The story of Israel's captivity in Egypt and eventual settling of the Promised Land is one of the underpinnings of the Jewish Faith. It is the story of God's love affair with the Jewish people. How God spoke the command of freedom through the lips of Moses: "Pharoah, let my people go." Ten times Pharoah promised, and ten times Pharaoh went back on his word ... and then God acted on behalf of the Israelites. Moses held up his hands and the seas parted and the people walked across dry ground to the Sinai Peninsula. That's a brief context for this word of God, through the lips of Moses: "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.... (Y)ou shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation." Small wonder that when the people heard these words, they shouted out as one, ""Everything that the LORD has spoken we will do." Then Moses went up the mountain to get the Ten Commandments and the entire relationship between God and the people started to go downhill. But that's another story.

My point is that God built up the people of Israel with these words: "but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation." Forget for a moment about faith in God; think for a moment about the faith of God. The faith God had in this relatively tiny, rag-tag bunch of refugees out of Egypt. God saw the rags and the tags and said: "but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom;" God saw the bickering and the disobedience and the stubbornness that characterized these men and women. God saw it all ... and looked past it all: he declared them to be a nation. Make that, "a holy nation."

I want to grab hold and emphasize this tiny verse from Exodus, these lofty words of God to the people: "you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples." Perhaps for the very first time the Israelites had the sense that Almighty God had deep love for them, in spite of themselves. God knew who they were; God saw who they could be. And like a loving father, God spoke so lovingly to the people: "you shall be my treasured possession." Things went south for the People of Israel. They disobeyed God and languished in the wilderness of Sinai for forty long years ... but God never ceased loving the children of Israel, and God never tired of expecting better of them. Ideally, this is the role of a father: always loving the children and holding a high standard for the children. And when the children don't measure up ... well, a wise father loves them in spite of their failings.

The Jewish people had many descriptions for God .... but it was a theological leap for them to think of the God of all creation as "Father." I'm not sure how early in Israel's history that the leap was made. I do know that the relationship between God and the children of God intensified when Jesus invited his followers: "When you pray, do it this way: "Our Father." Elsewhere Jesus used the word Abba ... which has the sense of "Daddy."

Over the years I don't think I've ever preached a Father's Day sermon. I was taught that the assigned readings and theme for a particular day always took precedence over any secular themes. But about 6:15 this morning, I decided to file my sermon and start all over with father as a theme. In the context, of course, of God as our Father. This change came about because the sudden death of a wonderful father and wonderful son, Tim Russert. From almost the very moment the news broke on Friday, commentators spoke glowingly of an outstanding career and an even better man. And while some spoke of his occupational accomplishments, and they were many, almost everyone highlighted Tim's role as son to his father and father to his son.

If you've been following the in-depth news coverage, you know that Tim's father was a GI in World War II and came home, got married, worked two job, raised four kids ... a typical story for those of our Greatest Generation. The downside of this powerful work ethic is that Big Russ never attended Tim's ballgames and school events. Too busy with two jobs. But Tim understood the reality of the situation, and he knew the depth of his father's love. The upside was that it also informed the way Tim would raise his own son.  He made a promise to himself, that no matter how much money he was making and how busy his life, he would try hard not to miss his son's baseball games and school events.

The word "eulogy" comes from the Greek, and means literally, "a good word." This sermon is not meant to be a eulogy for Tim Russert. Not in the traditional sense. But I do want to hold up a "good word" about fathers. And one way to do that would be to hold up a good father as role model. That is to say: Big Russ. And his son Tim.

I suppose I could write a book about my father, Lester Kennedy. Like Tim Russert's father, Tim Kennedy's dad was born and raised in Buffalo. He was forced to leave school by the eighth grade to help support his parents and sisters. He was a veteran and when he returned from the war he started a family and worked hard to raise his kids.

My father was about my size, so the book would be entitled, "Little Les and Me." And the title would be appropriate because I had a little less of a relationship with my father than Tim Russert had with his. My father was critical of all five of his kids and maybe more so of me, being the only son. I can't recall he ever told me he loved me, but I understand it's a generational thing. Even in the most loving families of that generation, parents found it difficult to speak loving words to their children. But then it happened. Two months before his unexpected death, my father said four words to me that changed my life. He said, "I'm proud of you." I had no idea. I was twenty-five years old, and I didn't have a clue my father was proud of me. Those words were a blessing to me. I think of those times in the Bible when the voice of God is heard, speaking of Jesus, "This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased." Did the chest of Jesus puff out in pride? Did his shoulders get lifted?" I know it changed my whole world to hear words from my Dad, "I'm proud of you." He said it just once ... and it was enough.

To go full circle on this Father's Day, the words of God at Sinai ... are spoken also to us: "you shall be my treasured possession." I don't want to put words in God's mouth, but it almost sounds if God is saying, "My people, I am proud of you."

Parents, tell your children you love them - not because of who they are - but merely - because they are! It's never too late for any parent, no matter how good a parent, to be a better parent. To tell our children how much we value them, to echo our heavenly Father, "you shall be my treasured possession." Children hear enough negative comments in a day, to last them for a month. A word of love and praise might just last forever. Don't believe me? Think of my four word book entitled, "Little Les and Me."