The Personality Of Courageous Manhood

Introductory Texts

1. 1 Corinthians 12:1-6 – Diversity in the Spirit

2. 1 Corinthians 15:1 – God is a God of variety

3. Proverbs 13:17 – Reliable communication permits progress

Diversity

1. Diversity in the Spirit

2. God has also given us diverse personalities

The Diversity Found in Personalities Among The Apostles

1. Peter: a man of impulse and strength.

2. Peter’s strength or gift was also his weakness.

3. James was a man of silence.

4. But when James spoke his words carried a lot of weight.

5. John was one of the sons of thunder, had a temper.

6. But after spending time with Jesus, John became known as a man of understanding and love.

7. They were normal guys, but time spent with Jesus changed them into the best version of their personalities.

8. Andrew was the man of decision and one of the first evangelists.

9. Not one of the apostles was perfect.

10. They all had to be taught, tempered and tamed.

Diversity of Languages

1. Diverse languages don’t lead to division

2. Unreliable communication leads to division and stymies progress (Proverbs 13:17)

3. Believers speak the same language through shared faith in the Word of God

Conclusion: You can choose to be one of God’s men of courageous personality and Christlikeness, just like the apostles, if you admit and commit to it. We all have the ability inside us through the power of Jesus Christ, but we fail to admit it because we often don’t want to commit to it.

The Personality of Courageous Manhood

Today we’re talking about the personality of courageous manhood. In order to do that, I want to read to you a couple of verses of scripture. In 1 Corinthians 12, beginning with the first verse:

1NOW ABOUT the spiritual gifts (the special endowments of supernatural energy) brethren, I do not want you to be misinformed.

2You know that when you were heathen, you were led off after idols that could not speak [habitually] as impulse directed and whenever the occasion might arise.

3Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking under the power and influence of the [Holy] Spirit of God can [ever] say, Jesus be cursed! And no one can [really] say (genuinely say), Jesus is [my] Lord, except by and under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit.

4Now there are distinctive varieties and distributions of endowments (that is gifts, extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians, due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit) and they vary, but the [Holy] Spirit remains the same.

5And there are distinctive varieties of service and ministration, but it is the same Lord [Who is served].

6And there are distinctive varieties of operation [of working to accomplish things], but it is the same God Who inspires and energizes them all in all.

In 1 Corinthians 15, and we begin with the 39th verse:

39For all flesh is not the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for beats, another for birds, and another for fish.

40There are heavenly bodies (the sun, moon, and stars) and there are earthly bodies (men, animals, and plants), but the beauty and glory of the heavenly bodies is of one kind, while the beauty and glory of earthly bodies is a different kind.

41The sun is glorious in one way, the moon is glorious in another way, and the stars are glorious in their own [distinctive] way, for one star differs from and surpasses another in its beauty and brilliance.

I want you to know that God, again, says there are differences and there are varieties and there are distinctions in our lives that make us different, one from another. God is a God of variety.

God is a God of distinctiveness. God is a God of diversity. Personalities, colors, plants, skin, physically, mentally, eyes, ears, hair, gifts, talents, God is a God of diversity, and God is a God of individualism. That’s why he made all of us individuals. And God is a God of distinct purpose. He created us. And then when we sinned. He recreated us in Christ Jesus so we could be, through Christ, what He originally created us to be in the first Adam in the Garden of Eden.

God is a God of ultimate possibilities. That is to say there is no limit in God. God puts no limitation on faith. Faith puts no limitation on God. There’s no limit to God, either in creativity, ability, or productivity. That’s also true in our lives, because He’s put those three in us: ability, creativity, and productivity. And there’s no limit to what our life can become in Christ. God created us in His image. And He is recreating us in His glory and for His praise and honor.