Sunday 1st September

Lawrence Kirby shared a message titled, 
'The Function of Fathering'

Father's Day 2024

Fathering is not about a gender but rather a function. All of us have a role of fathering.

1 Corinthians 4:14-21 NIV
“I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I have sent 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. Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?”

We can have a lot of guardians but not many fathers...

It’s important for us to have connection with people who function as fathers and mothers in our world. Without both we have an incomplete understanding of God and who we are.

What are the differences between being a guardian and being a father?

1. Guardians are employed. They do the work as a job, whereas a father does this as a vocation, a life calling 

2. Guardians just do the job/get it done whereas fathers are about building a legacy
Paul calls us to follow the way of Christ Jesus. Holy Spirit helps remind us of these ways.

You’ve got to think about what you are building because it’s not about you, it’s about the legacy for the generation to come

3. Guardians think short term, whereas fathers think long term

Sometimes we try to get our rightness across and lose sight of the long game

4. Guardians think moment whereas fathers think movement

5. Guardians give information, whereas a father builds motivation  

6. Guardians are about right and wrong, whereas fathers are about life and death
Jesus came to set us free and give us LIFE.

There’s no one size fits all rule, but there is wisdom from above for every situation

7. Guardians say 'do what I tell you to do', whereas fathers say 'live how I live'

It’s so much easier to be a guardian!

Fathering is about being steady, true and being there through it all.

Fathering is about the giving of your life to build something that goes beyond you.

The invitation is to look to Jesus and to say, “I want to carry the function of the Father for those around me.”

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You can watch the full message below: