God’s Good Design of Masculinity

Good morning.

Thank you so much for attending 12 -5 church this morning.

We are so glad to have you.

Sorry.

We're working out some of the kinks.

So I prayed that this morning that we would worship The sovereign triune God and

spirit and in truth and just as a reminder To the Saints, thank you so much for

being faithful.

The way that the Lord has called us to not neglect the gathering together of the body.

This is how we flourish in fellowship with one another and so for those who are visiting you are loved, too.

We just want to thank you so much for coming and visiting our covenant Body, and we just want to encourage you if you get a

chance fill out one of our connect cards that way.

If you have any questions about who we are.

We'd love to reach out to you and and answer those questions and we'd love to pray for you.

And so if you're a guest Please get one of those connect cards and please as we're done with the sermon

We do koinonia feast the time of fellowship and sermon discussion.

We'd encourage you to please stick around so we can get to know you and for you to get to know us.

And so before we get started into our service, we have a couple announcements.

If you're interested in learning more about what it means to be a covenant member here at 12 -5 church.

We do a four -week membership class every quarter throughout the year and it's coming up

On Wednesday nights at 630 and we will start on May 22nd.

This is the first step towards becoming a member and if you're not sure about Becoming a member yet would still

like to learn more about who you are.

Well, then just come be a part of our class.

Learn more about what God has done in the life and body of 12 -5 church what he's done as a church plant in the

past.

And what he's continuing to show us in the direction of the leadership here as well.

So we'd love for you to be a part of that.

And if you're interested, please let us know that way.

We can get plenty of material for everybody for them number two.

On Wednesday nights.

We do what's called theological training.

And so our time and the book everyone's a theologian is coming to a close.

Oh.

Have y 'all been loving that study for those of y 'all been a part for.

It's been about a year or more and so I've been able to be a part of that study and

it's been incredible.

But it is coming to an end but July 3rd, we will be starting up a 12

-week course on the doctrines of grace.

And so that'll be starting July 3rd.

So right before we're gonna kick off July 4th with the bang.

We're gonna start off with the day before with another kind of theological bang with the doctrines

of grace.

So, please look forward to that.

We are going to provide a curriculum for this.

It's very extensive when we're talking about who God is and who man is and how?

Salvation works out all to the praise of God's glory.

And so you probably are aware of this by now, but we take seriously here at 12 -5.

Equipping the Saints for the good work and a part of that is not only having great fellowship with other

Saints, but theological depth.

We must have orthodoxy right doctrine and that leads to how we Practically live out

the Christian life with one another.

And so before we begin our service I want us to pray for a local church here in town that

preaches the right gospel.

We want to have great unity where unity is be able to have so please join me this morning for

Praying for Highland Baptist Church here in town.

Heavenly Father we want to thank you so much for The gathering of your people on the Lord's Day and we just want to lift

up Highland Drive Baptist God this is a faithful church that loves you Jesus and

It is wanting to preach the whole Council of God faithfully.

Well, I just lift up the leadership at this church.

I prayed that God they would not capitulate to the culture but they would stand firm on your truth and

God that you had blessed them and that many souls will be saved from the Clutches of the enemy and that many people

would have their sins forgiven by looking to you Jesus.

Lord, I just pray that you would use 12 -5 to be a means of gospel Partnership with them

and many other churches in the local area.

Lord.

We love you.

We pray these things in your name Jesus.

All right, it's time to officially start our service if you would please stand.

Our call to worship this morning comes from Psalm chapter 37.

And this is a time where it's not just for me to read and you listen.

This is a time to participate in proclaiming the Word of God.

The psalmist says trust in the Lord and do good

delight yourself in the Lord.

The desires of your heart commit your way to the Lord.

Trust in him.

He will act.

He will bring forth your righteousness at the light.

The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in his way.

Though he fall he shall not be cast.

Headline.

I've been young and now I'm old.

He is ever lending generously.

Turn away from evil and do good.

For the Lord loves justice.

They are preserved forever.

The righteous shall inherit the land.

Amen Church.

All right.

Let's go together in a time of prayer for adoring our great and wonderful God.

Heavenly Father we lift your name on high Lord.

I pray that you would guard our hearts this morning from distraction from the things that God that we've

we've been Tainted by the world.

God this this age is perishing God.

We constantly are fighting against the lust of the flesh and Lord I just pray that this morning that you would remove

those distractions that our hearts would be encouraged to sing praise on high and that We would magnify

the great name of Jesus.

Lord.

We love you.

We pray these things in your name.

Amen.

All right.

Welcome everyone.

All right, let's lift our voices.

Let's sing out nothing but the blood.

Amen.

What can wash away my sin nothing but the

blood of Jesus.

What can make me whole again.

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my part.

For my part.

And this I see nothing but the blood of

Jesus.

For my cleansing this my plea nothing but the

blood of Jesus.

Precious is the flow that makes me

white as snow.

But the blood

of Jean can force in a tongue nothing but the blood

of Jesus.

God of good that I have done nothing but the

blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace.

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my righteousness.

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Precious is the flow it's me white

as snow.

One more

time.

Precious is the flow That makes me

white as snow.

But the blood of Jesus.

Praise for this.

I bring nothing

but

the blood of Jesus.

I trust the Jesus

name.

When darkness fails His lovely

face I rest on his.

Unchanging the highest order

He shall sound.

Oh may I rest in his

righteousness alone blessed to stand

before the throne.

Our

scripture

reading this morning comes from Romans chapter 1.

Very important passage telling us man's depravity.

Right showing us that left to ourselves all hope is lost.

