JCSLK #68 Jesus and Patterns of Paternal Faith

 

JCSLK #68 Jesus and Patterns of Paternal Faith

​Introduction

Laws for the Household written by Ian Frasier

Laws on Eating

Of the beasts of the fields and of the fishes of the sea, and of all good that are acceptable in my sight you may eat, but not in the living room.

When at the table, and when you are seated in your highchair or in a chair such as a greater person might use, keep your legs and feet below you as they were.  Neither raise up your knees nor place your feet upon the table, for that is an abomination to me.

Yes, even when you have an interesting bandage to show, your feet upon the table are an abomination and worthy of rebuke.

Drink your milk as it is given you, neither use it on any utensils, nor fork, nor knife, nor spoon, for this is not what they are for.  If you will dip your blocks in the milk and lick it off you will be sent away.

 And though your stick of carrot does indeed resemble a marker, draw not with it upon the table.  And though the pieces of broccoli are very like small trees, do not stand them upright to make a forest.

 Sit just as I have told you and do not lean to one side or the other, nor slide down until you are nearly slid away.  Heed me.  For if you sit like that your hair will surely go into the syrup.

 Laws pertaining to dessert.

 For we judge between the plate that is clean and the plate that is unclean.  Saying first, that if the plate is clean then you shall have dessert, but of the unclean plate the laws are these; If you have eaten most of your meat and two bites of your peas, with each bite consisting of not less than three peas each, or a total of six peas, eaten where I can see, and you have also eaten enough of your potatoes to fill two forks, both forkfuls eaten where I can see, then you shall have dessert.

But, if you eat a lesser number of peas, and yet you eat the potatoes, still you shall not have dessert.  And if you eat the peas, yet leave the potatoes uneaten you shall not have desert, no, not even a small portion thereof.

And if you try to deceive by moving the potatoes and the peas around with a fork, that it may appear you have eaten what you have not, you will fall into iniquity and I will know, and you shall have no dessert.

 The Laws on Screaming

Do not scream.  It is as if you scream all the time.  If you receive a portion of fish from which every piece of herbal seasoning has not been scraped off and the herbal seasoning is loathsome to you, and steeped in vileness, again I say to you, refrain from screaming.

 Though the vileness overwhelm you and cause you to faint unto death, make not that sound from within your throat.  Neither cover your face nor press your fingers to your nose, for even if I have not made the fish as it should be, behold, I eat it myself.  Yet, I do not die.

Father is Sovereign

Ye shall remember that I am that I am.  Before after and until you are 21.  Hear me then and hear me now and avoid me in my wrath, oh children of me.

In the Bible, which is the record of God’s revelation and the story of Jesus’ salvation, God has chosen the role of Heavenly Father in order for us to know and relate to Him.

​2 Samuel 7:14 – "I will be his father, and he shall be my son." Which is also found in 1 Chronicles 17:13 and 1 Chronicles 22:10.

​Jeremiah 3:4 – "Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?"

​Jeremiah 3:19 – "...and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me."

​Jeremiah 31:9 – "...for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn."

​In the New Testament we read in ​2 Corinthians 6:18 – "And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

​Hebrews 1:5 – "...and again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?"

Jesus calls God father in Matthew 7:11, KJV If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? 

John 20:17 Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 

Romans 8:14-16 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

There are some who deny God revelation of himself as Father. They claim that God is not masculine, nor just a father. They do this only by ignoring the very record that God left us in order to know Him. Those same people believe it is okay and actually preferable to worship God as feminine, and they pray to Mother God or the Queen of Heaven, or even to the Mother of God. I don't have to tell you that such a belief is heresy. It is blasmphemy because it lies about the very nature of who God is. And I will go so far as to say that anyone who worships a Mother God is a pagan and not a Christian no matter what they call themselves or what is written on the sign outside their meeting place.

The Bible establishes the fact that God shows himself to us as a father. He is our heavenly Father, just as His Son, Jesus proclaimed, prayed and praised Him to be. It means something God is our Father and we should realize that due to that revelation of God, that fatherhood is important to our Creator.

On this Father’s Day 2026, in keeping with the theme of Jesus: Creator, Savior, Lord an King, I thought it would be interesting to see the places where Jesus, interacted with Fathers in the Gospel accounts.

