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Trevor Hollenbeck Trevor Hollenbeck

Week of June 18th: Father’s Day: Examples of Fatherhood in the New Testament

Monday, June 19 (Val)

Insights:

At times in the Old Testament, God was referred to as “the God of your father (or fathers)” and “the God of Israel.” These references uniquely identified God as the only God of Israel. In addition, in the books of Psalms and Isaiah, we find a picture of God as Father. For example, Psalm 89:26 says, “You are my Father, my God, the Rock, my Savior.” The prophet Isaiah writes, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” For the Christian, these examples represent more of a personal relationship rather than a corporate relationship with God. This picture of God as our loving Heavenly Father was cemented when Jesus came into the world in the New Testament. Because of Jesus, we have direct access to Father God, and begin to realize just how great the Father’s love is for us. As you read the following verses, think about how you have experienced God as Father and His love for you.

Scriptures:

John 3:16

1 John 3:1

Matthew 18:12-14

Matthew 7:9-11

Romans 8:15-16

Questions:

  • Sometimes our relationships with our earthly fathers can “color” our picture of God in negative ways.  However, these passages speak of the great love our Heavenly Father has for us. 

    • Do you have reservations about God’s love for you? If so, think about why you feel this way.

    • In what ways have you experienced God’s love?

    • How can you have confidence in God’s love for you?

  • I  (Val) am a grandmother to 20 children, of which 13 have been adopted. They are not loved any less than the bio grandkids. They are all treated the same way, and are as much a part of the family as if they were born into it. I love the passage from Romans which says we have been adopted as sons (and daughters).  We have full standing as God’s children. He has great love for us, and showed it through Jesus’ sacrifice.

    • How does knowing you are a child of the Most High God affect the way you live?

    • Does this knowledge change the way you look at your own worth and value?

    • Which of these passages from today’s reading speak to you, and why?

Tuesday, June 20 (Val)

Insights:

I’m going to tell you something about my family that relates to the topic of today’s father. Collectively, we are a stubborn and competitive bunch who express our opinions loudly, often with sarcasm and humor. We also love each other fiercely. We stick together through thick and thin. These are characteristics that have been passed from generation to generation. Sometimes, these characteristics can be interpreted as negative. However, because of our stubborn streak and competitive nature, we often accomplish things that seem impossible. We also tend to trust God, even when things look bleak. We have a “stick to it” philosophy that helps us keep going when we feel like giving up.

As I was reading about James and John, I realized that, at times, when they are mentioned in the Gospels, their father, Zebedee, is also mentioned. Zebedee was quite a man in his own right. He had a seemingly successful fishing business. He had servants. He supported his sons’ decisions to leave fishing and follow Jesus. His wife, Salome, was also a force to be reckoned with. She was part of the group of women who followed and supported Jesus’ ministry. She was at his crucifixion, and was among the women who went to the tomb to anoint his body. In addition, she boldly asked Jesus to give her sons a special seat on His right and left in His kingdom.  It’s no wonder James and John were nicknamed “Sons of Thunder.” They must have inherited the traits from their parents, who exhibited boldness and confidence as well. These two men, along with Peter (another bold disciple), were among those closest to Jesus during his ministry.  They were usually the ones who were present at many of the big moments in Jesus’ life: the Transfiguration, the raising of Jarius’ daughter, and the Garden of Gethsemane. 

Zebedee raised strong, bold, and daring men, who ended up being chosen by the Son of God to walk with him and minister to others.  They went on to spread the gospel of Jesus to the world, giving their lives in service to the Lord.  

Scriptures:

Mark 1:16-20

Mark 3:16-18

Luke 5:1-11

Mark 10:35-40

Questions:

  • What I like most about James and John is their confidence and boldness to go where others were afraid to go. Maybe that is why they were among those who were closest to Jesus.  He knew their hearts, and knew that while sometimes they were out of line, they also wanted to do what was right and to please him.

    • What are some characteristics you may have that you see as detrimental to your walk with the Lord?