Paul tells us starting in verse 18.

For the wrath of God is revealed From heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men

who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

For what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them for his invisible attributes.

Namely his eternal power and divine nature has been clearly perceived Ever since the creation of the

world in the things that have been made so man.

They are without excuse for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him.

But they became futile and their thinking and in their their foolish hearts were darkened claiming to

be wise.

They became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images Resembling mortal man

and birds and animals and creeping things therefore God gave them up in the lust of their

hearts to impurity to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves because they Exchanged the truth

about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature Rather than the Creator who is

blessed forever.

Amen for this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions for their women exchanged natural

relations for those that are contrary to nature.

And the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another.

Men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty.

For their error and since they did not see fit to acknowledge God God gave them up to a debased

mind to do what ought not to be done.

They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness evil covetousness.

Malice for they are full of envy murder strife deceit maliciousness.

They are gossip slanderers haters of God.

Insolent haughty boastful inventors of evil disobedient to parents foolish faithless.

Heartless ruthless, though.

They know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die.

They not only who do them but give approval to those who practice them.

This is the natural state of man.

And this has been at least all of us to some degree of another until God's amazing

grace Opened up our heart to see the truth of who Jesus is.

That's why he gets all the glory.

And so I want us to come together in a prayer of confession and assurance Confessing that this is what we were

saved out of and we still war against the flesh day by day.

Our brothers and sisters in the room that I can call up and say I need some prayer.

The flesh the flesh that constantly eats at my redeemed soul is telling me Hey, you were saved from this

and we long for glory with our Savior.

So please pray with me Heavenly Father as a corporate body.

We confess to you our sin.

God everything that we just read is all that man in the world has to offer God.

Man naturally hates you.

God Loves their sin and suppresses the truth that all creation is testifying to not

only your to your existence.

But your righteous decrees we know Internally that we sin against our Creator

God and by your amazing grace.

You have taken out that heart of stone and given us a new heart for those of us that love you Jesus

Lord and we not only love you.

But you have gifted our hearts in such a way that we love the Saints.

God, I pray that if there's anyone in here that is looking at another sister in Christ and gives them a dirty

Look God that you would change their heart that you would work conviction To show Christ -like love God not

only for the ladies in the church, but the men God that we would the spirit would move about God and that we

would look to honor you with our lives and to fulfill what you've called us to Fulfill the one another's to love

one another to forgive one another to be reconciled with one another God we fall short of the

standard all the time and we confess that to you and we rest assured That you Jesus are an

amazing Savior that saves to the uttermost.

And Lord, we are so thankful Lord encourage our hearts this morning by your truth.

We love you Lord.

We pray this in your name.

Amen.

Be all else to me save that

Sleeping Presence

My

My

deep

or

by

my

side

the

Savior.

Yes,

and I

labor.

This and read.

His power is display.

Future sure.

The price it has been Jesus

bled and suffered for my.

Yes Yes

Bring me

last.

The

sisters in

Christ

God's we

lift praise

to your name because you are so worthy and honor.

Of all and everything we could ever give fathers.

We continue this time of worship and giving.

I Asked father God that you were honored in this time as well.

Or just as in the singing and worshiping and praising your name that in our giving father brings you glory and

honor.

God we thank you for each person you brought here this morning to worship with us.

And we ask God that you would Prepare our hearts for the word that you have ready this

morning for us to hear.

Lord that your people would respond in obedience To it.

God that we would see The glorious truths in this word this morning fathers.

We study we praise you.

Look

Christ has given us the opportunity to come together and open up

his words and.

Glean from them learn from them grow from them be be edified by them having our

minds Renewed so go ahead and open up your copy of God's Word to Ephesians chapter 5.

If you've got a copy of God's Word with you, we will be in Ephesians chapter 5.

And we are going to read as we did last week a big portion starting in verse 22 because I

want us to see the whole of This grouping of texts that we are going to be dealing with over the

next few weeks in this Series, but Ephesians chapter 5 I'm going to start reading there in

verse 22 where Paul says wives submit to your own husband says to the Lord for The

husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church his body and is

himself its Savior.

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

That he might sanctify her having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.

So that he might present the church to himself in splendor without spot or wrinkle or any

such thing.

That she might be holy and without blemish in the same way husbands should love their wives as their

own bodies.

He who loves his wife loves himself for no one ever hated his own flesh.

But nourishes and cherishes it just as Christ does the church because we are members

of his body.

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife and who shall

become one flesh.

This mystery is profound and I'm saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

However, let each one of you love his wife as himself and let the wife see that she respects

her husband.

Children obey your parents and the Lord for this is right.

Honor your father and mother.

This is the first commandment with a promise that it may go well with you and that you may live long in

the land fathers.

Do not provoke your children to anger but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the

Lord.

This is the reading of God's Holy Word.

Let's let's bow once again.

Let's pray that the Holy Spirit would illuminate our hearts and minds to this truth.

Dear heavenly father.

We come bow before you once again, we thank you for allowing us to sing truths.

We thank you for allowing us to read your word and and to pray to you.

We thank you that in Christ.

We have the right to come before you and Now we see your words.

We love your words.

They are clear.

They are true and and we ask that we would not in our in our remaining flesh.

Distort them that we would not misunderstand them that that we would

Allow them in our lives to mold us as they renew our minds as they.

They bring our minds back to what our minds were initially created to be.

So father, I pray that you'd be honored in it Jesus we ask that you would be present in this

sermon that you would saturate all of it with your glory and holy Spirit.

