Not Much for Fathers in the Bible (1 Timothy 3:1-7)
Gary McManus, 06/18/2017Part of the DCC Basics series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
June 21, 2017 1 Timothy 3:1-7 (p. 1175 / p. 1193)
Father’s Day
A blessed Father’s Day to all dads. .
Including dads with spiritual children
(1 Corinthians 4:15).
Being a dad today is tough.
Being without a dad is tougher.
Etan Thomas, Fatherhood: Rising to the Ultimate
Challenge. (Includes words from Tony Dungy, former
Coach of the Indianapolis Colts.)
There is almost NOTHING in the Bible on being
a dad. Today’s Bible reading provides some.
Compare Proverbs 4.
MANAGE his household?
As in the First Century or the 21st Century managing?
The word manage is not in the King James.
In this case, the King James is worse, the
word is RULE.
How about. . .
If a man does not know how to govern
his own household. . . OR
If a man does not know how to CONDUCT
his own household. . ..
There is another qualifying word in verse five:
If a man does not know how to CONDUCT his
own household, how can he care for God’s church.
Almost all translations agree with that one.
Jesus said, let the leader be as one who serves.
(Luke 22:26)
Jesus was a SERVANT/Leader.
Jesus’ culture and our culture usually see
leaders as barking orders.
Jesus did not want that for His church.
Interesting note from the American Civil War.
Jesus had said, those foreigners LORD it over their
subjects—it shall not be so among YOU.
(Matthew 20:25-26, Mark 10:42-3, Luke 22:25-6,
and 1 Peter 5:3 says the very same thing.
BTW: “God’s Household is mentioned three times:
Ephesians 2:19, 1 Timothy 3:15, 1 Peter 4:17.)
So, Dad. . .managing your household isn’t barking
orders.
Household management or conducting or directing
is more about LOVE.
Servant leadership in God’s Household is to be
practiced in Dad’s own household.
Amen.
Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
---|---|---|
« "Natural" Evangelist | None | Father to the Fatherless » |