Sermon: This Is My Father’s World
Word Count: 2192
PURPOSE: Inductive style. To highlight that despite recent violent events in our culture, God is in control of His creation, His world is still subject to Him. His love is satisfactory of our needs. It is man who seeks to dominate one another. God sets us free to be free. This is our Father’s world.
Prineville, Oregon
Father’s Day
June 21, 2020
This Is My Father’s World
1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. 3Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
So much seems off kilter in the world right now. People don’t seem to have common sense anymore. The world seems to have gone mad…but I would say this, Don’t worry, it happens all the time!
It’s caused by rejection of certain premises. 1. God’s very existence. 2. God’s character.
What you believe about God affects every other matter in your life.
There are laws, both spiritual and physical that govern our lives. They are not man-made laws. First, they are “natural laws.” They are irresistible, and immovable. These laws operate whether man made laws contradict them or not. Some will say other things are true, but time is not on their side, becausethis is my Father’s world.
I want to discuss some political history. What happened during the 1960’s? Was there turmoil in this country? There was, and it was as bad or worse than we have right now. Many of the same issues were in play then as now. We had a President assassinated. We had a 1968 Presidential candidate assassinated. We had a civil rights leader assassinated. We were fighting the post-World War II advance of Communism in Vietnam and other countries. There was unrest all across America. The 1968 Democratic Convention was a disaster with many protests and riots going on in Chicago. Much of this was organized out of the University of Chicago.
There was the “MOBE,” and the “NEW MOBE.” (National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, and New Mobilization Committee see Kengor, Dupes, page 286ff)
The CPUSA (Communist Party USA), Trotskyist Socialist Workers Party, Dubois Clubs of America, Progressive Labor Party, Young Social Alliance
And somewhere in the mix was the SDS or Students for a Democratic Society, Anarchists and the Black Panthers.
There was even a group call “RESIST,” whose goal was to teach young Americans how to “resist” the draft. (p 290, Kengor, Dupes)
Communists in America organized all these groups to peacefully “protest.” Their goal was to provide a “loss” in Vietnam to the United States. Does anything sound familiar here? Communists were behind much of the dissent, while disavowing involvement. “Russia did it.” The truth was they were telling Americans, get out of Vietnam, so “you can live in peace.”
Therefore, these things we are seeing in our country currently are not new and even some of the players are not new. You are seeing the same playbook not only from the 1960’s, but literally from the 1920’s. Today, please gain perspective and context. On surface, “racism.” On the surface, “police brutality.” But under the surface? Agitators who hate this country. Various agitators, communists, anarchists, common criminals, people holding grudges, you name it. Please look on the bright side, for this is my Father’s world.
I want to tell you about my Dad. Born in 1916, he was the oldest of 6 boys, with 2 sisters. His dad, my grandfather, Roscoe John Tombleson, had the 1919 flu. In 1928, my grandfather died from complications arising from that flu. At the funeral, my then 12-year-old dad was informed that now he was the “man of the household,” because he was the oldest boy. He raised all his siblings but one, his older sister.
What happened just after 1928? The great depression. You may remember certain politicians referring to the 2008 economic slowdown as a great depression. That’s nonsense. The depression of 1929 saw people starving and they did not have big screen video games at home to play while they were unemployed. Dad would scarcely eat chicken for much of his life, because that was the only meat he had as a kid. My grandmother would butcher a chicken, boil the chicken to broth, and then that was all the meat they had until it was gone, soup, bones, and all. They were dirt poor.
Then, socialists in Europe fought among themselves, WWII broke out and Dad was drafted. He was used to bossing brainless young men around, so during combat he was quickly promoted to sergeant. Dad knew how to battle. From an early age, he knew how to do his duty. Doing your duty, your assignment in life is how you earn your way to the end. It means survival and accomplishment, one day at a time.
Though Dad was not overtly religious, his mother was, and she prayed heartily for her 6 sons and 2 daughters. Given what they went through, they sorely needed those prayers. The boys all served in active military and they all returned home alive from World War II. That was amazing, given the all-encompassing violence of a truly world war.
What’s amazing to me though, is that Dad came home from the war, found a sweetheart, married her, and raised 3 boys. He was in some ways an incomplete father, but he had strong character, loyalty, duty, and the conviction of a job well done.
He was not perfect, but what human father is. I’m grateful for his role in my life.
