Empowering Fathers: Shaping Spiritual Journeys of Children
Summary
### Summary
Today's message focused on the importance of fathers and their role in shaping the lives of their children. We began by speaking life, healing, and grace over all the fathers in the congregation, emphasizing the need for fathers who are whole and joyful in the Lord. The Apostle Paul’s words about the scarcity of true fathers in Christ were highlighted, underscoring the need for spiritual fatherhood in our community.
We then transitioned to discussing the significance of children in the church, expressing gratitude for their presence and the importance of praying for their salvation, healing, and transformation. The upcoming youth camp was mentioned as a pivotal event for our children, and we encouraged the congregation to support it both financially and through prayer.
The main scriptural focus was on Zebedee, the father of James and John, who were called by Jesus to become His disciples. Zebedee’s story illustrates the profound impact a father can have by supporting his children’s spiritual journey, even when it means letting them go to follow God’s call. Despite the cultural expectations and potential stigma of his sons not being chosen by other rabbis, Zebedee allowed them to follow Jesus, demonstrating his faith and trust in God’s plan.
We also shared personal anecdotes to illustrate the importance of fathers being men of integrity, compassion, and faith. Fathers are called to lead by example, teaching their children not just practical skills but also spiritual truths. The ultimate goal is to prepare children to respond to Jesus’ call and to live lives that honor God.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Power of a Father’s Blessing: Fathers have the unique ability to speak life, healing, and grace over their families. By doing so, they can create an environment where their children can thrive spiritually, emotionally, and physically. A father’s blessing can break cycles of regret and pain, replacing them with joy and wholeness in the Lord. [10:40]
2. The Importance of Spiritual Fatherhood: The Apostle Paul emphasized the need for spiritual fathers, not just instructors. True spiritual fatherhood involves nurturing, guiding, and being present in the lives of spiritual children. This kind of fatherhood is crucial for raising up a generation that knows and follows Christ. [11:36]
3. Supporting Children’s Spiritual Journeys: Just as Zebedee allowed his sons to follow Jesus, fathers today must support their children’s spiritual journeys, even if it means letting go of their own plans and expectations. This act of faith can lead to profound spiritual growth and impact, both for the children and the broader community. [28:22]
4. Leading by Example: Fathers are called to be men of integrity, compassion, and faith. By living out these values, they set a powerful example for their children. Teaching children practical skills is important, but imparting spiritual truths and demonstrating a life of faith is paramount. [55:20]
5. The Transformative Power of Prayer: It’s never too late for fathers to pray for their children. Even if past mistakes have been made, prayer can bring healing and restoration. Fathers should continually lift their children up in prayer, asking God to guide, protect, and transform their lives. [07:43]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[10:40] - Speaking Life Over Fathers
[11:36] - The Need for Spiritual Fathers
[12:11] - Gratitude for Children
[13:14] - The Importance of Youth Camp
[17:22] - Supporting Our Youth
[20:32] - Offering for Youth Camp
[21:51] - Declaring Over Our Children
[27:14] - Father's Day Gifts
[27:52] - Introduction to Zebedee
[28:22] - Zebedee’s Story
[35:02] - The Heart of a Father
[41:19] - The Greatest Gift
[55:20] - Leading by Example
[07:43] - The Power of Prayer
[10:25] - Closing and Announcements
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Matthew 4:18-22 (NIV)
> "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will send you out to fish for people.' At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him."
### Observation Questions
1. What did Jesus say to Simon Peter and Andrew when he first saw them by the Sea of Galilee? (Matthew 4:19)
2. How did James and John respond when Jesus called them while they were with their father Zebedee? (Matthew 4:22)
3. According to the sermon, what was the cultural significance of being called by a rabbi in Jewish society? [30:32]
4. What was Zebedee doing when Jesus called his sons, James and John? (Matthew 4:21)
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Zebedee allowed his sons to follow Jesus despite the cultural expectations and potential stigma? [40:32]
2. How does the story of Zebedee and his sons illustrate the importance of supporting children's spiritual journeys? [28:22]
3. What does the sermon suggest about the role of fathers in speaking life, healing, and grace over their families? [10:40]
4. How does the concept of spiritual fatherhood, as discussed in the sermon, differ from merely being an instructor? [11:36]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on Zebedee's willingness to let his sons follow Jesus. Are there any personal plans or expectations you need to let go of to support your children's spiritual journeys? [28:22]
2. The sermon emphasized the power of a father's blessing. How can you intentionally speak life, healing, and grace over your family this week? [10:40]
3. Spiritual fatherhood involves nurturing and guiding others in their faith. Who in your life could benefit from your spiritual mentorship, and how can you start nurturing that relationship? [11:36]
4. Zebedee's story shows the importance of leading by example. What are some practical ways you can demonstrate integrity, compassion, and faith to your children or those you mentor? [55:20]
5. The sermon highlighted the transformative power of prayer. What specific prayers can you start lifting up for your children or spiritual children today? [07:43]
6. Reflect on a time when you had to make a difficult decision to support someone else's spiritual journey. How did that experience shape your faith and theirs?
