True Manhood: A Call to Action | Robbie Symons

[00:00:07] Speaker A: Let's get our bibles open to First Corinthians 16. I've been looking at two verses today together, First Corinthians 16 and the title for today's message is going to be this True Manhood A Call to Action. A True Manhood, A Call to Action. Just want to take a note just I'm so thankful for our satellites locations that are tuning in. I've got some text messages from some brothers there and hear how God is working. I'm so so encouraged. We love you so much and we've been praying for you as well as for what's happening here and so glad we get to do this together. A special shout out of course to Redeemer, the students that are there and our one USA location in Buffalo. So glad for that as well. So true Manhood A Call to Action when it comes down to it, one. [00:00:51] Speaker B: Of the foremost sins of men is passivity or inaction. Consider that the first sin came into the world in Genesis 3. It was due to Adam's passivity and his idleness. Adam neglected his responsibility. He gave in to passivity and the result was catastrophe. Many, many men are falling in our day to the same temptation of inaction, idleness and laziness. To make matters worse, a true and powerful and beautiful vision for manhood is being trashed right now by the elites of society. Young men often have no vision at all for their lives at all right now. No vision. Aimless, wandering around eight hours a day in leisure. The stats say if they don't have a job, they are living with their parents longer than ever, their grades are dropping and their ambition is lacking. Young men are being taught to pursue life in terms of screens, leisure and porn. And so, not surprisingly then, depression rates are rising, use of drugs are increasing, and suicide rates are also. But God has not created men for idleness and for inaction. Rather, 100%, we know this from the word of God. God has called men to action on his terms. God has called men to character and courage and responsibility on his terms. God has called men to strength. And God has called men most of all to love as defined by Him. [00:02:48] Speaker A: I believe. [00:02:49] Speaker B: I believe it is correct to say that right now the greatest threat to our nation is the collapse of true manhood. That is why we must at all costs then receive our call to action today as we had last night, this morning, and now, and as we go forward today as well. First Corinthians was a letter written to a church with many, many issues. Throughout this letter, Paul rebukes the church, he exhorts the church, and he encourages the church at Corinth. But Paul ends this letter with a powerful call to action for his readers, which we apply specifically to men today. In fact, we will see four specific calls to action in in these two short verses. We must apply these to ourselves as men. And what these verses become is a potent vision for us as men and for our lives today, which I pray. [00:03:53] Speaker A: The Holy Spirit will apply in each. [00:03:55] Speaker B: Of us in a very, very significant way. I have to pray because without the Lord, nothing happens. [00:04:02] Speaker A: So let me just take the moment to do that. Father, your children cry out to you. [00:04:06] Speaker B: We have prayed for thousands of prayers. [00:04:08] Speaker A: This week, and I want to add one more to it right now. [00:04:11] Speaker B: Your child cries to you, Father. [00:04:14] Speaker A: And so with urgency, with faith, with expectation. Do what only you can do right now. Please, Lord, work so clearly and powerfully among the men that are here, young and old and everyone in between. We pray, Lord. We pray for supernatural transformation in the lives that are listening, in every sight and every person who is listening and viewing right now. Please, may it be so, God. How can we pray small things from a God who can do all things? And so our prayers right now increase life change, Lord. Conviction, powerful, powerful resolve in the Spirit and in Jesus Christ to say, I. [00:04:47] Speaker B: Will not return home today the same man I left this morning. By Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God, we believe and just ask the Lord right now, Holy Spirit, do a work in me right now. Speak to me, change me, transform me for you, O God. [00:05:07] Speaker A: May it be so. [00:05:08] Speaker B: We need men in this nation as much as ever men to respond to their call before God in Christ by the Spirit and dependence upon Him. [00:05:21] Speaker A: May that happen right now. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. [00:05:26] Speaker B: Let's get started. Number one is this. As men, we are called to be vigilant. As men, we are called to be vigilant. Look at Our verse here, 1st Corinthians 16, verse 13. Be watchful. