Being a Man of God
- Steven DiIoia
- Jun 15, 2008
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I. Introduction
a. Top Ten Things You'll Never Hear a Dad Say
10. Well, how 'bout that?... I'm lost! Looks like we'll have to stop and ask for directions.
9. You know Pumpkin, now that you're thirteen, you'll be ready for unchaperoned car dates. Won't that be fun?
8. I noticed that all your friends have a certain "up yours" attitude ... I like that.
7. Here's a credit card and the keys to my new car -- GO CRAZY.
6. What do you mean you wanna play football? Figure skating not good enough for you, son?
5. Your Mother and I are going away for the weekend ... you might want to consider throwing a party.
4. Well, I don't know what's wrong with your car. Probably one of those doo-hickey thingies -- you know -- that makes it run or something. Just have it towed to a mechanic and pay whatever he asks.
3. No son of mine is going to live under this roof without an earring – now quit your belly-aching, and let's go to the mall.
2. Whaddya wanna go and get a job for? I make plenty of money for you to spend.
1. Father's Day? aahh -- don't worry about that -- it's no big deal.
Father’s have been an unsung hero for a long time. Do you know why Father’s day is in June, it is because someone celebrating Mother’s day looked around and said “Hey we need a day like this for Dad …” That’s not quite how it happened but, Mother’s day was first officially celebrated in the United States in 1914, making it a day of national observance every year. The idea of Father’s day was supported in 1924 Father’s day by President Calvin Coolidge, and then in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day. In 1972, President Nixon signed the law, finally be making it permanent. And if that does not convince you that father’s are unsung heroes, next time you are watching a sports event on TV, who is every one saying Hi to, either mouthing it to the camera or written on a big sign … it’s not Dad who is most likely watching the game … most of them are saying “Hi, mom.”
Of course, these slights against Dad seem small and perhaps the ego, the manliness, the less emotional or sensitive male can handle these slights instead of having Mom being slighted and her feelings hurt. But I think it may point to a bigger picture here in America which is the gradual loss of the father as a role model and integral part in a child’s life. This may lead to the role that males are playing in the life of the church … or perhaps the lack of a role or that we as men are playing in the life of the church.
You see the two are connected and society is paying the price.
Maybe you know this already but repeated studies have shown;
One of the areas in modeling behavior is in the Father-Mother relationship. Not only is a mother who is loved and respected a better mother but, the son learns how he is to treat his future wife. The daughter learns how she is to be treated by her future husband. Whether the relationship is a loving or unloving verbal, physical, or emotionally abusive it leads the son or daughter to recreate or seek the same in their marriage
It is the father appears to influence a child’s social behavior, how the children relate to outside world. A father models the limits, the boundaries, and what is acceptable behavior in social interactions. I am most likely over simplifying all of this but, the mother is the guide to show what emotions to feel, she is the nurturing side of the parenting team and the father is the moral or social compass, guiding children on how they should use these emotions. As this compass, fathers set the example to their children about God, the church, and spiritual matters which leave an indelible imprint on a child’s life. A father that is weak when it comes to spiritually and uncommitted to faith, has his children will follow and be less likely to commit or have a strong spiritual walk.
The erosion of Christianity in America appears to increase each year … as the attendance by families as a group and males, fathers, decreases. Think there is a correlation or is it just a coincidence?
II. God’s Word on Being a Man of God
Society has these studies that show that a father is to love his wife, setting the example for his children’s future relationships, the father guides and teaches a child their social behavior, and it is by the father’s example in faith and spirituality that the children will follow
But as did we really need these studies to confirm what God has already told us … Is this a big surprise, it may be for us, but it hasn’t been for God. His word has been saying these points for thousands of years. Proverbs is nothing but an instruction manual for how to be a wise man (or women) … Instructions on how to be a Man of God. I could not summarize it better than how my study bible does so allow me to read quickly over this outline, hitting the highlights …
This is awesome … so long Tony Roberts, Dr. Phil, self help books, … Desire to be a better man, a better person … just become a Man of God. God gives us the instructions to live … the instructions on being parents … tells us how to be men of God … we just need to read it and then live it
And just in case people needed a reminder … God repeated these instructions in the condensed form. We heard this outline today when we read from Colossians 3:1-21. We see that in both these scriptures in order to be a Man of God one must;
a. Love his wife
b. Love and teach his children
c. Be righteous and a man of faith, walking with God through his life
Perhaps you are thinking, does God follow His own advice? I don’t know someone may be thinking that after all we as humans give advice all the time but don’t live by it or even believe it ourselves … “Do as I say not as I do.”
But God believes his own teachings. As we heard during the reading of Matthew 1:18 – 25 God chose a man to be the foster father of His Son and that man was Joseph, usually over looked but a great role model for us on how to be a father and how to be a Man of God.
He loved his wife Mary and showed her respect, verse 19 “Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.” She could have been sentenced to death, because He thought she was unfaithful but instead he wanted a quiet divorce so she would not be disgraced. Love and respect towards his wife even when he felt he had been wronged there was kindness, mercy, gentleness, Godliness.
Joseph was also a man of faith. He was a great man of faith. We just heard that he was righteous, which means he kept the Jewish laws, kept the faith, but more so he has a dream that tells him Mary was not unfaithful that she is giving birth to the son of God. He wakes up and does what the angel said obeying God. Come on now, that is some big faith
He took Jesus as his son teaching him all he knew. We don’t know for sure but, why wouldn’t Joseph instruct Jesus about the ways of God, after all Joseph taught Jesus how to be a carpenter, that is what a father is to do, that is what a Man of God does.
Joseph;
a. Loved his wife
b. Loved and taught his children
c. Was righteous and a man of faith, walking with God through his life
III. Are You a Man of God?
That is my question to you on this Father’s day … "Are you a Man of God?" Are you showing that you are a Man of God by the way you live in your home? Do you love your wife, saying it, showing it, modeling it in a Godly way?
Col 3:19 - "Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them."
Eph. 5:25 - "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her"
Will your children see that you love your wife so they will in turn love and respect their wife or have a husband that will show them love and respect?
As a Man of God … are you showing God’s love to your children, instructing your children in God’s word?
Col. 3:21 - "Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged."
Eph. 6:4 - "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
Are you setting the example for your children, for others that you are a Man of God by who you are in life? Are you part of a Christian group and an integral member of a church, part of the body of Christ?
Psalm 1:1 (NLT)
"Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers."Are you truly a Man of God, that those that see you have no doubt because in every aspect, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, you do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus”
Revelation 3:14 – 16 - “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation: “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
A man of god’s faith is hot so their life shines with the light of the Lord. We need to reverse the trends we see in America, we need to become a much stronger body of Christ and it hinges on what the men of this nation are going to do …
What the men of this community are going to do?
What the men of this church are going to do?
IV. My Father’s Day Gift
My gift to you this father’s day is a renewed life, the opportunity to live as a true Man of God …
So in your faith Do not be stale, stagnant, or lukewarm but be hot, vibrant, and alive in your faith so you can let everyone around know by that faith that your are living as a Man of God. Become a strong part of the Christian body, let other Christians support you to becoming a stronger Christian and take your God given role as spiritual head of the family by; showing your love and respect to you wife, loving, teaching, and leading your children to live a life with Jesus Christ
V. I pray you will accept my gift, well the fact is it is not my gift but the gift from our Lord … a gift to all men for today it is offered especially to you that are father’s for if you take this gift and start today to be a Man of God, as
Col 3:4 says “And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.”
And that my friends, my brothers, will make this best father’s day of your life.