MEN

Discipleship: Men: Loving Leaders
Some of you may remember the film 'The Incredible Shrinking Man.' In the film the central character is exposed to chemicals that result in him shrinking until there is really nothing left of him. The same thing has been happening in our home, our society and in our church's because of a prolonged exposure to misinformation with the result that true manhood and fatherhood has shrunk until it has almost disappeared. Too many men have become passive and distant in the two most important spheres of their lives - their home and their church. Men no longer take the lead, show initiative or take responsibility in these areas. They run away from commitment and they renege on promises made to God, to their church, to their wives, and to their children. The results are all around us to see in our broken society, failing marriages and dying churches. we are going to look at what the Bible teaches about being a Man. So men listen up.
When you buy a car they give you a manual. When you buy a hi-fi, a laptop or even a mobile phone it comes with a manual. The manual contains the information the manufacturer believes you need to know to operate the product effectively. Well Men are no different. God our Creator has given us a manual - the Bible. The problem is we pay no attention to the manual thinking we know best how to operate the machinery and we will learn as we go along. Only ever turning to the manual when we are in trouble and by then it is usually a bit late as we have really messed up. How often could that be said of your life? So we are going to look at what the Bible says about being a Man.
This will be a general journey through Scripture and to that end I have put together a list of Bible passages for you.

The German psychologist, Alexander Mitscherleich, said this of men: their souls are torn and into this tear have fled the demons of insecurity, selfishness and despair. Consequently men do not know who they are as men. Rather, they define themselves by what they do, who they know and what they own. If you do not agree then answer this question: Who are you? Reflect on this: When you introduce yourself to someone how far into the conversation do you get before you start talking about your job, your possessions (and to some of you that includes your family) and then you take the next step by measuring (at least in your head) your income against his etc. I don't believe Mitscherleich is far wrong in his comment on men in the 21st century.
Could I suggest that many men looking at their lives would come to the following conclusion: my life has descended into a blur of endless meetings, a mass of possessions, countless superficial and meaningless relationships and shrinking income. The result is in many men's lives, including those who claim to follow Christ, a crisis or as one commentator wrote: "Men live lives of quiet despair." So what does the Bible say about being a man. Not what does Holywood say? Not what do the glossy magazines say a real man is? Nor what do our peers say but what does God say.
May I suggest to you this is what God says makes a real man: "A real man is a man who lives..."
A life of obedience to the Lord's commands.A life of service to others.A life of meekness and humility.A life of prayer.A life full of faith and trust.A life of empowerment by the Holy Spirit.A life of loving and studying the Scriptures.A life of modelling Christlikeness for others to follow.A life of faithfulness to the end.
I think that is a pretty comprehensive list of the qualities required of a man of God - in his life, in his home, in his church and in society. Would you not like to have this profile? I know I would.
A life of Obedience to the commands of the Lord: Turn with me first to Psalm 119.9-16. I believe this is an important Psalm for men and we should take time to read it through. Take a section each day for the next month and not only read it but also put it into practice. You will notice an immense difference in your life. If you look at these verses you will see a very clear command that the man of God is to live a life of obedience to the Word of God. The Word of God keeps his life pure and because it is deep within the core of a man it guides and directs the paths of his life. Those paths may be difficult, they may be dark and on occasions they may even be dangerous. With the Word of God as our guide we will be brought safely to the land of blessing - is that not the promise of the Good Shepherd in Psalm 23?
Think of Abraham who was commanded by God to sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise (Genesis 22.18), or Moses who was commanded to speak up for and lead the people of God out of Egypt (Exodus 2.10). Then there was Daniel instructed to obey God's Word over and above the king's word, even if it meant death (Daniel 6.8-10). So here are three men who are instructed to give up something, to speak up for God's people and to stand up for God's Word. They were asked to obey God's command in what appeared to be impossible situations. They obeyed and the result is that their obedience equipped them to live powerful and influential lives. God is still the same today as He was in the days of Abraham, Moses and Daniel. Come with me to Acts 9 verses 10-14. Anannias is asked by God to do an impossible thing - to go to Saul of Tarsus and bring him to the elders of the church. Saul of Tarsus, the man who stood by, and probably commanded, the stoning to death of Stephen the first Christian martyr. Saul of Tarsus who had spent his life searching out and persecuting the Christian believers. Anannias obeyed and Paul was brought to the elders of the church and the rest is as we say history. Obedience leads to influence and power in the life of a man of God. If you want power and influence in your home, in your church and in your society obey the Word of God.
