Sermon Gaining Perspective

Sermon – “Gaining Perspective! How Far Will A Father Go For His Son?” Sunday, September 10, 2006 Faith Temple – Sioux Falls, S.D. Pastor Jeff Hayes

Title: “Gaining Perspective! How Far Will A Father Go For His Son?”

Scriptures: A Variety Throughout the Bible

Introduction: 1. Communion This Morning – We know How Far A Father Will Go For Us! God Sent His Son Jesus Into The World Because He Loved Us! 2. Lifelight Festival – Video Shown Of A Father Named Dick Hoyt Loving and Caring For His Handicapped Son and touching the world through their story.

#1 Gaining Perspective! How Far Will A Father Go For His Son? - “A Father Carries His Son!”

1. Hundreds of Thousands Of Dollars Are Spent To Raise Each One Of Your Children. Extreme efforts are made to raise children. 2. Times haven’t Changed From Bible Times! 3. Deuteronomy 1:29-31 – “Then I said to you, Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. Vs. 30 The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, vs. 31 and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.

#2 Gaining Perspective! How Far Will A Father Go For His Son? “A Father Will Tell His Son His Testimony And What God Has Done For Him”

1. Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:20 - “In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you? vs. 21 tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand vs. 22 – Before our eyes the Lord sent miraculous signs and wonders – great and terrible – upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household.” Page 2

#3 Gaining Perspective! How Far Will A Father Go For His Son? “A Father Will Not Only Give His Son Bread For Physical Life, But Teach Him The Word Of God For Spiritual Life!”

1. Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:3 – Speaking To The Children Of Israel in the desert…“He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

#4 Gaining Perspective! How Far Will A Father Go For His Son? “A Father Will Let God The Father, Father His Son”

1. Scripture: II Samuel 7:12-14a – God speaking To David about David’s son Solomon… “When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. Vs. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. Vs. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son.” 2. Mexico – Josh praying for the man with aids

#5 Gaining Perspective! How Far Will A Father Go For His Son? “A Father Will Love And Kiss His Son”

1. Scripture: Psalm 2:11-12a – “Serve the Lord with Fear and rejoice with trembling. Vs. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.”

#6 Gaining Perspective! How Far Will A Father Go For His Son? “A Father Will Discipline And Delight In His Son”

1. Scripture: Proverbs 3:11-12 – “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, vs. 12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” Page 3

#7 Gaining Perspective! How Far Will A Father Go For His Son? “Tell Others That You Love Your Son!”

1. Scripture: Matthew 3:16-17 – Baptism of Jesus “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. Vs. 17 and a voice from heaven said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

#8 Gaining Perspective! How Far Will A Father Go For His Son? “Tell Your Son That You Love Him!”

1. Scripture: Mark 1:11 – Baptism of Jesus Recorded in Mark God Speaks… “And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

#9 Gaining Perspective! How Far Will A Father Go For His Son? “A Father Will Run The Race With His Son To Change The World”

1. Scripture: John 3:16 – “For God So loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 2. God Ran The Race For Eternity With His Son To Change The World and To Change You! 3. Eighty-five times he’s pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in marathons. Eight times he’s not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a raft while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars all in the same race! 4. This love story began in Winchester, Mass., 43 years ago, when Rick was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs. Doctors told the family, Put him in an institution He’ll be a vegetable the rest of his life. Page 4

5. This family the Hoyts weren’t buying it! Engineers at Tufts University developed a computer where this son could touch a cursor on a computer and communicate to his family. 6. After a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the school organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out on his computer, “Dad, I want to do that.” 7. Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described “porker” who never ran more that a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles. 8. That race day changed Rick’s life and also his Dad’s. After the race… This son typed, Dad, when we were running, it felt like I wasn’t disabled anymore! 9. As we watch the short video remember God The Father Has Run The Race With His Son Jesus, who became sin for us, to change the world and to change you!

Video Ironman Triathlon World Championship – The Dick and Rick Hoyt Story

Communion

World Evangelism Offering