Without good fathers, children are far more likely to grow into immature adults. They experience less income, lower levels of education, greater moral challenges, more jail time, less marital success.
If your father was incomplete in some way, find another man who can mentor you, be your father in those areas where you have gaps in maturity.
No, my dad wasn’t flawless, but he gave me glimpse of what could be, and safe place from which to start. Finally, I realized that there was more to Fatherhood even than what my earthly father offered. I realized that:
This is my Father’s world
and to my listening ears,
all nature sings and ‘round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world,
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas,
His hand, the wonders wrought.
I realized that the natural order of things goes all the way from creation and beyond everything a human can invent. There are laws set forth from God at creation that precede any law thought up by man. God set things in motion that are compelling, and unbending, even though people think they are so smart they can keep improving on what God has done. Because we are tolerant and peaceful, we endure man made laws unless they become oppressive and troublesome. Essential and absolute truths are so embedded in our world, as to seem unnoticed. Even the doves in my neighborhood sing it every morning and throughout the day: Whoo Hoo, Whoo Hoo Hoo. Maybe you hear them too?
When will we realize that:
This is our Father’s world,
the birds, their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white
declare their maker’s praise.
This is our Father’s world,
He shines in all that’s fair.
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.
We see the weakness and imperfections in people. Do we see them in ourselves? Some do. The wrongs we have committed are so grievous. Until I realize my sin, it’s hard to see my need for God.
But if I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that Jesus is Lord, if I confess my sin, he is faithful and just and will forgive my sin, if I obey him in baptism into Him, I will enjoy his promises of forgiveness, the abundant spirit filled life, and eternal life.
Therefore, if you’re here today and wonder about your place in God’s plan, please approach Jim or Bob or me or Tollie or someone you trust. We will do our best to answer your questions.
When we see wrongs in the world, when I see the wrongs in my life, it is distracting from what and whom I should remember, and that is:
This is my Father’s world,
oh let me ne’er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
We in our culture have many hard-earned luxuries. These are not privileges of one class of people over another. I reject class warfare. I reject envy, jealousy and desiring what others have. Especially if you won’t work for it yourself. In most cases, they are duly earned necessities or comforts. Do you have a nice home or vehicle? Can you afford things someone else can’t? That’s ok. Let no one put a guilt trip on you because of who you happen to be.
Are you unable to afford the things you want?
Set goals and work toward them. My father taught me to earn my way. He taught me the merit system where you get what you work for, not what someone gives you because you want to advance yourself. These days, too many want to be promoted and co-opt someone who has been working toward that goal by merit. Co-opt means to take something that was originally meant for someone else. Do what God has gifted you to do, and then work to sharpen your skills in that. Let God lead you into where He makes you effective.
If you’re over 33, the age of Jesus at His death, you’re on borrowed time! You should appreciate what He has done for you. I mean he died for everyone, and he died for YOU!
Ephesians 5:14b-17
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”
15Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17So then do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.
The battle is not done. More people are to come to Jesus as His children. John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,”
God is sovereign, not me nor you. Someone stands on a street corner with a sign, telling me what to do? They state that what I enjoy in life is undeserved and not of my own efforts? That I am privileged? That somehow, I should bow to them? The day must never come when we bow to any man! To God yes, to man, NO! I was so offended and angry when I saw on television, an American president bow to a foreign king. In America, we recognize that every person has individual sovereignty under God who is sovereign over all. So I say to you, do not disengage from the political process. That battle is spiritual. The battle is worked out in our homes, schools, elections, literally every minute of our lives. Never disengage. Never, never give up. Never surrender to evil, for that would say, “Christ died in vain.”
We are still in a battle, even though you and I know “Victory was won on the cross.”
That day will come when every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Natural law says that I am a free moral agent to make my decisions and bear my own consequences. Let me tell you:
This is my Father’s world,
the battle is not done.
Jesus, who died, shall be satisfied
and earth and heaven be one.
Revelation 22:16-17
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
I know who wins in the end, there is no need for hate and discontent. I also know that God is near us right now, today, the doves singing outside my window in the morning tell me in their song God is with us! Those birds singing are saying, “Why should my heart be sad?!” Let us be glad.
So, I say to you today,
Why should our hearts be sad?
The Lord is king, let the heavens ring
God reigns, let the earth be glad!
This is our father’s world!