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. The first thing Paul says here in verse 13 is, Be watchful. Love. Love the spiritual discipline of watchfulness. Love it so much, it is so massive. For your life and mine, man. We have to be vigilant in our lives. We have to be watchful. But we think about this. He says, be watchful. So stand guard, stay alert, vigilant of anything coming at us. And the reason we are vigilant is because the genuine Christian life is filled with constant danger. And opposition. If you're gonna coast it and you're gonna do nothing for Christ, your life won't be upholstered. If you're gonna just go with the narrow road, the wide road, and go along with the world and all the trinkets and all the things the entertainment society wants you to do, and you never speak up for Christ and you never read your Bible and you never press into the Lord. Your life won't be a post. There's not much to watch there. But if you're serious about the Lord Jesus Christ, you're serious about your life. [00:06:44] Speaker A: Being lived for him. [00:06:45] Speaker B: You're serious about getting on your knees and calling upon his power. You're serious about evangelizing your faith and the in the Lord Jesus Christ. You're serious of standing for truth in a world of lies. [00:06:56] Speaker A: Your life will be upholst. [00:06:58] Speaker B: The enemy will have a target on your back and it will come after you. At that point, life gets tough and hard, as Christ promised. At that point, you better be watchful or you're gonna get to take shots that you never saw coming. Be watchful, but watchful over what? Watchful over our hearts. Men watchful over our marriages. Men watchful over our homes. Watchful over our relationships that are most dear to us. Be watchful because we live in a world right now that is shrouded in darkness. [00:07:31] Speaker A: The enemy is constantly lurking and sin is constantly seducing. [00:07:37] Speaker B: Consider that Adam was entrusted with a garden to watch over. But it was Adam's failure to be. [00:07:46] Speaker A: Vigilant that cost him. [00:07:49] Speaker B: He failed to protect his garden. He failed to protect his heart and his family. He allowed sin to enter into the garden and the results were catastrophic. [00:08:04] Speaker A: But here's the wonder and the opportunity for us today, as we've heard this weekend, here again right now in Jesus Christ, and because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, all those who are truly saved have been entrusted with with a new garden, so to speak, with a new heart as we become new creations in the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ has entrusted many of us with a marriage of one flesh. [00:08:26] Speaker B: For many of us, we've been entrusted with a garden that includes a family. And it is within our sin cursed world that we are called to go out and to weed again the garden that we are in, to cultivate this garden for the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish this garden taking for the Lord and what's been entrusted to us. That's the responsibility of a man. This is what a man is to be before the Lord Jesus Christ. It's an awesome thing when you think about it. You have been entrusted with a heart and a home and a marriage. Or one day soon, young man, you will be entrusted with a marriage and a home. And that's what you've been entrusted to guard and keep in God's strength under Christ, by his spirit, for his glory. That's an awesome task. This is what men must raise up. [00:09:16] Speaker A: And be used to do. [00:09:17] Speaker B: Listen. It is God's design that men stand guard over their garden. God has called us to watch and protect and lead. This is God's design. This is by his grace, and this is also by his spirit. Men that are called to lead towards light, to pray for renewal, to sow seeds of life in Jesus Christ in the garden entrusted to us. This is why we must be watchful. Because every day the darkness and wickedness of our world, through the demons of satanic forces are seeking to come in and sow seeds of lies and death and lust and evil and destruction. [00:10:02] Speaker A: No wonder Paul says, be watchful. No wonder Jesus says, watch and pray that you may not fall into temptation. No wonder Paul says, take heed lest you think you stand, lest you fall. No wonder we are called again and again to be watchful over that which we have been entrusted with. Men, we must not fall asleep to the temptations of the world. But many, many men are. They are fast asleep. They have been drugged by the addictions of this world. 43% of men today report watching pornography in the last week. 43% of men report watching pornography in the last week. 24% of men say they looked at porn either today or yesterday. It's not being watchful. Sexual addictions, of course, are on the rise. What's devastating, due to the massive onslaught of lust throughout society, particularly among men, more and more women are being faced with reality. When they start to date a man, they are dating a man who's already addicted to porn. Studies show that porn use is causing men to be less confident in engaging with women. Young men are less confident in their physical appearance because of this. They are more self conscious and they are insecure because they are giving their heart and minds to the evil of lust and to the things of things like pornography. In fact, some men, young men, are not willing to put themselves at risk with a real woman at all because they have been so seduced and ravaged by the lust and pornography that has ruined their heart and life. And of course, what happens is with porn use comes the collapse of the family. So many men are caught up in lust that they end up, disappearing. They just fade away into oblivion. Porn kills what God intended for true beauty and purity and satisfaction. [00:11:58] Speaker B: There's evidence increasingly linking active porn use that is causing hearts to. [00:12:04] Speaker A: To be deadened. [00:12:07] Speaker B: See, we're not watchful. We let these things come into our heart. It kills us. It starts to callous our hearts. And if we don't check that, we become dead and insensitive to the things of God. [00:12:21] Speaker A: That is a tragedy and that is serious. [00:12:25] Speaker