Message of the Week

The Little White Community Church

Scripture:  II Cor. 10: 1-6    

June 16, 2024

Message: “Advice for Fathers”    

by Pastor George Gnade

Intro: 1. Today’s passage of Scripture deals with a complex church situation that required a lot of tact. Since Paul founded this church, he considered himself to be the spiritual father of this church.

a. But other men had come along who sought to replace him, teaching false doctrines, and putting him down.

b. Paul was not good looking, and apparently was not even the best speaker. So from a worldly standpoint, these false teachers played on all of his weaknesses in  an attempt win the congregation over to them.

2. Next week, I will deal with those issues. Today being Father’s Day, I would like to use some of the advice that Paul used as a spiritual father, to help those of us who are human fathers in charge of our own families.

a. We live in a world where outside influences are now trying to undermine the family, and other people are claiming they have the right to tell our children what to do.

b. They undermine us, put us down, and teach our children things contrary to God’s Word. As a result, our children get confused and are often led astray.

3. How should we take control of the situation? Let’s consider some of the advice Paul shares with us in this passage.

A. Let us begin with things that don’t work.

1. In Eph. 6: 4, Paul wrote: “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”  Other translations say: “Do not be harsh with them.”

2. Men are often not as tactful as women. As a result we sometimes blow off steam, aimed even at our own kids, instead of being kind and understanding.

3. Secondly, men tend to be argumentative.  Often that means that we raise our voices, often thinking that whoever shouts the loudest is the winner.  But the Bible clearly tells us arguments are not God’s way of resolving disagreements.  Prov. 15:1 says: “A soft answer turns away wrath.”

B. If these approaches do not work, what does? What advice does God give us?

1. In Eph. 6:4, Paul simply says to bring them up to know what the Bible says.  

a. Christians often ask the question: “What would Jesus do?” 

b. In Matt. 4:1-11, we have the account of how Jesus was attacked by Satan and tempted to do the wrong thing.

Each time, Jesus simply quoted what God said in the Bible.  In plain words, He allowed the Bible to speak for itself.

2. In Eph. 6: 17, it says: “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.”  God’s Word has more power than we think.  So don’t argue, simply share.  Let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

a. What if your child or children do not listen to you?

b. In II Tim. 2: 24-26, it says: “The Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance, leading to the knowledge of the Truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to so his will.”

3. In other words, trust the Holy Spirit do the rest. We can’t make people listen to us. But they are far more likely to listen to us if we speak softly. And they will be more willing to listen to us again at a later time.

C.  Let us now return to our passage in II Cor. 10: 1-6.

1. Please notice how Paul seeks to practice what he preached.  Vs. 1 says: “By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I Paul, appeal to you…”

a.  Paul was most likely referring to Matt. 11: 28-29 

where Jesus said: “Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soul!” 

b. If that is how Jesus acted, that is the best example we can follow.

2. William Barkley was known for his understanding of  the Greek language.  He tells us in his commentary that “the meekness and gentleness of Christ” could be translated the “gentleness and sweet reasonableness” of Christ.

a. One of the fruits of the Spirit is “self-control.” God wants us as Christians to practice self-control.  If we pray and ask God to teach us how to be self-controlled, He will help us to learn how to control our anger.

b. He will give us the right words to say instead. 

3. When a child jumps into daddy’s arms, he/she wants daddy to be strong enough to protect but at the same time gentle enough to be loving.

a. In the Bible, gentleness is not a sign of weakness; it is instead the godly way of controlling your strength.

b. Strong men can be strong and gentle at the same time.

4. “Sweet reasonableness” means to explain what you believe in a kind way.  My father loved the Lord, but he never learned how to express what he believed in a kind way. It always ended up in an argument.

a. Sadly, I learned to be like that from him. In my younger years, I would have made a better lawyer than a minister. 

b. I truly had to pray for the Holy Spirit to teach me how to be more loving and reasonable. 

In conclusion:  1. Dealing with others is hard enough. Dealing with our children is even more important. May God teach us “to be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10), not angry and harsh in the way of the world.

2. May He teach us to trust in the power of the Word of God, not just our ability to prove we are right.  May Jesus teach us to simply share His Word, speaking the truth of His Word in a loving way, and leaving the rest up to God. 

3. When we do this in faith and love, it is amazing how God, in His own time, will use it to reach our children.