God and daddies

Is God Like Daddy?
Think of a four-year-old coming home one Sunday after a lesson that taught about God as our Heavenly Father. Sound theology would quickly note that God is neither male nor female, but youngsters do not concern themselves with theological niceties. A four-year-old hears "Father;" the only father he knows anything about is the one that lives with him and says, "Pass the biscuits, please;" so he asks..."Is God like Daddy?" Wow! What a heavy load! But a good load to consider on Fathers' Day...and a good one to consider when we realize that what Daddy is can become a role model for our children's concept of God.
On this fathers day, that is the question that we are faced with, is God like daddy? Or is daddy like God?

Today scripture was the story of creation, and the great commandment – to go make disciples of all nations.

We read of the magnificence of God in all of God’s glory. The father, the son and the holy spirit.

We read of what was present before creation. God did not create out of nothing, God created out of chaos and confusion. He created order first. Scripture says that the spirit brooded over chaos and pondered on what to do about it. You may not realize that there are actually two creation stories in genesis, and this is the second. In the first God created adam first and then eve out of adam’s rib. In this one God created male and female together at the same time, and intended them to be equal. He created them with the other animals, and yet humans are the only creature that was blessed. Blessed to do more, blessed to take care of all of the rest of creation. He created them in our image, in the image of heaven.
Is Daddy like God? yes he is. He is created in the image of God.

Science spends a lot of time explain what creation is, the bible helps us understand why creation is. Why did God create the world in that way – because he wanted to. Creation is God’s vision for the future. Creation is the beginning of order. Creation is also the beginning of a promise of hope. Creation is the revelation of God’s nature – it shows us all that God is predictable, dependable, promise filled, progressive, and bigger, stronger, more powerful than anything in our lives.

At the end of each of the six days of active creation, the bible says In the beginning, God created… and it was good. Everything in God’s creation was good, even daddys and mommies. God created the world to fulfill his plan for redemption of our times today.

The life of Jesus Christ adds an even greater dimension to the magnificence of God. the trinity. Jesus tells his disciples to go and baptize all nations of the world in the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost. God the creator, the son the redeemer, and the spirit the sustainer.

In the despair of what to do after Jesus death, Jesus appears to his disciples. He tells them to go home, back to gallilee. Back where their ministry began. He tells them to go to the top of the mountain, for mountain tops are the place in our lives where we experience the presence of God. He tells them to go out into the world and to baptize and to tell everyone the good news of the father the son and the holy ghost. The creator, the redeemer and the sustainer.

The good news is that creation is still going on today – and God wants us all to be a part of it. If we are a part of creation and it is good, then we all need to be good for something. We all have a job to in the name of the father the son and the holy ghost – the full magnificence of God. Is daddy like God? daddies are a part of creation, daddys have a job to do. And a role to play in the world.

But how important Christian fathers are! A study of church attendance sometime back showed that if both Mom and Dad attended church regularly 72 percent of their children remain faithful to the church. If only Mom attended regularly, only 15 percent remained faithful.
According to Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, a father's involvement with a child increases the child's IQ, the child's motivation to learn, and the child's self-confidence. In addition, children with involved dads are more likely to develop a sense of humor as well as an "inner excitement."


Is daddy like God? A pastor had to hold 2-3 jobs in order to take care of his family. On Sundays of course, he was always very clean. But during the week, when he would return home from work he would be dirty. He never thought anything of it until he saw his two young sons cleaning the car, and his one son started to put gravel and dirt on his pants. The son replied that he wanted to be dirty like his dad. Children pick up who we are and what we do like sponges – what are we passing on the them, what model do we present to them to follow.

In the jewish home it is the father’s job to provide religious teachings for their children. Jesus would have gotten his image of what a father does from his earthly father – Joseph. What kind of model must Joseph have been for Jesus to experience God as a father. TO describe the entire magnificence of God – as God the father? Jesus teaches the entire world to pray – Our father – not just our father, but our abba – our daddy.
Is God like Daddy? Jesus seems to think so.

A father had always taught his 3 year old to live life with his all. To try as hard as he could to do anything. So he watched with fascination out the window as his son tried to lift this very heavy rock out of his sandbox. The boy struggled, but he just couldn’t lift the rock. The little boy sat on the edge of the box with his head in his hands frustrated. That father came and sat next to him. Youre having a hard time with the rock I see, said the dad. The boy didn’t really answer. Did you do everything that you could the boy asked? Yeah the boy responded? Are you sure the dad asked? The boy looked puzzled. Did you come to ask me to help?

Is God like daddy?

Our magnificent God saw fit to bless us amongst all creation. Our magnificent God saw fit to send his son to us to teach us what it means to be a part of the family of God. Our magnificent God saw fit to make us a part of creation by becoming disciples and preaching the good news to all nations, Our magnificent God cares about every hair on our head, and our magnificent God in involved in our lives enough to answer our prayers – if we just ask.
Is God like daddy?

I think that we spend so much time in the black community talking about the dads that are absent, are not around, are not helping. When there are many dads who are doing their job, and helping with our faith.

I would invite anyone who would like to share a story about their dad.

Let us pray this prayer…..