B: And that is what one example, a. [00:12:28] Speaker A: Major example of what we must be watchful over. God has entrusted us a stewardship in Him. We must protect this house. We are called to be vigilant and watchful. Number two, we are called to stand firm. Look at verse 13. [00:12:52] Speaker B: Be watchful. [00:12:53] Speaker A: Stand firm in the faith. [00:12:56] Speaker B: So this is interesting to me. [00:12:57] Speaker A: I love this. [00:12:57] Speaker B: The first two commands in verse 13, they speak of a Christian warrior awaiting attack. Be watchful. [00:13:04] Speaker A: Right? [00:13:05] Speaker B: You think of the watchman in the tower, watching for the enemy where there's coming. And now stand firm in the faith, expecting an attack to come, but your feet are grounded and you are ready for the onslaught of what's coming. You're gonna stand firm against the opposition as a warrior, in this case, for. [00:13:21] Speaker A: Jesus Christ, by his grace, by his strength, in full dependence upon him. [00:13:27] Speaker B: Notice here too. [00:13:28] Speaker A: Be watchful. The enemy seeks to attack the heart. If he gets your heart right, he's got us. And he seeks to attack the truth. He's always trying to attack the word of God. Stand firm in the faith. Be watchful. The enemy is coming for your heart. Stand firm. The enemy is seeking to attack the truth with lies. So the Christian man will be feet ready and positioned and strong in Christ. If you look up at the last verse in First Corinthians 15, probably the same page as you're on right now. Notice Paul says, therefore, my beloved brothers. [00:14:03] Speaker B: Be steadfast, immovable, immovable, always abounding the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Men be steadfast and immovable in the. [00:14:14] Speaker A: Things of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at verse 13 again says, Stand firm in the faith. [00:14:21] Speaker B: In the New Testament, the faith refers to the Gospel. Stand firm in the gospel, even more specifically refers to the atonement of Christ's death and the victory that Christ had through his resurrection from the dead. This is what we must stand firm on more than anything else. The faith, the gospel, the atonement of Christ on the cross and his resurrection from the dead, his victory over the tomb. [00:14:52] Speaker A: Stand firm in that. [00:14:54] Speaker B: Because that is life. That is our victory over death. That is our hope. [00:14:59] Speaker A: Now think about this. Hey, man, be watchful, stand firm in the faith. The cultural tide has never brought so much opposition to the faith, at least not in this country than right now. There's never been more opposition directly and overtly and bluntly against the Christian faith in this country I can speak for, than right now. The temptation to capitulate to culture, the temptation to give into societal norms, the fear of man, social agendas has never been greater. But Paul, who wrote this, be watchful, stand firm in the faith. He suffered massively for the faith. Yet what did Paul do? In the strength of God, in the grace of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, with his eyes set again on the reality of the world to come and heaven, what did Paul do? He pressed on. He kept his eyes on the prize. He fought the good fight. He kept the faith. He kept the gospel front and center. He was constantly reminding himself of the reality of what Christ did for him and the reality of Christ raising him from the dead, that he would never ultimately be defeated. And why? And why? Because the faith, the gospel is life. The gospel is everything, man. I'm telling you. I'm telling you right now. You and I have to find a way where we let the gospel be rehearsed in our lives on a daily basis. When you get tempted to do this or tempted to go there or tempted to think this or say that, when you get tempted to get your eyes off of what actually matters and tempted to go off and live for the things or money or pleasure or vacations, whatever it might be, you have to remind yourself, what am I really here to do? What is this really about again? What Bill just said last session. There's the world here and the world up here. The reality is, again, we are strangers here. We are exiles. We are sojourners. We are not made for this word. Ultimately, we are made for the world to come. The Colossians 3 verse is 1 of my favorite passages in Scripture. If you've been raised with Christ, set your again, set your life and eyes. [00:17:04] Speaker B: And heart on things above. Where Christ says, yes, yes, yes, and yes. For when Christ, who is your life, appears, you also will appear with him in glory. That's the whole point of our lives. When Christ appears, all of this is gone. And Christ is all that matters. So therefore, be watchful, stand firm in the faith. Because the faith is all we got. [00:17:25] Speaker A: Now, some of us right now. What you need to do and I need to do Is confess right now. [00:17:30] Speaker B: That we are not living fully. Our highest priority for the faith. The gospel's not most important. Christ is not most important. Other things are. And we prove it every day of our lives. Because we feed ourselves on that which we hunger for. [00:17:47] Speaker A: So we hunger for the world. We feed on the world. We hunger for lust. We feed on porn. We hunger for greed and money. We feed ourselves on that. We hunger for entertainment. We have all the time in the world to watch that, but no time at all to give to Christ. It's just