What Good is it Being a Father?

I. Introduction (Exodus 20:12)

A. What Good is it Being a Father?

B. It’s much more than what we normally think…

1. All the changing nappies, and long nights rocking children to sleep after Mom has collapsed
2. More than all the arguments and battles over what they are allowed to wear, and not allowed to wear, and what music they can and cannot listen to, and over their “friends” they are hanging around with
3. No. In spite of all the negatives…

C. There are some things that make being a DAD, the greatest thing in the world!

D. Not to take away from the value of a Mom…

E. But being a Dad is actually JUST as important as being a Mom!

1. And if we continue to demean and mock fatherhood and manhood and dads, there will one day be no hope left for the future of families anywhere, much less the souls of men and women
2. I know there is a danger in preaching about being a father, when some cannot be fathers, and some aren’t even married and so desperately want to be
3. But fatherhood is something awesome. Something honourable. Something so needed especially in the 21st century!

F. I am not finding perfect fatherhood in my Bible…

G. But I do find real, true-blue, honest to goodness, manly, committed, faithful, passionate, sacrificial fatherhood in this Book

That ANYONE can be, by the same grace of God that saves sinners and makes them whole! Proven by Abraham.

1. Many a man has attempted to leave his mark on this world
   • Climbing the highest mountains, planting a flag and a plaque with their name on it
   • Crossing south and north poles
   • Placing footprints on the surface of the moon
   • Building huge monuments to themselves
2. But a man, named Abraham, left a legacy that has outlasted all others
   • He left us the legacy of a godly father
   • Of faith in a promise-keeping God
   • Of a good name - Abraham!
   • Of a good God, who uses us men in spite of our failures
   • Of a good future, when Abraham’s descendants will be the cause of such blessing in this world
3. Being a Dad means… leaving a legacy of being a father to your sons, so that they YEARN to be one too!
4. Let’s learn how to have that kind of a legacy from this day forward!

---

II. Background (Genesis 17:1-4)

A. In Genesis 12, we find a man named Abram

1. A 75 year old young man that actually loved God
2. It’s RARE to find men who did this way back then - the culture was against God, pagan, selfish and rebellious
3. And such love for God is rare still today

B. Married to a good woman named Sarai (Genesis 11:29,30)

1. The Bible doesn’t tell how long they had been married so far
2. But at this point they had no children

C. Abram believed God when it was impossible to do so (Genesis 15:5,6)

1. When the Bible says “he believed God”, it means it
2. Abram had a real, passionate, confidence in God’s faithfulness
3. He trusted God to be right, and always do right, and always keep His promises!

D. So, God honoured Abram’s passionate confidence in Him as God Almighty

1. With some incredible promises (Genesis 12:1-3)
   • All the LAND of modern day Israel, and then some
   • Great honour and wealth
   • Great protection from his enemies
2. But most of all, God promised Abram a son. Listen as God says the sweetest, most amazing words to Abram… “thou shalt be a father…” (Genesis 17:4)

E. Fatherhood for Abram was An Impossible Thing to Believe

1. He was already old
2. His wife was barren
3. Yet he believed God’s promise

---

III. Message - What Makes Fatherhood Worth It

A. The Privilege of Being Part of God’s Plan

1. God chose Abraham to start a nation
2. God chooses fathers today to raise godly children
3. What an honour to be used by God!

B. The Opportunity to Leave a Legacy

1. Abraham’s name is still known 4,000 years later
2. Not for monuments or achievements
3. But for his faith and his family

C. The Joy of Seeing Faith Passed Down

1. Abraham passed his faith to Isaac
2. Isaac passed it to Jacob
3. Jacob passed it to his twelve sons
4. And it continues to this day

D. The Responsibility to Lead

1. Abraham was called to lead his family
2. To teach them about God
3. To show them how to live by faith
4. To model godly manhood

---

IV. Application

A. For Fathers

1. Embrace your role - don’t run from it
2. Lead your family spiritually
3. Pass on your faith to your children
4. Leave a legacy that will outlast you

B. For Everyone

1. Honour fathers - they matter to God
2. Pray for fathers in your life
3. If you had a good father, thank God
4. If you didn’t, let your heavenly Father fill that gap

C. The Greatest Fatherhood

1. We have a Father in heaven who never fails
2. He loves us perfectly
3. He provides for us completely
4. He will never leave us or forsake us

What good is it being a father? It’s one of the greatest callings God ever gave to men. Will you embrace it? Will you honour it? Will you leave a legacy like Abraham?