      • How do you think Jesus views those characteristics?

      • How can they be used as an asset instead of a hindrance to your walk with Christ?

  • Like Zebedee, fathers have a great effect and influence on their children.

    • What is something your own father modeled that you are thankful for?

    • What is one positive characteristic you identify that your father passed on to you?

      • How has this affected your life?

Wednesday, June 21 (Maria)

Scriptures and Insights:

Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew 2:15-19, 19-23

Oftentimes, in commercials where fathers and sons are portrayed, we are shown very idyllic images of what their relationship looks like. It can include things like playing catch, working on a car together, or a son going to his dad for advice. These images don’t capture how fraught with tension the father-son relationship can be. ANd, when we add in the complexities of modern culture where there are mixed families, absent fathers, or stand-in dads, we may start looking at these idyllic images skeptically. Fatherhood can sometimes seem like a sensitive and painful experience. Is this just a modern occurrence? I don’t think so.  

In the first book of the New Testament in the first chapter, we encounter a father son relationship that we might call atypical. Maybe it’s not so atypical though. Joseph becomes Jesus’ stepfather, or as we often say, his earthly father. As an adoptive father, Joseph took upon himself all the responsibilities of being Jesus’ father. He named him, had him circumcised, presented him to the Lord at the right time in Jerusalem and kept him safe more than once. “And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.” (Luke 2:39-40). 

It’s understandable that Joseph would take his position as Jesus’ father seriously, considering he had been visited by an angel and given guidance more than once on how to handle his unique situation. But it still required sacrifice, determination, consistency, loyalty, and I’m sure many other traits. I would hope that Joseph could see he was doing the right thing and he had done well in obeying God. Sadly, though, life isn’t always easy just because we are sticking to the path we think God has set before us.  

A lot of what Joseph did must have been hard. 

What things did he wrestle with? 

How did he face the people around him? 

What was it like to have to move more than once to keep his wife and son (not to mention God’s son) safe? 

What was it like to hear that back home other boys, your son’s age and younger, had been murdered because they were trying to find your son and kill him? 

What about when your son is on the edge of becoming a teenager and he starts acting like a teenager? Today, my son turns 12 (talk about God’s timing)! I can’t help but think about Jesus at age 12. From what I can tell, 12-year-olds think they know A LOT. In fact, “I know” is a common statement from our 12-year-old boy! 

Luke 2:41-52

Mary and Joseph go to Jerusalem that year, like every year, for Passover. I’m sure Jesus knew the way, what they did there, and knew the people. He knew. His parents probably agreed that he knew. So they left to return home. But then they realized that he’s not with them. I can imagine Joseph and Mary looking at each other like, “DOESN’T HE KNOW HE SHOULD CHECK WITH US BEFORE WANDERING OFF?!” 

Once they found him, Jesus said, “I thought you knew. (Duh...) I’m hanging out at my dad’s house.” OUCH! Joseph knows who Jesus’ dad is, but come on! Joseph had put himself out there for years, sacrificing and taking care of Jesus! 

This passage is a striking image of the tension of the relationship between fathers and sons. It is also a beautiful testimony of Joseph’s dedication to his role in loving and caring for his son.

Questions:

  • Parenting often involves sacrifice, but not everyone is a parent. I find it reassuring that as difficult as it may have been for Joseph to fulfill his role, he still had guidance from God.

    • Do you have a relationship where you may have a role to fulfill? 

    • What can you do to remain steadfast and sure that God is overseeing and helping to direct your steps in that role?  

Thursday, June 22 (Maria)

Insights:

This week, the theme has been fathers and father figures. Today we look to the father as a mentor. In this case, a spiritual mentor. 

What would we do without mentors? 

Mentors take many forms. Coaches, co-workers, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ and many others. The beautiful thing about mentors is they are willing to invest their time in helping another person grow and discover their potential. Mentors often help open doors and provide new opportunities. A mentor faithfully takes another person under their wing and tills the soil of our lives, resolving to help us grow.  

