Embracing the Godly Role of Fathers

### Summary

Today, we celebrated the importance of fathers and the unique role men play in their families, churches, and society. We began by welcoming Karen Strickling as our new Next Gen Kids Director, acknowledging her extensive experience and dedication to children's ministry. We also reflected on the recent Vacation Bible School (VBS) and prayed for the lasting impact it will have on the children and their families.

The main focus of our gathering was to address the role of men, particularly fathers, in the context of marriage and family. We discussed the cultural challenges men face today, such as passivity and overly aggressive behavior, and how these issues have ancient roots, tracing back to biblical times. We examined the story of Adam and Eve, highlighting Adam's passivity, and other biblical examples like Barak and Gideon, to illustrate the long-standing struggle men have had with these traits.

We then explored what it means to be a godly man, emphasizing four key traits: self-awareness, love for others, love for God more than the world, and using one's power to bless others. We looked at King David as an example of self-awareness and humility, and discussed how love should be the defining trait for all followers of Christ. We also stressed the importance of valuing eternal blessings over worldly desires and maintaining self-control.

Finally, we highlighted the significant influence fathers have on their children and society. We discussed the alarming statistics of fatherless homes and the detrimental effects this has on children. We encouraged men to fully embrace their roles as husbands and fathers, to cherish their wives, and to be actively involved in their children's lives. We concluded with a prayer for strength and guidance for all men to fulfill their God-given roles.

### Key Takeaways

1. **The Importance of Self-Awareness and Humility**: A godly man must be self-aware, recognizing both his strengths and weaknesses. King David exemplified this by acknowledging his sins and seeking God's mercy. True self-awareness leads to humility, which is essential for seeking forgiveness from God and others. This humility allows men to grow spiritually and relationally. [49:53]

2. **Love as the Defining Trait**: Men are called to love others deeply, reflecting Christ's love for us. This love should manifest in protection, provision, and obedience to God. Love is not a sign of weakness but a powerful force that drives men to care for their families and communities. Jesus emphasized that our love for one another is the evidence of our discipleship. [51:43]

3. **Prioritizing Eternal Over Worldly Desires**: Men must love God more than the world, avoiding the pitfalls of fleshly desires, materialism, and pride. The Apostle John warns against letting worldly appetites replace our devotion to God. True masculinity involves self-control and a focus on eternal blessings rather than temporary pleasures. [54:42]

4. **The Power to Bless and Influence**: Men have immense power and influence within their families and society. This power should be used to bless others, making marriages strong and children secure. Fathers play a crucial role in the well-being and future success of their children, and their active involvement can prevent many societal issues. [57:20]

5. **Cherishing and Cultivating Marriage**: A successful marriage requires active engagement and effort from men. The world's view that marriage is boring or restrictive is a lie. Men have the power to make their marriages joyful and fulfilling by cherishing their wives and investing in their relationships. This sets a positive example for their children and community. [59:03]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[23:39] - Prayer for VBS and Families
[24:50] - Introduction of Karen Strickling
[25:25] - Worship and Focus on God
[37:33] - Series on Marriage
[39:58] - Father's Day Facts
[41:03] - Addressing Men and Their Roles
[42:07] - The Problem of Passivity
[43:13] - Biblical Examples of Passive Men
[45:09] - The Problem of Overly Aggressive Men
[48:54] - Traits of a Godly Man
[49:53] - Self-Awareness and Humility
[51:43] - Love for Others
[52:51] - Love for God Over the World
[54:42] - Self-Control and Avoiding Worldly Desires
[57:20] - Using Power to Bless
[59:03] - Cherishing Marriage
[01:00:32] - The Impact of Fathers
[01:02:01] - The Crisis of Fatherless Homes
[01:03:31] - Application Points
[01:07:12] - Closing Prayer
[01:14:08] - Closing Verse and Slim Jim Day

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. **Genesis 3:6** - "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate."
2. **Psalm 51:1-2** - "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."
3. **1 John 2:15-17** - "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

