Godly Manhood Produces Godly Leadership

Introduction

For the last few weeks As we have slowly traversed through Peter’s 1st Letter to the exiled churches in Asia Minor we have been looking at the relationships we have in this life.

We looked at the relationship we have as Christians with the government, then we looked at our relationships at our employment, last week looked at the wife relationship with Her husband and today, we are going to delve into the husbands relationship with His wife.

And what Peter has communicated to the church is that in every relationship we are in whether it’s easy or hard our core purpose as a believer is the same.

Avoid Sinning

and Live a life that looks like Jesus. (1 Peter 2:11-12

Men, in your marriages, your greatest goal is to Bring God the glory from the way that you lead as the head of the home.

and in order to do this you must Avoid sinning and live like Jesus.

Please turn with me in your own Bible and follow along as I read our text this morning in 1 Peter 3:7 1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Peter is speaking to Christian men. and in this text He gives a picture of what Godly leadership looks like in the marriage.

Men your greatest role in Marriage is not your own success or power or happiness its to pursue the glory of God in the way that you lead.

and brothers the only way that we could ever live out godly leadership in our marriage is if we first pursue Godly manhood in our lives.

This morning before we jump into this text, I want us to begin our time by looking at three things Men must pursue in their life if they are going to be godly leaders in their homes.

3 Things Godly Manhood Pursues

1. Godly Manhood Pursues Biblical truth:

Godly manhood is deeply rooted in the pursuit of biblical truth as the foundation for a man's beliefs, values, and actions.

Brothers- Dont ever forget that The Bible is God's inspired Word. Its His gift to you so that you can know how to lead well. Its your source to know how to avoid sinning and to look like Jesus in your marriage relationship.

And friends the Bible must serve as your ultimate source of truth and wisdom, guiding you in your understanding of God's character and the principles that govern a righteous life.

ps 119:105 declares……

Psalm 119:105 (ESV)

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Illustration of walking in the dark without a flashlight and then turning it on.

A man pursuing Godliness must immerse himself in the Word of God, allowing it to illuminate his path and shape his decisions.

Brothers To try and live a godly life without a love for God’s Word is like trying to navigate an unknown trail through the mountains in the darkness of night. it will only lead to failure and leave you lost in your sin.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV)

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Godly Manhood reads Gods Word, lets it permeate His life, and allows it to be his guide.

Brothers do you believe the words of Hebrews 4:12

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Godly manhood is not just reading and knowing the Scriptures…

… its about allowing God’s Word to penetrate the deepest darkest cavities of your heart, expelling all the selfish sinfulness you have been holding on to in your life.

Brothers, God’s Word is foundational to Pursuing Godly manhood. You must be in it daily letting it permeate your heart and lead your life.

the 2nd thing that Godly Manhood Pursues is a Life of Personal integrity

2. Godly Manhood Pursues Personal Integrity

Theres an ancient Chinese story about an emperor who was about to die and had no heirs.

So He called for all the young boys to come to His castle where He gave them each a seed and instructed them to take these seeds back to their villages and plant it in a pot and tend it for one year and then return to the palace to show the Emperor what they had grown.

One Boy named Ling took his seed back to his village and loving planted it in a pot and diligently watered it every day.

A few weeks later the boys from the village started talking about how their plants were growing, Some had trees in their pots, others had flowers starting to emerge , But Ling’s Pot still had nothing in it.

He tried everything He could think of to make His seed grow but nothing happened

.After the year had passed the emperor called for all the boys to come to the place and present their pots and show Him what they had grown,

As he looked at each plant meticulously He told the boys how well they had done at growing their plants- He gave each of them much praise on how much they must have labored to grow such beautiful trees and flowers.

But then He came to Ling’s Pot- and there was nothing there. And He looked at the boy and said what Happend ,

And Ling in fear of what the emperor might do said Sir I tried so hard to get my seed to grow I watered it ever day I put it in the sun, I changed the soil so that it would great nutrients, but nothing seemed to make it grow,

The emperor seeming unimpressed moved on and continued to complement the other boys on their Plants

After he had looked at them all He stood before the crowd and and said Almost all of you have presented me with Beautiful plants worthy of an emperor. I can tell how much You must want to be my heir to the throne.

