Building a Biblical man Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Intro:
Intro:
2 “As for me, I am going the way of all of the earth. Be strong and be a man,
3 and keep your obligation to the Lord your God to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees. This is written in the law of Moses, so that you will have success in everything you do and wherever you turn,
4 and so that the Lord will fulfill his promise that he made to me: ‘If your sons take care to walk faithfully before me with all their heart and all their soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’
In his book Why Men Hate Going to Church, David Murrow cites a Barna study that found women to be
57 percent more likely to participate in adult Sunday school,
54 percent more likely to participate in a small group,
46 percent more likely to disciple others, and
39 percent more likely to have a devotional time or quiet time.
Why?
Churches have adjusted their ethos to accomodate women rather than truth. This had the unintended result of making the worship more estrogen driven the testosterone driven.
We have lost balance. Like a marriage estrogen and testosterone are needed they compliment each other. They do not compete with one another.
This enviroment has served churches well, because women and soft men can flourish in these settings.
Stats tells us: that Brookings Institute points out that in 1965, 3% of white infants were born to single mothers, while 24% of black infants were born to single mothers. In 25 years, the number grew to 64% for blacks and 18% for whites.
89% of elementary school teachers are women
How has that affected men?
Men have been shaped far more by women than men! Normal men behaviors like jumping in a puddle after getting dressed by church are discouraged.
Music, Entertainment and clothing industry has picked up on this and is making content that is gender ambiguous.
(2) “As for me, I am going the way of all of the earth. Be strong and be a man” This word by David assumes there are physiological, sociological, biological, intellectual and spiritual differences between the sexes.
Satan has worked feverishly to pervert Genesis 1:27
27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.
And he has done a masterful job. Our young men are soft as dollar store cotton. Men we need to take our young men back.
And that is not through performative macho inducing activities like Monster Truck Rally’s. Although there is nothing wrong with these things.
But it’s our job to create an environment at he church that celebrates and encourages little boys’ to be boys and the help them grow to men!
Last week we went over Three Characteristics of a biblical man:
The Fear the Lord
They Love the Lord
The learn to balance Compassion and Truth in their lives.
This week we are moving to: Real men walk in integrity.
III. Real men walk in integrity
III. Real men walk in integrity
21 May integrity and what is right watch over me, for I wait for you.
1 Vindicate me, Lord, because I have lived with integrity and have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
9 The one who lives with integrity lives securely, but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them.
Integrity- be complete(perfect or mature), unscathed, without fault, free of blemish.
Ps 26:1(EXP) David is looking to good for vindication because he had walked in integrity and his honesty must have cost him something so he is asking God to reveal his character.
Proverbs 10:9(EXP) The one who lives in honesty and integrity never has to worry about something coming up from his present or his past. He can sleep at night at home, because he knows he has been loyal to wife and kids. He can walk into work with confidence because he knows he has been a man of integrity.
Proverbs 11:3(EXP) Solomon contrast two types of people in this proverbial statement
The man of principles is guided by his principles. This is a man who has a bottom line. He has lines he won’t cross and boundaries he won’t move. Solomon tells us this man will be guided through the mindfield of life because of his convictions.
Solomon says the “perversity” that words means “to twist, misrepresent or lead astray” this is someone who is not “straight-forward” they are inconsistent and duplicitous. In the hood they are the ones we says “is always trying to get over” He has no integrity. The only thing he is convincted about is his own self interest. Notice what happens to him. “It will eventually destroy him!” The only way Criminals make it to ole age is because they are locked up. This is the bible promise that the person without integrity will be found out and be destroy either in this life or the next. Their destruction is certain.
The integrity of men is to be measured by their conduct, not by their professions.
Anonymous
Listen to how Jesus described Nathanael:
47 Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
(47) Jesus describes Nathanael as a man without “treachery, cunning, or dishonesty” We might says Nathanael is a “straight-shooter”
Integrity is the basis of all true-blue success.
B. C. Forbes
The greatest danger facing the United States is not a military lag but a slump in personal and public integrity.
Anonymous
Not only do Real men live in integrity they also learn to battle their own fleshly desires
IV. Real men battle the flesh
IV. Real men battle the flesh
5 But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Sober-minded-to be free from intoxicating influences
Control your appetites before they control you.
Saint John Climacus
3 For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality, 4 that each of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don’t know God.
Self-control-sober-minded-to free from intoxicating influences. Paul picks up on this in 1 Corinthians 6:12
12 “Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.
Notice the last clause “but I will not be mastered by anything!” This takes me back to the definition of “self-control” Self-control is to have mastery of your desires. This does not convey perfection. It conveys control. No longer lead to and fro by your flesh but taking dominion over your healthy and unhealthy desires.
