During this Father’s Day season, we are talking about the subject of spiritual dads. Paul was a spiritual dad to the born-again believers of Thessalonica. Spiritual dads, natural dads, — it’s great when a natural dad is also a spiritual one. Some people say any man can be a father; it is a job that takes little talent. However, the rate of failure in fatherhood is actually higher than in any other occupation. Fathers have a colossal full-time job that most people underestimate. It is the most important task a man can tackle. Despite vast changes in America’s social fabric in recent years, one thread of tradition shows no sign of unraveling: sons and daughters who follow in their father’s footsteps. A nationwide survey was taken recently to determine how much time fathers were spending with their children. The results were astounding. Fathers with children between the ages of 2 and 12 were spending 12 minutes a day with their children. Twelve-minute dads contribute greatly to 12-year-old delinquents. But not all dads are 12-minute dads. A busload of dads and sons left a church parking lot for an overnight camping trip. The dads represented various vocations, but they all had one thing in common: they did not want to be 12-minute dads. You cannot substitute a popsicle for Pop himself, though both may have their places. Whether it be a car or a candy bar, a fishing rod or a hot rod, you cannot substitute these “presents” for the “presence.” America is standing at a crossroads of history; our very survival as a nation may depend on the presence or absence of masculine leadership in millions of homes; leadership in the form of loving authority; leadership in the form of financial management; leadership in the form of spiritual training and leadership in maintaining good marital relationships.¹ We’re talking about spiritual dads today. How a Spiritual Dad Can Demonstrate the Love Walk towards His Children, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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#S2-008: What Is The Parable of the Sower? [Podcast]

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Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11). Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony.
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Question: Do you have a spiritual dad? Share your testimony in the comments section below.

Episode Resources:

We are currently teaching in the book of First Thessalonians. You can click on the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

1. #S10-023:What’s Our Responsibility to Those Newly Come to Faith in God [Podcast]
2. #S10-022: Why the Second Coming of Jesus is the Expectation of All Believers [Podcast]
3. #S10-021: Why Modeling the Jesus Life Is Such a Powerful Witness [Podcast]
4. #S10-20: Why Turning from Idols Is A Super Exceptional Move of God [Podcast]
5. #S10-019: Why It’s Vital that Jesus Followers Pray for One Another [Podcast]
6. #S10-018:How to Start a Power-Packed Effective Church: Lessons from Thessaloniki [Podcast]
7. #S10-017: How the Breath of God Inspired the Writing of First Thessalonians [Podcast]

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 45 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. He and his wife Sharon of 40 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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Podcast Notes

Characteristics of a Spiritual Dad

• We’re talking about spiritual dads here and there are two kinds.
• There is the born-again parent, the father, who raises his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
• Then there is the man who may have either witnessed to a person, gotten them saved, and most importantly, helped to raise them up in God.
• This person helped the newborn child of God to grow and mature in their walk.
• I had the privilege of having both sets of parents — I had a spiritual Mom who took me through the first nine years of my walk.
• I also had a spiritual dad who poured into me and taught me such valuable life-altering truths in the Word of God — truths that I treasure and walk in the light of to this very day.
• Both of them have gone on into heaven and I miss them both.
• Paul was this second kind of spiritual dad to the Thessalonians.
• Let’s look at some of what that constitutes.
• I will highlight the traits as we read this passage.

1 Thessalonians 2:7–12 (ESV) — 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. 9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

The Love Walk of a Spiritual Dad: Gentleness

• In a previous podcast, entitled ‘What’s Our Responsibility to Those Newly Come to Faith in God,’ we saw how Paul addressed his critics in an attempt to shield and help stabilize the young converts of Thessalonica.
• Paul stood up and defended himself against those who wanted to throw dirt on the message of the gospel by throwing dirt on the messenger.
• We saw how Paul answered the charges of being a people pleaser, a preacher who was only after money, seeking glory for himself, a false teacher, and a trickster among a string of others.
• In verses seven through twelve, we see the extent that Paul went when it came to looking after the believers of Thessalonica.
• He said, ‘We made it a point to operate in gentleness.’
• Gentleness is a giant fruit of the recreated born-again human spirit.
• Those newly come to faith in Christ need to be in an environment where gentleness reigns.
• And, with that thought, here is the Illustration of the Day.
• This story is from my own personal life.
• My first pastor Geraldine Powell exhibited this fruit of the spirit.
• She was so gentle and soft-spoken to the point that it disarmed you.
• I watched her through the years lead people to Jesus with her gentle and quiet spirit.
• She had a pillow underneath one of her chairs in the living room.
• She would witness to people — take them in the Word and share Jesus with them.
• And, then came the question: ‘What’s keeping us from receiving Jesus today?
• Then she would pull that pillow out, I saw it time and again, and grab their two hands and say, ‘Let’s kneel and pray.’
• Before you knew it, they were crying out to God to save them, and save them He did — and in some cases, while they were crying out, they were filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
• She got tons of people saved.
• What was her secret?
• Her meekness melted people.
• Gentleness, meekness, that’s what I’m talking about.
• It was astounding.
• That’s the fruit of the Spirit impacting the lives of others.
• Paul operated in this gentleness and he described at what level this operated.

