God's Design Is A Team Effort When It Comes To Parenting

Luke 15:11-32

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. ¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. ¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.  “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.  ²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’  ²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.  ²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.  ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.  ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’  ²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.  ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.  ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’  ³¹ “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ” 

Can I just tell ya something?  One thing is for certain, a good father has a significant impact on a family for generations to come!  Professor David Popenoe, in his book, "Life Without Father", said this:  "Depriving children of fathers has become the most prevalent form of child mal-treatment in America today."

Why are fathers so important?

Fathers Protect Their Family

Fathers protect their daughters from abuse.  I'll never forget the day several years ago, I called a young man's mother to advise her I had already asked her son to get lost more than once.  I then informed her I was prepared to contact the sheriff the next time he had any contact with my daughter.  It was necessary to protect her.  We had discovered a letter he had written to our 14 year old daughter laced with inappropriate language of an adult nature.  I ended up calling the sheriff twice!

Fathers protect their wives from assault.  My wife and I were in downtown Kansas City in the Power & Light District for dinner.  After exiting the restaurant and on our way to the van, what appeared to be a drunk and homeless man approached us.  Instinctively, I blocked his path to protect my wife and hustled her inside the van.  The man turned and walked the other direction.

Fathers Are Providers

Even though many mothers work, ultimately, it is the father's responsibility to provide.

Fathers Are Role Models

Fathers are role models for sons AND for daughters.  Daughters learn what to look for in a husband.  Sons learn about male responsibility and achievement.  Sons best learn about suitable assertiveness and independence from their fathers.  A father's authority and discipline in rearing sons, particularly when for boys in their teens, is difficult for a mother to achieve.

Can I just tell ya something?  Mom's can raise their voice.  Sometimes though, dad needs to come charging in like a bull with steam coming his ears and put the hammer down!

Fathers often provide some of that "rough and tumble" play...but within limits.  Kids learn that biting and kicking and other forms of physical violence are not acceptable.  They learn when enough is enough.

A daughter's relationship with dad is critical

When a daughter enjoys her father/daughter relationship, she experiences a healthier femininty.  She feels loved and worthy AND she is able to trust.  Daughters who are able to trust men normally, generally grow up and marry trustworthy men.

Fathers teach survival skills

Fathers teach survival skills of competition.  Kids tend to learn skills in challenge, initiative, risk-taking, and independence from their dads.  Moms tend to be the ones to emphasize social and relationship skills.  Dads, generally speaking, are more long-term development focused.  Moms are more immediate situation focused.

Dads tend to focus more on justice, fairness, and duty based on rules.  Moms tend to focus more on sympathy, care, and helping based on relationships.

BUT, can I just tell ya something?  God's design is for a MOM AND A DAD to actively raise a child TOGETHER!  There certainly is no doubt, God's design is a TEAM EFFORT when it comes to parenting.


This entry is taken from my notes for the sermon:  "Faithful Parenting".  Click the link to listen to the entire sermon.  This is the fourth sermon in a series.  The entire sermon series audio is available here:  

BLINDERS, BLINKERS, & WINKERS SERMON SERIES