Introduction
You all are probably familiar with the story I am about to tell you that comes from the Old Testament. The Israelites were nearing the Promise Land and Moses send, at the Lord's instruction, twelve men, one from each tribe, into the land to check it out. They came back with the report that the land is flowing with milk and honey as God had told us. They also reported the cities are fortified, the people appear strong and powerful, and in certain places there are giants in the land. God told them to go in and check the land out; He never asked them to decide if they would be able to take the land or not because that was going to be God's job. But the Israelites just like us sometimes tried to do God's job for Him and so most of the spies reported we cannot do this. Can I give you a word of advice, "don't take God's job"? It only leads to problems.
Two of the twelve men didn't try to do God's job and said, "lets' go in and take our land." And today for Father's Day, we want to focus in on one of them: Caleb. He is the type of man that you need to be in your home. He is the type of man that we need in the church house. He is a man who stands up for God. So, today, I want to look at what God has to say to the men of this church about their relationship with God by looking at the life of Caleb.
So, if you have your Bibles turn with me to Numbers 14:24 for today's Scripture. Please stand for the reading of God's Word.
Scripture
Numbers 14:24
24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.
Point #1
God says Caleb was a man with a different spirit; we need to be men with a different spirit.
Numbers 14:24
But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit...
Let me explain so this makes sense to you. When you came to know Christ as your Lord and Savior, you received the same Holy Spirit that everyone else who is saved in this room has received. There is only One Spirit. Bro. Greg did an excellent job of explaining this truth during his Wednesday night Bible series on the Gifts of the Spirit. I believe he quoted to us from Ephesians 4:4 (NIV) 4 There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called--So, how did Caleb have a different spirit? You must go back to the beginning of the verse where God said he is my servant. He had a servant spirit. In other words, he did what God wanted him to you. You may be saved today and have the Holy Spirit living in you but that does not automatically mean you have a servant spirit.
I know that there are men and women in this church house today who God is talking to about something that He wants them to do, and they are refusing. God wanted the Israelites to go into the Promise Land, the people said no, Caleb told God I will do it. I don't care if you have a good excuse, the Israelites certainly had one. There are giants in the land. Turning God down will never be a servant's heart, no matter how good the excuse.
Men, God called you to love your wife as Christ loved the church. And just to remind you that he died for his church. Today, can you honestly say that you love your wife to that level. I can hear the excuses now. I would have loved her to that level but after the children were born, she focused her attention on the children and started neglecting me. I looked at the Scripture again and it did not say love her like Christ loved the church until you all have children. If you don't love your wife like Christ loves the church, you don't have a servant's heart.
Men, God called you to be the spiritual leader in your home. As early as Deuteronomy, God made it clear it was the dad's role to teach the children the way of God. I can hear the excuses now, my job is so demanding, I don't have the time to be that spiritual leader. I delegated it to my wife. But nowhere did I find a demanding job is an acceptable excuse to God. Nowhere did I find that job is something we can delegate to our wife. Dads, if you are not teaching your children the ways of God than you don't possess a servant's heart.
Men, God called men to have an active part in the work of the church. Remember God told you to love your wife like He loved the church, and I think God is also implying that us men ought to love His church. You find a church with a strong men's' involvement; you will find a church that is doing something for God. But I can hear the excuses of some, I don't want to be that committed in case I want to do something else. I don't want to be locked down. If you are not committed to the work of the local church in which you attend, you don't have a servant's heart.
Think about it: can God say about you what He said about Caleb? He has a different spirit because he has a servant's spirit.
Point #2
God says Caleb followed God wholeheartedly; we need to be men who follow God wholeheartedly.
Numbers 14:24
But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly...
It did not say that Caleb followed God perfectly because no one follows God perfectly. For we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But Caleb followed God wholeheartedly. At the end of the day, he did not leave anything on the table; He gave God his all.
Caleb did not just follow the Lord when it was the safe thing to do. Think back to the scene when the twelve spies returned from the land. Caleb and Joshua are the only two that believed they ought to take the land. The other ten spies got the people persuaded that we better not try to take that land. God then issued a judgment on the Israelites that they will wander in the wilderness until this generation has died except for Joshua and Caleb. Now think about people. People look for others to blame for their problems. I am sure there were rumblings against Joshua and Caleb the whole 40 years that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness. I can hear it now. If you were not such a goody two shoes, if you did not try to be so spiritual, and agreed with the other ten spies, God would not have done anything to us. We are in this predicament because you all tried to be too spiritual. Caleb did not play it safe.
My question, men, do you play it safe at certain places? On your job, do you not let people know that you are Christian so that you fit in within everybody else? Do you act one way with your old friends from times past, and a different way with the church crowd. Is the person we see at church, is that the person who goes home from church with the wife and children? If you are playing it safe, you are not serving God wholeheartedly.
Listen to me, in this day and time, your families desperately need men that leave it all out on the battlefield for God. And yes, life is a battlefield. If you don't follow God with all you got you put your wife and children in jeopardy of the devil doing a number on your family. If you don't put it all on the line, how effective do you think the church you belong to, and call home is going to be? Not highly effective at all!
Caleb stood up and said count me in on God's side. I am going to give God my all. Can I get any men in this church to proclaim to their families and to this church, count me in on God's side? I am going to give God my all. If you are bold enough, I am going to ask you to raise your hand so I can pray for you.
Let me pray, men's hands were lifted all over this church. Dear Father, I know most of us men give our all to our jobs. At the end of the day, we leave nothing on the table, we gave our all. Today, God I am asking you for each man whose hand was raised that you teach us to give You our all each day to You like Caleb. Let us not leave anything on the table when it comes to You, dear Father. And we will be ever so grateful. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Point #3
God said to Caleb because of your obedience you and your family will be blessed; we need to be men who secure the blessing for our families.
Numbers 14:24
But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.
Caleb was a blessing to himself and to his family as result of his obedience to the Lord. And I cannot help believing that men living in 2021 if they are obedient to God would have blessings poured on themselves and their families just like Caleb.
Men, we live in a day and time that tells you that happiness is doing your own thing. We live in a day and time that tells you that weekends are too short so spend it on what you want to do. I am here to tell you that doing your own thing is not going to bring blessings to you and your family. Being a man of God who has a servant spirit and a willingness to leave nothing on the table for God that is a man who is going to bring blessing unto himself and his family.
Psalm 19:7 (NIV) 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. You want to make the most of your time- be a man of God. Being a man of God is the wise way to live. Anything else is foolishness.
Let us pray.
