Father's Day Message - Pastor Gus Urban

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Well happy Father's Day everyone.

It was a beautiful morning this morning.

I woke up.

It was really, really nice and I thought, well it would be great to stay home, especially

when you know you've got to preach.

It's all good because not only is it Father's Day for those of us who are fathers, we've

gathered here this morning to honour our Heavenly Father.

And it's a really good time to reflect not just as God in heaven, but Abba Father.

As that song we were singing, such a beautiful song, that Jesus cried out Abba Father and

we have the exact same access to God as God as our Heavenly Father who loves us as his

children will always be there for us, will correct us when we need it, will pick us up

and restore us, will give us everything that we could ever need and want.

So Father's Day is incredible.

Happy Father's Day once again and as I said to Christine this morning, happy Mother's

Day for May.

So to all the mothers out there, you're not missing out.

So if we can start with Matthew 1 we're going to read from verses 18 and hold it there because

we'll get there in about 10 minutes.

I don't have much time this morning.

Someone loves telling jokes so this isn't his first rodeo and I knew he was going to

love it so it's all good.

Dad, happy Father's Day.

I feel like it's actually really important for me to acknowledge you publicly because

when I have a father and an earthly father who chose to serve God in the good times,

in the hard times, in the bad times and made God his God no matter what the condition,

he stood up for us as a family.

I grew up with the covering of God over my life because of the choice of my earthly father

and I stand, I actually stand here today because of the choices of others.

And so Dad I just want to honor you.

So I don't take this morning lightly, I understand the importance of fathers.

But in Genesis chapter 1, we're not turning there but I'm just going to refer to it, we

Genesis 1 · chapter mention

see that, how God created the family.

In Genesis chapter 2 and we read there along the lines and well really it's in Genesis

Genesis 2 · chapter mention Genesis 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4 that we see the family unit.

So God started creating in Genesis 1 and 2 and it was a plan of God to have a man and

a woman be married and raise a family and that was his goal.

And we have to understand everything that God does is for a reason.

God had the man as the head of the home and this is a man's job to take place like my

earthly father, is that not only did he take the role as head of the home, it wasn't his

own authority that he operated in.

But growing up I saw that my earthly father, Pastor Rob, the one with the great jokes,

he was subject to the authority of Christ.

And when we see a man, a husband, a man of God, subject under the authority of Christ,

just like it says in Ephesians, we have the blessing and the favour of God not just upon

a man but upon a marriage and upon a family.

And I'm living proof of this, I have had the privilege of experiencing this and it makes

life a lot easier.

See when I got married and had kids there was a lot I didn't have to figure out because

I grew up understanding a lot of godly principles that I could apply into life.

And I remember my wife and I just saying to each other and knowing that it actually is

quite easy when two people have grown up in Christian homes and then they get married

together.

They both understand, the husband and the wife, they both understand the principles

of God because they've seen their parents use these principles in the home and when

the next generation get married and are joined as one, it is the most natural thing for them

to do is to operate in godly principles.

We definitely see now that probably I would say, don't hold me to it, but I would say

one of Satan's biggest targets today is the family unit.

Because when we see a family unit fall apart, it's not just the damage done between a husband

and a wife but it extends down to the children.

Now anyone can go online and research statistics that society is affected by fatherlessness.

And researching this I found a few that, let's look at what happens to the children is that

many people have documented that in children who are experiencing fatherlessness, in more

cases than not, they have a perceived abandonment.

They experience attachment issues where they are unable to create and maintain healthy

relationships.

One interesting factor which I thought was quite incredible but a recent study showed

that children are more likely than not to experience childhood obesity in a fatherless

home.

Crime is a huge one as we would know and I wrote something in here, a quote, it says

that the more opportunities a child has to interact with his or her biological father,

the less likely he or she is to commit a crime or have contact with the juvenile justice

system.

And we're seeing that a lot today on the news.

I mean how flooded has our news been with youth crime lately in the past couple of years?

It's beyond belief and I believe that this is one major factor that we are experiencing

youth crime.

I understand that children get caught and they get slapped on the wrist and thrown back

out but the one thing that most people will say is where are the parents?

See when there is a husband leading a home and a wife walking alongside of the husband

and the two are equally yoked and the husband and the wife are in agreement of how they

will raise their children and when that agreement is based on what the Word of God says, that's

the biggest thing.

