We have many ideas concerning what it means to “be a man.”
- power
- independence
- athletic achievement
This is an important consideration for us in our day and age. For the first time in American history, there is great GENDER CONFUSION. Boys don’t know what it means to be boys, and girls don’t know what it means to be girls. We train our BOYS to REJECT their masculine traits of activity, aggressiveness.
When boys act up, we put them on drugs to suppress their behavior. 2005-2010 ... 6% of children were on psychotropic drugs. Twice as many boys as girls. (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db135.htm).
John Eldredge addresses this societal problem in his book “Wild at Heart.” “Society at large can’t make up its mind about men. Having spent the last thirty years redefining masculinity into something more sensitive, safe, manageable and, well, feminine, it now berates men for not being men. Boys will be boys, they sigh. As though if a man were to truly grow up he would forsake wilderness and wanderlust and settle down, be at home forever in Aunt Polly’s parlor. “Where are all the real men?” is regular fare for talk shows and new books. You asked them to be women, I want to say. The result is a gender confusion never experienced at such a wide level in the history” Eldredge, John (2001-04-03). Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul (pp. 6-7). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
WHERE do we find a REAL PICTURE of BEING a MAN?
In God’s Word.
After JAMES, I will be preaching on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.
TODAY is related to this, but we will look more deeply into this in the fall.
KING DAVID is an excellent example of a godly man. He was the killer of bears, lions and Giant Philistines! He was a warrior, Poet, Soldier, Leader. David made Phil Robertson look like a pansy!
Look at how David encourage his son Soloman to be a man!
“When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’” (1 Kings 2:1–4, ESV)
Lessons from David’s final words to Solomon
1. INTENTIONALITY. David didn’t leave his final words unsaid.
I wish I had been more intentional in raising my children.
Don’t be passive! “Passivity is one of the main enemies of biblical masculinity and it’s most obvious where it’s needed most.” (Randy Stinson and Dan Dumas, “A Guide to Biblical Manhood,” (28).
David’s CHALLENGE. 2:2 “show yourself a man”
Our boys need to be challenged to me men
Our boys need to be shown how to be a man
They are going to learn it from their dads. They are going to learn it from men in their families and men in the church.
2. OBEDIENCE. 2:3 “Keep the charge of the Lord your God.”
David did not allow his SIN to silence his testimony to Solomon
David remained faithful.
David demonstrates GOD’s FORGIVENESS. The LORD says to SOLOMON..... “And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”” (1 Kings 3:14, ESV)
3. REWARD. 2:3 “that you may prosper.”
David showed Solomon that there is BLESSING in following the Lord.
David showed Solomon a picture of the future.
4. LEGACY. David promises Solomon that if his sons followed after him, there would be no lack of godly leaders to uphold God’s testimony and lead the nation.
Let’s put David’s exhortation into contemporary view by examining the biblical characteristics of a man. These 13 points are from an article on manhood by Al Mohler.
What Character Traits describe a real man? Article by Al Mohler.
Before giving this list, please understand that it is DESCRIPTIVE not PRESCRIPTIVE! In other words, this is not a list of things to DO. I share this with you to help us create a picture in our mind concerning true manhood. This is necessary to counter the false picture we have from our culture.
God’s purposes for manhood culminate in the marriage relationship. This does not mean that a single man cannot fulfill all of God’s intentions for manhood. Rather, it demonstrates that all men, whether or married must strive for the personal characteristics that lead to maturity, whether they ever marry or not. Most will marry, but not all!
1. Spiritual maturity sufficient to lead a wife and children. A man's spiritual leadership is not a matter of dictatorial power, but of firm and credible spiritual leadership and influence.
2. Personal maturity sufficient to be a responsible husband and father. Marriage is unparalleled in its effect on men, as it channels their energies and directs their responsibilities to the devoted covenant of marriage and the grace-filled civilization of the family.
3. Economic maturity sufficient to hold an adult job and handle money.
4. Physical maturity sufficient to work and protect a family. Unless afflicted by injury or illness, a boy should develop the physical maturity that, by stature and strength, marks recognizable manhood.
5. Sexual maturity sufficient to marry and fulfill God's purposes. Male sexuality separated from the context and integrity of marriage is an explosive and dangerous reality. The boy must understand, even as he travels through the road of puberty and an awakened sexuality, that he is accountable to God for his stewardship of this great gift.
6. Moral maturity sufficient to lead as example of righteousness.
7. Ethical maturity sufficient to make responsible decisions.
8. Worldview maturity sufficient to understand what is really important. The Christian man must understand how to interpret and evaluate issues across the spectrum of politics, economics, morality, entertainment, education and a seemingly endless list of other fields. The absence of consistent biblical worldview thinking is a key mark of spiritual immaturity.
9. Relational maturity sufficient to understand and respect others. Psychologists now talk of "emotional intelligence," or EQ, as a major factor in personal development. While the world has given much attention to IQ, EQ is just as important.
10. Social maturity sufficient to make a contribution to society.
11. Verbal maturity sufficient to communicate and articulate as a man.
12. Character maturity sufficient to demonstrate courage under fire. With manhood both minimalized and marginalized by cultural elites, ideological subversion and media confusion, we must recapture a commitment to courage that is translated into the real-life challenges faced by the Christian man.
13. Biblical maturity sufficient to lead at some level in the church.
Copyright © 2005 Dr. Albert Mohler. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
See the complete article by Al Mohler at boundless.org/adulthood/2009/the-marks-of-manhood
David told Solomon to Walk like a Man! Men, let’s follow his lead.