We we ask that you would illuminate our minds and hearts to this glorious truth.

We thank you in Christ's name.

Amen.

Well, as you can see last week we got back into our study through this great

letter from Paul to the church in Ephesus and We began a bit of a mini series within this

study that we have entitled God's design for the family.

Seen as how we've come to this portion that we just read here of chapter 5.

And it's giving us a glimpse of this great design by God.

And as we pointed out last week that this section here in Ephesians.

Is that it's just a glimpse of a bigger picture of this

good design.

Here we see it's showing us that wives are to submit to their husbands.

We see that husbands are to love their wives.

We see that children are to obey.

We see that fathers are to discipline well.

And how teaching and living these things out without a a fuller

picture as to the why of that design but

in other words meaning.

Seeing it here in the text.

You just read the words, right?

You see the words you see that it says it but without having a bigger picture of.

The biblical foundation of the wisdom and goodness of it.

Often leads us as we pointed out last week if you were with us to one

of four categories.

And I'm gonna repeat those here.

So we have those fresh in our minds.

This not seeing the bigger picture while seeing a text like this a small glimpse of the

design of the family.

Often leads us to fall into obeying it begrudgingly.

Right many of us we see it here in the text and we say I believe God's words.

I must obey it now.

Sometimes I don't feel like it, but I'm gonna do it anyways.

If I'm a wife, I'm submitting.

I'm gonna do it if I'm a husband I'm gonna lead and I'm gonna love and I'm gonna be sacrificial if I'm a kid and I'm gonna

obey my parents.

Even if they're wrong, I'm gonna obey we're gonna just pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and do it.

But we're obeying it begrudgingly.

Some of us questioning it silently.

You know what in our minds we read the text we sure we go well that sure does seem arbitrary of God.

Why did God set it up like that?

Why are the men in control and the family and in the church?

What does that mean?

Why why is it structured this way?

Some and many in our culture and within the the Christian subculture today

are Misunderstanding it fundamentally.

Misunderstanding it.

Yeah, it seems to say that I read the words here, but it must not mean that it must

mean something else meaning you are misunderstanding this picture of

God's design for the family and Then there's others that we know all too well or

denouncing it rebelliously you say well I have eyes I can read All right.

It says it it's obvious.

It says it right there, but I'm not gonna abide by it.

I'm not going to Listen to this.

I'm not gonna honor and obey my husband.

I'm not going to obey my parents.

I'm not gonna love my wife because because I Don't want to.

And so I can preach these texts and and many of you will fall into one of these

four categories and honestly totally miss out on the glorious

goodness of this good design by God.

And so that's why we have begun to jump before jumping into this Exegesis of that

text that we just read we got to spend some time Taking a look at how scripture depicts the

created order of the distinction of natures

between male and female.

This I think will give us a clearer picture as to the good design of the

Why wives submit husbands lead children obey and fathers discipline?

We must see a distinction of Natures built into the very fabric of God's

creation so last week was Just an introduction where we saw

the world's view of what's known as Egalitarianism.

Remember we use some big words.

I don't have them on the screen this week.

I'm sorry if you didn't if you weren't here last week and took notes you're out of luck, but there's big fancy words Egalitarianism

and this is the world's view claiming that there is no Distinction between men and

women they are equal in nature and in their view subsequently roles and

so passages like Ephesians 5 are absurd.

Trying to do away with God's good design altogether.

We also saw the distinction this doctrine of the distinction of roles Known as

complementarianism, right you have egalitarianism equal

complementarianism is Complementary that men and women are equal and value worth and

dignity.

They are both image bearers yet distinct in roles roles that

complement one another and Finally we saw the doctrine of the

distinction of natures.

Known as patriarchy remember that gross word that we talked about last week that Satan has Distorted

and perverted and in our minds and in our culture.

It's this doctrine that men and women are equal image bearers.

They both Have that a Mago day.

They were created after God's image, but created with distinct and Different natures

altogether and so over the next two weeks.

We are going to spend some time looking at those Distinctions that are shown in scripture

in greater detail.

Today's message is entitled God's good design of masculinity

God's good design of masculinity where we're going to look at the strength the the goodness of the

design of the strength of Manhood and then next week we're going to look at God's good design of

femininity where we will see the beauty of womanhood.

And the process of distorting God's good design here the evil one has used our

very own sin nature combined with our created

nature to begin to blur the lines between what is good

and natural and what is evil and unnatural.

We see this in all walks of life.

He's done this and nearly every area of our lives and our culture.

But specifically today as I said, we're going to look at how he's done it with this idea of masculinity

of this idea of manhood that has been thoroughly distorted by using our

sin nature and our God -given nature.

The world has its definitions, doesn't it?

We said last week That either define your terms or your enemy will and our

enemy sure has and we have to redefine our terms.

But to some in our culture the definition of manhood is nothing more than an effeminate

docile servant.

That's what feminism has brought manhood in our culture to

feminism and Just indifferent the quintessential sitcom dad

the idiot that knows his place.

You know I'm talking about Watch any television show the dad's the moron.

The dad is always wrong.

The dad is detached and.

And they our culture adheres to a creed.

Because of this and the creed that they hold to is happy wife.

Happy life and.

So they capitulate.

And they compromise.

They give in and they give up their God -given roles in order to appease

the culture's definition of manhood.

Accusing to every demand from their wife and children.

No matter how harmful that demand is upon them and their family.

It's the world has has a type of man that is growing up who are content

to be pacified by pornography and video games.

They've taken dominion.

They're created design was to take dominion was it not?

