A Few Good Men
Ezekiel 22:30
www.gbcdecatur.org/sermons/FewGoodMen.html
Ezekiel 22:30 "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."
Prerequisites to being a Good Father:
Being a man, functioning as a man, taking responsibility as a man, thinking like a man, acting like a man, working like a man, all of these are prerequisites to being a good Father!
You will not be a good Father until you are a good Man.
It’s a dying art today…there are not many in our nation anymore.
Thank God we DO have a few good men here…we can always use a few more!
THE MEN’S THESAURUS
(men don’t always say what they mean) – ladies, please allow me to translate for your future benefit:
When a man says “IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO EXPLAIN”
He means: "I have no idea how it works"
When a man says "TAKE A BREAK, HONEY. YOU ARE WORKING TOO HARD’’
He means: "I can’t hear the game over the vacuum cleaner"
When a man says ’THAT’S INTERESTING DEAR.’
He means: "Are you still talking?"
When a man says: "IT’S A GUY THING"
He means: "There is no rational thought pattern connected with this, and you have no chance at all of making it logical"
When a man says "CAN I HELP WITH DINNER"
He means: "Why isn’t it ready yet?"
When a man says "UH HUH, SURE HONEY,” or “YES, DEAR"
He means: Absolutely nothing – It’s a conditioned response.
When a man says "YOU KNOW HOW BAD MY MEMORY IS."
He means: " I can remember the theme song to ‘Hogan’s Heroes’, the phone # of the first girl I ever kissed & the vehicle identification numbers of every car I ever owned – but yes, I forgot your birthday"
When a man says ’OH, DON’T FUSS, I JUST CUT MYSELF. IT’S NO BIG DEAL"
He means: "I have probably severed a limb, but I will bleed to death before I admit I’m hurt, so get over here and help me!"
When a man says ’I CAN’T FIND IT.’’
He means: "It didn’t fall into my outstretched hand, so I’m completely clueless"
When a man says “I HEARD YOU.”
He means: "I haven’t the foggiest clue what you just said and I am hoping desperately that I can fake it well enough so that you’ll not spend the next 3 days yelling at me."
When a man says "YOU KNOW I COULD NEVER LOVE ANYONE ELSE"
He means: "I am used to the way you yell at me and realize it could be worse."
When a man says "YOU LOOK TERRIFIC!"
He means: "Oh please don’t try on one more outfit, we’re late and I’m starving."
When a man says "I’M NOT LOST. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE.’’
He means: "No one will ever see us alive again."
When a man says “I don’t think I can go today.”
He means: Shopping is NOT a sport, and no, I am never going to think of it that way.
When a man says, “I don’t remember saying that.”
It’s because he means: “Anything I may have said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all past comments become null and void after 7 days.”
When a man says, “that’s not what I meant.”
He means: “If something I said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, I meant the other one.
If your husband says, “honey, what color is this?”
He means: ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. I have no idea what “taupe” is.
We thank God today for the good men He’s sent us here.
Good men are:
I. Men Who Have Learned to Lean [on the Lord]
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
A. For Salvation (Eph. 2:8, 9)
Ephes. 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
We men are bad about trying to be “in control”…to “make things happen.” Often ladies find it easier to “rest in the Lord” and lean on Him for salvation. It’s a part of a woman’s nature to place themselves in someone else’s hands. It’s not that way for men. Is that fair?
Jesus solves this dilemma:
Matthew 18:3
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Children have that attitude of trust, even male children…but something happens to us once we begin to feel even the slightest amount of thickness in our “peach fuzz!”
I thank God for a few good men we have here at Grace…they have learned to lean on the Lord for their salvation…
B. For Strength (Isaiah 40:30, 31)
Isaiah 40:30-31
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: [31] But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Psalm 147:10
He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
C. For Supply (Phil. 4:19)
Philip. 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
We all want to be the breadwinner/mighty hunter, but ultimately we need to see even our own selves as being in God’s hands.
D. For Soundness (Reasoning/Wisdom)
James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
This is the one of only 2 prayers any man can pray which the answer is always yes! [salvation-Rom. 10:13-is the other]
I thank God for a few good men who have learned to lean…
II. Men Who Have Learned to Lead
A. Their Flesh (Gal 5:16, 17; Gal 2:20)
Galatians 5:16-17
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Men, we have to lead our flesh or our flesh will lead us!
B. Their Families (Ephesians 5:23)
Ephes. 5:23
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Headship isn’t being the big boss…it’s loving leadership. God is no respecter of persons…women are equal in His sight.
Ill.—bible says she is the “weaker vessel”. This is not an insult…rather, it’s a compliment to her. She is not less valuable, rather, she is more fragile, and in need of strong, yet loving, leadership.
Women are like fine silk. Men are more like corduroy. [have you heard the news about corduroy pillows? They’re making headlines!]
Silk and corduroy: which is more fragile? Which is more valuable? The answer to both questions is “silk!”
In God’s wisdom he has given each family a head…for anything w/ 2 heads is a monster!
But this is not a privilege as much as it is a responsibility!
The hardest thing you will ever do will be a good husband and a good Father to your Children…
…Eli could run the temple but could not run his family; I Sam. 3:13
…David could run a kingdom and lead men into battle, but could not run his children; I Kings 1:5,6
Lead our flesh, families…
C. The Fallen (to Jesus)
Hosea 6:7
But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.
[word “men” could be translated “Adam”]
Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Romans 5:18-19
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Shall many? Not if we don’t lead the fallen! It’s why God left us here.
1 Cor. 15:22
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Shall all? Not if we don’t lead the fallen!
I thank God for our few good men who have learned to lead…
III. Men Who Have Learned to Love
A. The Father (the Lord) (1 Cor. 13:1-3; 1 Cor. 16:22)
1 Cor. 13:1-3
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. [2] And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. [3] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
1 Cor. 16:22
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. [accursed]
B. Their Families
We covered this under leadership…how? When we said the only real leadership is loving leadership!
Further: God admonishes every husband to "love your wife". This may seem like a strange admonition to many. Some will say, "If I didn’t loved her I wouldn’t have married her." Wait a minute, love, as used here, means far more than affection. It means more than emotional feeling or satisfaction. It means that you or I are going to seek the welfare and happiness of the person we are going to love, and lead them lovingly. That means that my effort will be to make the object of my love happy, secure, and comfortable.
This admonition goes far beyond just telling the husband to love his wife as long as she is beautiful, lovely, etc:
Joke--A man was talking to his wife after she had done something that he did not approve of. He said to her, "How can you be so beautiful and stupid at the same time?" She replied, "God made me beautiful so you would love me, and He made me stupid so I would love you."
C. The Fellowship (the Church)
Ephes. 5:25
…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
The same passage tells us to love in the same way.
Rev. 3:9
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
Written to a church…He loves the church and so should we!
Isaiah 43:4
Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
1 Thes. 4:9
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
Matthew 12:50
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. [love/join the family of God]
John 15:5 [get connected]
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Acts 2:41
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:47
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
I thank God for the few good men God has given to us…don’t you? We need a few more, so how about you?
Ezekiel 22:30 "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."
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www.gbcdecatur.org/sermons/FewGoodMen.html
