BE A MAN like Jesus
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: The Myth of Manhood
Introduction: The Myth of Manhood
Typically, when we think about this generation’s attacks on manhood, we normally think about the pervasiveness of gender dysphoria where the culture is celebrating the confusion of women giving into urges, temptations, and emotions that are driving them to identify as men or men giving into to urges, temptations, and emotions that are driving them to identify as women.
Or when we think about this generation’s attacks on manhood, we may even think about Homer Simpson-like depictions of men on some comedy TV shows or movies. The man who is completely disconnected from his family. A kind of fumbling buffoonery where the woman in the home seems to be totally locked in and the man is just kind of floating around aimlessly with no purpose beyond maybe a check.
Both of those are concerning to me, but there is another attack on manhood that is little more under the radar because it’s lasted lot longer…so long that we’ve just kind of gotten used to it.
The ROUGH AND RUGGED depiction of manhood.
Example: Bobby Knight - Legendary Basketball Coach of the Indiana Hoosiers…Chocked Neil Reed
I believe the greatest gift we can leave the generations of young men following us is a genuine picture of MANHOOD and not the myth of manhood that we’ve had pressed against us throughout the years from every side and angle...
So, to that end, I would like to look at the clearest and best depiction of manhood that we have available, Jesus Christ, and I want to explore some of the lessons that the greatest and most complete man who ever walked the face of the earth actually taught us...
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Context
Context
I want to see the context for this passage by giving you a few things I love about this passage…
I love the flat out audacity at work in James and John’s mother…”HEY MY BOYS deserve #1” You talk about nerve! I mean I LOVE my two boys!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE those guys! My request probably would have been something like “Lord, please permit my boys A seat in your Kingdom! It doesn’t even matter which one…Yes, Lord! Any seat! What Lord only room in the upper deck? OK Lord. Will take it…Mom is out here asking Jesus for THE SEAT! I love that audacity.
Here is another thing that I love about this passage…I LOVE JESUS’ response. “Matt 20:22 “22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?...” “The path to the Kingdom isn’t exactly as glorious as maybe you guys are thinking it will be...you’re sure about that” and of course John and James says well of course we can Jesus…Now this is the part I really love…Jesus 2nd response…Matthew 20:23 “23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”” Oh, you’re going to drink my cup! but I still can’t guarantee you those two seats…” You talk about a HARD SAYING...
One more thing that I love about this passage…Matthew 20:24 “24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.” If you’re not careful, you’ll read that verse and think to yourselves that the disciples were really and rightly disappointed at John, James, and their mother for this audacious request, but if that’s what you’re thinking, you’re probably giving them WAY TOO MUCH CREDIT. They’re upset that the brothers are trying to jump ahead of them and get spots that they were all eye balling!
So Jesus has a lot of work to do in reorganizing this group of men’s understanding of greatness and leadership and in so doing there is a lot for this group of men, in this room, to learn as well.
Matthew 20:25-26 “25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you...
Lesson #1: Do Not Lord Your LEADERSHIP
Lesson #1: Do Not Lord Your LEADERSHIP
Do not LORD you leadership. It is a call not to operate in a dominating fashion towards those you’ve been entrusted to lead.
There is no caveat to the category of people that this applies to…
1. Do not operate in a dominating fashion over your kids
1. Do not operate in a dominating fashion over your kids
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
2. Do not operate in a dominating fashion over your wife
2. Do not operate in a dominating fashion over your wife
7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
What does true leadership look like in the home? It’s not barking out orders and it’s not checking out. It is doing the hard and grueling work of LISTENING to YOUR WIVES. LEARNING YOUR WIVES. BEING THE STRENGTH for YOUR WIVES in their weakness as the weaker vessel..
3. Do not operate in a dominating fashion over your workers
3. Do not operate in a dominating fashion over your workers
9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
In both of the last passages we read, there is a very very important nugget that we need to pay attention to...
We don’t LORD our LEADERSHIP because it while it may be the way of the world for the one with the power to use it however, he deems fit, it is not the way of Jesus.
But we also don’t LORD our LEADERSHIP because we are not their ultimate leaders we are only stewards...
ILLUSTRATION: YOU EVER HAD TO BORROW SOMEBODY’S EQUIPMENT?
BORROW A TRUCK TO MOVE EQUIPMENT? BORROW A LAWN MOWER TO CUT THE GRASS? DID YOU TAKE THE TRUCK and immediately after getting out of the site of the actual owner start burning the rubber on the tires. Yelling and screaming mines?
Then why would you do it when the owner is GOD! The worker is God’s, the woman is God’s, the children are God’s, the members of the church are God’s, the students in the classroom are God’s. and not only do they belong to him but YOU NEVER GET OUT OF HIS SIGHT! He sees all and knows all concerning how you are treating those created in his image and likeness.
