Focal Mark 9:33-41 (KJV) "And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked< eperotao {pronounced = ep-er-o-tah’-o} Imperfect Active Indicative, he interrogated them, demanded an answer of them> them, What was it that ye disputed<dialogizomai {pronounced = dee-al-og-id’-zom-ahee} Imperfect Middle Indicative, deliberated on, debated on, had a theoretical debate on> among yourselves by the way? {34} But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. {35} And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first<thelo {pronounced = thel’-o} Present Active Indicative, keeps on having or wishing + protos {pronounced pro’-tos}, first or preeminent>, the same shall be last<eschatos {pronounced = es’-khat-os} last or lowest in time> of all, and servant<diakonos {pronounced = dee-ak’-on-os} minister> of all. {36} And he took a child<paidion {pronounced = pahee-dee’-on} little child male or female>, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, {37} Whosoever shall receive<dechomai {pronounced = dekh’-om-ahee} Aorist Middle Subjunctive, to take by the hand, to receive hospitably, to take into one's hospitality, to receive into one’s family to bring up or educate> one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. {38} And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. {39} But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. {40} For he that is not against us is on our part. {41} For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward."

I wanted this Father's Day message to be a special one. Not just because this is my first Father's Day at Rock Hill, but because fathers and young men destined to be fathers need, desperately need, to be encouraged today. As the Lord told us last Sunday,

Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

The fact that our battle, our struggle, our deterioration in America is not because we are at war with flesh and blood, but it is because we are in a war with Satan and the rulers of darkness. Satan has always ... though we know he will not, can not win ... launched an effective battle against the church of Christ. And Satan, dearly Beloved, has always found his most effective attack in this Great Spiritual Conflict is always directed at the Family, that building block that God our Savior created in the very beginning. Satan's first attack on mankind came when he attacked Eve in the Garden with his subtle, treacherous lies. Up until this attack man and woman lived in harmony in the Garden, loving one another and loving God, who in turn loved them enough to walk with them in the cool of the evening every day. What a wonderful, idyllic life! Then Satan entered, attacking the family by attacking the woman with his lies. She ate of the forbidden fruit, but by Adam came the fall, for he was designed to be the leader in the family - and he failed in his duty. By Adam, by Man came the fall, for man failed to lead in the Family Unit, as God our Creator so decreed. As the Scripture says:

Romans 5:11-14 (KJV) "And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. {12} Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: {13} (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. {14} Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come."

Adam, our first earthly father, was designed to lead, yet he failed to lead the family in the pathways of righteousness. Adam whispered to Eve, "Go ahead, eat this fruit, it won't harm you", and Adam watched rather than intervening in this terrible ploy.

So it is today. Satan attacked the family by dismissing the Man, (Hebrew ISH) and by tempting the woman. Satan continues the attack, following the same, the exact same pattern, that he followed in the beginning. A well known computer provider has a commercial advertising its product. During the course of the commercial a little girl comes on and says with a bright smile, "It's so easy, even my dad can do it!". Her implication is, quite naturally, "Dad's as dumb as a sack of rocks!". Another commercial has the children, along with Dad, running around the store and bringing things to Mom to see if they can have them. The children bring one silly thing after another to Mom, who promptly rejects them. Soon Dad gets into the act, bringing things to Mom who has to steer him back to reality. The implication? That Dad, the one created to be the leader in the Family Unit, is no better than the children. And so it goes. Rather than see the commercials as another ploy of Satan in attacking the Family Unit, we are supposed to laugh at the male bashing as "harmless fun". It's not harmless fun, but another attack by that which is not flesh and blood, but is sinister, deadly, cursing, wanting our destruction.

Neither the husband nor the wife need to be made sport of. Both husband and wife fulfill vital, God designed roles in the Family Unit. Neither the Fathers nor the Mothers need to be ridiculed as foolish, silly, childlike. Such ridicule comes, not from Jesus Christ our Lord, but it comes from Satan, also called Lucifer, the fallen one. Satan despises order, particularly God's order, and wants you to despise God's order, too. If we want to be a strong Church, we must have strong Family Units.

One note: though this message is addressed primarily to men today, as we celebrate Father's Day, the message applies equally to women as well. So if you like, you women can add the words "and women"^* after the word "men" in each of our following points.