indication of what's happening in our lives. How do we get out of that? Repentance. Repentance. And he will forgive, and he will love, and he will cleanse, and he will heal, and he will restore. But listen, it requires repentance. You can't just sit there and do nothing. There's an action on our part to go to him and ask that. [00:18:22] Speaker B: We want our priorities to be changed, our hearts to be cleansed, his spirit to fill us once again. [00:18:28] Speaker A: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith. Critical piece for us as vision. As men, we are called to lead with conviction in the faith in the Gospel. My favorite passage kind of explained this in detail. One of them is in John, chapter. [00:18:46] Speaker B: Six, when Jesus is teaching hard things. The Bible says that he's teaching hard things. And most of the people, his disciples at that time, most of the ones they left him, they're like, it's too hard. I can't do this anymore. And many in our day, many men in our day, the teachings of authentically interpreted by scripture, holding up to our culture today, they are hard things. [00:19:13] Speaker A: And many are walking away. Many are like, well, I want to be liked. [00:19:17] Speaker B: Many churches are like, well, we can't. [00:19:18] Speaker A: Say that, because then people come against us. Many men are like, well, I kind of want to fit in where I am. I don't want to lose my job. I don't know, whatever it is. [00:19:23] Speaker B: And things could be some really valid reasons. But at the end of the day, are you with the world as opposed to Christ? This has been happening for 2000 years. Jesus says hard things, but then Peter, he turns. [00:19:33] Speaker A: Jesus turns to his disciples. You know this. He turns disciples and he says, are you gonna go away, too? What a moment. I mean, if that's not underlying your Bible, get that done today, okay? He turns to his disciples. Are you gonna go away, too? And bless Peter's heart. He got a lot wrong, but he got this one right. He said, lord, to whom shall we go? You hold the words of eternal Life. See, Peter's like, well, what's the alternative? The world. What's the alternative stuff? What's the alternative, the culture, which is one fallen man instructing another fallen man. Jesus, you are life. Jesus, you have the words of eternal life. Jesus, you are the purpose and meaning of our existence. [00:20:10] Speaker B: So if we're not with you, then we're not with anything. [00:20:14] Speaker A: That's a decision that we must make as men in our day. As clear as ever to live with conviction again, to stand firm. But many are walking away. We are called by God's grace and by his spirit and in humility to stand firm in the faith. It was the epic scene of the Lord of the Rings, when Gandalf faces that gruesome demon of Balrog. Maybe you know it, maybe you can picture in your mind. There's a standoff at the bridge. [00:20:46] Speaker B: It's shrouded in darkness. [00:20:47] Speaker A: And you remember what Gandalf saw. Said. [00:20:50] Speaker B: He said this. He said, I am a servant of the secret fire, wheeler of the Throne of Anor. And he says this. He says, you, you shall not pass. [00:21:02] Speaker A: And he brings it around again. He goes, you, I love that. [00:21:06] Speaker B: You, you know, shall not pass. Like, yeah, here's the picture on the screen for you can see it here. It's going to become alive to you there. [00:21:14] Speaker A: I love that so much, man. I love that. [00:21:16] Speaker B: He says, there, I am a servant of the secret fire. That's Tolkien saying, I belong to the one who is fire, the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm a wielder of the throne of Anor. I shine the light of the power. And he says, and he says, right into the flames of hell you shall not pass. And bam, there it is, and goes down. And all of us are watching that. You're like, that's awesome. [00:21:39] Speaker A: And then the whip comes up and Gandalf goes down. But he lives. He lives. That's awesome. Yeah, he does. He does this. Tolkien was really smart. Really smart. You know what? That stuff for me blesses me so much and just fires me up so much, too. Again, Tolkien's image, the man of God in Christ, by the Holy Spirit, possesses the fire of God, and that stands for God against the flames of hell. This is the vision for manhood in Christ. You stand against the darkness of our day with the light of Jesus Christ. [00:22:09] Speaker B: For the gospel of Jesus Christ. And as much as we're able, in God's strength and by his servant, I am a servant of the secret fire. Again, everything builders taught us right there, it's the Holy Spirit in us. It's what Christ has made us. Not us, but him in us. Look out. The most powerful man in the room. I am a servant of the secret fire, a wielder of the sword or throne of Anon. I stand against the darkness right now. I mean, just. We need men right now to stop filling your life with personal sinful pleasure and to stand at the door of your house and say, in Jesus name, you shall not pass. That is what we need from men right now. To have conviction. Stop falling asleep. Rise up, wake up. Understand what's happening. Not a game, man. Not a game. Battling spiritual forces of evil and darkness. Your marriage, your home, your future. Young men. Not a game, not a game. Stand in Christ. Stand with Christ. Filling you. Believe him for more that you can. I just love the image at the door of your house as a warrior for Christ by his strength and his spirit. And you say for all who are listening, by