Text--1 Samuel 3:1-14, Mark 1:18-19
I. ELI, A WEAK FATHER
Read 1 Samuel 3:1-10
A. Eli was a priest--a high priest and a judge of Israel, a man of great influence.
B. He was devoted to training young candidates for the priesthood
C. He was not a particularly spiritual man (see 1:12-17)
1. no spiritual sensitivity
2. did not pray with Hannah
D. He failed miserably as a father
1. Hophni and Phinehas did not know the Lord (2:12)
2. They were
sons of worthlessness, lawlessness, wickedness (typical
P.K.'s---just joking!)
3. Read 3:11-14--He
knew his sons were committing vile (accursed) acts
and he did not restrain them. "Boys will be boys". That attitude
will be
judged! There is heartache here--shame before the Lord.
Here is a note that should be attached to each new bundle of joy before
delivery to a new father.
This bundle of life being placed in your arms is designed
to have a
full and meaningful life in serving God. Your
obligation should
you decide to accept it, is to rear up the child in
accordance with
the instructions found in God's Word, the Bible.
However, should
you decide not to accept your obligation, the child
will most likely
self-destruct.
II. ZEBEDEE, A SUCCESSFUL FATHER (Mark 1:18-19)
A. He was with his sons: "Spare Time",
Uric Bronfenbrenner---The average
American father spends
37 seconds a day with each child. That is astounding
and sad if it is even
only partly true.
The circus will come back someday but childhood won't.
B. He trained his sons in an honorable profession,
taught them the joys of hard,
honest work---fishing,
mending nets
C. He gave his boys their chance to fulfill
their spiritual destiny by standing aside
when the received
the Master's call. He let go.
Matthew 4:22--And
they immediately left the ship and their father, and
followed
him.
He did the same for his wife Salome
1. She followed Jesus into Galilee and ministered to him there (Mark 15:41)
2. She was present at the crucifixion
3. She came to the tomb to annoint the body of Jesus
D. He was not forgotten by his sons, by Jesus,
or by history for his name is
constantly connected
with his sons (Luke 5:10)
What kind of legacy are you leaving?
Is your faith
being duplicated in the lives of your children? We are always just
one generation
away from failing to pass on our faith. We are not doing a very
good job with
this generation.