Listen to this past Father’s Day Sermon entitled : 4 Disciplines of a Godly Father found in 1 Kings 2:1-4.

In his Father’s Day sermon on June 19, 2022, Pastor Eric emphasized the importance of prayer. Praying should never be deemed as a last resort, as it is one of the most powerful weapons at our disposal. We should embrace it as an essential component of our daily lives that helps us overcome challenges and establish God’s rule on earth.

Read 1 Kings 2:1-4

First Kings, chapter 2, records David’s final words to his son Solomon. Despite David’s admirable intentions, God did not grant his request to construct a temple for the Lord. In fact, God informed David that his son, who was destined to inherit his throne after his death, would carry out that mission. It is therefore fitting that David used these final moments to transfer authority to Solomon.

The following are four attributes of a godly man found in David’s conversation with his son:

1 – A godly man actively instructs his children.

As stated in 1 Kings 2:1, since David was near death, he commanded his son to take courage and be a man because he, the current king, was about to meet the final earthly destination of all humanity. In this context, the Hebrew word commanded means to give charge. David passed down a strong directive to his son.

There is a distinct difference between a father and a “dad”. It is quite easy for a man to father a child; however, it is much more difficult for him to be a father. Men who spend time with their children and who actively instruct them are in short supply in the world today.

Paul is a powerful example for those who believe they are ineffective teachers or incapable of interacting effectively with their children. While it is likely he did not have any children of his own, Paul appears to have understood the role of a father very well, as he encouraged and instructed Timothy, his son in the faith.

Read 1 Corinthians 4:15

Although our society values fathers, it does not necessarily value godly fathers. It is a common misconception that their role is unimportant, but nothing could be further from the truth. Fathers serve as important role models, not only for their own children but also for those around them, who were not raised by a father or who may have been orphaned in some way. A father is not required to be a teacher or a competent communicator. He only needs to be present. It does not mean that he must be in the presence of his children every second of every day, but rather, when he is home, he should ensure that he spends time with his youngsters. A godly man who fathers his children will actively pass on to them the knowledge, instruction, correction, values, and truths he has acquired. A father has the opportunity to positively influence his children’s lives, even though they may have a mind of their own at times. Parents have both the opportunity and responsibility to instruct their children.

Someone once said,

It is not what you leave to your children that matters, but what you leave in them.

It was Andy Stanley that once said,

Your greatest contribution to the Kingdom of God may not be something you do, but someone you raise. ~ Andy Stanley

If godly men opt to remain silent and passive in their roles, then who will guide and instruct our sons and daughters? Will it be their friends, the school system, Netflix, YouTube, social media? Pastor Eric urged every father, himself included, to take responsibility for their children’s upbringing. Their age is irrelevant.

Read Ephesians 6:4

The above verse is not stating that we must refrain from saying things that may anger our children. Rather, it says that we are not to provoke them to anger. In other words, we should not deliberately provoke their anger by pushing their buttons. In light of this, what should fathers do? Our role is not to provoke them but rather to raise them with the same instruction and loving discipline the Lord Himself approves. The responsibility of raising our children is entrusted to us by God.

Pastor Eric stressed the importance of instructing one’s children at a young age. He encouraged fathers to make use of every opportunity that may arise. Although children should be instructed at a young age, older children should also be instructed regardless of their age. It is important to pray and to seek out opportunities. In His teaching to His disciples, Jesus frequently drew upon a live event to facilitate a learning experience. This type of teaching is informal and does not require any advance preparation, neither does it need to be lengthy. Our children need to be instilled with instruction, virtues, values, and truths in order to meaningfully grow in their relationship with God.

2 – A godly man walks in humility.

Read 1 Kings 2:2a

In 1 Kings 2:2, David says he is about to die as all men must.

David was not only the second king of Israel, but he was also inarguably the greatest king in history, second only to the Lord Jesus Christ. In his youth, he killed a giant with his slingshot. He composed most of the Psalms in the Bible. He fought many battles and was greatly loved by his people. They sang and danced in his honour. Even God referred to him as a man after His own heart. Despite his remarkable achievements, David was aware of the fact that he was merely human and would one day appear before God like everyone else.

A true sense of humility involves acknowledging both who we are in Christ and who we are not. To be humble is to recognize our limitations and to see ourselves through God’s eyes. Humble people look to God for strength and wisdom, and they do not let successes become a source of pride. Rather, they allow Christ to receive the glory. There is always a willingness to give Him all the credit and they never attempt to claim any credit for themselves. In this way, they remain humble before God.

John Newton once stated,

I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master.

Humility and love serve as the strongest demonstrations that Jesus is indeed our Lord.

3 – A godly man walks in courage.

A godly man cultivates and practices a life of courage.

Read 1 Kings 2:2b

David implored his son to be a strong and courageous leader because he would face opposition. It was vital for Solomon to resist his enemies as he would no longer be protected by his father. In addition to being crowned king and taking on enormous responsibilities, Solomon also had to fill his father’s shoes, which was no easy task.

Read Psalm 144:1

David praises God in Psalm 144:1 for giving him strength and skill in battle. The Lord taught him how to fight.

Read Judges 3:1

There is a strong parallel between Psalm 144:1 and Judges 3:1. According to the latter passage, God deliberately allowed some enemies to remain in the Promised Land, in order to provide the next generation of Israelites with an opportunity to exercise faith and obedience in conquering their enemies. Some people may be fighting our battles on our behalf; however, there will come a time when we will be required to fight our own.

Adrian Rogers once told the story of a man who boasted that he had sliced off the tail of a man-eating lion with his pocket knife. When asked why he hadn’t decapitated the lion, the man replied: “Someone had already done that.”

Read 1 Samuel 30:6

At times, we must wage our own battles. We must slay our own giants and that requires courage. Internal giants are often more difficult to overcome than external ones, as they sap our energy, joy, and peace. David set an example for us to follow after he made a decision that led to the death of many of his men and to discussions surrounding stoning him. How did David respond to this situation? “He found strength in the Lord, his God”.

Godly men and women know how to fight their battles. During challenging times, they rely on the Lord for strength and encouragement. They walk in courage. This is not to say that they never fear. Courage is doing what is right despite fear.

4 – A godly man cultivates faithfulness.

Read 1 Kings 2:1-4

In this passage, David, who was not always true to the Lord, called Solomon to walk faithfully before the Lord, to abide in Truth, and to ensure that his children do likewise. When parents know Christ personally and seek His forgiveness, they can turn away from their shortcomings, as David did.

Read Psalm 51:11-12

David, who taught his son to walk faithfully with God, is an excellent example for us to emulate. In the above passage, he is quoted as saying, “Do not reject me…Let me again experience the joy of your salvation…’ David had lost something in sin and he did not wish for his son to repeat the same mistakes.

Despite his father’s wise counsel, Solomon chose to follow his own impulses. For him, pleasure took precedence over loyalty and it ultimately led to his downfall.

Pastor Eric urges all fathers to walk in integrity today even when it appears no one is watching. There is no hiding from God Almighty. Pastor Eric desires to be faithful to the Lord because he fears Him, respects Him, reveres Him, loves Him and rejoices in Him. Shall we do the same?

Watch video here.