know healthy ancestors give us healthy bodies and that parents and ancestors who were not healthy pass on to us those traits also. For example, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even cancer can be handed down from generation to generation. The same is true in the spiritual realm. I inherit, but I also pass on. I cannot do anything about what I inherit. However, I can do everything about what I pass on. This is especially true in the spiritual.

Dads Do Make A Difference Father’s Day Sermon Notes

Hezekiah’s Greatness

We will mention a few quick notes as to why Hezekiah was a great man. These are important if we are to be great fathers.

Hezekiah was able to go all the way back and draw spiritual truth from David.

2 Kings 18:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.

As previously mentioned, Hezekiah was David’s grandson, but three hundred years later. Hezekiah did not settle for what his dad believed or grandfathers believed. He went back until he found the truth. Today we cannot settle for what our parents settled for unless they only settled for the truth. We must be certain we get it right.

Hezekiah removed the idols from his life.

2 Kings 18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves…

What is an idol in our lives? An idol is anything that takes the Lord’s time and the Lord’s money. The Lord does not want all our money, or all our time. He does want his tenth and he does want his day. Anything that removes kingdom money and kingdom time is an idol in our lives.

Dads Do Make A Difference Father’s Day Sermon Notes

Hezekiah recognized the difference between the traditions of men and the ways of God.

…and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

In Numbers chapter twenty-one, the people were in the wilderness and were again complaining against God and Moses. The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and the snakes bit the people and died. Moses cried out to the Lord and the Lord told him to make a brazen serpent and put it on a pole. When a person was bitten, if they would look at the brazen snake, they would not die (Num 21:5-9). That was about 1452 B.C. Hezekiah’s reign was about 726 B.C. The people had made a doctrine out of the brazen serpent and were burning incense to it. Hezekiah crushed it and said it was Nehushtan, i.e., just a piece of brass. It had become a meaningless tradition of none effect.

He clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him.

A man is to leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. They are to become one. They are to be as bone of bone and flesh of flesh. This is how Hezekiah is attached to the Lord. The Lord was always with Hezekiah and Hezekiah was always with the Lord. Great fathers cleave to the Lord.

CNN reported on a study done by the University of Maryland

ATLANTA (CNN) — Just in time for Father’s Day, new research shows that dads do make a difference in the lives of their children, and examines what factors influence men’s involvement with their kids.

Dads Do Make A Difference Father’s Day Sermon Notes

Researchers at the University of Maryland determined that children who have fathers in their lives learn better, have higher self-esteem, and show fewer signs of depression than children without fathers. Dads do make a difference.

The results shouldn’t be surprising, according to one expert. “All you have to do is ask any child, frankly,” said James Levine of the Families and Work Institute. “You don’t have to ask a child development researcher if fathers make a difference. All kids will tell you that the presence of a father makes a big difference.” Dads do make a difference.

That is brilliant, is it not? Dads do make a difference. Imagine that? There is nothing much more important in life than the impartation that parents place into their children. Deep values of life are permanently deposited into a person from their parents. The study mentioned previously concentrated on a child’s learning ability, self-esteem, and overall happiness in relation to having a dad.

DAD EVALUATION

What I wanted to do today was to cause us to remember our dads, but also evaluate what kind of dads we are. I have prepared a little evaluation for us. If you are a dad, then evaluate yourself. If you are not a dad, then evaluate your dad. What kind of influence did he have upon your life?

Dads Do Make A Difference Father’s Day Sermon Notes

DAD EVALUATION:

How much time do you spend with your children?

I try to work them in between the job and the gym (whatever)

As much time as we can mutually stand

Not as much as I would like, but it’s “quality time”

As much time as possible

How do you discipline your children?

I don’t believe in disciplining children.

According to the principles of Dr. Spock

Their mother handles most of the discipline.

According to Biblical principles

How do you teach your children to be responsible?

They will learn responsibility when they get older.

I send them to boarding school

I repeatedly shout, “Do what I said to do!”

By assigning chores and trying to lead by example.

Which television show best reflects your relationship with your children?

‘Days of Our Lives’

‘The Simpsons’

‘Married, With Children’

‘7th Heaven’

How do you teach your children spiritual things?

They can make their own decisions one day.

I leave that up to the preacher.

Their mother takes care of that.

I teach them spiritual things by example, relevance, and scriptures.

Dads Do Make A Difference Father’s Day Sermon Notes

PRECIOUS MEMORY

Finally today, I want to take a few minutes and remember our dads. As I prepared for today, I was taken back into my memory banks. I thought about my dad and his influence in my life. I reached back to my earliest memory of Daddy and then I walked through time reliving my thoughts with him. It was a wonderful and emotional experience for me.

As I moved through all my memories of my dad, there was one very special. I don’t believe I have ever shared it with anyone. It’s not that it is private. It’s I haven’t thought about it for forty years. I was in the sixth grade and the year would have been 1960. My teacher’s name was Mr. Fleming and he was talking about how times change. He used the example of when he was a boy he made his own toys. He talked about how the boy’s parents bought all their toys today. Mr. Fleming challenged all the boys to a toy-making contest. We were to go home and make a toy. It was a homework assignment, but also the boy who made the best toy would win twenty dollars and $20.00 was a lot of money for a twelve-year-old in 1960.

The rules were simple.

The toy had to be made of stuff we could find at home. Anyone could help, but it had to be made at home. I went home and told daddy about the assignment. Daddy said confidently we would win the twenty dollars, and we did. He helped me make a six-shooter, rapid-fire pistol from an old piece of 1×6 lumber, a piece of string, and an old inner tube.

The piece of wood was cut in the shape of a pistol and then notched on top toward the back of the barrel. Pieces of the inner tube cut like large rubber bands were stretched and held by the notch. Before the pieces of the inner tube were stretched to the notches, the string, which was tied around the end of the barrel, was laid on top of the barrel and over the notches. The string, when lifted, would release a piece of stretched inner tube in the direction the pistol was pointed. One piece of the inner tube could be released at a time, or all six could be shot rapidly.

It was a winner! Mr. Fleming was impressed and I won $20.00.

Dads Do Make A Difference Father’s Day Sermon Notes

Of course, Daddy took me fishing. He taught me how to make and fly kites. Also, he helped me build two houses. He always took us on vacation. My daddy was one of the most loving men I have ever known. My mom and I were always close and I always thought closer than my dad and me. However, it is Daddy I dream about and think about most often.

I would like for you to write a one-paragraph memory you have about your dad. If he is still alive, great. Tell him your special memory. If he is not alive, then do what I did and that was cry and miss one of the most special people God could have given me to be my dad.

Today is Father’s Day.

It’s the day we remember our Fathers. Do that today. If your dad has gone on, then remember the good things he imparted to you. However, if he is still here, tell him personally how special he is to you and tell him your special memory, and if you can, go see him or call him.

Also, there are spiritual fathers. Paul said Timothy was his son in the Lord. If you can, tell your spiritual father how special he is to you.

Finally, don’t forget to tell the Father God how special he is to you. Take a moment sometime today. Visit with the heavenly Father. You will be glad you did.