Since today is Father’s Day, I thought we could try something a little different. Instead of preaching a traditional sermon, where I focus our attention on one of the three readings from the lectionary, I thought I would use all three of our readings for today, because all three of our readings contain an encouragement that is especially fitting for Father’s Day. In our Old Testament lesson, we heard about a king David who is confronted with sin and we learn that a man worth honoring is a man who is able to confess his sin. Then in our second lesson we read about some tension between Peter and Paul and we learn that a man worth honoring is a man who opposes sin. And then finally for today, we read in our gospel lesson about a sinful woman who was crying at Jesus’ feet and we learn that a man worth honoring is a man who forgives sinners. Today as we honor our fathers, God encourages those fathers to be men worth honoring.
Now, since it is Father’s Day, I will be addressing most of my comments to the Fathers that are here today. But I think you wives will benefit too. As you see your man striving to be man enough to confess his sin, oppose sin in others, and forgive sinners, you can show your gratitude to God for that man by honoring him. And even if you are not married, if God has so blessed you to have a father who is man enough to confess, oppose, and forgive sin then you can show your gratitude to God by honoring your father. Or for you young women who are starting to think about having a husband in the next five, ten, forty-seven years or so, listen to see how you can choose a man worth honoring. And then finally for you young men, who have not yet been given the responsibility of fatherhood, I want you to listen for three things that you can start doing today in anticipation of becoming a man worth honoring.
The first thing we need to do in order to be a man worth honoring is we need to be man enough to confess your sins. In our first reading for today two men; King David and the Prophet Nathan are having a discussion. The one man is telling the other a story about a rich man who had friends over for dinner but instead of paying for the meal himself he stole from a poor man and gave it to his guests. The other man who was listening to the story is outraged at such selfishness, “as surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!”, King David says. “You are the man!”, the Prophet Nathan Replies. “…You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own.” David, you are the man who sinned. You are the man who deserves to die.
What would a man worth honoring do in a situation like that? Even though you are not a wealthy king like David what would you be tempted to do? When the prophet comes to you and says you are the man, when God’s Word shows you your sin, when you see your selfishness what does a man do? We are tempted to deny it, aren’t we? We are tempted to do what Adam did in the Garden of Eden when he blamed his sin on another person. Or worse yet we are tempted to act like Adam’s son Cain who saw his sin and just didn’t care. We have in us this idea that a strong man does not say he is sorry, never let them see you sweat, show no fear, don’t expose a chink in the armor, bla bla bla. I think admitting that you are wrong is hard for everybody. But I think it is exceptionally hard for men. It makes us feel weak it makes us feel vulnerable.
What did King David do? In verse 13 we read, “Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”” David was man enough to confess his sins. He made no excuses. He didn’t shift the blame. He most definitely didn’t try to diminish his sin, he knew that his un-confessed sin was making him weak. In the Psalms he says it felt like his bones were wasting away. King David was man enough to confess his sin.
David shows himself to be a man worth honoring by confessing his sin. If you want to be a man worth honoring then you will do the same. If you are struggling to confess you sin it helps to remember who it is you have sinned against. You may have been harsh with a 10-year-old child, but you sinned against the Lord. You may have lusted after a promiscuous woman, but you sinned against the Lord, you may have had anger toward a thick-headed man, but you sinned against the Lord. When you remember who you have sinned against it helps you to be man enough to confess your sins.
A man who admits when he is wrong, who is man enough to confess his sins is a man worth honoring. And whether or not he is honored on earth, by the grace of God he is honored in heaven. In verse 13 Nathan assured David, “the LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.” In Luke 15:7 Jesus says to you, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” This Father’s Day I encourage to be a man worth honoring. Be a man like King David. Be man enough to confess your sins.
Now let’s go to our second reading. There we learn the second thing one need to do in order to be a man worth honoring is we need to be man enough to confront sin. Two men; the apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter are in a confrontation. In short, the problem was Peter was being a hypocrite. Peer pressure from other Jews caused him to stop hanging out with the gentile Christian. Peter was the spokesmen for the disciples, no doubt some saw Peter as the head of the church and now Peter is acting like he is better than some people.
What would a man worth honoring do in a situation like that? Even if you don’t have to confront the leader of the Christian church what might you be tempted to do? When you are hanging out with your buddies having a good time and one of them has too much to drink or tells an offensive joke, are you tempted to ignore the sin afraid that it might damage your friendship? Or what about when it comes to your wives? You may be blessed with a woman with strong opinions and the ability to passionately express those opinions. But she is also sinful women. When your wife starts gossiping or being nasty or greedy for things that God has not seen fit to provide your family are you tempted to say, ‘yes dear’ afraid that if you disagree with something she says you might have to listen to her passionately expressed objection? And then there are your children. Are you tempted to give in to their winning demands and allow their disrespectful tone because it is just easier to shut them up?