But one of you brought a pot with nothing in it.

LING would come forward. As ling came forward the other boys started laughing at him because hE had failed at growing a plant for the emperor.

the emperor took Ling’s Pot from Him held it up to the crowd and said “ One year ago I gave each of you a seed and asked you to return today with what that seed had grown into.

What no one else new was that I boiled everyone of those seeds to the point that it would be impossible for any of them to grow.

And only this one Boy has returned with the seed I gave Him, The rest of you replaced my seed with another.

Because of His integrity He will Inherit my Kingdom

Men, integrity is choosing to do the right thing Every time no matter the cost.

`Its choosing to avoid sinning even when no one will ever find out

its choosing to live a life that reflects the character Christ even when the world around you laughs at you.

Proverbs 11:3 (NIV)The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

Integrity is choosing to align your life with the principles found in God’s Word and Not wavering even when this world calls you foolish.

Godly Manhood understands that personal integrity in a marriage means walking the walk not just talking the talk. it means that you treat your wife with love and respect at home even when noone else will ever see.

It means being honest and transparent, both in public and in private, striving to live a life that is a testimony to the truth of God's Word.

3. Godly Manhood Pursues Humble Service

Having the role of leader isn’t hard for men to want Right/

it nice being in charge getting to have the final say Right.

Well men we need to understand that god did not Call you to be a leader He called you to be a servant who leads.

and He gave us an example to follow in the way that we are called to lead.

Philippians 2:3–8

(ESV)

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Men to be a humble servant means to avoid sinning to avoid selfishness ambition and conceit

it means to exemplify Jesus Christ in your life in the way that you huymbly serve others in the way that you lead.

There is no greater passion for a man to pursue in His marriage than to be like Jesus in the way he leads His wife.

`Humble service means putting aside your personal desires and considering the needs of those around you above your own,

In Matthew 20:26-28 Jesus is speaking about leaders and He says

Matthew 20:26–28 (ESV)

26 …… whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Men God has not called us to be powerful dictators in the home He has called us to be Servant leaders. Looking out for the physical, emotional , and spiritual good of our families.

Trans. Men if we are going to be Godly leaders in our marriages, than we must pursue Godly manhood in our lives

We must pursue Biblical truth

We must pursue Personal integrity

We must pursue Humble Service.

And men when Godly manhood is our pursuit the result will be Be Godly leadership in our homes.

transition; and Now we come to our text in 1 Peter 3:7 Where Peter Exhorts Christian Husbands to Live out their Godly manhood in the way that they lead in their marriages.

let me Read the text again for you this morning

1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

I believe that as we look at this verse we will see three ways that a husband is to lead in the marriage relationship

3 Ways a husband leads in the Marriage relationship with his wife

A Godly Husband Leads His Wife Physically

1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

The greek word translated “living with” s synoikeo (See-NEE- K-O) which was used primarily to describe the intimate relationship between a husband and his wife.

Peter is saying “Men your marriage is more than just sharing a house together. its more than just coexisting its more than just raising a family

a godly husband will make it a priority to be with his wife physically, to spend time with her so that he can understand her needs and joyfully fulfill those needs.

You can truly care for someone deeply of you dont know them deeply.

a survey came out a while back that said that the average husband and wife only spend 37 minutes together each week in conversation.

Men that is not enough time for you to understand your wife’s needs.

Why is it that we can spend hours talking to our buddies about our hobbies,

or even spend hours upon hours watching our children play sports and investing into their lives, but fail at building into the most important human relationship we have on this earth with our wives?

its no wonder that so many marriages fall apart after the kids leave the home.

Men do you understand that in the biblical structure of relationships that your relationship with your wife is just below your relationship with Jesus is above every other relationship you have?

There is no other bond spoken of in scripture that is more precious than the relationship you have with your wife.

And I would take it as far as to say that their is no other human relationship that Can bring God more glory than the union between a husband and wife

Why, because it is this relationship that is to be a picture of Christ and His Church, because marriage is the union that God instituted to carry out his creation mandate.

Men to be a godly husband you must be a godly leader when it comes to the physical relationship with your wife.

make time to be with your wife, Dwell with her, take the time to get to know her more and more each day and loving fulfill her needs.

