Download... June 20, 2010. Sunday Morning Service. Bro. Andy Gallagher.
The idea of father’s day originated in 1909, when Sonora Dodd, of Spokane Washington, listened to a mother’s day sermon, and wanted to honor all fathers like her dad. He, William Smart was a widowed civil war veteran who was left to raise his 6 children on a farm.
Two fifths of mankind today, live without their father. Never before has there been such an abandonment of fathers of their children. But praise God,..there Are good fathers also, who earn the trust and confidence of their children. Having faith in our earthly fathers can be sometimes difficult, ...which is entirely human. How great is your faith in your Heavenly Father? Do you have your total confidence and trust in Him? On a scale from 1-10, how does your faith and trust in God measure? Is it a 2, or a 5, ..maybe possibly a 7, or great as a 9? If you picked a low number, it is a good that you can be honest. How many consider yourself a christian, a follower of Christ who had His trust in the Heavenly Father?
TEXT: MATTHEW 8:22-26 22
22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
“Oh ye of little faith,” means lacking confidence in Christ, only trusting Him in a limited amount, or only "so far" on a scale of 1-10. Do we also lack confidence in Christ, as these disciples? Do we react the same way at times, when found in the “storms of life?” Or are we found resting,.. sleeping peacefully in the midst of the tempest?
It is normal not to be always peaceful in Christ while in the midst of those storms, if you are lacking in confidence. Christ asked in this scripture, “why are you fearful?” This was while the storm was violently raging! Though the disciples were naturally fearful, Christ had been sleeping, resting peacefully, even though as God, He naturally knew of their storm! He then exhorted them, that there was nothing to fear, .. for He has control! So it is that we need to put our total confidence in Christ. To sleep or rest in this storm.. was not unlike sleeping on a roller coaster. How could Christ rest? Could it be He had complete trust in His heavenly Father? Have you ever known someone that restful spiritually, when all fear is gone?
Proverbs 3:25-26 25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. 26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
Be not afraid of “sudden” fear. Do you believe this (verse 26) with your whole heart and mind? Putting confidence in your Heavenly Father, is not only to do it with your mind,.. but also with all of your heart. Christ’s admonition of “Oh ye of little faith,” is to all the fearful. Your fear factor is a good indication of your faith and confidence.
How many are afraid of a dog you don’t know? How many here have been bitten by a dog, "possibly" one you did not know? If he met an unknown pit bull, (Br Andy testified) he would be "understandably" afraid. If the pit bull or other unknown dog was on a leash, his fear factor would go down only a bit, because the dog could get loose. If the dog was fenced, tied up, and Br Andy was securely in a closed car, his fear factor then would be obviously, zero. Our confidence in God likewise, is measured spiritually by our fear factor. We can have complete confidence if we are fully resting in Christ. Resting. You can find sometimes, some that are fully at peace, in the midst of a “storm.” Why? Because they have total confidence. Total trusting. Not in a fairy tale, but on the solid promises of God.
Matthew 14:25-32 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
Verse 29 While Peter walked on the water, he had total confidence in Christ. "But"..(this is a word that demolishes the power of faith or trust.) Verse 30 But when he saw the boisterous waves, he became afraid, and lost his confidence in Christ. We learn from this how we need to Keep our eyes on Christ. Immediately Christ came to Peter’s rescue, reprimanding him “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” By looking at your situation in life,.. which detracts from faith. How often do we do this, to fear and and to use that word “but?” We need to remove “those” exceptions. We fear ? Then we are not trusting. A lack of confidence.
Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
We need to remove any known obstacles, (fear, discouragement, etc.) to our faith.
Matthew 16: 5-10 5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. 8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? 9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
Christ here again questioned the disciple's excessive concern, this time for an adequate food supply. He admonished them for their “short” memory of His prior ability to supply their present needs. Do we also not yet understand, not to worry? Do we ponder too much in concern? Do we wonder what we can do to remedy our needful situations? It is not sin, to be so “human,” but it is a weakness needing to be overcome. Sometimes we are embarrassed by these mistakes, but need to remember just as literal children are subjected to these faults, so we are needing to also learn, to be able to overcome.
Matthew 6:24-33 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Verse 25 Take no thought of your life, ( have no worry about the “temporal” things). Verse 26 The birds are an example of how God supplies. They do not strive in worry, but always correctly expect to have food, which God has instilled in them. Aren’t you better than the birds? God has given his examples of promise,.. to us! God is in control,..He is our heavenly Father! Verse 27 What can we accomplish, wishing we were “taller”, or etc. ? Only God can control our circumstances, ultimately. Verse 30 The God who clothes the fields, considers us.. much more valuable. Verse 32 God knows our needs. Verse 33 Seek first God and His righteousness, and He shall add to us All we need.
God our Father wants to show us what our “needs” are. For if we do not know,..we cannot seek His help. Bro Andy Gallagher gave an “example” of a little boy who did not listen to his father to not go around a corner. He (the boy) still repeated that mistake, for he did not truly understand all he had been told in depth. Likewise we too will make mistakes. But there is an incredible honorable Father who will never let you down, and will never abandon you!
Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Only God is truly worthy of the title of Father, in a spiritual sense.
Psalms 68:5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
God is Father to any who would come to Him. On this fathers day, let us honor our Heavenly Father, to dedicate this day to Him.. while we also show love to our earthly dad. All good fathers deserve honor, but none as much as our Heavenly Father! Only He is the source of all good fatherhood. Whatever your experience with your earthly father, remember your Heavenly Father will never let you down! Let us give our life to Him, the only genuinely worthy Father from above.
Happy Father’s Day!
TEXT: MATTHEW 8:22-26