There are three things that God wants you to see in this text today:

1. The Church Needs Men^* With Servant's Hearts
2. The Church Needs Men^* With Receptive Hearts
3. The Church Needs Men^* With Giving Hearts

Mark 9:33-35 (KJV) "And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked< eperotao {pronounced = ep-er-o-tah’-o} Imperfect Active Indicative, he interrogated them, demanded an answer of them> them, What was it that ye disputed<dialogizomai {pronounced = dee-al-og-id’-zom-ahee} Imperfect Middle Indicative, deliberated on, debated on, had a theoretical debate on> among yourselves by the way? {34} But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. {35} And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first<thelo {pronounced = thel’-o} Present Active Indicative, keeps on having or wishing + protos {pronounced pro’-tos}, first or preeminent>, the same shall be last<eschatos {pronounced = es’-khat-os} last or lowest in time> of all, and servant<diakonos {pronounced = dee-ak’-on-os} minister> of all.

The world is full of men who aspire to be great. Great men built the Tower of Babel, a fantastic structure built by the descendants of Noah. God told Noah and his descendants to:

Genesis 9:1 (KJV) "... Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth."

That was God's Will, God's design for humanity. But instead man built a tower and ignored God's command to spread out and replenish the earth - and so brought the curse of many languages on all of humanity (Genesis 11:9). The Church needs men with a servant's heart! I am certain that those who built Babel, which later became Babylon,

"The tower was apparently left incomplete, but the foundation of the city was probably laid, and a portion no doubt of the builders continued to dwell there. The place became afterwards the celebrated city of Babylon. It has been supposed that the tower of Babel was afterwards finished, and called the tower of Belus, within the city of Babylon. Herodotus visited this tower, and describes it as a square pyramid, measuring half a mile in circumference at the base; from this rose eight towers one above another gradually decreasing in the summit, which was reached by a broad road winding up around the outside. This tower was used for astronomical purposes, but was chiefly devoted to the worship of Bel, whose temple contained immense treasures, including several statues of massive gold, one of which was forty feet in height ... " (American Tract Society Bible Dictionary)

a terrible and sinful city - I am certain that these men did so with sincerity of heart. After all, if man walked with God in the Garden of Eden, wouldn't it be a great thing to built a tower to Heaven? Yet our Heavenly Father told Noah and his descendants that this was to be a dispensation of human government, a time where man was to spread out and replenish the earth. To stay in one place was not our Father's will for us following the Great Flood - no matter how sincere hearts may have been. Every time man saw the rainbow in the clouds he should have remembered the Covenant God made with Noah, and what God commanded Noah and his descendants to do. The rainbow, which stretched far above anything man could ever build, reminded us that God is the Master Builder, the Master Planner, the Ultimate Father, and as servants of the Living God we must follow His leading.

The Church needs men with a servant's heart. The Church needs you, Beloved Brethren, to serve. For greatness - God's greatness - comes only to those who put away human pride and arrogance.. The world regards pride and power as a thing to be sought after, a thing to love, a thing to be grasped. This is worldly thinking that has no place in the Christian Man's life. Pride is a dread disease that gnaws on the Church of Christ. Arrogance is a cancer that wrecks Family Units and local churches without exception.

Our Savior said that if we want to be protos, first or preeminent in God's Kingdom, in God's eyes, then we need to be willing to be ministers and servants to both God and man in this life. The less there is of "I", the more there will be of God's power. Consider the Apostle Paul, who said:

1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (KJV) "For I am the least<elachistos {pronounced = el-akh’-is-tos} smallest in amount, in importance, in rank, in the estimation of men> of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. {10} But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

The less there is of I, the more there is of God's Power. The more there is of I, the more I crowd out God the Holy Spirit. Paul considered himself to be the least in rank, in importance, in every way to the Apostles who walked and talked with Jesus while He ministered on this earth. His attitude of submission to God and man is amply reflected in the name that he used as Apostle: Prior to his salvation on Damascus Road he used his Jewish name, Saul, which means (according to Hitchcock's Bible Encyclopedia of Names) "Death" and "the one who asks insistently". This Saul traveled throughout the land "breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord".

Acts 9:1-2 (KJV) "And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, {2} And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem."

Saul was an avenger, a proud representative of the Jewish Ruling Council, the Sanhedrin, and he was going to get to the "bottom of this Christianity thing". Yet after his salvation Saul began to use his Roman name, Paul, which, according to Hitchcock's, means "small, little". Saul killed the "I" and became "Paul, the apostle of Christ". Paul understood that which we must all understand. If you want to be great for God, if you want to honor the Jesus Who paid the ultimate penalty for your sin, then you must "kill the I". As the Beloved Apostle said:

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (KJV) "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. {8} For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. {9} And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power<dunamis {pronounced = doo’-nam-is} dynamic power> of Christ may rest upon me. {10} Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

When the "I" dies, the power of God is free to work through that surrendered vessel. When the "I" dies, Satan runs for cover, because he knows there is nothing but trouble for him in that type of surrendered man. When the I dies souls are saved, local churches grow, unity is promoted, the love of Christ is so tangible that you can taste it. When the "I" dies God can use that man, that father, to do great and mighty things.

