June 16, 2024
Morning Service

1Co 16:13-14 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.  (14)  Let all that you do be done with love.

            Today we sound the trumpet to bring all men, especially fathers, to stand up and be counted in fulfilling this scripture.  We need to begin reflecting the same masculinity of the men we read about in our Bible.  We need to “watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave and be strong.”  Today’s society wants us to be silent and do as we are told moving us away from these traits that are so needed today.  We need to imitating the bravery of David, Joshua, Peter, John, Paul, and even Jesus by putting our faith into action in our lives.  When we see how all of these men stood up for what is right, obeying the Lord, we can see the strength we need to portray as well.

            David, a young, ruddy teenage boy, took offence as the giant warrior Goliath stood before the Israelite army and openly mocked the One True God.  He without a second thought, courageously stood in front of this intimidating man of war with only a sling and five stones.

 

1Sa 17:44-47 And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"  (45)  Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  (46)  This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.  (47)  Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD's, and He will give you into our hands."

            We know how that story ends as with one stone David killed Goliath and did exactly what he said he would do.  His courage came from his faith as he proclaimed “the Battle is the Lord’s!”  He did not come before Goliath with his own strength, but declared that the “the Lord will deliver you into my hand.” The giant we face may vary from a financial, relational, health or a spiritual crisis. Stand with the same courage and confidence as David did as you face your giant trusting in God’s strength not your own and He will give you victory as well.

            Joshua was called to a very difficult task in following the strong leadership of Moses who God used to deliver the nation Israel out of the bondage in Egypt.  He was called to not only follow Moses but he had to lead this rag tag nation in battle to take the land God had promised Abraham.  The task before him was indeed daunting. But God encourages him in this way:

 

 Jos 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

            Joshua trusted God to lead him enabling him to lead Israel to victory after victory until the entire promised land was in their control.  God makes the exact same promise to us today and we need to trust God as Joshua did and lead our families with that same confidence he displayed. Today’s world is different than what Joshua faced, but it is easy for us as men and fathers to become overwhelmed with the task of being the leader of our family.   Be confident as you lead knowing “God is with you wherever you go.”  As you lead, “be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid nor be dismayed.”  God will make a way!

            Peter and John had healed a blind man and were taken into custody to explain what had happened.  Peter courageously preached to the Sanhedrin that the same Jesus they had crucified was now both Lord and Christ!  They did not like this and threaten them to never speak in the Name of Jesus again.  They prayed this prayer:

 

Act 4:29-31 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, (30) by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your Holy Servant Jesus."  (31)  And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

 

 

            Notice they did NOT pray for the persecution to leave them, but that they might be emboldened to “speak with boldness” in the face of that persecution!  This pleased God so much He shook the entire building they were in!  God granted their request, and the persecution continued and escalated as the next time they were beaten for their preaching.  How did they react?  They “rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name.” (Acts 5:41).  Men follow this example when you are seeking to God’s Will and come under attack from our enemy.  When persecution for our faith comes, may we not fold and wilt under the pressure, but rejoice and pray for greater boldness to proclaim our faith by leading our family to seek God first.

            The Apostle Paul lived a life dedicated wholly to serving Jesus.  His ministry was very successful in spreading the Gospel message, but it was far from an easy road.  Paul received 40 stripes five different times, three times was beaten with rods, shipwrecked 3 times, stoned and left for dead, suffered through sleeplessness, weariness, peril, hunger, thirst, fasting, and eventually was martyred for his faith.  How did he describe all of this?

 

2Co 4:8-10 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; (9) persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— (10) always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

 

Rom 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

            Paul had a vision of the world to come and all the trials he had to endure would not compare to the “glory which shall be revealed in us.”  Let us be like Paul when our circumstances are difficult and focus on the joys that lie ahead of us, not the pain of the moment.  We must stand fast in those times trusting that we too are “hard pressed, yet not crushed, perplexed yet not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed.”  We can withstand whatever this world throws at us, being confident that in the end we will win because our God promises to walk with us!

            Then we can look to the one perfect example we have to follow in the life of Jesus.  He was a man’s man.  He was a carpenter by trade and used that mindset to build up those around Him, not tear them down.  He is the ultimate leader in that He walked the walk before He talked the talk; never asking us to do more than He had done Himself.  He demonstrated servant leadership showing no task was beneath Him.  He fed the hungry, rebuked religious hypocrites, comforted the brokenhearted and downcast, washed the disciples’ feet, and prayed for the forgiveness of those who nailed Him to the cross. He calls us to follow Him; to follow His example of courageous leadership.

 

Joh 13:13-17 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.  (14)  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  (15)  For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.  (16)  Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.  (17)  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

            Our VBS theme was for us to look to imitate Jesus with our lives and here Jesus tells us we will be blessed if we do that.  He modeled for us what it truly looks like to “watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, and be strong doing it in the spirit of love.”

            Men we have examples to follow.  Look also to the men who have invested in you personally and imitate the traits they displayed in their lives.  Become a model for the next generation to also “imitate you as you imitate Christ.”

 

Heavenly Father, the challenge is great for our men in today’s society.  We call on You to empower us to follow the examples we have been given and step up to that challenge.  May Your Spirit abound in our lives and help us look to You for our strength.