To care for God's good creation, and so they can't do it out there because by the sweat of your brow.

Will you eat they don't want to put in the hard work that they were created for?

So they take dominion in the video game because then they get some sort of Response from

that because after all they were created to take dominion.

Instead of loving a wife and caring for her and having the the spouse and

the relationship there that is supposed to be beautiful and God -given between one man and one woman

they now just Go after pornography because after all they don't have to put in the effort.

They don't put in the work.

They just get the benefits from it at least they think.

So that's one way, but others in our culture.

They define manhood in a more rugged and more hardened way you see the extremes.

They swing a pendulum right as as Vodie Bockham Which many of you know he's a well -known pastor who is

his is renowned for combating the decay of the family.

He summarizes our cultural definition of manhood with what he calls the three B's.

The three B's we measure manhood by the billfold the ball field and the bedroom.

If you want to know what a man is in our culture today, we see that we are defining

manhood by the three B's.

Meaning that the peak of masculinity will always show itself in one of these three ways and the

pinnacle of that would be all three.

You know the ball field makes sense doesn't it.

The ball field makes sense after all it is our culture's God.

Even many within the church today Sacrifice their own children at its altar.

Giving up the Sunday Lord's Day gathering for travel sports.

Giving up family time in the evenings to disciple their children and important things in order to play

ball.

Because that is our nation's God because that is the sign of masculinity to many in our culture.

We look at these mighty men on the field or on the court and think now that's a man.

That's the pinnacle of a man.

He's strong.

He's big.

He's powerful.

That is masculinity at its finest.

Forgetting all the while that these are grown men playing with a ball, right?

And Because this seems like real manhood.

What's happening is our young men who naturally and instinctively long for manhood?

They instinctively long for glory.

It's created in them.

They're tempted to accept this as the real thing and fall wantonly short of their

true design.

They don't move forward Into the real thing they're trapped in

something far lesser.

Some realize that this achievement of athletic Greatness is off the table for

them men like myself who it is genetically impossible.

And you begin to realize well, that's off the table.

That seems hopeless.

That's what our world deems as a masculine man.

What do I do?

I still have The natural desire for manhood and here's the deal it can be

found in what he points to and the definition of our culture is in the billfold and

the bank account the wallet.

Financially if you can't rule on the ball field, maybe you can rule in the boardroom.

This is of course Natural a man's design is to provide so

the best provider must be the best man.

Logic follows doesn't it?

The best provider must be the best man must be the most masculine of all the ruthless

cunning and fiscally wise man must be the pinnacle of Masculinity

and that is how we perceive this in our world and thirdly Manhood is

defined by the bedroom.

Now we have mixed company.

I have no need to elaborate greatly upon this, but you know that in our pornographic culture

there is an expectation of expertise experience and

performance that men desire to attain and women look for.

Because it is the pinnacle of masculinity.

Because to them this divines manhood and

all of these categories these three categories.

Plus the other distortion of the docile effeminate man you can see

where.

They're falling so short of what's really meant to be.

The three B's maybe are a little bit closer to real design because the effeminate man that's Romans chapter

1.

That's completely doing away with with any kind of design whatsoever a young man who is

effeminate Fathers you got to get a hold of him men in the church.

You have to get a hold of him that is not God's design.

But we see pictures of God's design in areas like the world's view within these

three B's.

Right the ball field the billfold and the bedroom.

But what do all three of these things have in common?

They show us that Masculinity is inevitable.

It is natural men desire to attain it and

Women desire to benefit from it.

Just simple as that.

Men desire to attain it and women desire to benefit from it.

It's only natural within the created order and

We have settled for so much less.

But if this is the design and we can't get around it and we know that masculinity manliness

is is meant to be.

Why do so many of the NFL and NBA players?

Marriages fail if they're the pinnacle of masculinity and that's what men are attaining to be and that's what women

are longing for.

Why their marriage is failing at a significantly high rate?

Well, why do so many successful businessmen lose their families I?

Used to work in the corporate world and the higher up you get The more families those

men end up having spread out because they lose one family after another.

Why is that well if they're the peak of masculinity, can't they raise a family?

Can't they love a woman?

Can't they care for a woman?

Can't that woman desire and want him the most.

It doesn't work like that.

Why are why are Promiscuous men and women alike so lonely you ever wondered that you ever

noticed they may parade it as if they're happy and having fun.

But they're the loneliest people in all of the planet because they've settled for a distorted

lie about their natural Design, it's fallen short.

So, let's go to the source.

Now that we've seen the world's distortion.

Let's find out what it really looks like.

To help us redefine biblical masculinity.

Turn with me to 1st Corinthians 16.

1st Corinthians 16.

Paul is giving his final instructions to the church at Corinth.

What is he doing is that he's exhorting them in the faith.

He's exhorting them to continue moving forward and.

And look at what he says there in 1st Corinthians 16 down at verse 13.

He says.

Be watchful.

Stand firm in the faith like men

strong.

Some translations like the NIV have tried to soften the language here.

They've translated it be on your guard.

Stand firm in the faith great so far.

Be courageous be strong.

You see the difference.

After all, here's the thing Paul is.

Paul's not talking to just men and In this exhortation of the church is he.

He's speaking to the whole of the church men and women alike however.

The word that Paul uses here in the Greek on drids of my.

This word it I know that means nothing to y 'all.

There's no connection to that word.

I'm just pointing it out because I want you to understand it means to show oneself a man

by being brave.

To show oneself a man by being brave.

What is Paul telling the whole church men and women alike in this

exhortation.

