Sermons for father's day

 

FATHER KNOWS BEST

 

SCRIPTURE - (Gen 2:15-25)  Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. {16} And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; {17} "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." {18} And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." {19} Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. {20} So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. {21} And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. {22} Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. {23} And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." {24} Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. {25} And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A. Those who watched American television in the 1950's remember Jim Anderson, the father character on the program "Father Knows Best". It seemed that he always knew what was right. He always made the correct decisions. It seemed that he always knew what was "best."

 

B. Of course Jim Anderson, played by Robert Young, was a fictitious figure, and in real life no human father always knows what is best. Our heavenly Father, however, always does not know what is best, and does it for us. In dealing with Adam, God shows us that as Heavenly Father, he knows what is best.

 

C. There are four needs in this passage which God met for Adam. He meets these same needs for us.

 

I. THE NEED TO LABOR - Vs. 15 - )  Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

 

A. God knew that man should not just sit around.

 

B. God created him to be useful and productive.

 

C. Adam was to till and maintain the garden.

 

D. God has made Christians to be productive as well.

1. (2 Th 3:10)  For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

2. (Eph 2:10)  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

 

  

II. THE NEED FOR LIBERTY - Vss. 16 & 19 - And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;… Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.

 

A. Adam was no robot. He was given certain freedoms. He was able to choose what to eat and to name the animals as he pleased.

 

B. Freedom of choice means freedom to make the wrong choice

 

C. We are given a special kind of liberty as Christians.

 

D. We are at liberty to have freedom over sin - (Rom 6:14)  For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

 

E. We are at liberty to love and serve God and others.

1. (Gal 5:13)  For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

2. (1 Pet 2:15-16)  For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men; {16} as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

 

III. THE NEED FOR LIMITATIONS - Vs. 17 - "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

 

A. God limits us because He loves us. We don't always know what's is best for us, but God does.

 

B. Adam was limited from eating "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."

 

C. God gives us limitations as well. Good examples of these limitations are found in

1. (Prov 6:16-19)  These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: {17} A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, {18} A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, {19} A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

2. (Gal 5:17-21)  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. {18} But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. {19} Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, {20} idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, {21} envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

  

 

IV. THE NEED FOR LOVE - Vss. 18 - And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him

 

A. God knew that Adam needed a mate, a woman to love and help him. He provided Eve for Adam.

 

B. God provides the love of husband and wife today, as well as love within a family.

 

C. God's greatest show of love was on the cross.

1. (John 3:16)  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

2. (Rom 8:35-39)  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? {36} As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." {37} Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. {38} For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, {39} nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

3. (John 13:34-35)  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. {35} "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

 

CONCLUSION

 

            A. We need labor

 

            B. We need liberty

 

            C. We need limitations

 

            D. We need love

 

            E. God provides all of these for us in the church today.

 

 --Larry Pasley (Alexandria, Louisiana)