Character Qualities Of A Godly Man

CHARACTER QUALITIES OF A GODLY MAN

EPHESIANS 5:22-6:4

INTRODUCTION

- I want to turn our attention to manhood on this Father’s Day much like we looked at womanhood on Mother’s Day. I do this in order to broaden the scope just a little. But it is Father’s Day so why don’t we start briefly with fatherhood and we will expand from there.

- Let’s also begin with the same reminder I gave the men on Mother’s Day. I want to make sure that the women don’t check out this morning. The things we are going to be looking at are just as important to you as they are to the men here. If you are married, these issues will be things that you will want to encourage your husband to excel in. If you are not married, these issues will be things that you will want to look for in any potential future mate.

- No matter where you are in life, male or female, single or married; your life has been and will be influenced by a father, or fathers (perhaps men outside of your immediate family), or by men in general. So men, listen up: this is what the Bible calls you to be. Women, pay attention as well: like it or not your life is going to involve men in some way, shape or form!

- So let’s start with the question: what is a father? One boy answers that question this way: “A father is a person who has pictures in his wallet where he used to have money.” Another person says “A father is a man who is forced to endure childbirth without an anesthetic.” Or, “A father is a man who hopes to have enough money on Father’s Day to pay the bills from Mother’s Day.”

- One small boy even defined Father’s Day as “just like Mother’s Day, only you don’t spend as much on the present.” And we may laugh at that, but apparently certain statistics show that the largest amount of long distance calls made in the year occur on Mother’s Day. On Father’s Day, the largest amount of collect calls are made. Those statistics are probably about a decade old because we’re getting closer to the point where collect calls are obsolete with cell phones and voice over internet phones, etc.

- But you get the point. Manhood in general, and fatherhood in particular, has been continually cheapened for some time now. Now men, we can laugh and have a good time. We can have a sense of humor and enjoy life. We should be light-hearted and easy going. We can be fun, have fun, and maybe even make a little fun; but we don’t want to be a joke.

- Being a man in Scripture is a high calling and a great responsibility. What our contemporary culture says about being a man is vastly different from what the Bible says about being a man. And since we claim to be followers of the true God through faith in Jesus Christ we seek to be biblical men. And the women here should seek to encourage biblical manhood in the church and in the home.

- When men and women are functioning within their biblically defined roles life is best and God is honored and pleased. So, what makes a biblical man? What are some of the character qualities of a godly man? Let’s turn to Ephesians 5 to find out. We will start at 5:22 and go to 6:4.

[READ EPHESIANS 5:22-6:4]

- I’m going to give these points in the form of imperatives. And here is the first one:

MEN, BE THE HEADS OF YOUR HOMES

- Now as soon as I say that some of us immediately cringe because we’ve been influenced by our culture, and taught to abhor any distinction between manhood and womanhood. There are some out there that want us to believe that the only difference between a man and a woman is physical makeup. A man is a man because he has certain parts and physical attributes, and likewise for the woman. Aside from that, we’re the same.

- Common sense tells us that’s not true. There are legitimate, real differences. Moreover, Scripture has a lot to say to the contrary. And there is no better place to start than right here at vv.22-24 of Ephesians 5: Wives, submit to your own husbands, as 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.

- Most of us notice right away that this is not a command to husbands, but to wives. Men, you are never told to make women submit to you. But a very important aspect of the role of a husband is found in Paul’s command to women who are married. What is the command given to wives? Wives should submit to their own husbands as the church submits to Christ.