7. The sermon mentioned the importance of preparing children to respond to Jesus' call. What steps can you take to ensure that your children or those you mentor are ready to follow Jesus when He calls? [55:20]
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of a Father’s Blessing
Fathers have the unique ability to speak life, healing, and grace over their families. By doing so, they can create an environment where their children can thrive spiritually, emotionally, and physically. A father’s blessing can break cycles of regret and pain, replacing them with joy and wholeness in the Lord. Fathers are called to be conduits of God’s love and grace, and their words have the power to shape the destinies of their children. This blessing is not just about material provision but about imparting spiritual strength and encouragement.
When fathers speak blessings over their children, they are partnering with God to bring about His purposes in their lives. This act of speaking life can transform the atmosphere of a home, making it a place where God’s presence is felt and His love is experienced. Fathers should be intentional about blessing their children, recognizing the profound impact their words can have. [10:40]
Numbers 6:24-26 (ESV): "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."
Reflection: Think of a specific blessing you can speak over each of your children today. How can you make this a regular practice in your home?
Day 2: The Importance of Spiritual Fatherhood
The Apostle Paul emphasized the need for spiritual fathers, not just instructors. True spiritual fatherhood involves nurturing, guiding, and being present in the lives of spiritual children. This kind of fatherhood is crucial for raising up a generation that knows and follows Christ. Spiritual fathers are those who invest time, energy, and love into the spiritual growth of others, helping them to mature in their faith and walk with God.
Spiritual fatherhood goes beyond biological relationships; it is about being a mentor and a guide to those who are younger in the faith. This involves sharing wisdom, providing encouragement, and being a consistent presence in their lives. Spiritual fathers help to build a strong foundation of faith, equipping the next generation to stand firm in their beliefs and to live out their calling. [11:36]
1 Corinthians 4:15 (ESV): "For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel."
Reflection: Who in your life can you mentor and guide as a spiritual father? How can you begin to invest in their spiritual growth today?
Day 3: Supporting Children’s Spiritual Journeys
Just as Zebedee allowed his sons to follow Jesus, fathers today must support their children’s spiritual journeys, even if it means letting go of their own plans and expectations. This act of faith can lead to profound spiritual growth and impact, both for the children and the broader community. Zebedee’s story illustrates the importance of trusting God’s plan for our children, even when it diverges from our own desires.
Supporting children’s spiritual journeys involves encouraging them to seek God’s will for their lives and being willing to release them to follow His call. This may require sacrifices and a willingness to let go of control, but it ultimately leads to greater blessings and fulfillment. Fathers should pray for their children’s spiritual growth and be their biggest supporters as they pursue God’s purposes. [28:22]
Matthew 4:21-22 (ESV): "And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him."
Reflection: Are there any expectations or plans you need to release to support your child’s spiritual journey? How can you encourage them to follow God’s call today?
Day 4: Leading by Example
Fathers are called to be men of integrity, compassion, and faith. By living out these values, they set a powerful example for their children. Teaching children practical skills is important, but imparting spiritual truths and demonstrating a life of faith is paramount. Children learn by observing their parents, and a father’s example can have a lasting impact on their spiritual development.
Leading by example means living a life that reflects the character of Christ. It involves being honest, kind, and faithful in all areas of life. Fathers should strive to model a life of prayer, worship, and obedience to God, showing their children what it means to live for Him. This example will inspire and guide their children as they grow in their own faith. [55:20]
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (ESV): "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Reflection: In what ways can you better model a life of faith for your children? What specific actions can you take to demonstrate integrity, compassion, and faith today?
Day 5: The Transformative Power of Prayer
It’s never too late for fathers to pray for their children. Even if past mistakes have been made, prayer can bring healing and restoration. Fathers should continually lift their children up in prayer, asking God to guide, protect, and transform their lives. Prayer is a powerful tool that can change hearts and situations, bringing about God’s will in the lives of our children.
