Act Like a Man

Intro - guests and Father’s Day

…move to idea of Father’s day sermon

“GREAT MEN AREN’T BORN GREAT, THEY GROW GREAT!”

[picofstrongmen-arnold-ghandi-rogers]

[very brief]

If I forced you to answer immediately, without thought, what does it take to be a man?

- elaborate

Male identity issues

Toxic masculinity

…generally, we think that you are a man if you are strong physically, narcissistic and critical, and detached emotionally/cynical.

my struggles (very brief)

MY VIEW OF WHAT BEING A MAN IS WAS GETTING IN THE WAY OF WHAT GOD IS SAYING MEN NEED TO BE!

I was letting the world shape my thinking...

[picofsocialmedia]

We are inundated with this toxic and stereotypical masculinity every day! The world is feeding us this idea of what being a man looks like, and in so doing, is systematically disassembling our understanding of what God really needs us to be!

It’s time for us to detach from those standards, and find again God’s standards.

So instead of looking at the world’s idea of what being a man is - what we see in sitcom’s and movies, and everywhere else, I think it is high time we look back to scripture and see what God says about how men should act. And church, you can find that truth for us today, in .

1 Corinthians 16:13–14 ESV

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

-----

pray

[maybe parallel all this with 1 sam david stuff??? Use smaller quote from TR...

[actlikeaman]

Act like a man...

some won’t have those words in your translations. It may say, “be courageous.” But the word used there, an-drid'-zom-ahee, literally means to “act like a man.”

So if we want to look at what God thinks a man should act like, this is a pretty good place to start!

To do that, I need all of us to accept that what we learned about being a man, while very valuable to our development, and likely still very important parts of our character, isn’t necessarily what God wants us to hear about being a man now that we have given our lives to Him!

Think of it like this - if someone comes to live with you for a little bit, I think we would all say something like, “as long as you are under my roof, your will abide by my rules.”

Well men, these are the things God needs us to do!

He doesn’t need us to be the best hunters, or the best mechanics, or whatever else we have come up with! He needs us to focus on these things here so that we can be the best example for the world that we can be.

[picofDavid-amanaftgergod’sownheart]

To do that, I think that we need to stop looking at what the world wants us to be, and look back to what God shows us He wants us to be, at least as best we can.

And today, I want us to look at this scripture, and what it calls for us to act like, against a very well known story: David and Goliath.

David, because he was a man after God’s own heart. And this event, because in this moment, we see all these qualities being put into practice.

1 Samuel 17:19–22 ESV

Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry. And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers.

1 Sam

First we are called by Paul to “be watchful.”

[Be strong…]

[recap story and read]

…You see, David had a duty, and he knew he needed to see it through, but what was even more important to him was watching out for his family and his people.

When David sees that the battle is about to begin, he gives no thought, not a second is given to consider his position, he knows that he is called to watch over all that he loves - sheep or brothers! And how much more for family and people! His sole focus in this moment isn’t personal safety, it isn’t what works best for him, it isn’t thinking about whether or not they should even fight! His sole purpose here is to watch over, to protect, to keep and eye on those he loves.

For us that should have a pretty clear application. Everyone we come across, especially those younger than us, and those who don’t know Jesus, we must be watchful for them!

include watching children…we don’t interfere, we show them how to do things and protect them as they learn to do it on their own.

talk about it

[Be watchful…]

In fact, our lives should be angled towards that for all people! Paul isn’t calling us to watch out for number one! He is reminding us that there is a whole world out there that needs us, and WHILE THEIR LIFE ISN’T OURS, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THEM TO SEE GOD IN ALL THAT WE DO SO THAT THEY WILL SEE GOD IN ALL THAT THEY DO!

include watching children…we don’t interfere, we show them how to do things and protect them as they learn to do it on their own.

AND LISTEN, YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE GOOD AT STUFF TO BE WATCHFUL! YOU JUST HAVE TO CARE! YOU HAVE TO BE PRESENT! YOU HAVE TO VALUE OTHERS MORE THAN YOURSELF, JUST AS SCRIPTURE CALLS US TO, AND JUST AS DAVID DID HERE.

THEIR LIFE ISN’T OURS, BUT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THEM TO SEE GOD IN ALL THAT WE DO SO THAT THEY WILL SEE GOD IN ALL THAT THEY DO!

AND LISTEN, YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE GOOD AT STUFF TO BE WATCHFUL! YOU JUST HAVE TO CARE! YOU HAVE TO BE PRESENT! YOU HAVE TO VALUE OTHERS MORE THAN YOURSELF, JUST AS SCRIPTURE CALLS US TO, AND JUST AS DAVID DID HERE.

