HOFC Sermon Archive: Father’s Day 2026 Fathers, Children’s Image of God

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INTRODUCTION

There are many things to think about on Father’s Day as a man. Some of us are fathers, stepfathers, or fathers-in-law. Even if we are not a father, we still have one. So, this day can bring a lot of memories, thoughts, and things we should consider as we continue on our journey in life.

According to God, fathers play a critical role in the family dynamic.

We see the devastating effects of fatherless homes and have all the scientific and statistical data showing how the household and the children suffer without a father present.

Do you know what statistics show us? There is a common denominator among some of the worst social issues to strike the youth of America.

Listen as I read the statistics of fatherless homes.

a. 63% of youth suicides – they feel unloved or unwanted, no hope

b. 90% of runaways – searching for acceptance

c. 85% of behavioral disorders – no discipline/correction/teaching

d. 71% of high School Dropouts – no respect for authority

e. 70% of Juvenile Detainees – no respect for authority or laws

f. 75% of Substance Abusers – trying to escape

g. And 26 of the 27 deadliest mass shooters came from a fatherless home

Anger and hate, self-loathing open the door to sin and destruction, and because of absent fathers, children suffer, and thus, the next generation is broken.

Fatherless children have

4x more significant risk of poverty – single mother raising kids/trying to work

7x more likely to become pregnant as a teen – chasing a man’s love

More likely to go to prison – hates authority

More likely to commit a crime – selfish and self-centered

More likely to use drugs and alcohol – to escape

2x more likely to suffer obesity – self-medicating by eating their feelings to replace the feeling of abandonment and lack of love

Currently, 67% of black children, 42% of Hispanic children, and 25% of white children live in fatherless homes.

That is nearly 20 million children!

However, what you may not realize is that there is more than one way for a father to be absent from the home.

These statistics are one story, but the father who is absent through not spending much, or any, quality time with their children, absent emotionally, absent spiritually, or a negative influence such as an alcoholic or abusive, either physically, verbally, or emotionally, can have devastating effects as well.

God did not save us and place His Holy Spirit within us so that we could be sub-standard husbands, mediocre fathers, or weak and feckless examples of men in this world.

He inhabits us so that we can be the light and salt of the Earth. As an example of a godly man, drawing others to Jesus for Salvation and the forgiveness of sins!

Matthew 23:11-12 “…the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

The great godly man is a servant who shows sacrificial love by the way he lives, which is godly love. God first!

Placing God first and above all things, including himself.

Then, his spouse, whom he is ONE with.

Then his children and grandchildren.

Then the local congregation.

Lastly, his job.

We have looked at these scriptures and the concept of family order many, many times over the years.

If a man wants to be a godly man, a great man, he must show sacrificial love to God, his spouse, his children and grandchildren, the local church, and at work, working as if he is working for the Lord (being a witness of God by being the salt and light of the world)

My father was not abusive. I remember him as a kind, fun-loving guy with a gentle spirit who often tried to act tough.

However, he was both an alcoholic and an absent father, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

My grandson Isaac asked me the other day if I knew my real father, and if he did stuff with me. I explained that my father did his best for where he came from, which was a house with an abusive alcoholic father, and his mother died when he was only 13.

The truth is, I have spent more time with Isaac in one year than my father spent with me his entire life.

· But that is what we do as godly men.

· We strive to make the family better than the generation before.

· We fight to make the family more godly than the generation before.

· We push to bring our children and grandchildren into the fold of God where they too can find forgiveness and salvation.

I. GODLY HUSBANDS/FATHERS

a. Godly Fathers are, first of all, Godly Husbands

Ephesians 5:25-30 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body.”

1. Loves his wife (I Corinthians 13)

2. Gives himself up for her – placing her needs before his own (sacrificial love)

3. Sanctifies her (approves, accepts, and sees no flaws)

4. He sees her in all her glory, with no spot or wrinkle

5. She is flawless, holy, and blameless

6. Love her as your own body, as yourself

ii. Shame on those who say the scripture is Discriminatory against women

iii. And shame on men who speak ill of their wives in any way. You are one flesh, and in condemning her, you condemn yourself.

“Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered (estranged, dissatisfied or alienated, indifferent) against them.” – Colossians 3:19

b. A Godly Husband desires a Godly Home.

A man seeking to be a godly man will fight to make and keep his home godly.

Joshua 24:15 “…as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”

God calls men, especially husbands and fathers, to serve as spiritual guardians of their homes by leading their families in obedience to Him and refusing to tolerate sin that dishonors God.