prayer and brokenness and humility and faith. You're not coming in here. And we need men to do that more and more and more. Again, how? With prayer and faith and devotion and intimacy. And in the word and faith. To believe what God says he will do, he will do. [00:23:50] Speaker A: These are the men we need to lead in our day, right now, in this way. [00:23:58] Speaker B: Called to be vigilant, called to stand firm. We are called to be strong. Verse 13. Act like men, be strong. [00:24:07] Speaker A: That fires me up. Fire you up. [00:24:08] Speaker B: Fires me up. Essentially, this is. If you want a verse that says. [00:24:12] Speaker A: Man up, this is it right here. This is it. [00:24:14] Speaker B: Act like men. Be strong. Grow up. That's what the Bible's saying. It is time to grow up. Act like a man. Be strong in Christ. Man up, is what Paul is saying here. Stop acting like a child. Stop acting like a baby. It's time to move out of boyhood and adolescence. Stop whining and complaining. Enough with the cowardice, the excuses, the laziness. Enough with blaming others. Enough with the failure to take responsibility. Act like men. Be strong. Enough with. With the compromise. Enough. The men that blame their wives. Cowards. Seriously cowards. You blame your wife for everything it seems. Stop it. You're the man. Lead. Grow up. [00:25:22] Speaker A: Act like it. [00:25:23] Speaker B: Robby, start. Start. Stop being a coward. Lead in that way. Again. Some of us right now. Wait, wait, wait. Some of us right now, again. This is your thing. All you do is point the finger at your wife. Stop it. Come on, man. That's cowardice. Are you a man or not? Lead as you were called to lead. Take responsibility. Humble yourself. Own Your part drives me mental. In marriage situations, they just blame each other and nothing ever happens. Give me a man with. With all the wrong been done to him, he owns his sin and God breaks through. But that takes humility, that takes faith. [00:26:03] Speaker A: That takes courage, that takes strength. And that will find the grace of God and that will be filled with the glory of God. How many times in my marriage, been married almost 24 years now. How many times in my marriage in a place where my wife Jill and I were at odds? It's amazing to me, the pride that fills my heart, just amazing to me, my inability to admit my sin and confess my wrong. I've had several times again throughout my marriage. I can think of a situation right now as I bring it to mind, and I remember how hard it was for me to like. I'm like, trying to approach Jill and I'm trying to get myself drummed up to say I'm sorry and forgive me and to admit my sin. And I'm walking towards her to do that. And everything in me is like, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't. [00:26:50] Speaker B: It's incredible. And it's like by faith in that moment, though, but as a man taking the lead at this time to love my wife, it's so incredible. The moment I open my mouth to begin to confess my sin and own my wrong, grace floods my soul. I kid you not. The moment I begin to speak, the grace of God floods my soul and tears fill my eyes and brokenness. My wife looks at me and she just loves me in that moment and she admires me more then than ever before. The pride that causes you to be so humbled and the humility that God uses to exalt. [00:27:24] Speaker A: And who's that for today? The strength, the strength of understanding. If we keep blaming other people, man, it's time to man up. [00:27:35] Speaker B: Ownership. Ownership of who we are before the Lord. [00:27:39] Speaker A: So act like men. [00:27:39] Speaker B: Be strong. A call to courage. A call to bravery. A call to conviction. A call to integrity. A call to resolve. A call to persevere in Christ. A call to be strong and courageous. Think of Joshua, chapter one. [00:27:54] Speaker A: It was Joshua who was called again. [00:27:56] Speaker B: To take the promised land, commissioned by God to do so. It's an awesome passage of scripture. [00:28:03] Speaker A: And this incredible call to go in. [00:28:05] Speaker B: And take hold again of the land entrusted, promised to him came with two. [00:28:10] Speaker A: Main Be strong and courageous. Right now we're living a culture seeking to castrate men of their God given attributes. Our society is currently educating and medicating boys out of healthy forms of masculinity. Our society now says it's wrong for boys to be strong, competitive, or even energetic. Really what's happening here is society is teaching that masculinity itself is a problem that needs to be eradicated. One liberal author said talking about healthy masculinity is like talking about healthy cancer. Another liberal academic said it's reasonable to conclude that men are trash. No, what you just said is trash. Absolutely. Standing against such statements that are lies from the pit of hell trying to reduce men to nothing. This is where we must refuse to allow the world to define us as men. And we must run to God's definition. And right here today, in part, God says, be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. How are we to be strong? We've heard a lot of that already today, but let's just unpack a little bit here just for us on the screen. For us right now. To be strong is to be a man of courage. We've heard that. To be a man of courage. You know, I just think in the generations past, all of us sit here right now in this nation because there were thousands and thousands and thousands of men who literally gave their lives in war so we can sit here right now in our freedom. They literally had the courage to go and sacrifice their lives as young teenagers or in their 20s or whoever it may be. They gave their lives in my family that we could be here right now. To do what? To do what? To sit around and just pursue self? Everything is that courageous. It's not courageous. God help us. A vision for courage. To be strong in courage. How about to be men? Strong in character? Strong in Characterprise. Men. Men. [00:30:03] Speaker B: 100%. [00:30:04] Speaker A: The thing that God blesses most is character. 