One of the most popular verses in the Bible, and one of my favorites, is John 3:16 where we are told "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but will have everlasting life."
Today is Fathers Day, and today in our church service, the preacher pointed out that God loved man so much that he gave his own Son to die for everyone, those who were alive in the days of Jesus, those who came afterwards, and to those who came before as well. Jesus, the minister told us, is the Lamb of God, the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind. The Hebrew people had sacrificed lambs since ancient times, but those lambs did not take away all their sin; that's why there were yearly sacrifices, sacrifices on special occasions, and sacrifices when a person sinned. For sin, only the blood of a lamb could atone, but not permanently.
God wanted to draw man to him, and wanted no one to perish. For reasons that are God's own (I make no claim to fully understand all this - that is for the theologians) the only offering that could save mankind forever (give everlasting life) was the ultimate sacrifice - God's own Son dying on the cross. Thus, the true Father gave the perfect and everlasting gift to men While our special day of remembrance, known as Fathers Day, was not ordained by God, the principle of a father giving his best gift to his children was firmly established in God given his Son for us.
To dramatize this lesson in a practical, an amusing, and a very poignant way, the minister had all the fathers in the audience stand, and all the little children presented each father with a necktie. It was so cute but also touching, to watch these little ones laughing with glee as they rushed from father to father handing neckties of varying designs. They loved it more than the fathers did, I believe, and that was a lot! It is more blessed to give than to receive, I have heard many times, and these children got a lot of joy out of giving away their gifts. Everyone there this morning was blessed by this living Bible lesson.
Fathers who give good gifts to their children, not just "presents," but love, protection, training, and yes, discipline, are along with mothers, responsible for providing their children with a good foundation - the upbringing that will help the children to grow into loving adults who will in time care for their own children. And a father's love for his children doesn't stop when the children themselves become adults. Fathers love their children so much that they would give any good gift that they could, even give their life for their children, if that ever became necessary, as it did for the Father, who gave His Son to save each of us. And, just as children give gifts to honor their fathers on Fathers Day, we give gifts, our love and our service, to our honor Father in Heaven, and not just on Fathers Day, but everyday.
Happy Fathers Day to all fathers, and to our Father as well.
Today is Fathers Day, and today in our church service, the preacher pointed out that God loved man so much that he gave his own Son to die for everyone, those who were alive in the days of Jesus, those who came afterwards, and to those who came before as well. Jesus, the minister told us, is the Lamb of God, the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind. The Hebrew people had sacrificed lambs since ancient times, but those lambs did not take away all their sin; that's why there were yearly sacrifices, sacrifices on special occasions, and sacrifices when a person sinned. For sin, only the blood of a lamb could atone, but not permanently.
God wanted to draw man to him, and wanted no one to perish. For reasons that are God's own (I make no claim to fully understand all this - that is for the theologians) the only offering that could save mankind forever (give everlasting life) was the ultimate sacrifice - God's own Son dying on the cross. Thus, the true Father gave the perfect and everlasting gift to men While our special day of remembrance, known as Fathers Day, was not ordained by God, the principle of a father giving his best gift to his children was firmly established in God given his Son for us.
To dramatize this lesson in a practical, an amusing, and a very poignant way, the minister had all the fathers in the audience stand, and all the little children presented each father with a necktie. It was so cute but also touching, to watch these little ones laughing with glee as they rushed from father to father handing neckties of varying designs. They loved it more than the fathers did, I believe, and that was a lot! It is more blessed to give than to receive, I have heard many times, and these children got a lot of joy out of giving away their gifts. Everyone there this morning was blessed by this living Bible lesson.
Fathers who give good gifts to their children, not just "presents," but love, protection, training, and yes, discipline, are along with mothers, responsible for providing their children with a good foundation - the upbringing that will help the children to grow into loving adults who will in time care for their own children. And a father's love for his children doesn't stop when the children themselves become adults. Fathers love their children so much that they would give any good gift that they could, even give their life for their children, if that ever became necessary, as it did for the Father, who gave His Son to save each of us. And, just as children give gifts to honor their fathers on Fathers Day, we give gifts, our love and our service, to our honor Father in Heaven, and not just on Fathers Day, but everyday.
Happy Fathers Day to all fathers, and to our Father as well.
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