Application: Precious Ones, even our Savior, very God of Very God, eternally God the Son and the Son of Man, surrendered His own will to the greater good of our salvation. The Scripture says:

Philippians 2:3-8 (KJV) "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. {4} Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. {5} Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: {6} Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: {7} But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: {8} And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

He left the splendor of Heaven, Knowing His Destiny;
Was the lonely Hill of Golgotha; There to lay down His life for me!

If that isn't love, The oceans are dry,
There's no stars in the sky, And the sparrow can't fly!

If that isn't love, Then Heaven's a myth;
There's no feeling like this, It had to be love!

We need men with a servant's heart. This is the lifestyle our Savior lived for us, the lifestyle Paul and the Apostles lived for us, the lifestyle that God calls us to follow - submitted servants.

Mark 9:36-37 (KJV) "And he took a child<paidion {pronounced = pahee-dee’-on} little child male or female>, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, {37} Whosoever shall receive<dechomai {pronounced = dekh’-om-ahee} Aorist Middle Subjunctive, to take by the hand, to receive hospitably, to take into one's hospitality, to receive into one’s family to bring up or educate> one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

When Jesus took and set it "in their midst", the text tells us that our Savior "took that child in His arms". Though the King James uses the pronoun "him" to describe the child, the original language is very careful to mask the identity of the child. We do not know if the child was either male or female. The "Message" translation says:

(Mark 9:36 MSG) He put a child in the middle of the room. Then, cradling the little one in his arms, he said,

The "Darby" Translation says:

(Mark 9:36 Darby) And taking a little child he set it in their midst, and having taken it in his arms he said to them,

The "New Revised Standard" Version states:

Mark 9:36 (NRSV) "Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them,"

We know nothing of this child. We do not know what status this child has, if it was rich or poor, if it was male or female. We do not know who this child belonged to, or what this child's political status was. We do not know what the race of this child is, if the child was Jewish or Gentile, black or white. All we know about the child is this - Jesus took that child in His arms and embraced that child, loving it as if it were His very own. Our Savior then made a statement that should burn itself into your hearts, and that was this: If we receive these children, regardless as to their status, in Christ's name, then we are receiving Christ. If we are receiving Christ, then we are receiving God the Father. Jesus said it another way a little farther down in the Book of Mark:

Mark 10:13-15 (KJV) "And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. {14} But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. {15} Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."

And again in Luke's Gospel:

Luke 9:47-48 (KJV) "And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, {48} And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great."

The Kingdom of God will be filled with children of all races, both male and female. You yourselves enter into Heaven by becoming like little children in understanding, by hearing the Message that Jesus Christ paid for your sins on the Cross, that He died for you and for me, and that - if we accept this, if we believe as little children - then we have been saved. Every Christian in this building today is a little child in God's eyes. He sees you as helpless without His help, hopeless without His hope, lost without His salvation.

You were received to salvation by a Father with a receptive heart. Our Father never looked at you, at your lost and undone state, and determined your worthiness to enter Heaven based on your color, your position, or your gender. Our Father looked at you as you, realizing your lost and undone state, cried out "Father Forgive me, in the name of Jesus forgive me!". Our Father looked at your heart and saw a reliance on the payment of His Son and cried out throughout the courts of Heaven, "Redeemed, Forgiven, Adopted, Justified, Sanctified, Saved!". As you were saved apart from works, as the Scripture says:

Titus 3:4-7 (KJV) "But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, {5} Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; {6} Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; {7} That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

Application: The Church needs men with a receptive heart. Fathers who will tell their children of Jesus. Fathers who will encourage and embrace all children, just as Jesus Christ embraced that nameless and faceless child, regardless as to their estate in this life. There is an old but true saying, that is "Everyone is somebody's child". Knowing this, men, spread the Gospel Light as you walk through this life to all people, men and women, a message of hope and comfort for the lost. Tell all that will listen that Jesus truly saves. Do not stand in the way of the work of God with an unreceptive heart, a heart that overshadows that Glorious Gospel of Christ. Listen to that Gospel now .....