He's telling them to act in a certain way and The way

that he tells them to act By the way is tied to a designed reality.

He's telling them to act in a certain way and the way he's telling them to act is Attached and connected

and tied to a designed reality.

Men are designed by God to be look at what he says right after that

phrase at the very end strong.

Men are designed by God to be strong.

Why do you think the world defies defines masculinity in those other three categories that we?

Mentioned the ball field the billfold and the bedroom.

Because look at how we're built.

We're built genetically strong.

We are the stronger of the two genders.

Are we not?

Physically.

We are built strong, but not only physically.

Men are strong emotionally.

One of the many great things that my mother did for me and and by the way my mother did a lot of great things.

For me this one is just one of them that has really stood out to me over the years as has impacted me greatly.

When I was a young teenage boy probably 13 or so I began to panic

and and I felt an Overwhelming sense of stress about all my responsibilities as if I had any

responsibilities at 13, right?

But in my view I thought the way of the world is gonna crush me, and I can't bear it.

I can't stand it, but I was beside myself.

I'm overwhelmed with self -pity and the stress of life.

And I can't stand firm and I remember my mother in that moment grabbing me by the shirt and

smacking me in the face.

And she got up in my face, and she said son get yourself together.

You were designed by God to bear weight.

You were made to bear stress.

You were designed for stress.

You were created for stress and not only that your shoulders were created to bear the stress of the week along with

it.

That's what you were bit.

This is meant to mold you and grow you and and that stood out drastically to me.

I remember that and it's given me great comfort through difficulty.

She is right, and this is why Paul is encouraging the church to imitate

this and emulate manliness.

To be standing firm scripture gives us the opposite of strength.

Notice here.

He says be strong stand firm act like men.

Back in Isaiah 19 16 says in that day the Egyptians will be

like women and tremble with fear.

Jeremiah 51 30 the warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting.

They've stopped fighting they've given up they remain in their strongholds.

They're hiding away locked up.

Their strength has failed.

They have no more strength.

They have become women.

It's quite a contrast is it not.

Isaiah chapter 3 verse 12.

He says my people talking to the people of Israel that time.

Infants are their oppressors.

Infants are overtaking them and women rule over them.

That's not a good thing.

If you're so weak the infants have overtaken you and that women rule over you.

Something is wrong.

You see the contrast in Scripture is it speaks of God's design of a man to be

strong to be the one that is both physically and emotionally

strong.

These of course these passages in the Old Testament are speaking primarily physical strength and battle and in ruling.

But we see emotional strength in 1st Peter 3 and 1st Peter 3 verse 7.

Peter says likewise husbands live with your wives in an understanding way showing honor

to the woman as The weaker vessel

don't blame me.

I'm not saying it.

I didn't say that.

I literally just read the text.

Okay I'm just I'm just the messenger don't shoot him.

This is why God's design for the family and for society is patriarchal it takes

strength to lead.

So, what does that strength look like?

What does strength look like Paul tells us in the text?

Well, as a matter of fact, we see two things that Paul identifies as he calls them to act like men.

And the first one is men are to be Watchful.

Men are to be watchful.

Says it right there in the text.

Why is a man to be watchful?

Why are we?

To act in this way now Paul again in the passage in 1st Corinthians is speaking Of course to men and women

because women are called to carry out This standing within the church as a whole because

they are equal parts of the church.

We're all a body, right?

So when Paul's writing to the body, he's writing to the body as a whole and everyone has their place and position.

But when we see what it's tied to with the example of being strong and standing firm like men we

see the characteristics that he is speaking of and one of them to be watchful and Why are men

to be watchful?

Well Peter again in 1st Peter, but in chapter 5 verse 8 remember he says hey be sober -minded.

Be watchful.

Peter uses the same phrasing there that Paul does be watchful.

Why why be watchful?

He says your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.

Leadership necessitates responsibility.

Leadership necessitates responsibility.

What kind of man Would take his family and put them in harm's way.

When there's a roaring lion outside and then just go to bed and just assume everything's going to

be okay.

Well, we do that spiritually all the time.

Do we not?

That's why Peter's warning be watchful.

And that's for every saint but this is tied to a masculinity a

manliness if you are designed to lead then you're required to be

Responsible it's not optional some of you young men may say well I'm just not gonna get married because I don't want to bear

that weight.

Yeah.

Good luck with that.

You can't get away from God's good design.

You see this is where Adam failed.

I Know I talk about that a lot, but everything goes back to that original sin.

Does it not everything goes back to the garden?

It's all tied together.

This is where Adam failed.

He either wasn't watching or was passive in his watching.

He was tasked to watch he was tasked to care and he wasn't and he allowed his wife the one

he was Responsible to lead to be deceived by the evil one who was prowling around like a roaring

lion.

But again, here's where the true and better Adam did not fall.

He did not fail.

Even when his sheep wonder which we do he goes after us.

Does he not?

Because he is watchful and he's not lost one.

He's attentive.

He is the perfect man.

So many men today think that That they are a man because they do manly things.

We see it especially here in the south.

It's kind of exaggerated here.

Is it not we think we're men because we do mass Masculine things manly things.

I like to hunt.

Hmm.

I like to hunt.

I like to go fishing.

I mean, maybe I work on cars or you know, I watch football on the weekend and drink my

beer.

I'll work out.

I do all my workouts.

I do mixed martial arts.

I fight MMA.

I'm a man.

I'm doing manly things.

Yes, of course.

These are certainly manly type things in and of themselves find things but

they are not the right things and We settle for lesser

because our definition of manhood is the ball field the billfold and the

bedroom a Distorted version of masculinity.