100%. The reason the Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever given, greatest given by the greatest person who ever lived. Jesus Christ, begins with the Beatitudes because before all the other commands, it starts with a absolute double click on character. Jesus is like you want to be used in my kingdom. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are those who are meek. Blessed are those again who are merciful. On and on. Every single one is just in beautiful spiritual explosion of character and the commands to be. This is the man that I work within. Integrity, honesty, sincerity, humility. Those are the traits that God guarantees to bless. Let's just do some simple Theological math right now, okay? If my life is absent of. Absent of honesty and integrity and humility and sincerity, if I'm living life in hypocrisy and lies and deceitfulness and impurity, like, let's just be crystal clear right now. Your life won't be blessed. Can we just admit that right now? Like, it's not that hard to figure out, biblically speaking. Men, I appeal to you. I'm one of you, okay? Right now. If your life is filled with such things that are the opposite of integrity and honesty and purity and sincerity, this. [00:31:23] Speaker B: Is why you're not being blessed. This is why there's no joy. This is why there's no favor. This is why there's no power. This is why there's no love in your marriage like what you desire to be. Can we stop being so dumb? We think we can sin and ask God to bless our sin. That's biblical insanity. [00:31:45] Speaker A: And yet so often we think we. [00:31:47] Speaker B: Somehow can do that. [00:31:49] Speaker A: Yeah, Lord, I'll go the exact opposite direction you call for, but then I'll be mad at you when you don't bless me. A call for character, to be strong in conviction. Conviction. Character is rooted in conviction. [00:32:04] Speaker B: A conviction of God's word, of God's truth. Gotta be men of truth, men of God's word. [00:32:10] Speaker A: I just. [00:32:11] Speaker B: I say this all the time. [00:32:11] Speaker A: Men. Look here. Look here. [00:32:12] Speaker B: Like, this book is not a check mark. It is not a cross off the list as a part of 20 other things you're doing each day. This book is God's word. This book is my lifeline. This book is what renews my mind, allows me to think God's thoughts, to pursue his will. This book is so precious because this book reveals Christ. This book allows me to seek in the path that God guarantees to bless man. How many of you are in the book Again? Again, it's so simple, but so profound and so powerful. You have to be a man of the book if you want to be a man of God. Not without this. You must find a way in. And I suggest on a daily basis. I mean, I live for my mornings, live for the reality of seeking God. This morning too, There I was just in Mark's gospel and in Genesis and in the book of Job. And you're just there and you're sitting and I love it. The knee hit so much. Can't do any of this without him. And he speaks to me mostly through this and prayer. But again, I just appeal to you, how many of us are not got one word? If you're not dumb. Is that fair? I think it's fair. Jesus says, praise, sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. [00:33:35] Speaker A: But don't read his truth. God gave us a theological conviction that will drive us to transformation of character and courage. And last thing I wrote down here, to be strong in confrontation. See what does that mean? Confronting the evil in yourself. First we must be strong in confession and confronting our sin, man. Right now, I'm telling you, man, like right now, right now, man up and confess your greed, confess your apathy, confess our selfishness, confess your lust. It's interesting. As Joshua was called to the promised land, he conquered the evil in the land. He went into the land, he conquered the evil as sent by God. He cultivated the land, he established the land and he caused the land to flourish again. By the strength of God, man, we've been entrusted with a land. Our marriages, our homes have been entrusted to us. We are called to by God's strength and grace and his power to go in and to eradicate the evil and cultivate the soil and to establish the land for Jesus christ. You know, N.T. wright, he calls this kind of imagery here that this. We've been given a new Eden, so to speak. We know that perfection is not coming until Christ returns. What an awesome image, though that for me blessed me so much that I've been entrusted with a garden to go reestablish, to take hold of in this sin cursed world. I am called to sow the seeds of life and blessing and light by God's grace and his strength. I keep saying that because it's all him. That's encouraging to me, man, and that's convicting, but that's also very inspiring. Your marriage is a form of land that God has entrusted your children, your home, your future. Young men, I'm telling you like you look ahead in this world and this is the path