When a man and a woman, a husband and wife are raising children according to God's Word,

we will not see or extremely in extreme rare cases see that children will be committing

these things.

Because the same applies to parents, even Christian parents who won't raise or discipline

their children according to God's Word.

I remember one time probably about ten years ago this Christian couple had their first

child and I remember them saying that they are not going to do something that the Bible

strictly says to do when it comes to raising children.

And I remember thinking how is it that a person can believe that the Word of God is true,

100% true, that it is his Word but then turn around and out of the same breath say but

I'm not going to apply these principles.

I don't understand that.

But anyway moving on, further studies and statistics, gang involvement, obviously this

is an American study and I use this American study because we're not that far behind America,

amen.

Mental health issues which is plaguing our society, poor school performance, poverty

and homelessness and substantial abuse.

I mean now you can say I grew up in a home with a mother and a father and I've experienced

some of these things and that's true.

This study is saying that these statistics are at their highest in a fatherless home.

So when we are here celebrating Father's Day, sometimes we don't actually know what we're

celebrating that it's a day that we wake up and we might receive a coffee or breakfast

in bed and our family, our wife and our kids give us presents and say happy Father's Day

and we might go out to lunch but I think this morning is a good time to reflect on the very

importance of a father.

I believe there is a reason why God the creator of the universe chose to become our heavenly

father.

See he could have chosen to be a God that is separate from his people and demanded obedience

but he loves us so much that he wants to be part of every day of our life.

He wants to be there and comfort us and help us and support us and give us direction when

we are lost.

Now we serve a good loving God that we can come before no matter how bad we feel, no

matter how many sins we may have committed.

Our God is so amazing that you and I 24-7 have access to him.

You might be here this morning and have experienced abandonment from your earthly father, that

your relationship with your earthly father was conditional, that you had to meet certain

requirements in order to have access to speak to him or to be loved by him.

But God is not like that.

He operates on a whole new level of love.

God not only has love but God is love.

And because God is love, that is the most easiest thing for us to receive is his love.

And I pray this morning that if you, because your earthly father, may have experienced

this attitude of works in order to please, I pray this morning that you experience the

unconditional love of God.

Hallelujah.

Well, I better keep moving.

Now when we look at the way God created male and female, we know that God created us with

the ability to procreate.

Now when we say procreator, we talk about procreation.

We obviously know that we're talking about having children, making babies.

But when we get down to what the dictionary actually says, procreation is a result in

more of the original.

And when I look at this, we see that God is the creator, and we know that in Genesis 1

and 2, and that God created something from nothing.

But he gave us the choice and the ability to procreate.

Now Genesis 1, 26 says this, then God said, let us make man in our image according to

our likeness.

Right?

So God chose to create from nothing.

Psalm 139, 13 and 14 says, for you formed my inward parts, you covered me in my mother's

womb.

I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Glory to God.

So let's look at this, when we become, as parents, not owners, but stewards of our children.

Because even though you and I had the choice to procreate, it is only God that creates

life.

Hallelujah.

And so when we come together and we get married and we raise a family, I believe the most

beautiful attitude that parents can have, especially fathers, is to understand that

sure this is my child, my biological child, but God, when we chose to procreate, you created

life.

I can only create something from the original, from me and my wife.

I can only choose and there is so much that I am limited to, but upon conception, God

creates life and He is still the owner.

Because God is in the developing and He is in creation.

See we sometimes think that creation stopped in Genesis 1 and 2.

No, God is still creating every time a child is conceived.

I remember Rohan was showing me this video of that upon conception that there is a light

that sparks in darkness and yet scientists cannot explain it.

They don't know what this light is and they have it filmed under a microscope where the

moment of conception happens that there is a bright light that fills the womb.

And it is only God.

Now this attitude of stewardship, being a steward of our children, I believe is best

seen in the life of Joseph, the father of Jesus.

Now Matthew chapter 1, 1825, let's quickly read that.

Matthew 1 · chapter mention

I've got to quickly find it, there we go.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows.

After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with

child of the Holy Spirit.

Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not wanting to make her a public example,

was minded to put her away secretly.

But while he thought about these things, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a

dream saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary, your wife.

For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit, and she will bring forth a son

and you shall call his name Jesus.

There's a few things that as I was studying this that popped to my mind which I actually

never thought about before.