Are they the right things?

Are you being watchful?

You're tasked with the role of strength.

Strength to care for and protect those who are not strong and Many of us are

wasting our strength on Fruitless distractions while the weak around us are being

devoured our wives need us and

are being devoured by the evil one and They're desperate.

They're drowning and they're crying out help me and they don't even

know it and You're watching football.

We're to imitate our Savior.

The one who was not distracted.

Here's the thing if your family truly does need meat in the freezer.

I learned that I quit hunting a long time ago.

I love hunting don't hear me wrong.

There's nothing wrong with hunting.

It's a good thing.

But I came I realized that I didn't really need the meat in the freezer was actually costing

more with all my hunting supplies and my time than it would to just go to the grocery store and get the meat, right.

But if your family needs to meet in the freezer and it's it fits then then by all means go hunting that's

your job.

You're taking care of them.

If your family truly needs that car.

Repaired in order for someone to get to work or to get supplies or to get anywhere that fix the car.

Of course if watching football is a hobby that brings your family together.

And you're able to disciple them in the process then watch it to the glory of God.

There's nothing wrong with those things in and of themselves.

But if any of those things take away from your first primary role of the spiritual

watchfulness of those tasked to your care.

Then you are derogating your duties and are not being masculine you are being weak.

No matter how manly the thing you're doing seems

you're just distracted.

This goes again to the young men those of you that do not have wives yet.

Proverbs chapter 20 says the glory of young men is their strength.

That's the glory of young men their strength.

You may not have a wife and children to care for at the moment, but you have strength strength

to care for those around you.

Strength to care for those that cannot.

Young men, maybe your mother needs you to care for her.

Provide for her.

Maybe your sister's husband abandoned her because he's a godless even and You need to

step in so that she can stay at home and care for her children.

Maybe there are people in the church that desperately need help because they're drowning in difficulty and

sin.

And you can stand firm at the watchtower and watch over them.

This isn't just for you married men, this is for all men.

It's built into the DNA of you, but it's not just for men.

It's for you women, too.

You're called to be watchful in the areas that you're designed for.

We're gonna talk about that next week.

Young men don't waste that strength on video games and pornography.

Use it for the kingdom.

Act like men.

Be watchful.

Being watchful is not just watching out for those tasked to our care but being watchful for our own

souls also.

You're not just watching for those around you.

You're watching for yourself being watchful for how the enemy is deceiving you.

The enemy is distracting you with entertainment.

He's distracting you by thoughts that are not honoring to God and sometimes he's even

Distracting you by good things that are keeping you from better things

and men young and old.

The only way to be watchful is to know.

What you're watching for?

Doesn't help to stand on the watchtower when you haven't been told what to watch for you're just looking out.

You're like, well, I don't know what I'm looking for.

I'm looking.

I don't know what I'm looking for.

That is why you must be a student of the word.

Your mind must be renewed you must be being trained in God's Word.

Man, if you're not taking advantage of Wednesday night doctrinal training, what are you doing?

What are you doing?

If you're not being discipled by an older man in your life if you don't have a Paul in your life.

What are you doing?

You need to be taught through God's words.

Wisdom comes from God and alone and you have none of it on your own.

Your wisdom is pure undefiled foolishness,

that's what got us in this mess in the first place, isn't it?

And by the way, you also can't do this alone.

You're not Rambo.

That's another that's another area of the of this the evil one deceiving us and it's

made its way into the church, right?

We have individualism like I'm a man.

I go and do it on my own.

That's masculinity.

Pure masculinity is is the guy that can go defeat the army by himself.

He gets all the glory, but that's not reality.

That's a distorted version of masculinity.

There's only one man that accomplished that right?

Christ is the only one that accomplished it alone.

But we.

We are called to community.

You will not stand that watchtower on your own you can't do it.

It's impossible even in the reality of it.

How are you going to be watchful 24 hours a day?

It's impossible alone, isn't it?

If you don't have community a community of godly watchful men standing that tower with you

you will be overtaken.

Because masculinity requires community.

It demands it.

You must be in God's Word you must know what you're looking for and you must be side -by -side on

The battlefield with other men who know what they're looking for and are watching you

while you're watching them the

second.

Second thing that we see in the text is men are to be flat -footed.

If you're not familiar with this phrase, I like this phrase it it means unmovable.

It means you've put your feet into the end of the sand and you've dug them in and you're

not budging.

We see it here in the text.

Look back at first Corinthians 16.

Be watchful stand firm in the faith.

Men by nature are stubborn, aren't we?

Usually sinfully stubborn.

Wives you can't laugh at that.

It's true.

It's very true.

We have our beliefs.

We have our convictions and we stand behind them at least for the most part.

It's in our nature.

The problem is that today in our culture that is seen as toxic masculinity.

Having conviction is fine.

As long as you keep it to yourself.

As long as you just stay quiet over there.

As long as you don't stand flat -footed.

As long as you're movable and moldable.

Preachers today preachers like.

Like ourselves here are some of the most hated creatures on the planet in our culture today.

It's because we stand in a pulpit like this and we say thus saith the Lord boldly and unashamedly.

But our culture hates this type of flat -footedness.

But this is precisely how God designed masculinity.

We are warriors men.

We're made for it.

We are dominion takers.

We were designed for that.

We were designed for the hard things and this demands

conviction.

Demands conviction and conviction demands a flat -footed boldness.

Does it not.

Any man who has a conviction and is movable in that conviction doesn't have a conviction.

A man stands firm.

Needs to be immovable.

