Msg #1424 Fathers and Sons

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

Paul writes, ”To… my dearly beloved son,” and captures the whole spirit of fatherhood in his second letter to Timothy. As a father figure to Timothy, Paul is steadfast and unmovable. He encourages his son to be the same. Fathers need to be certain about some things. In his salutation, Paul was certain about his calling, certain about his promise of eternal life, and certain about his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ (2Tim 1:1) Fathers also need to have an occupation, and that needs to include their sons. In the same salutation, Paul says, “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee…” Paul not only had an occupation, he had a pre-occupation! His pre-occupation included his son, to where he understood what his son was doing, what his son was feeling, and what his son was going through. Every father could learn something from Paul’s relationship with Timothy. A son is always on a quest to fill the expectations of a father or a father figure. Paul uses great wisdom in this letter. He subtly lets Timothy know that as a son he has met every expectation and fulfilled every charge that Paul had for him. Now Timothy only needed to “hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” (1:13) And so Paul, again, gives his son this charge. Would to God that we could communicate so wisely, and secure such a powerful relationship with our sons.

An Essay for week #24 06/15/2014

In paperback at www.lulu.com/spotlight/GSBaptistChurch

Msg in audio at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/audio/gs140615.mp3