There are many fathers mentioned in the Gospel accounts. ​Joseph – The earthly father of Jesus. ​Zechariah – The father of John the Baptist. ​Zebedee – The father of the apostles James and John. ​Jonah) – The father of Simon Peter and Andrew. ​Alphaeus – The father of the apostle James the Less. ​Simon of Cyrene –the father of Alexander and Rufus. Jesus famous parable tells us of the Prodigal Son’s Father – a character which representing God’s forgiveness and mercy. ​Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – are mentioned as patriarchal fathers of the nation of Israel. ​Simon Iscariot – who is mentioned as the father of Judas Iscariot.

But as far as I can gather, there are just three fathers in the Gospels that Jesus interacted with, Jairus, the ruler of the Capernaum synagogue, the Father who waited for Jesus at the foot of the Mount of Transfiguraton, and the Nobleman of Capernaum. Let’s look at each of these fathers to the circumstances or characteristic led to them being recorded in God’s Holy Word in relationship to Jesus. What qualities did these fathers have and are they qualities we should strive for in our roles as fathers.

Jairus - Life Saving Faith - Mark 5:22–24, 35–43;

And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. (Next comes the interruption by the woman who touched Jesus hem and was healed. Then Jairus story resumes in…)

Mark 5:35-43 KJV [35] While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? [36] As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. [37] And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. [38] And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. [39] And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. [40] And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. [41] And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. [42] And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. [43] And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

Jairus – A Father Seeking Life

Jairus was well known to Jesus for Jesus often went to the synagogue where Jairus was the ruler or administrator. Jairus had witnessed Jesus miracles, heard His teaching in the Synagogue as well as in and around Capernaum where Jesus for most of His earthly ministry lived probably in the house of Peter and his family.

When Jairus daughter fell deathly sick, Jesus was across the Sea of Galilee feeding the 5,000 or casting out the legion of demons from the possessed men of Gennesaret. He must have watched the shore everyday to see when Jesus would return, so He could go to him for the life of his daughter.

When Jesus was delayed by the woman touching the hem of His garment, the daughter died and servant was sent to find this desperate father and tell him, “Your daughter is dead. There is no reason to bother trouble the Master anymore.”

Jesus must have seen the shock, pain and terrible sense of loss on Jairus face for he said, “Be not afraid, only believe.” They went to the house and Jesus brought that lifeless little girl back from the dead.

Fathers, Seek Life For Your Children

What quality can a Father strive for in the actions of Jairus? What I see is a father who knows that his child’s only hope for life is in Jesus Christ. To me this should be an overriding characteristic of Christian fathers. Our children, our grandchild will have no good life in this world and no eternal life in the next if we don’t find Jesus ourselves and then bring Jesus to them.

From the very first days of childhood, a father should be showing, telling his children about Jesus. Every day is an opportunity, every sunrise, sunset, storm, rainbow or wind in the trees a demonstration of God in a young child’s heart and mind. But only if parents and I believe especially fathers tell them. “See that rainbow? God painted that for Noah and now He is painting it in the sky for you.”

This is what Paul believed, Ephesians 6:4 ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Fathers take your children from rainbows painted by God to a savior sent by God. You had better be telling them Bible stories, reading the Bible with them, praying to God before them. If you do not then they may miss the source of life, Jesus Christ.

And when this may seem hard or even hopeless, and it most assurdedly will, then remember the words of Jesus to Jairus, “Be not afraid, only believe.” And that will be enough.

The next father that spoke to Jesus recorded in scripture is nameless but we remember him for his prayer to Jesus.

​The Father of the Demon-Possessed Boy - Interceding Faith - Mark 9:14–29;

And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. [20] And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. [21] And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. [22] And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. [23] Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. [24] And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. [25] When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. [26] And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. [27] But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

A Father Interceding

When Jesus and His closest apostles came down from the glory of the mount of Transfiguration, they were confronted by the grime of a sin filled world. The scribes are debating with the disciples about demons and Jesus and power. In the midst of it all there is a desperate father trying to talk to Jesus about his demon possessed son.

When Jesus asks what is causing all this debate, the father come forward and tells Jesus about his son and the demon that the disciples could not cast out. Though they had been given this authority by Jesus when the 70 were sent out, here at this time they failed.

Jesus reprimands their lack of faith and then calls for the child who collapses at Jesus feet and the demon takes over his body, making him froth at the mouth and shake uncontrollably.

The father prays to Jesus, “have compassion on us, and help us.” This is a father interceding for his child. Jesus says, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Then comes the well-known response from the father, And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”

With tears in his eyes, “Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.” He trusted in Jesus, believed in Jesus but he also knew the wrestling that went on in his heart between belief and unbelief. “I belief, Lord, but help to overcome my unbelief.”