Like a mother nursing and taking care of her own children.

• You know taking care of children is not the easiest thing to do on Planet Earth.
• Think of the hard work of parenting — you know that it is a labor of love.
• That’s the work of earthly parents and it is also the work of spiritual parents.
• How else does a spiritual dad model the love walk?
• Look at verse eight again.

The Love Walk of a Spiritual Dad: Family Style Affection

8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God

• Affectionately desirous is all one word in Greek and with that thought, here is the Definition of the Day.
• The words ‘affectionately desirous’ means to have a strong yearning or longing for.²
• There’s emotion involved — Paul’s heartstrings were invested in the people of Thessalonica.
• They weren’t just a number to him – you know just some statistics to report to the mother church in Antioch.
• No, he cared about them — he cared what happened to them, that’s why he shared Jesus with them — he cared that there were bad people trying to undermine their relationship with Jesus once they said yes to Him.

8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

• Paul extended himself.
• He went over and above.
• He shared the gospel with them because he had a strong yearning to do so.
• But, he didn’t just share the good news, he went beyond that and shared himself.
• Man and message, Paul was all in.
• The reason why?
• ‘…because you had become very dear to us.’
• The Greek word ‘very dear’ is the word agapetos – that is, it has the word for love in it and is normally translated as beloved.
• The word pertains to one who is dearly loved, dear, beloved, prized, and valued and indicates a close relationship, like the one between a parent and child³
• Paul is using family words to describe the depth of feeling that he has for the Thessalonians.
• This has to be impressive to you.
• We were affectionately desirous of you. — that is, we wanted to be with you and around you.
• Through all of this, you became super dear to us like a child to his parent.
• Paul has yet more to say.

The Love Walk of a Spiritual Dad: Extended Labor

9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

• Paul is saying look, we worked our hips off for you.
• Because we cared about you, we worked with labor and toil.
• The Greek word ‘labor’ means to engage in an activity that is burdensome.
• The word ‘toil’ means labor, exertion, or hardship.
• So, what’s the difference between labor and toil?
• Labor is hard work — toil adds the stress element.
• This was a burden to us and it produced hardship for us, Paul said.
• What caused the stress?
• They worked night and day the scripture said.
• This wasn’t an exaggeration.
• They literally took on two jobs.
• Paul’s company preached during the day and then they worked at night to pay their bills.
• They took on the burden so that the young believers of Thessalonica wouldn’t be burdened.
• That’s what Paul wrote, ‘we worked day and night, not to be a burden to you.’
• The Greek word ‘burden’ means to weigh down.
• So, instead of weighing down or adding weight to others, Paul’s evangelistic team allowed themselves to be weighed down instead.
• That’s a scriptural principle.

Romans 15:1–3 (ESV) — 1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

• The Greek word ‘obligation’ means to be indebted or to owe.
• If you are strong, you owe it to the weak to help them.
• That’s the love walk.
• The strong disciples on Paul’s team carried the load — they lifted the weight — they gave their strength and gave up their sleep.
• That’s a phenomenal thing to do — wrap your head around this.
• They gave up their sleep working two jobs to lighten the financial load on the Thessalonians!
• But, here’s the thing — they were within their right to expect to be supported.

1 Corinthians 9:1, 6 (ESV) — 9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?… 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?

• Then Paul gives reasons why it’s right for those who preach the gospel to receive support.

1 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV) — 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?

• So, if you’re working as a soldier, you should get paid by the army you serve.
• If you’re planting a vineyard, you should get paid by the fruit the vines bring forth.

1 Corinthians 9:8 (ESV) — 8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same?

• This is not just a principle at work in the world of men — that’s what Paul means by human authority.
• It’s a principle in God.

1 Corinthians 9:9 (ESV) — 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses,

• You can translate that as it’s written in the Word of God.

…“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned?

