The following includes the insert from the message given on March 17 and considerations for suggested answers to the Message Based Discussion Questions. They are not meant to be definitive or all inclusive of all answers. They are presented to help guide thinking and to demonstrate a simple one sentence answer is inadequate to apply the message to life. If you have any suggestions, I’m very open to them. Thanks for checking this out.
Get a Grip on Father Greatness
Luke 22:24-34
How do you get a grip on Father greatness?
1) Jesus serves His men to show greatness Luke 22:24-27
2) Jesus foretells His men how greatness is assigned Luke 22:28-30
3) Jesus forewarns how greatness must humbly depend Luke 22:31-34
4) Jesus wants you on His team Luke 24:49
· Gen. 18:17-19
· Deut. 6:1-15
The Lord is calling on men to rise up to Father greatness!
Message Based Discussion Questions
1) When you were growing up, what were the fathers of your friends like?
Digging Deeper:
2) Who was Adam’s Father (Gen. 2:7-17)? _______________________ What kinds of things did Adam receive from his Father? What were his responsibilities? Who else was there to receive responsibility?
3) Read Gen. 35:1-12. When God called Jacob to go up to Bethel, what did Jacob command his family? _________________________ What things do we learn from God’s appearances to Jacob in this passage?
4) What kind of sacrifice is discussed in Exodus 12:21-28? _________________________ What does the passage describe regarding the roles and responsibilities in the family related to this event? How did the people respond? What does that look like today?
Making application from the message to life:
5) How should children learn about the Father’s greatness? What practical things should they see and learn?
6) Why is a father’s role of assigning responsibility to his children so important? How should a father discern what and when to assign responsibilities?
7) How should a father help a son learn humility to imitate the Father’s greatness?
Message Based Discussion Questions
1) When you were growing up, what were the fathers of your friends like?
a) Pete’s dad was jovial, laid back, but I could tell very sharp. Wasn’t sure how much time he spent with the six children.
b) Tom’s dad was an engineer and very quiet.
c) Greg’s dad was soft-spoken, but I remember they went to church
d) B’s dad was laid back, a fixer-upper, and liked to be around people
e) One dad pursed his lips and taught SS, but I didn’t know him.
Digging Deeper:
2) Who was Adam’s Father (Gen. 2:7-17)? __God____ What kinds of things did Adam receive from his Father? What were his responsibilities? Who else was there to receive responsibility?
a) Adam received many things from the Father:
i) The Garden place to live and air to breathe 2:7
ii) Perfect environment, so no need for clothes 2:8
iii) Plentiful food to eat and water to drink 2:9,10
iv) Precious metals for jewelry he could give his future wife 2:12
v) Dirt to dig and grow food 2:15
vi) Directions on what he was supposed to do in life 2:15-17
vii) Liberty to enjoy all the trees but one 2:16
viii) One command not to fail 2:17
b) His responsibilities were:
i) To enjoy God in the Garden 2:9 “pleasant to the sight”
ii) “Tend,” that is work, the garden 2:15
iii) Guard the garden 2:15
iv) Obey God’s mandate not to eat of the wrong tree 2:17
c) Who else received the responsibility? No one. The woman would have heard it from Adam, if she did 3:2-3
3) Read Gen. 35:1-12. When God called Jacob to go up to Bethel, what did Jacob command his family? __put away foreign gods, purify self, change garments__ What things do we learn from God’s appearances to Jacob in this passage?
a) God must be obeyed, because He is holy and sovereign to direct 35:1
b) God should receive an offering 35:3
c) God hears in our distress 35:3
d) God is with us in our distress 35:3
e) Jacob followed through with what he knew he was supposed to do 35:4
f) The terror of God was on other cities as they traveled 35:5
g) Jacob arrived with everyone with him, no losses 35:6
h) Jacob went back to where he first saw God’s appearance 35:7
i) God has the right to change someone’s name 35:10
j) God is almighty 35:11
k) God can command that we multiply 35:11
l) God promises a great progeny 35:11
m) God bequeathed the land 35:12
4) What kind of sacrifice is discussed in Exodus 12:21-28? __Passover Lamb___ What does the passage describe regarding the roles and responsibilities in the family related to this event? How did the people respond? What does that look like today?
a) The roles in the family:
i) Pick out and kill the Passover Lamb 12:21
ii) Paint the blood on the lintel with the hyssop 12:22
iii) Everyone was to remain inside until morning 12:22
iv) They stayed in while God passes through 12:23
v) They were to pass the ordinance down to their sons 12:24
vi) They were to keep the service in the land 12:25
vii) They were to answer their children 12:26
viii) They were to recall the details to their children 12:27
ix) They should respond to God in holy reverent worship 12:27
x) They all obeyed the Lord 12:28
Making application from the message to life:
5) How should children learn about the Father’s greatness? What practical things should they see and learn?
a) Children should learn in the home and in church:
i) Human fathers should tell their children diligently Deut. 6:6-9
ii) Parents should love each other to provide a picture of Christ and the church Eph. 5:22-28
iii) Children should also learn about the Father’s greatness at church Luke 22:24-30.
iv) God’s Word should be taught to children, no matter who has charge of them 2 Tim. 3:15; Rom. 15:4
v) Parents should teach their children the realm of God’s Word 2 Tim. 3:16-17
b) There are many practical things for children to see and learn:
i) Parents (fathers) should have regular family devotions
ii) Parents should be mature enough to deal with most conflicts between themselves and other people
iii) Parents should be able to hope in the provisions of God.
iv) Children should see a model of father greatness in their dads
v) Children should have dads who want to spend time with them and build them up.
vi) Children should have dads who are diligent to teach them principles of truth as they walk along the way, as they get up, as they lie down and when they are at home.
vii) Children should be told of how God answers prayer.
viii) Children should be blessed by learning the sufficiency of God’s Word.
6) Why is a father’s role of assigning responsibility to his children so important? How should a father discern what and when to assign responsibilities?
a) The father’s role is important because:
i) God has placed that responsibility on the father Eph. 6:4
ii) The father is the model for what God the Father is like
iii) The father’s presence is symbolic of God’s presence
iv) The father’s direction should mimic the Father’s direction
v) It’s in the home where the children learn how to assume a husband’s and father’s role.
b) The father’s role is to be consistent in assigning responsibility
i) The father should consult with the mother when possible
ii) The father should assign 3-4 responsibilities that are age appropriate. He should consult with other parents and or age-appropriate books and manuals on parenting for job responsibilities.
iii) The father should make sure the child understands and is able to accomplish the task.
iv) The father should ensure that the child is consistent in completion.
7) How should a father help a son learn humility to imitate the Father’s greatness?
a) A father must help a son learn through enforced humility, until the son will act with genuine humility.
b) A father should be a shepherd to draw the son forward, that is, he should be patient, kind and merciful.
c) On the other hand, a father must exhort and hold the son to age appropriate standards of holiness.
d) A father must discern when he should be patient and when he must hold a son’s feet to the holiness standard.
e) Grace must be applied at times, but discipline, even strong discipline, may need to be applied to help the son learn holiness.
f) A father must spend time with the son, so the son knows the father love him in both cases. The father must consult with the mother to hear her input and then take responsibility for the children’s holiness. The Father’s greatness should be the pinnacle of importance in the mind of the father to instill into the child.
Shepherding Truth 