Hebrews 2:13-17 (KJV) "And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. {14} Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; {15} And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. {16} For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. {17} Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."

Mark 9:38-41 (KJV) "And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. {39} But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. {40} For he that is not against us is on our part. {41} For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward."

Has God our Father given you anything this week? He has given us all much, so very much. Our Father has given us life, He sustains us. He watches over our needs, as our Jesus said:

Matthew 6:25-33 (KJV) "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? {26} Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? {27} Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? {28} And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: {29} And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. {30} Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? {31} Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? {32} (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. {33} But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

And again:

Matthew 10:29-31 (KJV) "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. {30} But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. {31} Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."

Our Heavenly Father has given much to us, and continues to give to us. He has been our example. We, as men, are called on by the Father to give much in return. To give of our time to our families and to our Church. When our wives or our children want to talk, turn off that "big game" on television and talk. Spend "quality time" with those whom you love. Remember that this life isn't eternal, and that one day your children will grow up, move away, perhaps move on to another life. Enjoy them now while you can. Tell your wife that you love her, and show a little affection. Do as the Scripture says:

1 Corinthians 14:20 (KJV) "Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men."

The Church needs men with giving and loving hearts. Know that the children of this Church watch your example, so give them the same example that Jesus gave. Put your arms around them and love them. Encourage one another. Show the young people of this Church what it means to be a Christian Man. You may not think that your example matters, but it does, it does. Everyone in this Church is Someone's Child. Everyone who is Someone's Child needs to know the Son of God as Savior.

Jesus was always concerned, is always concerned for those Whom He died for. Following His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples just prior to His final Ascension. The disciples had been fishing all night long, but they had not had even one bite. It was a parallel time to that one when Jesus, on first meeting Peter, asked that he let down his nets (see Luke 5:2-6). Peter had been fishing all night long, and, having caught nothing, was busily washing his nets when Jesus came. When Jesus asked Peter to let down his nets one more time, Peter protested, but did as the Lord asked anyway. When he did as God asked, Peter was blessed to the point where is nets literally started tearing apart.

John 21:4-13 (KJV) "But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. {5} Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. {6} And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. {7} Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. {8} And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. {9} As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. {10} Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. {11} Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. {12} Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. {13} Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise."

Just as it was at the start of Christ's earthly ministry, Peter and the Apostles caught so many fish that it was all they could do to draw their nets to the land. James was the first to know that this was Jesus, but Peter was the first to reach Jesus. Men, you cannot outgive God. You cannot outgive God in time, you cannot outgive God in money and goods, you cannot outgive God in devotion. When you give as God asks you to give, sacrificing pride, time, money, all that you have, then God calls out "come and dine". The Apostles hauled the fish in, but God provided the fish. The Men drew the net, but God filled the net. The Men brought the fish to shore, but the Lord and Savior prepared the coals.

Application: We have been called to be partners with God. This is a wonderful calling, to share in the Plan of God, to tell others about Christ, to give of ourselves as He gave of Himself. As Charles Spurgeon said:

If God had willed it, each of us might have entered heaven at the moment of conversion. It was not absolutely necessary for our preparation for immortality that we should tarry here. It is possible for a man to be taken to heaven, and to be found meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light, though he has but just believed in Jesus. It is true that our sanctification is a long and continued process, and we shall not be perfected till we lay aside our bodies and enter within the veil; but nevertheless, had the Lord so willed it, he might have changed us from imperfection to perfection, and have taken us to heaven at once. Why then are we here? Would God keep his children out of paradise a single moment longer than was necessary? Why is the army of the living God still on the battlefield when one charge might give them the victory? Why are his children still wandering hither and thither through a maze, when a solitary word from his lips would bring them into the centre of their hopes in heaven? The answer is-they are here that they may “live unto the Lord,” and may bring others to know his love. We remain on earth as sowers to scatter good seed; as ploughmen to break up the fallow ground; as heralds publishing salvation. We are here as the “salt of the earth,” to be a blessing to the world. We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life. We are here as workers for him, and as “workers together with him.” Let us see that our life answereth its end. Let us live earnest, useful, holy lives, to “the praise of the glory of his grace.”

We are partners with God, if we have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior. Let us, one and all, continue to set the example of holiness, giving, and love. Let us commit to be examples at home, at Church, at work. When we fail God, as Peter failed Christ, let us confess our sins to God (1 John 1:8-9) and get back in fellowship. You may not know it, but Somebody's Child is watching your example. Continue to be a good example, Beloved, as God has been a good example to you.