Sermon Tone Analysis

*Tender warriors* by Steve Malone \\ \\ Ephesians 5:23-5:28 \\ \\ "GOD’S KIND OF MEN; TENDER WARRIORS..." \\ \\ {Top 10 lists...} \\ I. OKAY LET’S TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEM; \\ "THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN" \\ \\ Do you remember years ago watching the movie The Incredible Shrinking Man?

In the movie the main character is a man who because of an exposure to a chemical slowly gets smaller and smaller until there is really nothing left of him.

\\ \\ WHERE IS HE SHRINKING FROM? \\ \\ Today in American Homes, American Society, and in the Lord’s Churches the exact same thing is happening.

Because of a prolonged exposure to a misguided culture.. manhood, true manhood and True Fatherhood is slowly getting smaller and smaller until there is now very little left of Them.

\\ \\ Far too many men have become detached, distant and passive in the 2 most important areas of their life -- Home and Church.

They no longer take lead; or show the imitative, they avoid responsibility.

They run away from commitment and resist obligation; and they renege on the promises that they made to their wives, children, Church and Lord.

\\ \\ What Are The Effects? \\ \\ And this lack of manhood and father hood -- THIS shrinking away of true men has hurt our families, society and our churches... \\ \\ .

25 million children (36.3%) do not live with their fathers.

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40% of children in fatherless homes have not seen their father’s in a least 1 year.

While 50% of children who live without their fathers have never stepped foot in their father’s home.

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63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (FFH) \\ .

85% of children that exhibit behavior disorders are FFH \\ .

80% of rapists are FFH \\ .

71% of high school drop outs are FFH \\ .

75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers are FFH \\ .

70% of juveniles in state operated institutions come FFH \\ .

85% of youths in prison are FFH \\ .

70% of teen pregnancies are FFH \\ .

72% of Americans polled recently said the physical absence of fathers is the most serious problem facing America’s families.

\\ \\ \\ AND THE DAMAGE DONE IN THE CHURCH HAS BEEN NO LESS STAGGERING.

MANY TIMES CHURCHES HAVE BECOME STAGNANT OR HAVE DECAYED, AS MEN COWER IN THE BACKGROUND AFRAID TO ACT; AFRAID TO LEAD; AFRAID TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY; AFRAID TO DO THE RIGHT THING... \\ \\ AND MANY TIMES IN MANY PLACES THIS LACK OF MALE LEADERSHIP HAS CREATED A VOID THAT HAS BEEN FILLED BY THE LADIES OF THE CHURCH... WHO MANY TIMES DO MORE WORK, ARE MORE COMMITMENT, WILL SEE THINGS THROUGH TO THE END AND KNOW MORE ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD... \\ \\ MANY TIMES WHEN A JOB NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE CHURCH MEN WILL SAY, "I DON’T WANT BE IN CHARGE, BUT I’LL HELP -- IN OTHER WORDS I DON’T WANT TO BE A LEADER, I DON’T WANT RESPONSIBILITY, I WANT A WAY OUT..." \\ \\ THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN OUR SOCIETY -- MEN ARE MISSING FROM ACTION -- THEY ARE SHRINKING AWAY FROM THEIR GOD GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY AT HOME AND IN THE CHURCH... \\ \\ AND, not only are Men missing, THEY are also hurting.

Despite the feminist rhetoric that would have us believe that females have suffered far more than men.

The statistics show that modern society has taken a toll on modern man and He is in turmoil.

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88% of drunk drivers are men.

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83% of people arrested for serious crimes are men.

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85% of all murders are committed by men.

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A man is 25 times more likely to end up in state prison.

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Men are more likely to have ulcers, and to die from cancer, pneumonia, liver disease, strokes, hardening of the arteries and heart failure.

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75% of all suicides are men.

\\ \\ I have said all that I have said so far to underscore the fact that there are serious problems out there....

And I think you would have to agree with me that their are.... Do you remember what Harry Truman said, "The Buck stops here..." Why did you think he said that?

Because he was the guy in charge, he was the leader -- an with leadership comes responsibility...

And Harry Truman understood and accepted that.

\\ \\ God has ordained father rule in the home and man rule in his church... Men are the ones in charge..

They are the leaders and with leadership comes responsibility...

And far too many men have abandoned these posts of leadership -- in the home, and in the church.

They have left their posts and the damage has been great.

\\ \\ \\ II.

NOW, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE PATTERN; \\ "TENDER WARRIORS" \\ \\ I am convinced that the only way to even begin to repair the damage is for men to be real men...

But just what does that mean?

And where do you go to find an example of what a real men is?

