Good Morning Friends,
Today’s scripture selection is appropriate for a Sunday and the worship of God and Father’s Day as well. It includes the miracle of the loaves and fishes from Luke but anchors it in the story of King Melchizedek’ Fatherly blessing of Abram with bread and wine in the book of Genesis and the words shared in the institution of the Lord’s Supper from 1 Corinthians. The words on this day should be viewed as a gift from the Father that when shared in remembrance of the Son and are multiplied in collective communion prompting us to give what we can to continue the miracle of joy in us. So, What Makes You Desire to Give This Father’s Day?
Scripture: When the crowds found out about it, they followed him; and he welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed to be cured. The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, ‘Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted place.’ But he said to them, ‘You give them something to eat.’ They said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.’ For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, ‘Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.’ They did so and made them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled. What was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
Luke 9:11b-17 (NRSV)
And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!’ And Abram gave him one-tenth of everything.
Genesis 14:18-20 (NRSV)
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NRSV)
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
Psalm 68:5 (NIV)
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Hebrews 13:16 (NRSV)
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’
Galatians 4:4-6 (NRSV)
Message: Both parenting and fatherhood can be a real trial and yet also a real blessing. Even unbelievers provide for their families. But it takes a believer to provide faithful instruction and a godly example. So too it is with us in the family of God and His church and God’s gifts to us. We are to be filled with the fullness of God. We are to experience the mystical union of Holy Spirit in Christ, in us before the Father. Here we begin to grasp the shape of the faith-union with Christ that does not obliterate the reality of our own dignity and identity even though we are filled. Here we discover that we too are to be uniquely relational with God the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the Father in a community of love. Friends, I really do not think I can explain this even though at some level I comprehend it. So, if you have to ask me to explain it, you probably could not get it. Here is the arrangement. Each of us has to ask for it. We have to ask God for the personal experience of it. So be a good example for the children and ask. That is the gist of the recommendation of Gandhi to the missionary, E. Stanley Jones in India when he asked how to convert more Indians to Christianity. When Norman Vincent Peale heard E. Stanley Jones speak, when he heard Jones claim he had never been discouraged in 25 years, it prompted Peale to realize that there is power in the positive thinking of us being children of God. Here we see the power enduring memories have to encourage us. Here we see a real transformation occur when we see ourselves as children of the King. Here we see that God’s paternity is our unity. Here we realize that our conversion is attached to a Person…Christ. Here our intentions and our intellect combine as we realize that our thoughts change the world for better when we hope in the presence and for the purpose of Christ. True praise is an everyday event…the fruit of our lips backed up by what we do. Here our acts of kindness are claimed by Christ for His purpose and glory. Here we claim a faith that works… a saving faith… a dynamic faith. Here we praise daily and develop daily by not just saying…by not just feeling…by not just thinking… by not just believing, but by doing with Jesus. For only in Jesus, through adoption can we say, “Our Father in Heaven.” Only in Jesus we can lay claim to the great optimism of experiencing God as our Father…Only in a personal experience with Jesus do we dare to claim God as our father.
And So, I am glad that we celebrate Father’s Day and I am glad that the emphasis for gifting is secondary to the relationship. This holiday gives the opportunity for us to remember our earthly father but more importantly to worship in the sacrifice of praise of our Heavenly Father in remembrance of the Son. It is a day for not only remembering our earthly father but one to consider the Father of scripture, the Father of all who believe, the Father of the fatherless. It is here where faith and deeds converge that we remember and honor our heavenly Father’s gift of Jesus even in the gift of wine and bread.
Pray that we train our lips to honor both our earthly father and heavenly One. Pray that we be motivated to learn how to turn our acts of kindness to the Lord in praise. Pray that we be motivated by praise to glorify Him in each of our acts of daily kindness…sharing His goodness with others continuously. Pray we act like we are heirs of God’s Kingdom. Pray we receive adoption as children of God the Father. Pray we believe we are children of God. Pray we experience God providing, comforting, and when necessary, disciplining and protecting. Pray we are changed from the inside and find peace. Pray we find strength to declare the power of God to the next generation. Pray we honor the Father by believing in His son.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 