A Real Man

A Real Man

CHCC: June 15, 2008 (Father’s Day)

INTRODUCTION:

Happy Father’s Day. This seems like a good day to talk about men. Do any of you miss the days when men were men and women were women and we all appreciated the difference? People have all kinds of ideas about what a “real man” is now a days. What image comes to your mind?

Maybe you think of a body-builder, or a motorcycle rider, or a warrior, or an athlete --- or maybe you picture some sort of Super Hero. That guy on the screen is called “Bachelor Man.” But these images of real men are one dimensional.

There’s another way to look at what makes someone a real man. Any one of those guys on the screen could be called a “man’s man.” But we’re going to look at what it takes to be “God’s man.”

According to the Bible, a real man helps others. He knows how to have fun. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to provide and protect those who depend on him. You can count on him to be there when you need him. He’s faithful. All these things are true of a real man … and they are all true of any good Dad.

Today we’re going to look at Paul’s description of a real man. It’s found in I Thessalonians chapter 2. Paul was describing the way he and Silas and Timothy had behaved when they first came to Thessalonica.

Here’s what he wrote: “…we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. I Thessalonians 2:7-8

There’s no doubt that Paul, Silas, and Timothy were “God’s men.” This was Paul’s second missionary journey, and these men were the first to bring the Gospel message to the people of Thessalonica. You can’t read this letter without seeing how deeply Paul loved these people.

You see, according to scripture, a “real man” is able to express real love.

1. A real man will express real love

I think loving comes naturally to most men. But expressing love is different matter. That’s why the Bible instructs the husband to LOVE his wife, but tells the wife to RESPECT her husband. Expressing LOVE seems to come more naturally to a woman than to a man.

Do you remember when you brought your first child home from the hospital? I don’t know about you, but it seemed to me that my wife just naturally knew how to take care of that little tiny baby. She seemed to know just how to hold Kaysha so her head didn’t flop over … and how to bounce her just the right amount to keep her happy.

On the other hand, the whole thing felt foreign to me. I felt like I was going to do something really wrong. I had to work on learning how to be gentle. But I did learn it … and before long I was able to bounce her just the right amount, and rock her to sleep --- and even change a diaper … when the occasion demanded it.

Taking care of our little girls didn’t come as naturally to me as it did to MOM --- but the effort was worth it. In fact, sometimes my little daughters even PREFERRED their dad. One time when Susan was about to pick little pre-school aged Kimberly up, she said, “No! I want daddy to carry me. He carries me high and slow.” I guess she liked the view from up there.

So guys, I want to challenge you on this Father’s Day. Keep working on expressing your love to your family. Your wife and kids may KNOW you love them, but they also need to hear it. Expressing love may not come naturally. It doesn’t to me.

Susan informed me that I don’t say those 3 words often enough. You know the words I mean. She tried to help me out and said, just repeat after me: I …. (I) La ….. (la) View. I la-view. Maybe that will help you. Go home and talk to your family about the “view.”

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul went on to say, Surely you remember, brothers, our toil & hardship; we worked night & day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. I Thessalonians 2:9

Paul was a tent-maker. He and Silas and Timothy weren’t trying to create the big “Wal-Mart of Tent Making” business so they could get rich. They were working hard purely for the benefit of others. And that’s what a real man does. A real man works in order to provide for others, not just for himself.