This is the truth that we lead with! Not the illusions that the world presents to us that our position of leadership gives us full immunity to treat people however we want to.
The call is the exact same for ministers of the Gospel and the reasons for doing so are the exact same...
2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
They are not ours, they are God’s…and God is watching us and will repay in the end in accordance to how we have dealt with those He has temporarily entrusted to our care.
Matthew 1. True Discipleship versus Harsher Condemnation for the Jewish Leaders (19:1–22:46)
D. A. Carson observes: “One of the ironies of language is that a word like ‘minister,’ which in its roots refers to a helper, one who ‘ministers,’ has become a badge of honor and power in religion and politics.
Jesus says something very interesting…”
Matthew 20:25-26 “25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you...”
In other words, LORDING our LEADERSHIP OVER PEOPLE is what we should EXPECT from the PAGAN, those who DO NOT KNOW JESUS.
Lording our LEADERSHIP OVER our wives, over our children, over our colleagues and workers, that’s what PAGAN MEN who do not know Jesus do...
Provoking people to discouragement rather than being a leader who leads in such a way that people are ENCOURAGED by your leadership that’s what PAGAN MEN who do not know Jesus do...
Not listening to those we’re leading but instead allowing our leadership to be a shield for our arrogance…that’s what PAGAN MEN who do not know Jesus do...
Christian Men don’t LEAD like this?
Lesson #1: Do not Lord Your Leadership…That’s the negative lesson. The Don’t Do Lesson...
Now for the second lesson…The Positive Lesson…The Do Lesson...
Lesson #2: Be A Servant Leader
Lesson #2: Be A Servant Leader
26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Christian Men don’t dominate. That’s what the pagan men do…
So what do Christian Men do?
Christian men SERVE...
Here’s a question? Who do you serve?
34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
In other words, those given the greatest responsibilities must take the greatest burden of service...
No task is beneath them. No person is below their serving. No right is beyond laying down...
One theologian captures this posture of servant in this way...
Matthew P. Requests on Behalf of the Sons of Zebedee (20:20–28)
Assuming the position of a slave meant to renounce all individual rights, and to live one’s life in service of others. Therefore, to be governed by visions of grandeur, self-importance, and the ambition to impose one’s will over others, are more reflective of secular values than the priorities of the kingdom.
ILLUSTRATION: Can I be honest with you guys? I’m DEEPLY disturbed by the trajectory of AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY…at the heart of every conflict is a group of men fighting for THEIR rights, but RARELY EVER FORFEITING THEIR RIGHTS IN ORDER TO SERVE ANOTHER...
We’re fighting in our marriages FOR OUR RIGHTS...
We’re fighting on our jobs FOR OUR RIGHTS...
We’re fighting one another in our country FOR OUR RIGHTS...
But how many of us are adopting the posture of a servant and LAYING DOWN OUR RIGHTS for the sake of another.
This is the SERVANT LEADERSHIP that Jesus is calling us to!
Oftentimes, when we hear Scripture call us to not be like the world, we think that it’s talking about smoking cigarettes, drinking beers, and watching R-rated movies…but most of the time what Scripture is urging is for us to not get caught up in the philosophies of the world.
The philosophy that says the way of leadership is dominance rather than sacrifice...
The philosophy that says being a man is fighting for my rights rather than laying them down if necessary for the sake of another...
The philosophy that says I being a leader is about being out in front and on top standing on everyone else to make sure we are seen rather than being below and out of view pushing others up to be better versions of themselves.
This is the leadership that Jesus calls us too! Which leads me to my final lesson tonight...
LESSON #3: LEAD LIKE JESUS
LESSON #3: LEAD LIKE JESUS
How do we know that the philosophy of leadership we are calling you to tonight is in fact the philosophy of leadership according to Jesus?
Because He said so...
Because He did so...
He Said So
He Said So
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LEAD OUR SPOUSE?
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FOLLOW JESUS?
Lead by SACRIFICE...
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
He Did So
He Did So
28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The Leadership of Jesus is the laying down of our rights and taking on the role of servants.
He didn’t dominate…Get this! OUR LORD even chose not to LORD his LEADERSHIP over US
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
The most complete man to ever walked the face of the earth did not Lord his authority over us, but instead HE SERVED US ALL THE WAY TO THE CALVARY’S CROSS!
HOW MUCH MORE SHOULD THE MEN WHO ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF HIS SACRIFICE ASPIRE TO WALK IN LINE WITH HIS EXAMPLE!
In our homes, in our jobs, and in our churches...
Look to lay down your rights in service to others because the same was done for you...