For you see, there is much confusing in our society, due largely to the influence of humanism, feminism and the overall lack of attention to the biblical teaching of manhood.

All of which has led to some confusing role models... \\ ROLE MODELS LIKE... \\ \\ RAMBO & STEVEN SEGALL: MEN WHO ARE REAL MEN BECAUSE THEY CAN KILL WITHOUT HESITATION~/CAN DESTROY AND BREAK THINGS, MEN WHO SHOW NO SORROW OR GUILT AT THEIR DEEDS... \\ \\ OR MEN LIKE MAGIC JOHNSON OR THE ONES ON THE DAY & NIGHTTIME SOAPS WHO ARE DECLARING THAT A REAL MEN IS DETERMINED BY THE NUMBER OF WOMEN THAT HE HAS... \\ \\ AND THEN THERE ARE ROLE MODELS LIKE AL BUNDY OR DAN ARNOLD MEN WHO ARE NOT IN CONTROL OF THEIR HOMES, AND ARE AT TIMES SIMPLY BUMBLING IDIOTS.. WHOSE FAMILIES MOCK, RIDICULE AND HAVE NO RESPECT \\ OR MEN LIKE DONALD TRUMP, WHO DEFINE MANHOOD BY THEIR PAYCHECK, BANK ACCOUNT AND STOCK PORTFOLIO.

\\ \\ SO WHERE DO WE TURN TO FIND OUT WHAT A REAL MEN IS... \\ \\ WELL, WHEN YOU GET A TV YOU GET A BOOK; WHEN YOU GET A CAR YOU GET A BOOK -- WHEN YOU GET A DISHWASHER YOU GET A BOOK; AND WHEN YOU GET A LIFE -- YOU GET A BOOK.... AND IT STANDS TO REASON DOESN’T IT? BECAUSE THE OWNER~/THE DESIGNER KNOWS HOW HIS EQUIPMENT WILL OPERATE BEST... \\ \\ THE POINT SHOULD BE CLEAR.

WE MUST NOT PLANT OUR MANHOOD IN THE MID AIR OF CURRENT SEXUAL POLITICS.

WHEN WE ASK "WHAT IS A MAN?", WE’RE NOT GOING TO ASK BILL CLINTON OR OPRAH WINFREY.

WE’RE NOT GOING TO ASK ALAN ALDA, TED DANCING, ARCHIE BUNKER, TOM BROKAW, DONALD TRUMP, MIKE TYSON, MR MOM, PATRICIA SCHRODER OR HILARY.

\\ \\ NO WE ARE NOT GOING TO ASK ANY OF THOSE BUT RATHER WE ARE GOING TO ASK THE CREATOR WHAT HE HAD IN MIND WHEN HE CREATED MAN... WE ARE GOING TO ASK GOD TO REVEAL HIS INTENTIONS FOR A MAN... \\ \\ IN HIS BOOK TENDER WARRIOR STU WEBER TALKS ABOUT GOD’S PATTERN FOR A MAN.... IT IS AN AWESOME BOOK, BASED ON GODLY CONCEPTS -- EVERY MAN NEEDS TO HAVE AND READ THIS BOOK.

THAT IS UNLESS THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE GOD’S MAN.

I NOW WANT TO SUMMARIZE A CONCEPT THAT STU WEBER IN AN ENTIRE BOOK ONLY BEGAN TO COVER... \\ \\ NORTH.

SOUTH.

EAST.

WEST. 4 POINTS ON A COMPASS \\ SPRING.

SUMMER.

FALL.

WINTER.

4 SEASONS IN THE YEAR.

\\ EARTH.

WIND.

FIRE.

WATER. 4 ELEMENTS ON THE PLANET.

\\ KING.

WARRIOR.

MENTOR.

FRIEND.

4 RHYTHMS IN A MAN. \\ \\ 4 UNDERGIRDING LIFE RHYTHMS THROB IN THE VEINS OF EVERY MALE CHILD.

THEY PIPE A 4 PART CADENCE TO WHICH EVERY MAN MUST MARCH IF HE CHOOSES TO BE A COMPLETE MAN.

ALWAYS INTERMINGLED, NEVER EXCLUSIVE, THEY PROVIDE THE PRIMARY COLORS OF THE MASCULINE RAINBOW FROM WHICH ALL OTHERS DRAW THEIR HUE.