A life of service to others. In Mark 9.33-50 we read of the disciples of Christ arguing amongst themselves as to who was the greatest amongst them. Men are so prone to jostling for position and status amongst themselves. We measure our worth and value by position and possessions. Jesus enters the conversation and tells them that if they want to be great in the kingdom of God they must be a servant. In fact He goes as far as to say that they must be willing to be the least of all the servants. He Himself showed this when He, their master, washed each of the disciple's feet in the Upper Room on the night He was betrayed. He made no difference amongst the 12, even washing the feet of Judas Iscariot who would betray Him and Simon who would deny Him. The task of washing feet was for the lowest of all the servants. It was the most basic and menial of tasks and Christ carried out that task for His disciples. Peter is indignant at the prospect of Christ kneeling before Him and washing his dirty feet. Christ gently rebukes Peter and carries on washing his feet. Men, learn from this. If you want to be a great man of God then you must be prepared to wash feet and to do the most menial of tasks. The other point in the story is that you must be willing to allow others to serve you. How many men believe they are totally self-sufficient and requiring no help. What disasters arise out of such a mindset? You want to be a man of God - then serve others and allow others to serve you. We have got it so wrong in our church's for so long. We have put out the message 'Come and receive' when we should have been saying to the men 'Come and Serve.' Service is not an option it is actually a central part of your Christian life. If you are not serving then you are not obeying! A life of service is marked by concern for the needs of others. It is not a self-centred, self-absorbed, self-promoting or self-serving attitude but a focus on others and how we can best serve Christ by serving others.
Meekness and Humility - this characteristic is in total opposition to what the world suggests a real man is. The world throws up images, impossible images, of a man whose strength is in what he owns, the wars he fights and the women he wins. The problem is that is the message men feed on in films, in books and from their peers. Meekness and Humility are not weaknesses but strengths. In Philippians 2 Paul writes that we should follow the example of Jesus who was humble and meek - even unto the point of death. Christ had everything as God the Son, the second person of the Trinity and yet He was humble. You see humility actually is a great sign of security. Meekness is a sign of security and strength. There is no striving in humility or meekness. There is contentment, security, and knowledge in who you are in Christ Jesus. Men, if there is one thing I have come to understand over the years, it is that men have lost their sense of identity because they have sought it in everything and everywhere except in Christ Jesus. You are only truly a man when your identity is in Christ Jesus.
Life of Prayer - if there is one weakness in the life of men that will be reflected throughout all areas of their life it is when men do not pray. It is no coincidence that in most churches the women outnumber the men at times of prayer and are spiritually stronger than men as a consequence. Why is that? Why do men not pray? Why do men think they do not need to pray? Why is prayer not a priority in the life of men in every congregation? I know some of you like me pray each day and I want to encourage you to keep praying. Allow me to be really honest with you - there are some of you, and you claim to be followers of Christ, but you have never been at your prayer meeting and if you were truly honest you have no idea when you last prayed, regularly prayed. You want to be a man of God then pray. Look at Jesus in the gospels - we constantly read of Him going off to pray. Of all the questions that the disciples could have asked Jesus they ask Him: "Teach us to pray." They knew, they witnessed, the strength that the Son of God received from prayer. Look at the men of God in Scripture their lives were saturated in prayer. Why do you think you don't need to pray?
Loving and Studying the Scripture. I don't really need to say much about this because I have touched on this on previous posts. I think it is obvious, or it should be obvious to you the importance we as a church place on the Word of God. 'A Bible in their Hands...' is the beginning of our Aim. Do your family and friends know that you love the Word of God? Would your family and friends witness you reading the Word of God? Is it an example you set to your children and grandchildren? I am not talking about reading it to be seen reading it but is it a natural part of your life? You can spend hours reading Christian magazines and books but there is no substitute for reading the Word of God. Be disciplined and read it daily. Set the spiritual temperature in your home by setting it first in your life by reading the Word of God.