2 Timothy 4:5(EXP) Paul tells Timothy to exercise self-control in everything. Exercise in the “present” tense. Meaning something you do daily. It is not a one-time finished endeavor. It is a daily battle. It’s a dog-fight.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5(EXP) What’s God’s will????
(3-5) That you be sanctified “holy for use” particularly in the area of sexual purity, and how do we do it? Each one Knows(oida) is instinctive knowledge. Shakespeare said it best “to thy own self be true” The bible expects you to know your propensities, triggers, and weaknesses. Then it ask you to not put yourself into situation where your weaknesses can be exploited.
If you trying to lose weight and love ice cream don’t go to baskin robbins!
If you are trying to stop drinking don’t go into the liquor store
If you are struggling with porn put locks on the phone and give the code to your wife or accountability partner.
Listen to Solomon describe a person without self-control in Proverbs 25:28
28 A person who does not control his temper is like a city whose wall is broken down.
V. Real Men display biblical humility
V. Real Men display biblical humility
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
3 Moses was a very humble man, more so than anyone on the face of the earth.
5 Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.
That word “humble” is often interchanged with the word “meek” The OT has a sound definition of this word. Meekness is the quality of being gentle, patient, and humble. Often misunderstood as weakness, it is frequently described as "strength under control"—the ability to possess power, authority, or strong emotions but choosing to use them with restraint and kindness rather than aggression. A humble person is teachable and flexible. The realize all the answer are not in themselves and they are willing to defer when neccesary for the greater good.
Humility is not:
Insecurity-They are often talking about their weaknesses to give the illusion they are humble
Indecisiveness-These are people you can’t pin down because they are never sure of anything. There is a place for unsurety particularly the places that God has not given revelation, but in the places God has spoke clearly so should we. These are the people who like to sound profound and hide it behind a veil of humililty.
Inactivity-These are the people who use their weaknesses to hide their laziness. They sound humble and meek but in reality they want to sit rather than serve.
To be Humble is to be secure in your identity in Christ and confidently live in it.
To be Humble is to me able to make decision based on the principles in God’s word and stand “ten toes down”
To be humble is work for the Lord until he calls you home. Listen to Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:10
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
VI. Real men are principled-They are willing to stand alone
VI. Real men are principled-They are willing to stand alone
6 “Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their ancestors to give them as an inheritance.
7 Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.
9 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Can you imagine the pressure of having to replace Moses?
(6-9) The Lord knew Joshua heart. These words are directly from Lord not Moses. He tells him to be strong and courageous. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the ability to act despite your fears.
Joshua had to lead the nation throughout the promise land facing enemies every step of the way.
A man without courage cannot long remain virtuous, for he is unable to resist vice.
John Chrysostom
Men have become like Tofu. We take on the taste of whatever environment that you place us in.
Where are the men willing to stand on their biblical convictions?
13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong.
(13) Paul in corinthians calls the corinthian believers to “be courageous, be strong” Paul uses the same phraseology used in the book of Joshua. Sounds like Paul had read these passages.
Paul is calling the corinthians to swim against the culture not with it. As christian we are called to be peculiar. Set apart and different. The is seen through our willingness to stand alone if necessary.
Listen to the Hebrew Boys response to King Nebuchadnezzer in Daniel 3:16-18
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. 17 If the God we serve exists, then he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. 18 But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”
What has happen to this type of courage?
VII. Real men leave a legacy
VII. Real men leave a legacy
1 How happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! 2 You will surely eat what your hands have worked for. You will be happy, and it will go well for you. 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house, your children, like young olive trees around your table.
(1) How Happy is he who “fears” the Lord. This verse takes us back to the first chracteristic of a Godly Man. A man who “fears the Lord” will be a happy man.
and why will he be happy?
He will experience the joy of career satisfaction. This does not neccesarily mean he will die rich it simple means he will leave his job knowing that he has made and impact on the world through his labor and that thought will bring him joy in his ole age.
He will experience a fruitful & vibrant wife who has been feed by his spiritual maturity. His spiritual maturity will begin to shape the behavior of his wife.
He will experience children that will sprout up and return to him the Olive oil that comes from the Olive tree. This text is describing when children are older and begin to return to you the joy, resources, and stablity that you a sacrificed for them when they were young.
2 Dear friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and are in good health, just as your whole life is going well.
3 For I was very glad when fellow believers came and testified to your fidelity to the truth—how you are walking in truth.
4 I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth.
Saints in this text John is talking about the people he has lead to Christ and discipled. For most of us that starts with our children. Saints as you get older there is not greater joy than to know your children are going to carry on the legacy of faith. That is more important than physical inheritance, Family tradititions or names. A real men is always thinking future. He is keeps his eyes on the finish line. So can say like Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