• So, here’ the ox.
• He’s working, he’s laboring, he’s sweating to pull the plow so that a harvest may be realized.
• Don’t put a muzzle on him that would prevent him from dipping his head to the ground and grabbing a bite to eat while he’s pulling the load.
• Paul then asks the question, Is it for oxen that God is concerned?
• Of course, the answer to that is yes.
• We know that from Matthew six.

Matthew 6:26 (ESV) — 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

• God provides for all of His creation including wildlife.
• But, here the point that Paul is making is not about the oxen.
• It’s the principle of not muzzling the ox that he slides over to the workers in the gospel field of the world.

1 Corinthians 9:10 (ESV) — 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.

• Paul goes on with this thought in verse eleven.

1 Corinthians 9:11 (ESV) — 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?

• Don’t muzzle the ox.

1 Corinthians 9:12 (ESV) — 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. 15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.

• So, we have all of this as a backdrop to what Paul is saying to the Thessalonians.
• “We could have rightfully, per the Word of God put the fulfillment of our provision on you Paul is saying.
• If we are sowing life-changing spiritual food, is it not okay to be fed a hamburger while we labor?
• But, we didn’t avail ourselves of this right, Paul said – we worked instead to provide our own needs.
• That means we gave up sleep so that we could work.
• I was a tent-maker and I became a bi-vocational minister during this time. That’s how much I cared about you.
• Sacrifice is one way a spiritual dad demonstrates the love of God or the love walk to his kids.
• So if see a minister laboring to put hot spiritual food on the table and they don’t ask for anything, that’s part of the love walk being demonstrated in your sight.
• Here are some other components of the love walk.

The Love Walk of a Spiritual Dad: Setting the Right Example

1 Thessalonians 2:10 (ESV) — 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers.

• We were so careful about our witness, Paul is saying.
• We’ve already spent some time talking about this on the podcast about Modeling Jesus and the concept of following your spiritual dad like they follow Jesus.
• That’s what Paul said, ‘Follow me as I follow Christ.’
• Holy, righteous, and blameless are the words Paul uses to describe this lifestyle and these characteristics are good company to be in.

The Love Walk of a Spiritual Dad: Setting the Right Example

1 Thessalonians 2:11–12 (ESV) — 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

• So, here have a family another family reference — like a father with his children.
• That’s what we’ve been saying — Paul is the spiritual dad — the Thessalonians are the spiritual children.
• As an earthly father would do, we exhorted and encouraged each one of you.
• What’s the difference between being exhorted and encouraged?
• The word exhorted is a verb and it means to earnestly support, console, or encourage a response or action.
• These are positive type ‘can do’ reinforcements.
• A spiritual dad will never drag someone down.
• They always push their kids to grow, develop, and go higher.
• Don’t settle — press on — push forward — go to the head of the class — be the best you can be with God’s help always giving Him the credit.
• But, a spiritual dad doesn’t just exhort, they also encourage.
• The Greek word encourage here is also a verb, an active thing, that means to comfort, to alleviate sorrow or distress; give emotional strength to.
• You see encouragement goes hand in hand with exhort and the reason is a young child may have days where they do a whole lot less than excellent.
• Instead of pressing on and pushing forward, they slack up and fall back.
• They go to the back of the class instead of the head of the class.
• During those times encouragement is needed.
• Failures happen and a spiritual child needs to know that just because you failed does not make you a failure.
• Glory to God!
• We encouraged each one of you, Paul said and, we cared about you enough to challenge you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom.
• Wow, this is a long list of spiritual dad attributes here.
• You can tell by reading these verses that Paul cared about these people.
• One last attribute to point out is found in chapter three of First Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 3:1–6 (ESV) — 1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. 6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you—

• Paul checked up on his spiritual kids by sending Timothy to see how they were doing.
• He realized that he may not have all the answers for the Thessalonians so he sends another man with a different spiritual gift set to establish and exhort them in their faith.
• No one person has all the answers.
• Only Jesus knows all and is all.
• We know in part — we prophecy in part and we share the message of redemption according to where we are.
• I remember when my children went to college, one of them said to me ‘Dad, you didn’t tell me about all this stuff that I ran into here in college.’
• I didn’t tell her because I didn’t know because if I knew, I sure would have done my job.
• I know you would have done the same thing as well.

Now Father God, I thank you for your goodness and your mercies towards us as your spiritual children. Thank you for being the ultimate Father. Help us Dads to come up higher so that we could be not only good earthly fathers but also spiritual fathers to our kids. Thank you for this in Jesus Name, Amen.

• You guys have a great God week and we will see you next time for another edition of Light on Life.

Casting Crowns: Are Your Works Floor Worthy?

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