What’s A Dad To Do? (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12)
GIST: Be present as you exhort, encourage, and eagerly exemplify Jesus—the glorious King.
Happy Father’s Day, and, if you’re with us in person, welcome to what is becoming our annual outside service, as well!
I know it’s cliché, but—behind only Jesus’ salvation and my marriage—being a dad is the greatest privilege of my life. A privilege, of course, I am sure I manage to botch on a nearly daily basis. I want to do better. I want to be better… because the influence I have on these lives not only while they are in my house but also in all the years that follow, is of immense importance.
A few months ago, in our 1 Thessalonians study, we came to a passage by the Apostle Paul where he compared his interactions with the church to that of a father with his children. We addressed it in-context as one of three points that day, but the picture he went on to develop really struck a chord with me because it demonstrates what “being better” as not only a dad but a Christian, in general, would look like. Thankfully, it’s not tied up in our stereotypes or societal expectations. The standard is actually higher. Thankfully, it also comes with a far better support system ☺️.
Let’s look again at what Paul says here, and then we’ll break it down.
“For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”
I’m not going to keep you long today, but I want us to see this gist. Yes, this can be taken as especially applicable to dads today, but really, we all need to remember these truths: Be present as you exhort, encourage, and eagerly exemplify Jesus—the glorious King. Let’s dive into that→
I. Be Present
Man, there’s so much to chew on in these verses! The first that jumped out at me though was the context in which this was taking place. I know it might seem trivial, but Paul said he was like a father with his children. Honestly, I didn’t even think about this the first time I read through and even taught through this passage. Nonetheless, there is a key application here: I cannot be anything for my kids if I’m not actually with my kids.
I know there are knee-jerk responses to this, and I get it. Some circumstances are outside of our control. Sometimes jobs, broken relationships, illnesses, etc. will keep us away physically. And though we live in a digital age, it’s still true that not everyone has access to these opportunities to “stay in touch”. Nonetheless, the key here is that dads need to take the moments they have with their kiddos seriously. I have read so many statistics over the years about the impact the absence of a father has on children. It can be devastating. This is equally true for those living in a house with an emotionally absent father.
Jeremey Camp’s song “Keep Me In The Moment” always hits me hard. He starts by reminiscing about how fast time is flying by, especially with his kids, and he prays in the chorus: “Oh Lord, keep me in the moment. Help me live with my eyes wide open. 'Cause I don't wanna miss what You have for me!” Even though this is something we all need to let sink in, it’s Father’s Day week, so, dads, let’s let this hit us even more.
I get it. I know there are so many things competing for attention. I’m no different. I balance a bunch of hats, often poorly, and when I get home my brain is beyond fried. Still, the day doesn’t end when I walk through those doors. My default temptation is to push through whatever tasks remain undone in search of that ever-elusive “unwind time”. What that attitude doesn’t account for is my four kids who need me to be just as engaged with them as I am with all those other hats. In fact, they need me more. Those other hats are going to change a lot throughout my life. The one they need me to wear is precious and should be enduring. I can’t afford to drop it. Neither can you.
So, when we’re with them… what are we to be doing? Let me give you three “Es” from the text: exhort, encourage, and eagerly exemplify (Ok, Melissa pointed out that that’s technically four …☺️).
Let’s start with that first one→
II. Exhort
Exhorting means pointing toward what needs to be done. Honestly, this one probably comes most naturally to many of us. We don’t mind telling our kids what to do. The question is, what are we telling them? The standard we’re called to carry is different from what is often pushed. It isn’t based on athletic prowess, academic success, emotional toughness, or interpersonal shrewdness. Listen, I love sports, my career is in education, emotions and how we handle them are important to me, and I spend most of my time trying to effectively communicate with others. But none of that can be the main thing. Not for me. Not for my kids. Instead, what I’m pointing them to has to be Jesus.
What’s the challenge implicit in this then? I need to know Him. I need to walk with Him. He needs to be a priority in my life. Otherwise, where is my exhortation coming from? “Do as I say and not as I do” has never been an effective model.
III. Encourage
The next word Paul uses, encourage, has a lot to do with the heart behind what we say. To encourage is to lift up and comfort. I need that reminder because exhorting comes much more naturally. But this world is hard, and the life we’re called to, though beautifully blessed, is also the narrow way. Pursuing that path faithfully is like navigating a ninja warrior course. Every day comes with new and progressively difficult obstacles. We must smother our exhortation in encouragement because our kids (and the world) need a healthy dose of both truth and love. They don’t need a “drill sergeant for Jesus”. They need a dad.
We need to think about not only what we’re saying, but how we’re saying it. Our kids can’t just hear instructions from us. They need to know that we care about them as people. (Broad application in case you “non-dads” start zoning out: this is true for how we interact with all humans!)
IV. Eagerly Exemplify
The last sentiment in these verses from Paul carries the connotation of eagerly exemplifying. You might remember from a few months ago that the word translated “charged” means something like “to urge by example”. We’re not calling our kids to a life we’re not wholeheartedly seeking ourselves. Instead, we’re coming alongside them as we all strive to live for Jesus in a world where that isn’t easy. We might have started the race earlier, but we’re running on the same track. That’s the beautiful thing about what the Christian family dynamic gets to experience. In a very real way, we are co-laborers together with Christ. We’re on the same team. We’re walking through this life together.
This is something that is meant to be true of all Christians. We’re meant to work through the hard stuff side-by-side: teaching, encouraging, and urging one another to see Jesus—the perfect King we so desperately need. This is even more true with your immediate sphere of influence. Are you pointing your family, your friends, your colleagues, your church to the Jesus you are learning more and more to love as your personal and perfect savior?
TAKEAWAY
Let’s just recap for our takeaway today. Dads, and really everyone else, let’s try to be present as we exhort, encourage, and eagerly exemplify Jesus—the glorious King.
What’s A Dad To Do? (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12)
GIST: Be present as you exhort, encourage, and eagerly exemplify Jesus—the glorious King.
“For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”
I. Be Present
-“Like a father with his children”
-Jeremey Camp’s “Keep Me In The Moment” : “Oh Lord, keep me in the moment. Help me live with my eyes wide open. 'Cause I don't wanna miss what You have for me!”
II. Exhort
-Not athletic prowess, academic success, emotional toughness, or interpersonal shrewdness.
-Jesus
III. Encourage
-Narrow Way/Ninja Warrior Course
IV. Eagerly Exemplify
-Urge by example
-Same race
-Co-laborers
-Jesus--The Glorious King!
TAKEAWAY
Dads, and really everyone else, let’s try to be present as we exhort, encourage, and eagerly exemplify Jesus—the glorious King.
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