Because growing up in church and we see the Nativity plays and that, Joseph just goes

along and that, but have we ever actually thought about the emotions that Joseph was

feeling?

I mean he's engaged to Mary, they're about to become married and all of a sudden he finds

out that his fiance is pregnant.

Now everyone in their town would have known they were engaged and I could assume that

at some point everyone would have known that Mary is pregnant and they're not married.

So here's Joseph done nothing wrong, a good and just man.

Is trying to think out, Lord what is going on?

You know the thoughts that we go through as men and as fathers sometimes, I mean could

you imagine him thinking, has my fiance cheated on me?

What's actually happened because there is no other way that this can happen.

Now think about this is before the angel appeared to Joseph because it says here that while

he thought about these things that there would have been some torment going on in the mind

of Joseph.

What's going on?

Who has she been with?

What am I meant to do?

See according to, well when we read in Deuteronomy, I believe it's Deuteronomy or Leviticus that

if a man wasn't happy with his wife he could write her certificate of divorce.

So maybe he might have been thinking, well maybe this isn't going to work out, she doesn't

deserve me, maybe I should divorce her.

Maybe I should make her a public example.

But we know that God doesn't make mistakes and that God chooses the right people for

the right job.

And in verse 19 it backs it up saying that then Joseph her husband being a just man and

not wanting to make her a public example was minded to put her away secretly.

See we always see about the life of Jesus and even Mary the mother of Jesus but we never

really take the time of how Joseph was actually a godly father.

Even though he wasn't the biological father of Jesus he took on the role as Jesus earthly

father.

For those that are parenting here today that you may be raising children that really aren't

your own biologically, there is still an anointing on your life to raise those children.

God has given you an authority as the man of the home and the impact that you can make

or may have made is awesome.

The role of a father is so great that it impacts society as we've just previously read.

I pray that men all around the world start to understand the amazing role that they have

as a father.

We see that Joseph received divine instruction and it's the same for us today as fathers.

Do we receive divine instruction?

Sometimes we can be going through life as fathers and not knowing what to do.

How do I handle these kids?

What do I do with my work and everything else that I've got to do?

How much input and time do I need to put into my home and work balance and life balance

and time to myself?

What do I do?

Do you know we can get before God and receive every answer to all of our questions?

In the same way that Joseph received instruction to raise Jesus, we can too.

And we see that he was a really good man that even taught Jesus a trade.

So not only was he there to be comforting and loving and support Mary and support his

other biological children that he had, he was there for Jesus as well.

Genesis 6, 5 verses 5 to 10, we'll quickly read there and I'm going to try and wrap

this thing up quickly.

We're running out of time.

Genesis 5.

Genesis chapter 5, we're going to read from verse 5.

Genesis 5 · chapter mention

Sorry, Genesis 6.

See, I was just seeing if you were awake.

Genesis chapter 6 from verse 5 to verse 8.

Genesis 6 · chapter mention

Actually we might read verse 9 as well.

Now this is about Noah.

And the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent

of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth and he was grieved in his heart.

So the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth,

both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I'm sorry that I have made

them.

Verse 8 and verse 9 is where we're really going to focus on.

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Verse 9 says, this is the genealogy of Noah.

Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations.

Noah walked with God and Noah begot three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth.

I find that the story of Noah is incredible and I find it very encouraging for me as a

father because when I read the story of Noah, I see a man of God because it says here that

Noah walked with God.

In other words, it wasn't a religious experience with God.

Noah had a relationship with God.

Noah knew God.

Noah's life was transformed by God and because of this, we understand that he found grace

in the eyes of the Lord.

We have to understand that is that when we are walking as God, men, when you and I walk

with our heavenly Father, that there is a grace upon our lives to go beyond what we

can naturally do.

And when we go beyond what we can naturally do, we are there to benefit our family.

In other words, we look at the story of Noah.

The only reason I believe Noah was chosen was because of his relationship with God.

And because of his relationship with God, we see that the family of Noah was saved.

Here's a man that was living in, I'm guessing maybe, the most evil time that this earth

has ever experienced.

And yet no matter what was happening on the outside of the violence that was taking place,

of all the evil that was on the earth at that time, I see that there's a man that could

stand up for righteousness.

And when a man stands up for righteousness, it's not just about him, but those who he

covers.

Hallelujah.

