A Family for the Fatherless :: 6/19/16 AM - Father's Day

A Family for the Fatherless

Psalms 68:5, 6 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.  God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

I. The Plight of the Solitary

                A. Orphaned/Widowed

There is a unique pain to being orphaned or widowed. Only those that have experienced it can understand it.

God has always had a special place in His heart for those that have been orphaned or widowed.

His instruction was so specific, that his judgment for disobedience was the same as the crime:

·         Exodus 22:22-24  Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;  And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

In fact, the litmus test in the New Testament for true, genuine Christianity is given in James 1:

·         James 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

                B. Abandoned

·         Psalms 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

Possibly the only thing more painful than being left alone because of the death of a father is the pain of being abandoned.

·         An estimated 24.7 million children (33%) live absent their biological father.

There are many adults that live every day with the pain of being forsaken by their parents.

Unresolved family issues, selfishness, unforgiveness, undefined expectations,

If there is anyone that can relate to being abandoned, it is the Lord Jesus Christ.

He only made 7 statements in all the hours that He hung on the cross, and one of them was:

·         Matthew 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

                C. Stolen/Enslaved

·         he bringeth out those which are bound with chains:

DID YOU KNOW? According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (citing U.S. Department of Justice reports), nearly 800,000 children are reported missing each year. That's more than 2,000 a day. The NCMEC says 203,000 children are kidnapped each year by family members.

                D. Rebels/Runaways/Vagabonds

·         …but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

DID YOU KNOW? According to the National Runaway Safeline (Formerly the National Runaway Switchboard,) between 1.6-2.8 million youth runaway each year in the United States. Children can begin running as young as ages 10-14.

II. The Pity of the Sovereign

Every one of us that were lost and in sin could be described as:

1. Abandoned – Satan has ALWAYS lured sinners in with his lies, then chews them up and spits them out!

·         James 1:14, 15  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

2. Enslaved – the Scripture describes the life of the unsaved as “bondage”.

·         Galatians 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

3. Rebels

·         Isaiah 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;

                A. The Family of God

·         John 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

·         1 John 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

               

                B. The Family of God’s People (the local church)

VERSE 1 - You will notice we say "brother and sister" 'round here, It's because we're a family and these are so near;
When one has a heartache, we all share the tears, And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear. 

CHORUS - I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God, I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, For I'm part of the family, The Family of God.

VERSE 2 - From the door of an orphanage to the house of the King, No longer an outcast, a new song I sing;
From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong, I'm not worthy to be here, but praise God I belong! 

III. The Permanence of the Setting

Notice the Finality – vs. 6 God setteth the solitary in families:

When God “setteth”, that is as final as it gets!

·         SETTETH - to dwell, remain, sit, abide, continue, (not a house guest; we are SET in families!)

There’s no danger of being forsaken!

·         Hebrews 13:5  …I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

·         John 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

·         We have been ADOPTED!

·         We have been ACCEPTED! - Ephesians 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

·         We have received AFFIRMATION from our Father – we will never be cast out!