Modelling Christlikeness - this is the challenge isn't it? When I read through Scripture I am constantly aware of how an older man of God set the example for a younger man of God to follow. Abraham and Lot, Moses and Joshua, Eli and Samuel, Elijah and Elisha, David and Solomon, Paul and Timothy - the list could go on. Could you be added to that list? These were sinful men like you and me. There was nothing special about them. In fact often they were the insignificant ones in society whom God raised up to do great things for Him. Christ calls His disciples to follow Him. For three years they followed Him. For three years they learned by following His example. An apprentice is placed beside a master and learns by example and instruction. So how will the younger men in this congregation follow Christ if you do not set the example? Seriously, look at your life what example are you setting? Let me be critical for a moment, and I am not saying this to be harsh or hurtful. Here is my honest reflection on the example that I have witnessed over the years The men in manu congregation's are a great contradiction:
There are times of amazing faithfulness and times of deep unfaithfulness to God, to wives and family, to church and to holiness of life. There are times of service that humbles and amazes. Yet there are times when men fail to serve, in fact refuse to serve. There are times of self-centred sinfulness that has broken the heart of God, of those who love you and the bonds of fellowship have been shattered because of it. A great contradiction in men.
I have witnessed men whose lives are mired in sin refusing to take responsibility for that sin and refusing to confess that sin. I have witnessed men who make every excuse for their failures and only when there seems to be no alternative then take responsibility. I have witnessed men who fill their lives with busyness, with possessions and with clutter rather than stop and deal with the real issues of their lives and their relationship with God and others. Then there have been men who have fallen before the throne of grace and been forgiven and healed by the grace of Christ. I have witnessed the restoration by grace of lives that were broken by sin. A great contradiction.
I know many of you men have hearts that truly desires to serve God. You have hearts that yearn for a deeper knowledge of God and a deeper intimacy with God. I know some of you have a desire to be a better husband, father, grandfather, and servant of God but struggle to know how to do all of this in a world that opposes and comes against you at every turn. As I said - there is a great contradiction in the lives of men here. Actually it would be better to say that right at this moment there is a 'battle', a spiritual battle, being waged for the very souls and lives of the men of many congregation's. Some of you men are totally unaware of that battle and some of you are running from it. Some of you have been beaten and broken by that battle. Some of you are only just having your eyes opened to this battle and some of you right at this moment are in the very heart of that battle. The good news today is that you are not alone - listen to these words now: Read Psalm 23.
Being Christ-like is not negotiable if you want to win this battle for you life and soul and become a man of God.
Empowered by the Holy Spirit. Here is another non-negotiable. In Ephesians 5 verse 18 we are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit and in Luke 11 verse 13 Christ promises that when we asked to receive the Holy Spirit God the Father will answer. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is first of all to bring us to a saving knowledge of Christ. The Holy Spirit is there to lead us to the Son who is there to take us to the Father - voluntary subordination of function. The Holy Spirit also empowers us for a life of service in obedience to God's will. The Holy Spirit cannot be purchased and is not for self-glory, self-attention or self-promotion - the story of Simon Magus in Acts 8.9-24 clearly teaches this.
You cannot be a Christian if you do not have the Holy Spirit - 2 Corinthians 1.22 and you cannot live a Christian life without the Holy Spirit - Galatians 5.16-26. So open your life to the Holy Spirit and do not quench the Spirit (Ephesians 4.30) in your life. If you want to know how you grieve the Holy Spirit and thwart His work in your life then read Ephesians 4.17 to 5.5. I think you will find there a comprehensive list of disobedience that can be applied to all aspects of your life.
Once again we come down to obedience. Time and time again in Scripture it comes down to obedience to the Word of God. Obedience to the Word of God requires knowledge of the Word of God. Obedience to the Word of God requires humility and meekness on the part of a man. Obedience to the Word of God requires discipline and faithfulness of a man.
I wondered how I should end this post today. I have no doubt this morning that God is dealing with men in congregation's all over the world. I have no doubt that right at this moment there are some of you men whom God is calling to repentance and faith in Him. I have no doubt that some of you men God is calling you to repent of sinful actions, behaviours, lifestyle choices and attitudes. I have no doubt that for some of you men God is encouraging you this morning to keep going with Him even though at the moment the path is difficult, dark and dangerous. Whatever God is calling you to do - obey that call. Women I want you to pray for the men in your family and in your church family. You will know what to pray for them. Men whatever it is God is speaking into your heart right now I want you to bring it to Him in prayer. Don't put it off to another day - deal with it now, even if it is a painful thing that is being brought to the surface.


Amen.

Again thanks to Alan for his love of God's word and people