1 Samuel 17:31–37 ESV

When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him. And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

1 Sam 17:31-

After David came to the lines, he started talking to everyone, sort of hinting that he was maybe probably considering fighting the Philistine Goliath.

And then came a sort of, what I call, crisis of faith moment. Moments we all have. Moments when God asks us to live out the words we so readily say.

[read]

How do we live our faith out in the world? Do our words and our actions line up?

[Stand firm in faith…]

If we are going to talk the talk, men, we have to walk the walk.

talk about it -

David, in this moment, went from the audience of the guys at work, in modern parlance, to the audience of the King! God’s chosen ruler of His people!

And this moment should really stand out to us as one we can identify with. You know there are too many moments to count in my life, and in all our lives, when we “react” to someone after we get home.

how do we live our faith out in the world?

[explain]

…but this moment, it is one where David is watchful for those he loves, is brought in before one that can choose his destiny, and instead of shrinking away and going back out there and making something up, he stands firm in his faith!

“The LORD who delivered me from the lion and the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine!.”

[[pic?]

Church, men, this is a point that we can’t look past. This is a moment that can define us. All too often we are men of words, and not of action. Now I don’t mean those actions that serve to divide people one from another - cold and heartless legalism intended only to subdue and not lift up. No, this moment isn’t that, this moment is our wake up call!

You see, we are called to lift up others, to be watchful for them, and then y’all to stand firm in the faith and know and live out that God is in control!

David didn’t really know if he would win, and it didn’t even really matter! What mattered then, just as it does now, is that the whole Army was shaking in their boots, and this one boy, ONE FAITH FILLED FOLLOWER OF GOD, STOOD UP TO BE COUNTED AND OFFERED HIMSELF IN THE PLACE OF THE OTHERS! ONE MAN OFFERED TO BE THE EXAMPLE! AND CHURCH, WHETHER HE ENDED UP WINNING OR LOSING, HE WON! HIS EXAMPLE, HIS INSPIRATION, WOULD HAVE RALLIED ALL THOSE OTHERS SOULS, JUST WAITING FOR A REASON TO STAND!

And that is what standing firm in faith can do, even today.

Listen, there is a entire world waiting to wake up! There is life and love, living in every soul that God touches, just waiting to be sprung to life! And men, church, when you stand firm in your faith, when you say no to the shortcuts, when you say yes to integrity, and peace, and love, and joy, and kindness, goodness, patience, and gentleness, you then make your stand with Christ, and awaken that Spirit within all those who see!

AND CHURCH, I NEED TO SAY THIS, AND I NEED YOU TO HERE IT, SOME PEOPLE CAN’T BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES UNTIL SOMEONE ELSE BELIEVES IN THEM FIRST! AND YOU CAN’T SHOW THEM THAT IF YOU AREN’T LOOKING OUT FOR THEM AND THEN STAND FIRM IN ALL THAT YOU BELIEVE!

Even those that might laugh at you, they are changed. They are changed because if they would only see enough of us doing that, their defenses would be destroyed, and God would invade their hearts too.

So we must stand firm in our faith, even when it looks like we are losing.

You don’t know that by our words either. You know it by our willingness to trust God, to stand firm in our faith when every part of our being wants to give in to temptation, or abandon our trust in God to venture out on our own and just fix it! We have to wait on God in all things!

Be patient with others. [biggest part of standing firm in faith…]

Understand that God is bigger than us, and we can’t fix everything. But if we keep wavering, and trying to interfere in what God is doing, we can possibly break the faith of another. So trust God. And be patient.

Ultimately if we live out patience and trust in God, then all those around us will too!

[Be watchful…]

include watching children…we don’t interfere, we show them how to do things and protect them as they learn to do it on their own.

1 Samuel 17:38–39 ESV

Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off.

THEIR LIFE ISN’T OURS, BUT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THEM TO SEE GOD IN ALL THAT WE DO SO THAT THEY WILL SEE GOD IN ALL THAT THEY DO!

Finally, Paul calls for us to be strong.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE GOOD AT STUFF TO BE WATCHFUL! YOU JUST HAVE TO CARE! YOU HAVE TO BE PRESENT!

[read]

I lift my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from?

What does strength look like to you?

This is perhaps the most repeated and misunderstood male trait, so ask yourself, what does it take to be strong.

maybe it is physical strength, maybe it is power, or prestige, or money. Take a moment, though, and look in your own heart and figure out where you draw your strength.

In this moment in our text, David had to do just that...