\\ \\ BLENDING PERFECTLY WITH ONE ANOTHER, THEY REFLECT THE LIGHT OF THE ONE IN WHOSE IMAGE THEY ARE MADE.. \\ \\ AND WHEN THEY ARE BALANCED; THE IMAGE IS CLEAR AND THE MAN AND THOSE AROUND HIM FLOURISH..... BUT WHEN THEY ARE UNBALANCED AND ABUSED, -- THE IMAGE IS DISTORTED, THE MAN WITHERS, AND THOSE AROUND HIM SUFFER AND EXPERIENCE PAIN.. \\ \\ THESE 4 RHYTHMS~/QUALITIES ARE LIKE 4 GIANT PILLARS THAT BOTH SUPPORT AND DEFINE A MAN.... \\ \\ LET’S WALK CLOSE TO THOSE PILLARS.

THEY ARE TALL.

THEY CAST LONG SHADOWS ACROSS A DESOLATE LANDSCAPE.

BUT IF WE GET CLOSE ENOUGH WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THEIR INSCRIPTIONS.

\\ \\ THE FIRST ONE WE COME TO READS: \\ \\ KING \\ \\ THE KING PILLAR IS CLEARLY CENTRAL TO SCRIPTURES THEME.

GOD IS THE KING OF KINGS.

HIS SON THE SECOND ADAM, HAS BEEN GIVEN "ALL POWER AND AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH.

AND ADAM, THE PROTOTYPE MAN WAS INSTRUCTED BESIDE THE GENESIS SPRING TO HAVE "DOMINION" MAN IS TO BE THE HEAD~/THE RULER IN THE HOME AND IN THE CHURCH.

\\ \\ BUT IT IS NOT A DICTATORIAL OPPRESSIVE TYPE OF RULE FOR THE HEART OF THE KING IS A PROVISIONARY HEART.

\\ \\ "IF ANYONE DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR HIS RELATIVES, AND ESPECIALLY FOR HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY, HE HAS DENIED THE FAITH AND IS WHOSE THAN AN UNBELIEVER.." I TIM 5:8 \\ \\ THE KING pillar TEACHES US THAT MAN IS TO BE A PROVIDER.

HE IS TO PROVIDE FOR ALL HIS FAMILY’S NEEDS.

AND UNDERSTAND MEN THAT TO PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILIES MEANS MUCH MORE THAN PAYING THE RENT, BUYING FOOD, BUYING CLOTHES OR PAYING FOR COLLEGE TUITION.

A MAN COULD DO ALL THIS AND STILL FAIL AS A FATHER~/AS A HUSBAND~/AND AS A LEADER IN GOD’S EYES.

YOU SEE, MEN WE ARE TO PROVIDE FOR MORE THAN THE PHYSICAL NEEDS OF OUR FAMILY, WE ARE TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR EMOTIONAL NEEDS AS WELL.

\\ \\ YES MEN ARE TO BE A KING. AND THE KING LOOKS AHEAD -- HE SCOUTS THE NEW TERRITORY TO ENSURE HIS FAMILIES NEEDS ARE MET -- THE KING DOESN’T WAIT FOR THEM TO ASK, HE DILIGENTLY SEARCHES TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF HIS FAMILIES NEEDS.. AND THE KING WATCHES OVER, HE PROVIDES ORDER, HE PROVIDES MERCY AND JUSTICE.

AND THE KING IS THE AUTHORITY.

HE IS THE LEADER... \\ \\ ONE PILLAR OF MANHOOD IS THE KING, MEN ARE TO BE PROVIDERS \\ ANOTHER PILLAR IS THAT OF: \\ \\ WARRIOR \\ \\ The warrior pillar is equally unmistakable in Scripture.

Our God is a warrior of both testaments.

Gentle Jesus, meek and mild?

He closes the Book on a white war horse, in a blood spattered rob, with a sword in His mouth and a rod of iron in His hand.

The book ends with a roar, not a whimper.

Within the epistles, the mature believing man is often described in military terms, "endure hardship with us like a good soldier" (2 Tim 2:3) "Guard what has been entrusted to your care..." (1 Tim 6:20) - a warrior equipped to battle mighty enemies and shatter satanic strongholds.

\\ \\ The HEART of a WARRIOR is a PROTECTIVE heart.

The warrior shields, defends, stands between and guards.

\\ \\ By warrior I do not mean one who loves war or draws sadistic pleasure from fighting or bloodshed.

Their is a difference between a warrior and a brute.

A warrior is a protector.

\\ \\ Whether he’s stepping on intruding bugs, or checking out the sounds that go "bump" in the night.

Whether he’s confronting a habitually abusive Little League coach, an insensitive doctor, a cruel boss or shining a flashlight into a spooky basement.

Whether he is shoveling snow or help women and children into the last life boat on the Titanic.

Men stand tallest when they are PROTECTING and DEFENDING.