FATHERSDAY
1Co 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
The message Paul gave to the Church in Corinthia is the same message he would give to the modern day Church, to the men of the Church- be watchful of demonic attacks, stand fast like Christians in a fallen world, behave like men at all times and be strong always.
Paul was the only Apostle to tell us to follow him, or to take his life as an example:
1Co 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
1Co 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
1Co 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Php 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
So all my Christian life I have taken this command as a straight edge. We don’t listen to the ten thousand instructors who contradict Pauls teachings we follow his example. So what example did he give us as men?
2Co 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
2Co 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
2Co 11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2Co 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
2Co 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2Co 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
2Co 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
2Co 11:30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
He also said:
Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
So Paul paints a picture of behaving like men, how are we to conduct ourselves?
Nicholas Ridley was born in 1500 in the extreme north of England, very near the Scottish border. The Ridleys were an ancient house of knights whose bravery was known and admired throughout the border country. They could meet an enemy with calm courage, keep their heads in the heat of battle, and endure pain without flinching. These qualities would be seen in Nicholas Ridley, but he was a knight of a different kind, a knight who wielded the Sword of Truth with unflinching courage. He was resolved to win the victory, though he must die an agonizing death. The steps of Ridley’s conversion are not known. He was not converted in a moment, like Hugh Latimer or Saul of Tarsus. His conversion was slow, gradual, but just as sure. We know from his writings that he began, in the halls and gardens of Cambridge, to commit large sections of Scripture to memory. What the sword was to the ancient house of Ridley, the Bible was to be to Nicholas. He was arrested by Bloody Mary Catholic Queen of the Scots and on their way to be burned at the stake Latimer his fellow condemned said: “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace in England as I trust shall never be put out.”
The candle that was lit by Latimer and Ridley that day, is still burning brightly. If you hold an English Bible in your hands, if you sing hymns from an English hymnal, if you worship God in Spirit and Truth, then you owe these men a debt of gratitude. Truly, they did light a candle that has never gone out. That shining candle is now entrusted to us. Don’t let it be extinguished. Don’t compromise the Word of God. Don’t give up the truth for which these men died. Even if you too must burn for it, remember Master Ridley and “play the man.
It was the love of Christ and Pauls teachings that led such men to make a stand for Christ that today we still know their names.
It is not clear exactly why Polycarp was suddenly, at age 86, subject to arrest, but when he heard Roman officials were intent on arresting him, he decided to wait for them at home. Panic-stricken friends pleaded with him to flee, so to calm them, he finally agreed to withdraw to a small estate outside of town. But while in prayer there, he received some sort of vision. Whatever he saw or heard, we don't know. He simply reported to his friends that he now understood, "I must be burned alive."
Roman soldiers eventually discovered Polycarp's whereabouts and came to his door. When his friends urged him to run, Polycarp replied, "God's will be done," and he let the soldiers in.
He was escorted to the local proconsul, Statius Quadratus, who interrogated him in front of a crowd of curious onlookers. Polycarp seemed unfazed by the interrogation; he carried on a witty dialogue with Quadratus until Quadratus lost his temper and threatened Polycarp: he'd be thrown to wild beasts, he'd be burned at the stake, and so on. Polycarp just told Quadratus that while the proconsul's fire lasts but a little while, the fires of judgment ("reserved for the ungodly," he slyly added) cannot be quenched. Polycarp concluded, "But why do you delay? Come, do what you will."
Soldiers then grabbed him to nail him to a stake, but Polycarp stopped them: "Leave me as I am. For he who grants me to endure the fire will enable me also to remain on the pyre unmoved, without the security you desire from nails." He prayed aloud, the fire was lit, and his flesh was consumed. The chronicler of this martyrdom said it was "not as burning flesh but as bread baking or as gold and silver refined in a furnace."
The account concluded by saying that Polycarp's death was remembered by "everyone"—"he is even spoken of by the heathen in every place."
Paul knew terrible persecution would be coming to the Church so he told us to be strong and never give up,to leave a legacy of bravery and strength to our children so that they may carry the torch we have thrown to them in a dark and dangerous world.
Paul then goes on to describe what Gods man will look like after some reconstruction.
1Ti 3:1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
1Ti 3:3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
1Ti 3:4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
1Ti 3:5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
1Ti 3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
1Ti 3:7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Paul first says that it is a good thing, not pride, to want to be an elder or a bishop in Gods Kingdom. We are to strive for the highest calling. He then goes on to give the attributes of a Godly man:
The man of God must be blameless- there must be no whispers of infidelity or drunkenness. The world must know him as a godly man.
He must have one wife- not divorcing or upgrading to a new wife, not every now and again as some Christian leaders are doing in the world. My wife and I will be celebrating 30 years next year. I thank God for helping us, but it was hard for both of us at times, but we could not give up, we were leaders in the church. We can fall out of love in the flesh, but God is Love and he can restore the love you once felt. We stay the course as men, we made a vow before God – in sickness and health, to death us do part- so we stay until death. We are Godly men -play the man.
The man of God must be temperate- showing moderation or self-restraint.
He must be sober minded-serious, sensible, and composed.
Of good behaviour- he must be known to behave himself
Hospitable- friendly and welcoming to visitors or guests.
Able to teach- he must have a very good knowledge of the Word of God.
Not given to wine- you don’t need a glass of wine at the end of your day to feel better -you need Gods Word instead. Wine cannot be important in your life.
Not violent- not aggressive and physically violent with the congregation or anybody else.
Not greedy for money- like many world church leaders are today and the Bible says: 1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The man of God must be…..but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous( eager or excessive desire, especially for wealth or possessions)
1Ti 3:4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
1Ti 3:5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
Our children cant be the biggest nightmares in the church.
And
1Ti 3:6 not a novice,( a person new to and inexperienced in a job or situation). lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
1Ti 3:7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
These are the attributes that God is looking to be formed in a man, by His Precious Holy Spirit. In fact God says such a man will be his highest leader in His Church. Will you be that leader? Will you be that father to family and to the Church of God?
PLAY VIDEO: Courageous- Final scene