Had to prepare for battle…

after all, everyone else what wearing it! Even Goliath had armor on [17:4-7]

[expand briefly]

But is that armor really going to be David’s strength? Is that job, that power, that position, that prestige, that money, that physical prowess, is that really going to be the thing that you need to conquer this life?

But is that armor really going to be David’s strength? Is that job, that power, that position, that prestige, that money, that physical prowess, is that really going to be the thing that you need to conquer this life?

No, men, there is always a bigger fish, there is always someone with more of that than you or me. But this I know to be true - bigger than all of that, is the God and Creator of it all! The very one who made everything you see, He is where we must place our trust and find our strength! Just as David did!

And we must

1 Samuel 17:44–45 ESV

The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

1 sam 17:44-

[don’t read]

LISTEN LIFE IS GOING TO, AT SOME POINT, COME AT EVERY ONE OF US AND BECOME TO US GOLIATH! NO MATTER YOUR UPBRINGING, FAMILY, WHATEVER, LIFE WILL COME AT US! AND WHEN IT DOES, MEN, YOU GET TO CHOOSE TO RELY ON ALL THAT YOU ARE, AND ALL THAT YOU CAN DO, HOPING TO NOT GIVE IN TO THE FEAR THAT WELLS UP INSIDE ALL OF OUR CHESTS, OR TO BE WATCHFUL FOR OTHERS, STAND FIRM IN YOUR FAITH, AND FIND YOUR STRENGTH IN GOD!

LIFE MIGHT COME AT YOU WITH A SWORD, OR A SPEAR, OR WHATEVER! IT MIGHT SEEM COMPLETELY OVERWHELMING, AND IT MIGHT BE ENOUGH TO BREAK YOU! BUT WHEN YOU ARE ACTING LIKE A MAN, WHEN YOU ARE ACTING LIKE ONE WHO HAS MADE IT TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY, YOU CAN STARE IN THE FACE OF ALL OF IT, AND LIKE DAVID, PROCLAIM, “I COME HERE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OF HOSTS! GOD HIMSELF!” THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN STAND IN MY WAY!

AND CHURCH, YOU MIGHT NOT WIN. YOU MIGHT FALL ON YOUR FACE IN THOSE MOMENTS! BUT IF YOU RELY ON GOD, AND STAND FIRM, AND WATCH FOR OTHERS IN THIS LIFE, YOU WILL - BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT BE DOING EXACTLY WHAT GOD IS CALLING FOR US ALL TO DO!

THAT IS HOW MEN ARE CALLED TO LIVE! THAT IS WHAT WE ARE ALL CALLED TO BE! AS TEDDY ROOSEVELT PUTS IT, WE WERE MADE TO BE THOSE MEN IN THE ARENA, WHOSE FACE IS MARRED BY DUST AND SWEAT AND BLOOD; who strives valiantly; who err, who come short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat...men who quell the storm and ride the thunder. MEN WHO have nobly ventured, and have put forth all their heart and strength.

1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV

Let all that you do be done in love.

And above all of that, church, we are called to do everything we do must be done in love.

That is why we watch for others. That is how we stand firm. That is our strength.

As Paul puts it earlier in this letter, If I claim to know everything, and seem to always have the answer, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I sacrifice my time and efforts to you, but do not have love, then I sacrifice nothing. If I provide you all that you will ever need, but forget to love you, I give you nothing.

So, no matter what I say, no matter what I believe, and no matter what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

You may ask, then, “What is love?”

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Most importantly, love never fails. All of the things we do as humans will pass away. Everything we create, everything we own, and everything we say, everything we are. It will all eventually be nothing.

But even at the end, these three things remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

[dadsunset]

Men, God needs you. This world needs you. Today, I am asking you all, just as I am myself, to take a stand for God. For those around us who need to be loved. For the lost. For the hurting. For the destitute. For those that look different, think different, act different, for all those creations of God who just want to be accepted and loved so that they too can love others and know God. Today I stand up to be counted with them.

Today, we all need to stand with those God stood in the gap for.

John 8

John 8:10–11 ESV

Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

You know…sinners like me. And like us all. People who are constantly living in fear, waiting for love to stand up with them. Men, it is time to stop shouting from the sidelines, and start acting like men of God, and to make our stand with love for this world.

That legacy - a legacy of love shown through looking out for those who need us, standing firm in our faith, and being strong in the Lord - that is something that will last forever.

That is the mark we have been called to leave on this world. And that all starts today, for us, in our hearts, and in this time of response...

[invitation]…those being baptized today make that stand...