News and Announcements Christ Lutheran Church Eagan Minnesota
June 19th, 2016
VERSE of the Week:
"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5) HAPPY FATHER’s DAY A lot of debate has gone into understanding St. Paul’s words: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior” (Eph. 5:22-23- ESV). What this “headship” means is explained a couple verses later, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (v. 25). The husband and father is responsible to God for the care of his wife and family. Being the head of the home is not a matter of self-assertion but of self-sacrifice. The measure or guide of how husband and father is to “head” the house is the love and care that our Lord Jesus pours out on us, the Church. Someone has said the most important thing a father can do for his children is to demonstrate his love and admiration for their mother. Again and again that is played out in the lives of children and adolescents and dating couples – a feeling of security, a healthy pattern of interaction socially, a nurturing and respectful relationship with the opposite sex are all reflections of the love and admiration they saw dad demonstrate toward mom.
A few verses later (still in this section of “household duties”), Paul writes, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (6:4). In place of “provoke,” the NIV has “exasperate.” The original word means “to make angry.” This is a tough one for children and dads. Who hasn’t been “provoked” by Dad – maybe because he’s too strict or simply out of touch? Don’t provoke them with unreasonable expectations. Don’t provoke them by showing no interest in them. Instead, while bringing up children in the true faith is a cooperative task for moms and dads, here bringing up children in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord” is placed squarely on Dad’s plate. Our hope and confidence is in the Fatherhood of God. It is God who in Christ has indeed loved us and given Himself into death for us. It is God our loving Father who brings us up in the discipline and instruction of His Word. His Word disciplines us in the ways of His will and instructs us in the wonders of His grace in Jesus. – Pastor Heggen.