Okay, so when you and I as men are standing up for righteousness, when we have temptation

and sin and other people trying to pull us into the world and pull us into darkness,

when you and I stand for righteousness, that the eyes of the Lord are not only upon me,

but my wife and my children.

And that who knows the blessing that will come upon my life?

That blessing doesn't stop with me, but flows on to generations past.

Because you know, you and I, because of Noah's faithfulness to God, are alive today.

We are descendants of Noah.

So men of God, this morning, as I close, are we standing up for righteousness?

Fathers, do we even know what we're standing for today?

Can I encourage you this morning, as I said earlier, that there is a God in heaven that

loves you so very much.

He's not a hypocrite.

He is truth, He is love, and He only wants the best for you and I.

See a good Father leads by example, and in Deuteronomy 6.5, Jesus commands the people

at that time, and this commandment stays today.

It says this, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,

and with all your strength.

Hallelujah.

That's what God commands us to do.

And to prove that He is our Heavenly Father, that leads by example, He shows us His love

in John 3.16, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever

believes in Him shall not perish but everlasting life.

You know how I said God is not a hypocrite?

He commands us to love Him with everything that we have, but in return, He sent His only

begotten Son.

Why?

Because of the love.

Do you know the Bible says that while we were still sinners, that He sent His Son.

While we were still sinners, while we didn't even deserve it, we didn't even recognise

God, we didn't acknowledge Him, we didn't want to know Him, we were busy with our own

life and yet He wanted that gift because He loves us.

See every commandment that God commands us as His children.

Now listen, this is how good our Heavenly Father is.

Abba Father.

Another commandment He gives, hear Israel and be careful to obey so that it may go well

with you and that you may increase greatly and a land flowing with milk and honey just

as the Lord, the God of your ancestors promised you.

See God commands obedience to His Word.

He commands it.

He's a Holy God.

The reason why He commands us so that it may be well with you, with me, with my wife, in

my marriage, with my children, in our home, in their future, that it may be well.

As we stand, and I will close right now if we could all stand, I would close on this

and I include myself in this, that as fathers, if we're not doing it already, that as fathers

we would make a habit of getting before God and just saying, Lord, how am I going?

What am I doing right?

Where can I improve on?

Lord, as a father, can you show me how to be better?

I mean, that's an amazing prayer to pray.

It's a prayer of humility.

It's a prayer that is just telling us, Lord, I know I don't have all the answers.

I may be doing my best, but God, I know that You can grow me in this area.

And lastly, I want to close on the most important thing that could ever happen.

That if you were here this morning and you don't know God as your heavenly Father, that

you have never received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, that I would like you to come

forward and I will pray a prayer with you.

It's going to be a prayer that I prayed the very night that I received Jesus as my Lord

and Savior.

I accepted Him into my heart.

He changed me from the inside out.

And God, the creator of the universe, became my heavenly Father.

I can guarantee you this morning that if you come out and you receive Jesus as your Lord

and receive Him as your Savior, you will never be the same.

It is impossible for someone who is bound in sin to receive Christ and be filled with

light and remain the same.

That's impossible.

But if this is you, if you would love to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, that you will

have a relationship with God, would you come to the front right now as I'm speaking?

Just come right now as I'm speaking.

If this is you and you would love to receive salvation for the first time or you may have

fallen away and want to recommit your life, just come right now.

Now is the time.

Just come.

I'm here ready for you to receive Jesus.

We are all good.

Hallelujah.

Lord, we just thank you for this morning.

God as we come together as your children, honoring you as our heavenly Father.

Lord, we pray for anointing upon every man here this morning, even those that their children

have may have grown up that aren't living in the home.

Lord, we thank you that there is still an anointing to be a Father upon their lives.

Lord, we thank you for those that may not even have children to be a spiritual Father

for those who are new in Christ.

God, I thank you for an anointing upon this church that there are fathers and spiritual

fathers throughout this whole place.

God, we pray a special blessing upon every man, upon every marriage and upon every home

this morning.

In Jesus name, and we all say amen.

We're going to close the service, but if you would like prayer, especially if you're a

father and you feel like you may have dropped the ball a little bit or want just a fresh

anointing, I'm here to pray with you.

If not, yeah, you can head to the back and have a fantastic day.

Thank you for joining us.

We pray God's richest blessing on your life.

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See you next week.