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June 18, 2017
WELCOME!
WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE
We are a group of believers who simply try to follow the Bible as a guide for all we do. Everything done in our worship service is something for which we have a Bible basis. You are welcome to participate as much or as little as you wish. We will sing hymns together and we will observe the Lord's Supper or Communion together. We will also have an opportunity to give to the work of God in this area. This collection is for the members here, and if you are visiting you should not feel and pressure to give. Our lesson time will be divided into two groups. The young children will go to our classroom area in the basement where they will be taught the Bible at a level they can understand. The adults will stay in the auditorium for a lesson at an adult level. We do try to serve the community, and if you have some needs that we can help you with, mention it to one of the members. Thank you for worshipping with us. |
FAMILY NEWS
| JUNE 20 |
Monthly Devotional at Claytons’ at 7:00 P.M. |
| JULY 1 |
Fireworks at Pitcher Lake — see Gibsons |
| JULY 2 |
Potluck, Devo at Timbers at 2:30 P.M. |
| JULY 4 |
NO SENIORS BRUNCH TODAY DUE TO HOLIDAY |
| JULY 6 |
Natural Parenting Class — see Mandy Wallace |
| JULY 11 |
SENIOR BRUNCH — 11:00 at Golden Corral, Mishawaka |
| JULY 15 |
Ladies Class at building at 10:00 AM |
| JULY 22 |
Highway Clean Up at 10:00 AM |
| JULY 23 |
Commodity for Shults-Lewis is picked up (We have been asked to bring
....canned chili beans and taco seasoning.) |
| JULY 30 – AUGUST 5 |
CASS COUNTY FAIR |
The next 30 days are busy! Be a part of God's work!
TODAY'S LESSON
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John Clayton |
INTRODUCTION
A. Being a father is not about impregnating a woman — other options exist for a woman.
B. The Bible has always emphasized the ROLE.
C. Qualifications of being an elder are father items — 1 Timothy 3:1 – 7 and Titus 1:6 – 9
I. BEING THE HUSBAND OF ONE WIFE IS A CHALLENGE
A. 1 Timothy 3:1 – 2 AND Titus 1 – 6 — Satan pushes hard for men to be unfaithful.
B. Biblical examples show us how critical this is — 2 Samuel 11 and 12:10. Result in chapter 13
C. Honor the man who is faithful
II. BEING A FATHER MEANS MANAGING FAMILY WELL.
A. 1 Timothy 3:4 – 7; Titus 1:6
B. Eli — an example of bad fatherhood — 1 Samuel 2:12
1. 1 Samuel 2:22 — He knew what was going on.
2. Failure to restrain — 1 Samuel 3:11 – 14
3. We CAN restrain children.
C. Managing means training
1. Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21
2. Titus 1:6 — Can mean “tough love”
D. Job — classic example — Chapter 1:1 – 5. Do your kids know you pray for them?
III. BEING A FATHER MEANS BEING UNDER CONTROL
A. 1 Timothy 3:2 – 3
B. Titus 1:6 – 11
C. Check these:
| ___Temperate |
___Not overbearing |
| ___Self Controlled |
___Not quick tempered |
| ___Respectable |
___Hospitable |
| ___Able to teach |
___Loves what is good |
| ___Not given to much wine |
___Upright |
| ___Not violent |
___Holy |
| ___Gentle |
___Disciplined |
| ___Not quarrelsome |
___Sound doctrinally |
IV. ONLY GOD MEETS ALL OF THESE CRITERIA
A. Hebrews 12:4 – 13
B. Romans 8:16 and 26 – 27
THE BACK PAGE
THE CHANGING BUSINESS OF
BEING A FATHER
As our country has a celebration of “Father's Day,” one aspect of this day that we need to understand is how the role of “father” has changed. Imagine a household in which there are many wives, each of them having their own children. Imagine the tensions between Leah and Rachel when Jacob is forced to marry Leah when he thought he was marrying Rachel! Genesis 29:31 tells us that Jacob did not love Leah, yet she had four sons. Rachel has no children and so she has her maidservant bear two children for her. Leah sees that she is not having more children, so her maidservant Zilpah has two children. This is followed by Leah having three more children and finally Rachel has a son who was Joseph. You can read this history of the origin of the tribes of Israel in Genesis 29 – 31.
Can you imagine such a series of events happening in America today? Without getting into the role of women, which is an issue of its own, we have to realize that having children was an indication of the status of a man. David says in Psalm 127:3 – 5a (NIV 1984), “Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” Humans have continued to use the family as a political and economic tool in ways that God did not intend. In Genesis 2:24 we are told that God's plan was for one man and one wife, not multiple wives with children being pawns in a huge chess game among women as Genesis 29 – 30 demonstrates.
In the New Testament we see a whole different position of what Jesus would have his followers do in their family structure and relationships. In Ephesians 5:25 – 32 the oneness of husband and wife is re-established. In Ephesians 6:4 and Colossians 3:21 the training of children is laid upon the father. In 1 Corinthians 7:1 – 5 the sexual relationship of a man and his wife (singular) is spelled out. Fathers today have a whole new role — one that works, and one that few of us handle as well as we should. We say to the Christian men among us who have handled this role well, “Happy Father's Day.” We are proud of you.
— John Clayton
Our sign by the street!
Sign saying from "The Up Side," Guideposts, May 2017, page 14
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