Untitled Sermon (2)

Introduction

Thank you Pastor todd for this oppoirtunity

Thank you to the those who made the food this mornign and everyone who had something to do with makin this happen.

This morning I”m going to spend some time with you to encourage you and challenge you.

I love when I get the opportunity to speak to just men. Men should expect things shot straight. So I’m going to work at doing that this morning. Sound good to you? Can I just shoot straight?

Character-A busy man

Have you ever found yourself busy?

Some of you may remember a show called Adny griffith. I grew up watching stuff like that.

I remember them sitting around doing a little picking and sittin on the front porch. I don’t know how much of that was done up here in the North but in the south that was very common.

And no matter where I go and who I talk to, I hear about how fast life is.

Men, life is moving fast and one day your gonna be closer to the finish line than the starting line.

Do you have ay way of knowing how you spent it?

Problem-no clarity on Christ, Identity, or purpose

Many men are too busy trying to make a life rather than actually live. We have the jobs, the side hustles, the overtime, and all these things in order to just make it yet God didn’t call you to make it. Do you remember what Jesus said about your life?

John 10:10 CSB

10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Jesus came for you to have an abundant life. What does that mean?

It doesn’t mean that you get to name and claim whtever you want. It doesn’t mean you get to treat God like a Genie and expect him to answer your every desire becuase you are you.

I believe the abundant life is found by knowingg Jesus, knowing who you are in Jesus, and living from that identity for the purpose He has called you to.

However, when we are just getting by and not making time for the things that make for an abundant life.

Agitated- guilt, feelings of failure, confusion

Have you ever tried to build anything with your hands or fix something?

Now, i”m gonna tell you, my wife will be the frist to tell you that she made it our of the country with a city boy. I’m quite the opposite of anything yo would think of when you think of a man from tennessee. I’m not a handyman at all.

One time I tried to build a small table, just to see if it was something I enjoyed and would get into.

I looked at a picture of what I wanted, did some googling about tools needed, and went to the store.

Now, at that point in ym life I had never used wood clamps or wood glue. I figured some strong screws woudl be fine.

So I biuilt my table in the garage and quickly discovered how wobbly and unsteady it was. I showed my wife and her being the loving and honest woman she was, told me “well…you can put it in oru bedroom but itsn’t not going in the living room.”

IT was the worst excuse for a table…why though? Why did it end up that way? I had no clarity on what it should look like, I had no clarity on the purpose I was making it for, and I was just winging it.

Eveer thouht your life was that way? Your just winging it and hopin for the best?

Just like I didn’t have to with my poor table build, you don’t have to guess with your life.

Solution- Know Jesus, Know yourself, live from who he says you are

Followers of Jesus while he was on earth thought they knew who He was ut when he wasn’t what they expected, they turned on Him.

Today is known as Palms Sunday and it’s the marked by the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

Luke 19:35–37 “35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. 36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. 37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;”

What were they celebrating? The coming death burial and resurection? No.

They were celebrating what they thought was the triumphal entry of the leader that woudl overturn the roman government and help them be free from roman rule.

They didn’t know Jesus as who He was. They knew Jesus for who they wanted Him to be. And when he turned out to be something different…a week later they were saying Crucify Him.

When men don’t know Jesus for who the Bible says He is they get angry with him and make poor decisions.

Becuase you can’t be crucified with Christ if you don’t know Christ. You can’t have Jesus living in you if you dont’ know Jesus.

Some say they know Jesus because they’ve trusted Him as their Savior. that’s jsut the tip of the ice berg.

Guide- The Bible, MAG

God gave us His Word men, not so we coudl memorize it, not so we could read it, not so we could study it.

Those aren’t bad things to do but what is the purpose of His Word? To know the one who wrote it.

I know men right now that know grew up hearing preaching, memorizing verses, and are even involved in church now but don’t live like it.

They knwo the Word but they don’t the one who wrote the Word.

And then you can’t forget the other men you need in your life.

It’s one of the reason I started the Men After God podcast and Network. It’s because there are men that are trying to live their lives disconnected from the God of the Bible.

Christian en find themselves seeking to acheive succes in life but never define it. And I say that you can’t acheived success without a thriving faith and faily.

So we founded the network to provide content, community, coaching, and conferences, to help you achieve success witha thriving faith and family.

What is success though? Faithful obedience to Jesus.

But you can’t be faithfully obedient to Jesus until you know Jesus.

Journey- Know Jesus, Know Self, Know purpose

I’m gonna give you three thigns to walk away with that I believe your relationshiwp with the Bible, pryer, and the MAG network will do to help you live an abundant life fro the identity Jesus gave you so you can have clarity, not feel guilty, or confused as to if you are living a life for Christ.

1. Know Jesus

Jesus said in His prayer to the father

John 17:3 “3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

He described eternal life as knowing the Father and the Son.

Knwing their love, their mercy, their grace, and their forgivenss. But you have to know that alongside their wrath, justice, and vengeance.

This is the beginning of livingg as a Man After God. If you are after God’s heart like David was than you know it’s ok to be a man as god made you.

2. Know yourself

David wrote in Psalm 4:4 “4 Stand in awe, and sin not: Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.”

Do you konw who you are in Christ? Do you know the desires he has placed in your heart?

or have you been living based on what other people have told you about Jesus? On who other people have told you you are.

Are you the husband God made you to be? Are you the father God made you to be? Are you the man God made you to be?

If not then who are you living for?

3. Know your purpose