Fathers, Pray for Your Children

As close as I can remember it, Charles Spurgeon once said, “Never quit praying for your children. There is always hope as long as Jesus lives.”

That is what this father understood, If I can but go to Jesus on behalf of my child there is hope for my child.” Through the failure of the disciples, strife of the scribes and the chaos of his son’s possession, he still waited on the Lord.

Father’s you must realize that your children’s future depend a great deal on your prayers to God for them. Be your children greatest intercessor. Pray for them in every aspect of their life and in every hope of their home in heaven. Pray and let your children see and hear you pray by name for them.

This world is much more subtle and deadly today than a blunt force attack of a demon on a helpless child was then. You don’t have what is needed to combat this world and its sin so go to Jesus and pray earnestly. “Lord I believe but oh Lord help me in my unbelief. My children depend on me and I need you.”

The last father Jesus interacted with is also lacking the record of his name but again his actions with Jesus can’t be forgotten. He story is in..

​The Nobleman of Capernaum – Trusting Afar Faith - John 4:46-54

[46] So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. [47] When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.  [49] The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. [50] Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. [51] And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. [52] Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. [53] So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. [54] This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judæa into Galilee..

A Father Who Believed From Afar

Jesus is again at Cana and this ruler or nobleman was from Capernaum and knew Jesus when his son also was deathly sick, he went to Cana, which was a distance from Capernaum and he found Jesus. He went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

He wanted Jesus to go with Him, just as Jarius had wanted. “Sir, come down to Capernaum or else my child will die. But Jesus doesn’t go. Instead, he says, “Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.”

Did you hear what the Bible says about this father’s faith? He believed the word that Jesus said.” He trusted and took Jesus at His word. He believed that Jesus’ word was true and even though he would not be there to see the miracle happen, still he believed his son would be healed.

I had a tough time trying to label this faith until I settled on Faith Afar. It’s old-fashioned sounding but it’s better than Distant faith, or Faith once removed or faith down the road. Faith Afar is what this man had. Distance didn’t matter, time didn’t matter, difficulties didn’t matter. Jesus’s word was all that mattered. He believed.

When the servant met him probably the next day as he journeyed home and the nobleman asked when the child was healed, he knew it was the exact time when Jesus had told him, “Go home, your child lives.”

Fathers, Believe Jesus Unconditionally

Take Jesus at His word. Jesus is no longer with us on the earth. He died on the cross, was buried, rose from the dead and ascended back to His father’s throne in heaven. Jesus isn’t physically near us, no matter how wonderful that would be we have to wait until He comes back and take us to the Father’s home. So today, we must believe from afar.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:39-40 An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. That sign has been given and it is recorded in God’s holy word. We should not need anything else for our faith.

Paul said, “2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say…

Fathers, your faith today is built upon Jesus’ life, death and resurrection then and upon His words today. Your children need to have a father whose faith in God and trust in Jesus Christ can be seen. Jesus is not here on earth for your children to see but you are here and your children are seeing you. What do they see? Do they see faith in God that is unconditional? Faith that is without excuse? Faith that no matter the distance or obstacles will not quit believing what Jesus has promised.

One day we will get home to heaven and just like the nobleman we will realize how our prayers to and our faith in Jesus was answered. We will get there and see Jesus always kept his word. It will be as joyful as this father when he arrived home and saw his pray for his son answered.

Fathers, Heaven’s power is not hindered by distance or time, but it can only be brought to bear in the lives of your children when we believe.

Fathers you whole life should show the kind of faith that Martha had in Jesus at the tomb of her brother, Lazarus. John 11:25-27 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Conclusion

Being a father in this world is a tough, hard, nearly impossible job.

I believe that that is why Jesus has called fathers to Himself. Jesus’s Father, our God is sinless, all powerful, knowing and always present. He is perfectly in His justice and His love. Jesus referred to His Father often, prayed to His Father always and revealed His Father to us through His own life. We will never measure up to that standard.

Our hope lies not in a perfect fatherhood, but in access to our perfect Father through Jesus, His Son. That is where our hope and hearts should be on this Father’s Day. Go to Jesus seek life for your family. He is the life giver. Go to Jesus and intercede for you children. He is the One who answers prayer. Go to Jesus and put your faith in Him unconditionally. He has promised, “I will never leave you. Never forsake you. Never fail you.”

Fathers much rests on your shoulders, but Jesus has promised he would bear the yoke with us. This morning let us rejoice and trust in that promise.