#### Observation Questions
1. What was Adam's role during the temptation in Genesis 3:6, and how did his passivity contribute to the first sin? ([43:13])
2. In Psalm 51:1-2, how does King David demonstrate self-awareness and humility in his prayer to God? ([49:53])
3. According to 1 John 2:15-17, what are the three things that John warns against loving, and why? ([54:42])
4. What are some of the cultural challenges men face today as discussed in the sermon, and how do these challenges have ancient roots? ([41:03])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Adam's passivity in Genesis 3:6 serve as a warning for men today about the dangers of inaction? ([43:13])
2. Why is self-awareness and humility, as demonstrated by King David in Psalm 51, crucial for spiritual growth and relational health? ([49:53])
3. How can the warnings in 1 John 2:15-17 about loving the world be applied to modern-day temptations and distractions? ([54:42])
4. What does it mean to use one's power to bless others, and how can this principle be practically applied in family and societal contexts? ([57:20])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you were passive in a situation where you should have taken action. How did it affect you and those around you? What steps can you take to be more proactive in similar situations in the future? ([43:13])
2. King David's prayer in Psalm 51 shows deep self-awareness and humility. How can you cultivate a habit of self-reflection and humility in your daily life? ([49:53])
3. Identify one worldly desire that often distracts you from your relationship with God. What practical steps can you take this week to prioritize your love for God over this desire? ([54:42])
4. Think of a specific way you can use your influence to bless your family or community this week. What action will you take to make a positive impact? ([57:20])
5. How can you actively cherish and cultivate your marriage or future marriage? What is one specific thing you can do this week to show appreciation and love to your spouse? ([59:03])
6. The sermon highlighted the significant impact fathers have on their children. If you are a father, what is one area where you can be more involved in your child's life? If you are not a father, how can you support and encourage the fathers in your community? ([01:00:32])
7. Reflect on the cultural messages about masculinity that you have encountered. How do these messages align or conflict with the biblical traits of a godly man discussed in the sermon? ([41:03])

Day 1: The Importance of Self-Awareness and Humility
A godly man must be self-aware, recognizing both his strengths and weaknesses. King David exemplified this by acknowledging his sins and seeking God's mercy. True self-awareness leads to humility, which is essential for seeking forgiveness from God and others. This humility allows men to grow spiritually and relationally. Self-awareness is not about self-condemnation but about understanding one's need for God's grace and the willingness to change. It involves a deep introspection and a commitment to personal growth, which ultimately leads to a more profound relationship with God and others. [49:53]

Psalm 51:10-12 (ESV): "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit."

Reflection: Think about a recent situation where you recognized a personal weakness. How can you seek God's help to turn this weakness into a strength through humility and self-awareness?


Day 2: Love as the Defining Trait
Men are called to love others deeply, reflecting Christ's love for us. This love should manifest in protection, provision, and obedience to God. Love is not a sign of weakness but a powerful force that drives men to care for their families and communities. Jesus emphasized that our love for one another is the evidence of our discipleship. Love involves sacrifice, patience, and a commitment to the well-being of others. It is through love that men can truly fulfill their roles as leaders and protectors in their families and communities. [51:43]

1 John 4:7-8 (ESV): "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."

Reflection: Identify one person in your life who needs to feel Christ's love through you today. What specific action can you take to show them this love?


Day 3: Prioritizing Eternal Over Worldly Desires
Men must love God more than the world, avoiding the pitfalls of fleshly desires, materialism, and pride. The Apostle John warns against letting worldly appetites replace our devotion to God. True masculinity involves self-control and a focus on eternal blessings rather than temporary pleasures. This means making conscious choices that reflect a commitment to God's kingdom rather than the fleeting attractions of the world. It requires a daily surrender to God's will and a constant evaluation of one's priorities and desires. [54:42]

1 John 2:15-17 (ESV): "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where worldly desires have taken precedence over your devotion to God. What steps can you take today to realign your focus on eternal blessings?


Day 4: The Power to Bless and Influence
Men have immense power and influence within their families and society. This power should be used to bless others, making marriages strong and children secure. Fathers play a crucial role in the well-being and future success of their children, and their active involvement can prevent many societal issues. The influence of a godly man extends beyond his immediate family to the broader community, setting a standard of integrity, love, and faithfulness. By using their power to bless, men can create a ripple effect of positive change and stability. [57:20]

Proverbs 20:7 (ESV): "The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him!"