The transformative power of prayer lies in its ability to connect us with God’s heart and purposes. When fathers pray for their children, they are inviting God to work in their lives in ways that go beyond human ability. Prayer can bring comfort, direction, and strength to both fathers and their children, fostering a deeper relationship with God. [07:43]
James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Reflection: What specific prayers can you lift up for your children today? How can you make prayer a consistent and intentional part of your relationship with them?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "I want to believe God not just for kids to show up and come to church, but for kids to come in and get saved, get delivered, get healed. Amen. And get transformed. How many of y'all will put that on your prayer list this week? Say, Lord save, deliver, and heal our kids. Send us who you have here. And when they get here, don't let them leave like they came in." (24 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Father, in Jesus' name, we just, we declare and decree over our kids and say the world can't have them. Come on, somebody. I just declare that they belong to Jesus. Amen. The world can't suck them up into all that mess. But I just pray. I just pray they're going to be whole. They're going to be healed. And so these kids running around are little men of God, little women of God." (30 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The greatest gift you can ever give your Lord is your children. The greatest gift you can ever give the Lord is going to be your children. Zebedee. Jerry. He doesn't say that he said anything. Doesn't record what he said. Doesn't record what he thought. He had no way of knowing men. I want you to think about something. He had no way of knowing that in far less than about a decade probably well less than that his son James would be murdered. That that son James would be martyred for that Rabbi that had just called him. Was it worth it?" (62 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Daddies, the most important thing you can do as a father is to lead your children to the place and get them ready that when Jesus calls them, they are ready to follow. Amen. Introduce your children to the Son of God. You can teach them how to fish. You can teach them your trade. You can teach them your business. Nothing's wrong with that. You should do that. You can teach them how to manage their money. You can teach them how to get ahead. You can teach them how to run a business. That's awesome. But if you don't introduce them to Jesus, they slip into your hands. They slip into eternity without him. I can't fathom that. I can't." (68 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The greatest thing you can teach them is to love God. To be humble and have the heart of a servant. The measure of a man. To have integrity to be a man of character. You can't do any of this stuff on your own. You've got to have Jesus. You've got to have some help on this. When our kids see their dad has been a man of integrity and a man of honor, they'll want to copy that. Be a man of passion. A man of compassion. Don't be a man of ridicules. Have some pride in things." (66 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "I found out that a lot of times when I came back to the Lord, I would remember something that a Sunday school teacher had said 20 years earlier when I wasn't even paying attention. Or something that a pastor had said when I'd been in a service when I was a little kid that I couldn't believe I even remembered it. This year. How many of you will be willing to stand with me over the course of the next little while and say thank you Lord for our kids. And I'm going to believe God not just for kids to show up and come to church, but for kids to come in and get saved, get delivered, get healed. Amen. And get transformed." (54 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "James and John by that culture obviously weren't considered as young men that really had what it took spiritually. So they're in the boat fishing with their dad. And there's nothing wrong with that. But there was a little stigma with it. Now I don't know how old these boys were, but they weren't very old. Most tradition will say that these disciples that were to become apostles were probably still at least in their early twenties. Some of them were possibly still teenagers. So I don't know how old John and James were, but they were young men. Maybe at the very oldest they were in their mid-twenties, but I'm guessing probably late teens, early twenties. And the religious culture of the day by then had already told them, well, yeah, you just go fishing." (71 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The one thing that your daddy, your true daddy wants of you is for you to go further than he to be better than he was. Not necessarily have more stuff than he had, but maybe that. But you want your sons and your daughters to be something, to accomplish something, and as a believer, man, and as a father, and as a believer, it's incomprehensible to me that one of my children would be lost and enter into eternity someday and not know Jesus. I can't fathom that. Because how horrible." (57 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Men, be men of compassion. Be men of God. Teach your sons to be strong. Teach your sons to work. Teach your sons to tell the truth. But teach your sons about Jesus. I might teach that boy how to work. He might be the best handler. He might be the best worker in the world. I might teach that son how to run a business. And he might run the biggest company in Texas. You know, he might do all that. But what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?" (48 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The most important thing you can do, fathers, daddies, is to lead your children to the place that when Jesus calls them, they are ready to yield their lives to him. I'll say it again. Daddies, the most important thing you can do as a father is to lead your children to the place and get them ready that when Jesus calls them, they are ready to follow. Amen. Introduce your children to the Son of God. You can teach them how to fish. You can teach them your trade. You can teach them your business. Nothing's wrong with that. You should do that. You can teach them how to manage their money. You can teach them how to get ahead. You can teach them how to run a business. That's awesome. But if you don't introduce them to Jesus, they slip into your hands. They slip into eternity without him. I can't fathom that. I can't." (68 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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