Confronting sin is never easy and it is never fun. Confronting sin is by nature confrontational. But what did the Apostle Paul do? In our second lesson we read, “11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.” Paul confronted Peter. Why? We read, “21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” Peter’s hypocrisy was trying to earn salvation by works. He was in effect saying he did not need Jesus death on the cross because he was a Jew. Paul opposed Peter’s sin because Paul cared about Peter. Paul did not want Peter to reject the grace of God. Paul wanted Peter in heaven. So, Paul opposed Peter’s sin. Paul shows himself to be a man worth honoring by opposing sin.
If you want to be a man worth honoring, then be man enough to oppose sin. If you are intimidated by the thought of opposing sin it might help if you remember why Jesus opposed sin. Jesus said, ‘get behind me Satan’ to his friend Peter because he wanted him to have in mind the things of God. Jesus gently rebuked Martha because he didn’t want her to miss the ‘one thing needful’. And again, remember Jesus shows you your sin so that the angels in heaven rejoice over your repentance. In the same way you are opposing sin not to pick a fight with a friend or hurt your wife’s feelings or to abuse your children. You oppose sin so that people you care about can have angels rejoicing over their repentance too. When you remember the “why” it helps you to be man enough to oppose sin.
A man who opposes sin is a man worth honoring. And whether or not he is honored on earth, by the grace of God he is honored in heaven. In Revelation 2:10 Jesus says, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” This Father’s Day I encourage to be a man worth honoring. Be a man like the apostle Paul. Be man enough to oppose sin.
Finally, let’s take another look at our gospel reading for today. There we learn the third thing one needs to do in order to be a man worth honoring is, be man enough to forgive a sinner. One man, Jesus, is eating dinner and a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town is crying at Jesus’ feet. Most men would not want to be seen with a lowlife like this woman. Most would not even consider her worthy to kiss their feet.
What would a man worth honoring do in a situation like that? What might you be tempted to do? You might not have the town prostitute crying at your feet, but you have had someone apologize to you before, right? When they do, are you tempted to make them grovel at your feet while you withhold forgiveness from them? Or maybe you say you forgive them but secretly you hold a grudge against them. Forgiving a sinner is hard for everyone but, again for men, I think it is exceptional hard. We are afraid we will be made to look like a fool. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me… or so the saying goes. We don’t want to look like we are naive or easy to take advantage of.
What did Jesus do? Simon, the Pharisee thought Jesus was a fool who didn’t know that the woman was a sinner. But Jesus knew exactly what she was. He knew she was a sinner. He knew what she had done with her body and he knew what she thought in her mind. He knew the evil that she did not want to do she kept on doing. But in our gospel lesson for this morning Jesus says to her, “48…your sins are forgiven.” Jesus did not make her pay for her crimes, he did not wait for her to suffer, he did not tell her, “sorry is not good enough” … Jesus forgave her. In every way, Jesus is a man worth honoring, but in our gospel lesson we see He is also worth honoring because He is man enough to forgive a sinner.
If you want to be a man worth honoring, then be man enough to forgive a sinner. If you are worried that someone might take advantage of you and make you look like a fool it might help to remember how many times Jesus was man enough to forgive you. How many times have you cried at his feet about a sin you promised to never do again but the next day there you are again, with the same sin again, crying for forgiveness again… and being forgiven again? When you remember how repeatedly you are forgiven by Jesus, it helps you to be man enough to forgive sinners.
A man who forgives sinners is a man worth honoring. And whether or not he is honored on earth, by the grace of God he is honored in heaven. In Matthew 6:14 Jesus says, “…if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” This Father’s Day I encourage to be a man worth honoring. Be a man like Jesus. Be man enough to forgive sinners.
Father’s Day is a day in which sons and daughters honor the men that God has given to be their fathers. My fellow fathers, if you want to be worthy of the honor that is being shown to you on this day then be a man like King David who confessed his sin. Be a man like the apostle Paul who confronted sin. Be a man like your Savior Jesus who forgives sinners. A man who humbly confesses his own sin, a man who lovingly opposes the sin of others, a man who mercifully forgives sinners is a man worth honoring. This Father’s Day, be such a man. Amen.