In my early 20’s I met a mentor who later I regarded as my spiritual mother. She did all of the above, broke down my walls, invested in me, developed my potential, opened doors, and helped me to stay the course. For a time, we were so close that people at our church thought I was her daughter. The funny thing is, she was born in England and we look nothing alike. I still took it as a compliment that warmed my heart.

Today we will consider Paul and Timothy and their father-son like mentor relationship. 

Stacy Hoel captures this well in her article "The Mentor Relationship: An Exploration of Paul as Loving Mentor to Timothy..." Paul’s primary reference to Timothy from a family perspective is in the father–son sense. For example, in Philippians 2:22, Paul describes Timothy by commenting, “I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.” The clear depiction of a father–son relationship demonstrates Paul’s loving frame of reference throughout his time as mentor to Timothy. In the opening of Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he refers to Timothy as his “true son in the faith.”29 The purpose of Paul’s greeting was because “Paul wanted his hearers/readers to know that his teaching is authoritative, and the delegate who administered it to the community, Timothy, was to be regarded as an extension of the apostle himself. In view of the difficult task that faced him, this may have been an encouraging reminder for Timothy as well.”30 Paul continues his father–son references in 1 Corinthians 4:17 by telling the congregation, “For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.” Additional father–son relationship descriptors can be found in 1 Timothy 1:18 and 2 Timothy 1:2-4. Paul’s continued use of these references points to his view that his relationship with Timothy is one of instruction, guidance, and care.  

Scriptures: 

1 Timothy 1

2 Timothy 1

Questions:

  • Who has mentored and instructed you in your life?  

  • Do you have or have you had a spiritual mentor? 

    • Would you consider seeking a spiritual mentor? 

      • Why or why not? 

  • If you have had good mentorship, are you ready to mentor and invest in someone else’s life?  

  • What other Biblical examples are there that exemplify the value of mentorship? (For example, Elijah and Elisha) 

  • If you are a father, or a parent, have you considered how you might mentor your child? 

    • Is that different from your usual role of parenting?  

Friday, June 23

Insights:

Today and tomorrow, we will explore one of the most well known parables in all of scripture: The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Today, we will look at the parable through the eyes of the younger son. A key insight to be aware of is centered around inheritance. In 1st century Judaism, an inheritance was given after the death of the giver. In essence, when the younger son asked his father for his inheritance, he basically told him, “I wish you were dead.” Giving the inheritance to the son would have come at great cost and sacrifice to the family. Land and resources would have to be sold, forever changing their lifestyle. As you read the parable, do your best to put yourself in the shoes (or lack thereof) of the younger son.

 

Scripture: 

Luke 15:11-32

 

Questions:

  • How did the attitude of the younger son change toward his father over the course of the parable?

  • What can we learn from the father’s actions toward the younger son throughout the parable?

    • What does this teach us about how God sees and treats us when we wander?

  • Who are we waiting to see as they are “a long way off?”

    • How can you reach out to them this week to remind them they are loved?

Saturday, June 24

Insights:
Yesterday we peered into the Parable of the Prodigal son through the eyes of the younger son. Today we will look at it through the eyes of the older son. In today’s culture, many who read this parable tend to zero in on the relationship between the father and the younger son. In the ancient world, especially in Jewish culture, it would have been the opposite. They would have dismissed the younger son and identified with the older. They believed they were the responsible, faithful family members who suffered for the extravagance of others. As you read the parable, try and put yourself in the mindset of the older brother.

 

Scripture: 

Luke 15:11-32

 

Questions:

  • What was the older brother’s attitude toward his younger brother and father?

    • How did the father respond?

  • How do you think you would have felt if you were in the position of the older brother?

  • The parable ends without resolution. We do not know if the older brother ever “joined the party” in spite of the father’s pleading.

    • What does this tell us about God?

    • Who are we resentful of? Who is keeping us from moving forward and experiencing all God has for us?

      • How can you take a step toward forgiving and letting go this week?

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