to blessing. A vision of manhood that God will work in and that God will use. It's a vision of strength as God decides and as God defines a man of strength. You know, for all the things our society says, studies still show that women, what they look for in a man is a man who contributes, a man who works, a man who is strong in these things because women, by God's design are designed to be cared for and protected and provided for. And listen, women love to be loved. I remember I was at a wedding many, many years ago and the pastor said at the wedding, he said to the groom, he says, you can never love a woman enough I've never heard my wife say, stop loving me so much, you're annoying me. I've never heard her say that. And I try to love her a lot. It's like blushing and then keep it coming because it just, it's how they're designed to be loved. The power of being a man of strength who loves. And our final point is that as men we are called to love. Verse 14. Let all that you do be done in love. Let all that you do be done. Now man, this is very important. Okay, so verse 14 is not just an add on to the commands of verse 13. It's not like be watchful and stand firm and be strong and love. That's not what's happening here. Verse 14 is saying that all of verse 13 is to be carry. All of the commands are to be. [00:37:38] Speaker B: Carried out ultimately in love. The essence of manhood in this sense is love. The greatest of these is love. Love. Have you ever thought about this? [00:37:51] Speaker A: A mentor of mine, he might be here right now. I think he is. [00:37:54] Speaker B: Just point out to me the simple reality. Do you ever think about love is our greatest spiritual weapon? [00:38:04] Speaker A: I'm like, that's good. [00:38:08] Speaker B: Satan. There's nothing Satan is more terrified of than your life being saturated with Christ filled love. Because what does dependence, humility and prayer all kind of end up in? More of Christ in us, which is more of his love through us. Satan is terrified of love. [00:38:34] Speaker A: That's why love is the greatest commandments. Love God, love one another. I want you to think about that. The greatest spiritual weapon we can wield is love. Let all that you do be done in love. Filled with Christ's love in us. When I was about 17 years old, something happened to my dad. I wasn't saved at the time. So it was kind of really hard for me to understand fully what was going on. Because the things of the Spirit are discerned by the spirit of God. But I was watching. Here's what I did notice, man. My dad seemed to catch fire for Jesus Christ. Like I believe he was saved. But then something happened. Like something happened. And again, I was a 17 year old sinful young man, but I was watching over here. And the love that came through my dad's life all of a sudden and particularly towards my mom. And I was like, whoa. Like that's different. I'd never seen a man love a woman like that. I mean, limited vision, of course. I never saw my dad love a woman, you know, the way he loved my mom in that time. It was powerful. I remember Like I would never tell them, but I would look. And over time, what I admitted to myself is when I saw my mom and my dad was happening through the grace of God and a renewal of my dad's life. And the power of his love is leading our family. I'm like, what they have, I don't have what they have. I need what they have. I want. It would be my dad's love in our home. Imperfect man, but in this moment, catching fire for Christ, that would reveal to me my own sin. It would be God using that love in our home to reveal to me my lostness. That in the end would reveal to me that I need Savior the power of love through a man's life. The power. And what is love ultimately? [00:40:39] Speaker B: What does love do? How does love act? [00:40:43] Speaker A: Jesus Christ is the example. It's a love of sacrifice. It's a love of selflessness. It's a love that gives men. If we want to grow in manhood. [00:41:01] Speaker B: Life can't continue to be about us. It's not about you or me. A love of sacrifice and selflessness. Giving of self to others, especially our wives, children and those around us that we love. Let all that you do be done in love. Because this is what Jesus Christ did for us. A leadership of love. [00:41:39] Speaker A: What is more powerful than the love of Christ? Be watchful in love. Stand firm in love. Man up with love. Be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. I love about this too. Jesus Christ was perfect in vigilance. Jesus Christ was perfect in standing firm in the faith. Jesus Christ was perfect in manhood, perfect in strength. Jesus Christ was perfect in love. You say I want to be a man of God. Yeah. So do I. What's the quickest but not easy, but what's the surest, straightest line to truly be a man of God? It's this. A man who is filled with Jesus Christ automatically. The more we are filled with the reality of Jesus Christ and being conformed to his image, the more we are transformed into the man that looks more and more like him. More Jesus. More manhood. More Jesus. More blessing, More Jesus. More power. More Jesus. More character. More Jesus. More wisdom. More Jesus. More life. It's Jesus. It's always been and always will. Jesus is perfection. And as men, we desperately need Jesus. So maybe today, maybe let's just quiet our hearts. Just right now, maybe you want to just focus. Maybe you want to bow your head. Let me just say a couple things to us right now. I. I believe in turning points. I do. I believe we've seen this year