Think of the men on the front lines of things like the Revolutionary War.

You ever seen the movies depicting those and and you see the men standing there and you know, those men aren't

dumb.

They know good and well, yeah, I'm probably taking a bullet to the head today.

I'm more than likely dying today with voice and knees.

Shaking barely able to hold their rifle still yet standing firm.

Why would they do that?

Conviction.

Conviction that this is for the greater good.

That his own life is a small price to pay for those that he's tasked to protect.

Now here's the thing.

It may not be a good conviction.

It's a conviction nonetheless.

But notice Paul doesn't tell them to stand firm.

Look at the text.

He tells them to stand firm in The faith

the world has its conviction, but Paul says no no.

This is what a man does act like a man by standing firm in the faith.

This this is the ultimate conviction one that is truly worthy

of standing firm for the only conviction worthy of standing for

The faith that was once for all delivered to the Saints the faith that hinges

on the ultimate man the quintessential perfect

ideal man of Of perfect masculinity the one who

stood Flat -footed against sin and the enemy death

and when the world the whole of the world threw everything it had at him.

Everything against him.

Its strongest powers that be men like Pontius Pilate

were standing in front of him and He stood firm.

And he declared to Pilate remember he says you would have no authority over me at

all unless it had been given to you from above and stood firm

and then allowed Hear me out allowed them to beat

mock Ridicule spit upon and

Ultimately kill him allowed

it even though He had the

power.

He realized to crush all of them at the word of his mouth.

He had created them by the word of his mouth.

He could annihilate them just the same He could have stopped it at any moment.

They were his creatures and he humbled himself being made

like them to not only allow this but Sovereignly ordain it so that

he could do what he could represent.

He could rescue he could protect and he could keep those that are his

Taking the wrath of the father on their behalf.

You realize this this this is our example of masculinity.

He stood on conviction and he wasn't willing to

budge.

That is manhood.

We were created like that.

But let's go back to Adam again though because you know good and well.

You're not strong enough to stand that flat -footed.

Don't you you see when Adam found that Eve Had

eaten the fruit.

We don't know what that looked like.

We don't know if he was passively watching or if he was Off somewhere else.

We don't know.

But when Eve had eaten the fruit Adam knowing what God had said He knew

what God had said that the day you eat of it you shall surely die.

Didn't he he was very aware of this and his role.

Adams role there in the garden meant that he should have taken Eve directly to God.

Instead he takes the fruit from his wife and he eats it.

But his role Demanded as the caretaker and the oversight of the garden his role Demanded

what he should have done in that moment.

He should have taken Eve directly to God and said God she ate of the tree.

And I know what you said you said the day you eat of it.

You will surely die.

Let me die in her stead.

It's what he should have done,

but he did not step into the role of Masculinity and manhood.

He did not step into the role of patriarchy.

You feel that don't you man.

I feel it.

I'm oftentimes more like Adam.

But here's the thing Christ did

precisely that Christ brought his

children his people his sheep.

He brought him before the father and said yes, we said they will surely die.

Let me die in their stead.

That is the picture of masculinity.

I Know they broke the law.

I know that the wages of sin is death.

Let me die in their stead and in doing so What did he do?

He stood boldly and defeated death and now because of

this We are freed from sin and death.

For those of us that are in Christ that are his were freed from sin and death.

But also free to walk in his precepts now.

We were slaves to sin prior to this.

We were not able to walk in true manhood men you weren't.

You were only able to See the distorted version of manhood

small little glimpses of masculinity.

But so far from from reaching the actual designed goal.

But now we are free.

We've been made a new creation in him and now we stand firm in that faith.

We don't have to settle for the distortion.

That distortion of masculinity any longer praise God.

We have an example of the real thing a strong

Watchful flat -footed leader.

I'm gonna leave you with this man.

This is what you were designed for in all walks of life.

Sin may have distorted it.

Sin may have distorted this in you and in some cases It seemingly

gotten rid of it all together you see Romans 1, right?

We read that earlier.

Effeminacy has completely overtaken you

and now you're married with An

effeminate passivity your wife rules.

Your wife makes the makes the decisions in the family.

All she has to do is kick and scream and you go back to your creed happy wife happy life.

Instead of being watchful and standing firm on conviction and saying Honey I

love you and I'm gonna sacrificially lay down my life for you,

but I'm telling you right now.

This is for your good and I'm not moving.

That's manhood young men.

You may give up in our culture because so many women have taken over.

Positions of power throughout and you have to submit to them.

You have to deal with with what Caesar has put in place.

But You can do it in a God -honoring way.

You may not have a position of outward leadership at the moment.

But that doesn't mean that you can't practice masculine leadership in your life.

With self -control.

Flat -footed conviction immovable and you may be able to

come and and and immerse yourself into the life of a body like this and

Be used in the midst of that where the

pendulum may have swung the other way.

You may have no godly conviction.

Your conviction but no godly conviction leaving you to the pursuits of the world's version of a man.

You may think Well, this is what manhood is.

I'm going to achieve this I'm going to live like this.

I'm gonna be I'm gonna be that rugged athlete or I'm going to be that that that

businessman or I'm gonna be this or I'm gonna be that and I'm gonna do manly things but It's just a

distortion.

If you were in Christ I'm here to tell you Christ makes all things new

no matter where you land on that distorted pendulum.

Christ makes all things new he has paid for even those sins of your effeminate passivity and

Your distorted masculinity he has paid for them once and for all that's good news.

And he will redeem the lost time.

Look to him.

Commune with him be with his people and the Holy Spirit will most certainly Mold you

more and more into the image of that ultimate man Christ.

