Father's Day 2026*

      As we view the current events in the world today, honoring fathers - fathers who raise us, spiritual fathers and God as our Father - is essential for our growth and wellbeing. The precept was so foundationally important that the LORD made it part of The Ten Commandments and also attached special blessings to the observance of this commandment: "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which thy LORD thy God giveth thee." (Ex. 20:12). The commandment is repeated with another blessing attached in Deuteronomy 5:16: "Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." Not only does honoring this commandment come with the promise of long life, but it is also accompanied with the promise that it may go well with us in the land which we have been given.

     Jesus gave a scathing commentary on the religious hypocrites of His day, which were the religious leaders made up of Pharisees and scribes. Jesus said to do those things that these leaders said, but not to follow the examples of their actions. Their actions were not dictated by their honor and love for God, but rather their love of honor and love of titles for themselves. They devoured the houses of widows under the pretext of a religious obligation. These religious hypocrites loved for people to address them as "Rabbi" or "Father", or "Master", but in God's kingdom, Jesus said: "...he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in....ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves." (see Mt. 23:1-15, excerpt).

     In contrast to these hypocritical religious leaders, the apostle Paul wrote of how those who truly serve the Lord conduct themselves, and often, like himself, suffer for the sake of Christ and the Gospel at the hands of others' contempt. Paul wrote to the worldly church at Corinth: "...that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another." He said of being an apostle in service to Christ: "For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men....Even unto this present hour we are both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place...I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me." (1 Cor. 4:1-16, excerpt).

     Paul wrote to this church as a spiritual father to them, warning them not to be conformed to the ways and honors of the world, which are at enmity with God. He would write later that we are to be transformed by the Word of God. He begged them to follow his example. Fathers, whether natural or spiritual, set examples for their children, as Paul said above, and the children imitate their father's actions even more than their father's words.

     Paul argued that even as others had received support from this church at Corinth, shouldn't he also be entitled to receive from them? He wrote: "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." (1 Cor. 9:1-13, excerpt). The world has a problem with preachers of the Gospel and money, because, as we read earlier, the Pharisees devoured the widows' houses in religious obligations. However, it is not at all unreasonable, but it is scriptural, for a minister in the Gospel to receive from those who have been taught the spiritual truth from those ministers.

     Paul did not teach this correction, which is repeatedly confirmed in the scriptures, to the Corinthians in order to gain wealth for himself, and most sincere ministers of the Gospel, following Pauls' example, give away more than they receive in support. This again is the attitude of a spiritual father.

     Paul concluded: "...necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!...What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel." (v. 16-18). The faithful minister does not "charge" for the gospel, but the faithful receiver of the benefits of this preaching is Biblically correct to give financial support to the faithful minister. In fact, the LORD corrected His people and His ministers, the priests, regarding the principle of tithes and offerings as giving honor to Him as their Father. The LORD said: "A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests that despise my name...". (Malachi1:6). A father/Father deserves honor and reverence.

     The LORD said that His priests (we are called to be kings and priests before the Lord) gave polluted and contemptible offerings and sacrifices, not to honor God as Father, but to give what they themselves didn't want. If they don't want the inferior sacrifice being offered, why would they think that God would be pleased with it? (see v. 7-8). Instead of leading the people in the knowledge of truth, including the truth of sacrifices and offerings, the priests were failing to keep the priesthood covenant: "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they (the people) should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But ye (priests) are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law." (Mal. 2:1-9, excerpt).

     Are you faithful in what you bring to the altar of your heavenly Father, God, or do you bring what you won't miss anyway? As the rich brought a small part of their wealth to give at the temple, Jesus remarked on a widow who gave the equivalent of two pennies. He said that she was most blessed because, while others gave out of their plenty, she gave all of her small living to the Lord. Her giving reflected her love and honor for God.

     In Malachi 3, the LORD asked the question: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me...Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes...And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts." (Mal. 3:8-12, excerpt).

     For those who feared (reverence, hold in awe) the LORD and spoke to one another about it, the LORD would hear those conversations, and "...a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." (v. 16-17). The LORD speaks of these who will be remembered and written of as a Father speaks of and spares his faithful son, Malachi wrote.

     The Book of Proverbs, the Book of Wisdom, says in many places for the son being addressed to hear and obey the words of his father who is speaking these godly words to him. In Proverbs 11, the writer instructs the reader how a person is a liberal giver, and yet increases, rather than one who withholds and is cursed., also saying: "He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. " Proverbs 23 says to "hearken unto thy father ...and despise not thy mother...The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him...My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways." We find that wisdom and righteousness in Christ in the house and word of God. Fathers, be mindful and be an example for your children. Teach them godly wisdom.

     Honor your heavenly Father and your earthly and spiritual fathers so it might go well with you, and so that you will have long life in the land.

    *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 6/21/26 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on the Facebook page of Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at the Kenneth Stevenson channel. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, which is evidence of Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook. Also the book NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling, written by Dr. Stevenson, is available on Amazon.