Father’s Day Sermons
Preached on June 19th, 2005 at 11:00AM by Gimba Hassan, Roy Ray III, Deac. Erik Handy - 01:01:19
Listen to the sermon: Father’s Day Sermons
There were three sermons given by members of the congergation; notes for Roy Ray III’s message follow.
Between the Gap
by Roy Ray III
I have had the privilege of having not only a mother and a father, but grandparents, aunts, uncles and others to guide me. Although every one has a father. Everyone isn’t as fortunate to have one around through his or her young ages. Even though God is always with us, the youth still need a male influence in their life. Children need a good male example. Throughout my years, a couple of my friends grew up without their fathers around; some of them struggle in school and in their lives. I also have friends who lost their father and someone took the place of their father by simply taking time to get to know them. Men like that are the real men that today’s youth need.
In the book of Ezekiel God was looking a man to stand in the gap for the land, and today God is looking for a man to stand in the gap for the fatherless children. In Psalm 68:5 God declares himself as the Father of the fatherless. He also stated in Genesis 1:27 that he made us in his image. Therefore we must be fathers to the fatherless.
The three things these men have are inspiration, interest, and incentive.
- Inspiration is a divine influence. When God’s people need to be delivered from Egypt God inspired Moses to be the deliverer, when Israel needed a conqueror an a warrior God inspired David to defeat Goliath.
- Incentive is something that incites an action. This word is derived from a Latin word incentivum that means to set the tune. For example, Bro. Austin, the keyboard player has to set the tune for the worship leaders and the congregation to sing the song. Likewise the father as the Priest of the home has to set the tune; the example or the standard for the family.
- Interest is a legal share in something; we care for and invest in the things that we have an interest in. For example, Now don’t be hatin’! If I had an interest in the Yankees, I would build them a new stadium like George Steinbrenner, their owner. Interest also means “to be between.” God calls us to be men that stand in the gap for others; we must be men that make a difference, men that are concerned.
Although this message has been focused on men, this also applies to women. We all must have: Inspiration, Incentive and Interest.
Jesus stood in the Between The Gap for us. What child are you standing Between The Gap for today?