Trans; Peter goes on in our verse and say ……

1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

A Godly Husband Leads His Wife Emotionally

TO honor your wife means that you lift her up to place of great esteem,

Your wife should feel like a queen when she’s around you.

I love the imagery that Peter Paints for us in this statement- He’s saying honor your wife in such a way that she knows how precious she is to you.

Peter calls the wife a weaker vessel, But he is not saying that the women is weaker in her ability to make decisions , or weaker in her emotions or even weaker in her spiritual maturity,

He’s simply saying that a man who is godly will treat his wife like the most precious treasure he has.

Yesterday I bought at an online auction a small clay oil lamp that dates back to the time of King David- its 3000 years old. And I asked my sister to go and pick it up. But I told her to take extra care of it because its is irreplaceable It fagile, and even with the smallest mistake it could be shattered forever. This lamp is gping to sit on my shelf in my office on display because it is a precious treasure that I want to protect and care for.

Men to honor your wife means that you understand her value and her worth

to honor your wife means that you respect her opinions, her feelings, and her desires.

to Honor your wife means that you do what ever you can to build her up emotionally so that she is confident in the women God has made her to be.

Transition;

Peter goes on in our verse and says

1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Peter reminds Husbands that their role as the leader also falls over the spiritual relationship in the Marriage

3. A Godly Husband Leads His Wife Spiritually

Peter is saying men your wife is an equal heir in the grace of God.

Remember what Paul said in Gal 3:28 when He was describing Christians? He said

Galatians 3:28 (ESV)

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The Bible is very clear when it comes to our relationship with God.

There is no differentiating from men and women

in Fact Romans 3:10-12 describes all of us the same before Jesus steps into our lives.

Romans 3:10–12 (ESV)

10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

Romans 6:23 goes on to tell us that everyone of us is condemned eternally to the lake of Fire because of our own sin.

Husbands you are condemned because of your own sin

and Wives you are equally condemned because of your own sin

But this is where the grace of life steps in.

Titus 2:11 (ESV)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

Grace is God offering you eternal life when you deserve eternal death

His grace is equally offered to all regardless of who we are or what we have done..

Church family understand that if you have accepted The free gift of salvation in your life then you are an equal heir to the grace of eternal life that Christ has promised the redeemed.

And Peter is simply saying Husbands your not any more blessed by God then your wife,

To lead your wife spiritually means that you see her as an equal heir to the grace of God in their life. And that you understand that as the leader you have been given the responsibility to lead Spiritually in that relationship.

The Warning

Peter ends this verse with a warning for Christian husbands-

1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

He simple says if you do not treat your wife the way God has called you to treat her, If you dont lead well, your prayers will become ineffective.

Men there are consequences when we fail to live a godly life in our marriages and one of those consequences is that our sinfulness drives a wedge between you and your God.

Men when you fail to avoid sinning in your marriage and you fail at living a life of Godly in your marriage there are spiritual consequences to your prayer life.

David wrote in Psalm66:18

Psalm 66:18 (ESV)

18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

Proverbs 28:9 (ESV)

9 If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

Isaiah 59:2 ESV

2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Brothers listen to me- The way you treat your wife matters when it comes to your prayer life with your savior.

BRING IT HOME

Godly Husbands

Are Godly Leaders

Who Pursue Godly Manhood

You cannot be a godly husband if you are not pursuing Godly Manhood in your life,.

Pursue Biblical truth- and live your life according to its Design

Pursue Personal integrity- Chose to do whats right no matter the cost

Pursue Humble Service- Be a leader that choses to serve others the same way that Christ has served you.

Men be the Husband that God intends for you to be-

Stop being lazy when it comes to your role as a leader in your marriage

Lead your wife Physically Spend

Men Chose to live with your wife in an understanding way

Chose to Honor her as the most precious gift you have been given from God

And chose see her as an equal heir to the grace God has given you,

Godly Husbands Are Godly Leaders Who Pursue Godly Manhood

~Men I challenge you this morning to stand up be the godly husband that your wife and kids need you be

take charge of the spiritual growth in your home Avoid Sinning and look like Jesus in the way you lead!

as 1 Cor 16:13 says Be Watchful, Stand Firm, Be strong and Act Like Men,

Pray!