PASTOR Tobi Adegboyega has charged fathers to emulate the father-son relationship that existed between Abraham and Isaac as they seek to perfectly exemplify the concept of fatherhood within the God-ordained context.
He made this call while speaking during the Father’s Day service of the SPAC Nation, the United Kingdom’s fastest growing Pentecostal ministry.
During the service themed: ‘Fatherhood’, Pastor Tobi said this relationship is needed because the concept of fatherhood is chosen, not imposed and transcends being just biological.
PT journeyed through the scriptures while delivering the sermon, reading from Psalm 2:6-8, Genesis 22, Psalm 45:9-10 and 1 Corinthians 4:14 among others to drive home his points for better understanding.
He challenged fathers to regularly have the needed father-son discussion with their children, just like Abraham and Isaac as well as God and Jesus Christ.
“When you open yourself to this father-son interaction, your children will easily follow your lead. It was this relationship that made Isaac follow Abraham and ready himself to be offered as the sacrifice . In present-day terms, we can refer to Isaac as complicit, instead of being the victim.”
Pastor Tobi said that was the same with Jesus Christ when he offered to die for the sins of the world because that was the will of His father. According to him, without Jesus obeying the desires of the father, we would not be here today.
“When we had challenges after many Pastors left in 2016, I submitted myself to that father-son conversation and God showed me that we were in the right place. Vulnerability from Isaac to Abraham was of self-will.”
“A real father does not unnecessarily pamper his child. He will in fact ‘kill’ the child if need be, knowing that he is obeying the will of God, who unknown to him would have provided a ram in the thicket.
Having children does not make you a father; it only shows your ability to reproduce.”
PT went further to advise fathers to ensure they offer the right sacrifice at the right place, explaining that Isaac would have been killed for nothing if Abraham had gone to the wrong place.
“It is in surrendering to God’s desire that provision was made for Abraham, hence the name Jehovah Jireh given to God. When you get to that right place, there will be provision. The ram was caught in the thicket and could not move because it was God’s actual intended sacrifice. When God gives you something, He will test you by asking you to give it back. Make sure you sacrifice right and in the right place.”
Referring to fatherhood as a sacrifice, Pastor Tobi said it is not just a teaching but a lifestyle. He said fatherhood changes the complexion of things for a man. According to him, finance is not the major foundation on which fatherhood is built, but the voice of God to take the lead trumps any monetary or material consideration in playing the role of a father.
“Every father should be like Abraham and follow God’s instructions even when it is not convenient, or sounds crazy like having to sacrifice one’s only son. Fatherhood does not major in the minor; it instead seeks to speak the language of nations just like Abraham.”
As he closed out the sermon, PT prayed for guidance for fathers and sons to be able to play their roles effectively. He then announced that The Nxtion Family will again go on a major campaign aimed at reducing the renewed increase in the rate of knife crimes on the streets of London in the spirit of fatherhood. He said this was necessary because the ministry would not fold its hands and allow many to be sent to their early graves despite the needless hostility of the press and some governmental bodies.
“We do not care about publicity or meetings with MPs and others. All we want is to reduce bloodshed and save our young ones from avoidable death.”