after year after year after year. When we take a stand publicly, there's a response, there's a physical response. It's just, it's just, it's. It's. It's affirming or confirming. I have heard, Lord. I want to change, Lord, and I am going to do something about it today. So, man, we live in dark days and we need men. We need men to shine the light of Jesus Christ. We need men to receive the call to action we need men to receive the call to action that has been told to you today through God's word. What do I do this? Refuse to allow your laziness and apathy to run your life. Refuse. This is your call to pursue Christ. Refuse to allow the satanic sewage of poison horn to ruin your mind and heart for another day. This is your call to repentance. Run to him. He will forgive you. He will cleanse you. He will love you. He will not turn you away. Refuse to allow screens to steal your affection for your savior, Jesus Christ. Just refuse. This is your call to love Christ today. Refuse to allow the culture of our day to render you timid, weak and passive. This is your call to strength. Refuse to allow your idolatry of comfort to make you a coward. This is your call to courage. Refuse to allow selfishness and pride to own you. Refuse in Jesus name. Refuse. By God's grace. Refuse in his strength of his spirit. Refuse. This is your call to love. It's our call to love. Just in prayer right now and worship team. You guys can come out. We're going to sing a song right now which is dear to my heart over many years. And I just pray it'll be used in your heart just as an affirmation, as a declaration that my life is to be lived in Jesus Christ. Lord, I pray that you are making things crystal clear in our lives and hearts. And I pray that you are speaking so clearly to individual men. Why don't we. Let's sing that once through right now. Let's stand together, men. And just in quiet, but also sincerity. Let's just sing the song to Jesus right now. From your hearts to his. He is listening. He is watching. Lead us, Lord. Lead us, Lord Jesus. [00:46:53] Speaker C: All for Jesus oh all I am entire endeavor hope to be oh Jesus, all for Jesus oh I am in time endeavor hope to be. For it's only. For it's only. [00:47:46] Speaker A: That's right. Amen. [00:47:47] Speaker C: Your will that I am free. For it you will that I am free. [00:48:07] Speaker A: It's all you, Jesus it's all you. Amen. Yes, Lord. [00:48:10] Speaker C: Oh, Jesus. Oh, for Jesus and all I am endeavor, hope to be. [00:48:34] Speaker A: I want to give a chance right now for those who need to respond physically before the Lord because you're resolved to make this day a turning point. There's nothing special necessarily in doing this. And yet I think it's important as a public display and earn a heart before the Lord to say again, I want today to be different. If. If the Lord is working your heart. Today's a day of repentance, conviction. Today's a day of a turning point. Today's a day I'm refusing to do this. And now I'm pursuing the Lord Jesus Christ. I just invite you where you are to come forward and kneel at the front right now, just where you are as a sign of bowing before the Lord Jesus Christ. And I want today to be different. If that's you right now, come forward right now. Just don't hesitate. It always takes one or two. Just come forward right now and kneel at the front and Lord, I want today to be different. I want today to be different. [00:49:21] Speaker B: Come right to the front. Right, right, right to the front. [00:49:23] Speaker A: Make room for others who want to come, man, just as a today, today is a day of change and today a day of difference. Right to the front just so you can get right up close so you don't clog the middle aisle. A chance to respond. A chance to say, Lord Jesus Christ. Today I'm so tired of my lust. Porn is done. I hate it so much and I refuse to allow it to kill me. My greed. Living for money. Living for the world. Living for entertainment. [00:49:47] Speaker B: It's Jesus Christ. Living for the earth. It's Jesus Christ. He's the only one who satisfies. I'm so tired of being so lazy. I sit around day after day just watching shows. No more. Active for Christ, resolve, energy for Christ. I'm so tired of blaming my wife. I need to take ownership today. I repent of that today. And I take ownership where I am before Christ. That I will say, yes, Lord, do a new work in me and not look at other people. Do new work, new work in me. That is you today. I encourage you come forward if leaders, if you are here right now, any leader from any church, any pastor, small group leader, elder, come forward and pray for men. It's love. We get to pray for men. Put your hand on their shoulder, just pray for them. Don't even know their name. Just pray for them in that moment. Come forward now. Leaders, Pastors elders, small group leaders. Again, I want to ask you again, just come. Just come pray. [00:50:43] Speaker A: Pray for men in brokenness and sincerity. [00:50:45] Speaker B: As we sing the song. If that's you, maybe you're going to grab a brother and pray. [00:50:49] Speaker A: Maybe you're going to. [00:50:49] Speaker B: Brother, pray for me right now. Pray for me right now. Maybe you'll come forward at this time, too. We're not rushing. This is so important. So the team's going to lead us again right now in this song, and we're going to raise our hands to the Lord. [00:51:04] Speaker A: We're gonna surrender our lives again to Jesus Christ to do new work of love within us. Let's do that now and make lots of ministry happening right now.