Reflection: Consider how you can use your influence to bless someone in your family or community today. What specific action can you take to make a positive impact?


Day 5: Cherishing and Cultivating Marriage
A successful marriage requires active engagement and effort from men. The world's view that marriage is boring or restrictive is a lie. Men have the power to make their marriages joyful and fulfilling by cherishing their wives and investing in their relationships. This sets a positive example for their children and community. A thriving marriage is built on mutual respect, love, and a shared commitment to God's principles. By prioritizing their marriage, men can create a strong foundation for their family and demonstrate the beauty of a godly union. [59:03]

Ephesians 5:25-28 (ESV): "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself."

Reflection: Think about one way you can actively cherish and invest in your marriage today. What specific action can you take to show your spouse that they are valued and loved?

For our church, as we reach families with kids, young kids with the gospel of Christ, and hopefully encourage the parents in their faith walk, and in their parenting, and everything else also.

Karen had mentioned Kim, and all the work Kim Burko put into this. And most of you, I think, probably know Kim and Joseph are going to be moving in August. So, Kim resigned. But I just want to let you know that we have hired Karen here, Karen Strickling, to be our Next Gen Kids Director. She comes, yes.

Karen has over 20 years of experience in children's ministry in churches, plus volunteer time on top of that. And they've been a part, her and Jay, her husband Jay, have been a part of our church for a handful of years now, three, four, a year, five? Close to five.

Close to five years now. And been serving in Next Gen Kids ministry for most of that time. So, we're excited to have her on staff. And I think today's your official start date, or tomorrow, is it?

Officially, but you've been in...

Practically speaking, yes.

It was VBS, yes.

Yes. So, anyhow. I want to pray for VBS and the kids, for Karen, and as we come together for worship, okay? So, would you join me in prayer?

Father, we thank you so much for this past week and how the kids had a blast. And Lord, more importantly than having fun, they heard about your forgiveness and your grace and your love for each one of them and how you offer salvation and forgiveness to each one.

So, Father, I pray that the messages that were talked about, the lessons learned this past week would truly just be in their minds for many weeks, months, years to come. That what they learned and experienced this week would be a great foundation for their faith as they grow.

Lord, it would be a great memory that would just be positive for them about the things of God. I thank you for all the volunteers and leaders who put so much time and effort into this past week.

Father, we pray for the families who brought their kids and were exposed to VBS through that dropping off, picking up their kids and just seeing the excitement and the fun that was going on, the activity and energy.

Lord, I pray if they're not connected with a church that you would draw them to you. And whether that's here or another church, Lord, that they would hear the gospel and that families would be reached for you as a result of this past week.

And we pray for Karen as she steps into this position. I pray your blessing upon her. I'm excited about her in this role. And Lord, what you have for the future.

So we thank you for her and Jay. And we pray your blessing upon her ministry with us. Now, Lord, as we offer ourselves to you in worship, we offer our complete heart, our complete mind as we come before you and just sing your praises and focus our thoughts on who you are, what you are and what you've promised us.

So we come to you, Lord, to worship you this morning. In your name we pray, amen.

Good job, kids.

Well, today is number three of five sermons in our current series on marriage. During the month of June, as our culture and even some churches celebrate Pride Month, we will be proud and we will celebrate what God has created and ordained and blessed us with, and that is marriage between a man and a woman.

So that's our focus this month. Would you join me in a word of prayer?

Father, we come before you and thank you for your many blessings, marriage being one of the biggest ones we have. Help us as we now take a look at your word. Help us to understand your heart and your intent, especially for us.

And for us men, may we understand your call on us as husbands, as fathers, and grandfathers, the blessings that you have provided in and through us as men. Help us to see that clearly. In your name we pray, amen.

I want to have a little fun here when we begin, okay? As we all know, men and women are different. Agree?

All right. Good. We approach marriage from different perspectives. We approach life from different perspectives. We approach problems from different perspectives, right?