By the way, that goes for you ladies, too.

You're being molded into the image of Christ In very distinct and unique ways and we'll talk about next week.

But for those of you who are not in Christ today Hope is only found in him.

Look to him turn from your sins repent and believe.

Yeah, otherwise, yeah, you're you're all you have is the distortion but if you're

struggling with working through these things and you would like to be

Discipled in this process come and talk with one of us elders young men or old men.

Wives, I want to encourage you if your husband is not leading as he should pray for him first and foremost

pray for him pray that God would work in his heart and in his life and Come to the your

elders and let us work with him because if a man in this room is not carrying out his duties.

He needs to be under discipline.

That's a serious matter and we can pray with you

just know that Christ is our only hope.

Christ is our only hope the perfect example of masculinity.

In Light of that let's Express and see our oneness

in him through the Lord's table as we do each week.

I Love this time together as a family we um.

We get to we get to see how.

How Christ has paid for our sins by his blood and by his body given for us.

That boldness that he had to do what had to be done in order to redeem a people for himself and we are the

Recipients of it for we are the weak.

He is the strong.

But we are brought into union with him praise God.

Before we do that though We actually had something planned at the beginning of the service and we didn't get a chance to do it.

And I kind of want to do it before we go to the Lord's table.

Thank you, baby.

We have a new member recognition and I want to do this before we go to the table.

Does that sound like a plan?

I think we should I think we should do this.

We are bringing and presenting as elders.

And a couple Chase and Kylie Helms if y 'all wouldn't mind coming up here.

Chase and Kylie.

I've seen them around here over the past few weeks.

Little to some of you know there's been a whole process over months of

leading up to this point and God is in his goodness and in his graciousness.

This has really laid upon their hearts that hey.

We want to be a part of this community and they kind of lucked out, right?

We do we do the new member class once a quarter and we had already done one.

But in that class we had a handful of people that needed makeup classes.

And there were three all at one time and they said we want to be a part of the makeup class.

So they were able to jump in early to the makeup class and then we were able to deal with the fourth one.

But we've been walking through with them and and you guys have gone through the membership covenants and everything.

You understand what it means to be brought into this covenant body of believers, right?

They've signed the membership covenants.

They've gone through the process and and most of you were probably here a few weeks ago when they were both baptized.

So praise God so we the elders we've met with them.

We we believe that they have a credible profession of faith.

Otherwise, we wouldn't have baptized them.

But also we believe that God is calling them here and in covenant membership.

We believe that we are going to see how Christ is bringing particular pieces.

For this body body parts that are necessary for this body of believers and and Chase and

Kylie both.

We'll see what those look like.

Christ is in control of that, right?

So we're excited for this.

So we the elders present chase and Kylie for a covenant membership all

members who affirm this.

Please stand.

Amen awesome.

All right.

Well guys every time we bring a new member in we Hand you

an ESV study Bible.

You get one per couple not you can't figure out which one gets it right.

It's not a gift.

We say it every week.

This is a commissioning.

Y 'all have learned.

This is what we're about.

This rules us God's very words.

Tell us everything we need for life and God in this and this is a sword.

For you guys to grow in that and we want to give this and commission this to your family.

And I know you have Bibles, but this is for us something meaningful.

About what it is that we value.

Because Christ is King and those are his words.

And so we're excited to have them here.

Everyone stand let's bow and pray pray with me that God would work in their lives and use them.

And members make sure to go out of your way to come and welcome your brother and sister into the fold.

Into this community when we're done here dear Heavenly Father Lord.

We thank you we thank you for how you Were growing and and molding your church and the gates of hell will

not prevail against it.

Well, we thank you for chase and Kylie we thank you for their love for you for their love for your word for their

your love their love for your people and God we most of all.

Thank you for your love for them.

And so we pray that you would mold them Lord grow their family.

Disciple them Lord.

I pray that they would Bring their gifts and abilities to benefit this body of

believers and that they would benefit greatly from Their brothers and sisters here.

We thank you for your provision your providence.

Be honored in our lives and their lives and together all of us.

We thank you in Christ's name.

Amen.

Guys let's let's prepare our hearts now to go to the table.

We're our family, right?

I know there are many of you that are guests here and what we're doing if you come to the table.

We're taking you at your word that you profess Christ that you are a baptized believer.

And an active participating member of a healthy local church.

And and so when you come to this table, we take it very seriously.

Paul said that some of you have have taken this in an unworthy manner and are sick and some have even

died.

This is very serious.

Do not come to this table if you are not in Christ.

That is a very serious matter.

But for those of you in this body that are coming to this table, this is a communal thing.

This is a family thing.

We are professing to one another that yes Christ has paid for me and I am in him and I live

for him.

So let's pray now.

How this will work is we come around and get the wine and the bread at either side.

And then go back to your seats through the middle.

So we'll go around the outsides.

Those of you in the back row up against the wall if you could come to this side so we can kind of even out Both lines, but you

can come up take of the elements go back to your seat pray individually pray as a family pray with a group.

However, you want to do that take the elements and then we will come back together.

Let's pray dear Heavenly Father be honored in our time of worship through the ordinance of the Lord's

Supper.

We thank you for this ordinance.

We thank you for how it draws our minds and our hearts and our souls to you Christ

Jesus we thank you for your unique spiritual presence with us in this Moment of

worship to get together today as a family.

Oh Allow us to experience the goodness of Christ.

As we express it to each other and and we are reminded of your great sacrifice.

Lord, we thank you in Christ's name.

Amen.