A Father's Wisdom

Children's Sermon: Father's Day (Proverbs 4:1-5)

Can anyone tell me what today is? (Pause for response.) It’s a very special day because it’s Father’s Day! The word Father can mean many things. A father can be a dad or someone who is like a dad. A father can be someone who starts something (like the fathers of our nation). Sometimes a father is a preacher or teacher.

Maybe you have a wonderful dad who does special things with you. Maybe he takes you camping or on special trips. Maybe he plays soccer or football with you, or he takes you shopping or to get an ice cream cone. Maybe he teaches you how to do things like ride a bike, how to fish, how to play a musical instrument, or how to fix something. Maybe your dad reads the Bible to you and teaches you about God.

(Ask) Tell about something your dad or father figure does with you.

Not everyone knows their father and not everyone gets to see their dad all the time. Luckily, we have a Father in Heaven who loves us all the time, no matter what.

In the Bible there's a story about an older man who became like a father to a young man. The older man's name is Paul, and the young man's name is Timothy. The Bible doesn't tell us anything about Timothy's real dad, but we know that Paul, an older man, wrote letters to Timothy and taught him about God. He was like a father to Timothy. He even told Timothy what to do when he had a stomach ache! He also told him not to pay attention to people who said he was too young to do anything for God.

We can learn so much from our fathers and from those who stand in place as our fathers. The Bible says, “Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.” (Proverbs 4:1)

God is our heavenly Father. He will never leave us. He even said He would be a Father to those who don't have a father. Isn't that wonderful?

Father, thank You for our wonderful fathers and father figures. Thank You for putting people in our lives that can be a father to us. Most of all, thank You for being our heavenly Father. In Jesus' name, Amen.