What a Girl Wants

What a Girl Wants

Intro

I was going to talk about specifically what traits girls are looking for in guys (or boys according to them).  I know that it does vary from girl to girl, and from experiences, but there are some fundamental commonalities that exist.  Instead, tonight I am going to talk to the guys.  I am going to talk about being a man…the kind of man that you were created to be.  You have to understand that our world is so screwed up.  Our ideas of how things should be have become warped…even in the church.  God has created us to be unique in creation.  We are His image-bearers male and female alike.  But the lines have been blurred beyond recognition.  What is it supposed to mean to be a man?  Probably had a lot of different things put forward in small group if you got to the question.

A Moment for the Ladies

First things first…women don’t always know what they want.

An unsaved girl has no idea what she wants.  She is tossed around like a wave in the sea with different romantic notions.  Whatever is the trend at the moment.  When she is down anyone that will pay attention to her and make her feel like something worthwhile.

When she is up, then she is looking for a guy to help add to her status.

A saved girl is looking for Jesus-with-skin-on.  But even then they are complicated and aren’t sure what that means…

In their efforts to feel safe they will go for the nice, practical guy.  Especially if they have had experiences with masculinity gone wrong, abuse, emotionally or physically absent father, etc.

But there is always a part of them that is attracted to the bad boy.  The one is lives on the edge and lives free.

Legends of the Fall…

3 brothers on the frontier in the 1900’s

          *older bro. practical goes off to city gets    education, becomes politician.

          *Little brother still timid sensitive, gets killed      early on.

          *middle bro, Tristan (Brad Pitt) embodies the     frontier, tames the wild horse, faces bear with a knife, rugged.  He winds up with the girl. 

There’s not a guy I know that wanted to be the older or the younger brother. 

Ladies, your Prince Charming, was he well mannered, or dashing?

Examples of Real Men

A Battle to Fight

An Adventure to Live

A Beauty to Rescue

David:  A Battle to Fight

David was known as a man after God’s own heart.  He was a wild masculine man that loved God with all his heart. 

          Not afraid to worship

He killed a bear, a lion, a giant, tens of thousands of Philistine warriors.  He danced in his underoos in complete abandon to the Lord through the streets of Jerusalem, not caring what anyone thought of him.

Paul:  An Adventure to Live.

Who besides Jesus has had a greater impact on the world. 

Wrote over 2/3 of the NT.  May not impress except it wasn’t from behind a desk.  Many times it was from behind a prison cell door, or on the run from people who wanted to kill him

Boaz:  A Beauty to Rescue

In the Book of Ruth he was Rich powerful.  Had a woman throw herself at his feet because she had no where else to go…could have taken advantage of her.  Instead saved her, he rescued the beauty from certain ruin and treated her with honor and dignity.

          Just because you the power and even the authority to do something doesn’t make it right.

Jesus:  The Ultimate Man

*He Fights the Battle

He fought and won the greatest Battle of all time

Colossians 2:15 (MSG) “He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.”

Exodus 15:3(NKJV) "The Lord is a man of war; The Lord is His name. "

Isaiah 42:13(NKJV) "The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies."

          *And to think that people see Jesus as weak.

I wonder if the Egyptians who were a given a small taste of God’s judgment with the 10 plagues would consider Jesus weak?

*By the way if Jesus was so weak and mild and “nice”, why did an angry mob grab Him, beat Him, and nail Him to a cross?  I mean who would want to crucify Mr. Rogers or Captain Kangaroo?

He Lives the Adventure

*He lived the wildest adventure ever, and made the biggest impact of all time

*What about always waiting until the last minute to come through?  Leading the children of Israel to the edge of a sea with a horde of enemies closing in behind them.  Giving them no idea what He was going to do.  Then He tells Mo to step out in the waters and watch and see.

*what about letting Shad, Mesh, Abednego go to the edge of the fiery furnace, and getting thrown in, and THEN showing up?   God loves adventure.  And He loves to show us that He has what it takes.

*We are the pansies that always want proof and assurances…He says just trust me

*He Rescues the Beauty

God has his own Bride that He fought for…and continues to fight for.  He is a jealous lover for the hearts of His people and for their freedom.  Verse God put on my heart recently…

Isaiah 62:1, 5(NIV) " For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. … as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you."

Altar/Summary

Jesus is giving you freedom to be men tonight, real men.  Adventurous, passionate in your pursuits, Willing to fight for what is right.  Not talking about a license to go crazy with your desires, but wanting you to understand that at the heart of every man is something that God put there and is holy.  These things can be perverted and twisted of course.  Not talking about irresponsible recklessness, or pursuing every physical desire, or being a guy who has outbursts of  wrath because you lose your temper and start fights…remember Satan has a counterfeit for everything that God has designed.

God’s Image and Characteristics are also stamped on the core of women, just in a different way.  No less powerful or important.