This does not mean being perfect, but faithful leadership that confronts wrongdoing, teaches God's Word, and cultivates a household devoted to righteousness.

Joshua understood that the spiritual direction of his home was his responsibility. Likewise, Eli the priest was judged because he failed to restrain the wicked behavior of his sons (1 Samuel 3:13), demonstrating that God holds men accountable for exercising godly leadership within their households.

A godly man watches over his home, removes influences that encourage sin, teaches biblical truth, and MOST OF ALL sets an example of holiness so that his family may walk in the fear of the Lord.

A godly man leads his home toward Christ and diligently guards it from influences that would draw his family away from God.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.”

c. A Godly Husband is a Godly Father who cares for their children.

1 Timothy 5:8 “…if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

1. Before one uses this verse to justify being a workaholic, remember you are called to provide far more than financial support to your family!

2. There are plenty of examples in the world of wealthy fathers who are absent from their children's lives yet provide financial support. But they are absent from leading, guiding, emotionally supporting, and spiritually fathering.

3. As a child, I would have rather been dirt poor and have a godly father who was there to lead and guide me than a rich man I never spent any time with.

Godly fathers MUST be godly husbands!

II. A GODLY FATHER IS TO TEACH AND GUIDE IN HOLINESS

a. A Father is an Example to His Children

As a father, the way you live, choices you make, things you say, good or bad, whether or not you honor your wife, how you treat others, including what you say in gossip of others behind their backs and in front of your kids, how you treat the bible as well as the church, how you talk about God and His Holy Word, everything you say and do IS an example and you are teaching your children…whether in a godly manner, or otherwise. They are always watching and always listening.

Proverbs 20:6-7 “Many a man will call out his own lovingkindness, But a faithful man, who can find? A righteous man who walks in his integrity—How blessed are his sons after him.”

Integrity is not doing the right thing when everyone is watching; rather, doing the right thing when no one sees you. That is, no one but yourself and God. How is your spiritual walk when no one else is around?

Proverbs 3:11-12 “My son, do not reject the instruction of Yahweh Or loathe His rebuke, 12 For whom Yahweh loves He rebukes, Even as a father rebukes the son in whom he delights.”

God corrects those He calls His children. If you are never corrected, I would question whether you are truly His child.

1 Timothy 6:6-12 “godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evils, and some by aspiring to it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

11 But you, O man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

Like God correcting us as His children unto righteousness, we, as godly fathers MUST correct our children unto righteousness…

b. However, there must be Correct godly Correction.

Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Colossians 3:21 “Fathers, do not enrage your children, so that they will not lose heart.”

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

c. Godly Discipline

Proverbs 29:17 “Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; And he will give delight to your soul.”

i. If they do not listen

Proverbs 11:28-30 “He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf. He who troubles his own house will inherit wind, And the ignorant fool will be a slave to the wise of heart. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.”

Proverbs 17:25 “A foolish son is a displeasure to his father And bitterness to her who gave birth to him.”

ii. Fathers, act your age.

Titus 2:1 “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be reasonable, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in devotion.”

If I meet any more 40-somethings acting like 15-year-olds, I’m going to puke.

Drop the act, grow up, accept the responsibility of adulthood, and stop treating your wife like she’s your momma, and your children like your buddies, and be a man.

1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child. When I became a man, I did away with childish things.”

1. Being a godly husband, godly father, and a godly man requires being spiritually mature, which only comes from studying the word of God and submitting to the Spirit of God.

III. THE REWARDS FOR BEING A GODLY FATHER

a. Countless Blessings

Proverbs 23:22-24 “Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and discipline and understanding. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.”

3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

b. When they grow, they will share the Lord with others

Psalm 145:4 “One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty deeds.”

c. Children and Grandchildren are rewards and blessings from God.

Psalm 127:3-5a “Behold, children are an inheritance of Yahweh, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them;”

Proverbs 17:6 “Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the beauty of sons is their fathers.”

CONCLUSION

Father’s… 1 Chronicles 16:11 “Inquire of Yahweh and His strength; Seek His face continually.”

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

This verse is often misused, misunderstood, and misapplied.

In context…what are “all things” you can do that Paul speaks of? Look back at verses 11-12

Philippians 4:11-12 “for I learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

12 I know how to get along with humble means,

and I also know how to live in abundance;

in any and all things I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry,

both of having abundance and suffering need.”

In both good times and bad, Paul learned to rely on the Lord, trust in Him, and be content in all situations. Seeking the Lord continually, asking for His strength.

It IS possible to be a godly husband, a godly father, and a godly man!

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

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