Generally speaking, if I can be very general here, when it comes to problems, women want someone to share their problems with, and us men, we try to fix the problems.

Here's a video that explains those differences.

Yes, it's not about the nail, though.

Today we celebrate fathers. That's red meat for you men here today. We celebrate fathers here on Father's Day. And here's a few facts about Father's Day.

One, the holiday began as a lady by the name of Sonora Dodd wanted to honor her father for having raised six children after the premature death of his wife. Her father's birthday was on June 5th, which is why we celebrate this in the month of June.

It started to gather a little bit of national following in 1914 under President Wilson, who had declared Mother's Day a national holiday that year. But it wasn't until 1972 under Richard Nixon that he declared Father's Day a national holiday.

And it's estimated that Mother's Day sales outstrip Father's Day sales by a 10 to 1 ratio. So, just a little self-pity for us fathers here today.

All right. I want to speak today directly to men, but ladies, do not check out. Because as I speak to men more today, I think, I hope what I talk about and what we see in Scripture will help you as you maybe understand men, understand and value their role in life, their role in the family, their role in society, maybe help you in the sense of your sons.

And if you have a son or more than one son, it'll help you understand God's call for them. My goal is to encourage you men today, to build you up, to help you realize how important you are, how crucial you are when it comes to marriage, when it comes to your family, your kids, and your grandkids, and in fact, society as a whole.

I'm going to begin sharing some bad news so we can understand some of the problems and the challenges. And the challenges we have and understand that we're not alone in the struggles that I'll describe a little bit as we'll probably fall into one of the categories or maybe a little bit of both at times.

But I also want to end on the good news side of this and to leave you encouraged and hopeful and confident in your manhood and in your masculinity and the role God has ordained for your life.

Let's begin by talking about passivity. What kind of man are you? Ladies, what kind of man is your husband? Or what kind of men are your sons?

In our current day, it seems like we have a big increase in what can be called the passive man. A quick internet search pulls up all kinds of articles, even from secular sources like psychologytoday.com and other sites that discuss this increase of passive men in our culture.

And although we can certainly, I would believe, point to some recent cultural changes that have kind of propelled us toward this more passive view or passive life of men, the rise of feminism being one, and also the culture's current view of the toxicity of masculinity and those kinds of things, although that certainly has certainly an impact on this, it is not the cause of passive men.

How do I know that? Well, because passivity for men has been around for thousands of years.

So I want to first talk about the ancient problem of passive men. The ancient problem of passive men. We read about this in the third chapter of the Bible. In Genesis chapter 3, with the very first man, Adam.

As part of the first sin in the human realm, we see his passivity come to the surface. Genesis 3 verse 6, So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.

And look, she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Adam and his wife Eve were charged by God to lead, to be fruitful, God told them, and multiply, fill the earth, subdue it, have dominion over it, and things like that, right?

Adam was to lead his wife. He was to protect her. It's God who told Adam about the tree. He didn't tell Eve directly. It was up to Adam to tell Eve and then to lead her and protect her in this.

When the moment of temptation came, he was not protecting. He was simply standing by passively. Not engaged. And allowed her to follow the temptation and then followed in suit.

And we see every man since then has had this passivity to varying degrees in certain areas of life. We see other instances of passive men in Scripture. One of them that stood out to me is a military leader that we read about in the book of Judges by the name of Barak.

And Deborah was the prophetess and the judge at the time that this was happening in ancient Israel. Before the monarchy and everything in the period of the judges. And Barak was not going to lead unless Deborah was leading him. And he just got passive in the process.

But the favorite passive passage I have is the passage of Gideon in Judges chapter 6. I just want to read this passage real quick.

The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. And the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years. So Israel is walking away from the Lord. So he disciplines them by allowing Midian, a neighboring nation, to come in and kind of overtake them.

And to occupy them and abuse them basically in lots of ways. Then we see Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press. Now we're not farmers here typically. But you don't beat out wheat in the wine press. You put grapes in the wine press and press them to make the wine.

And the wheat you'd be out on the threshing floor on top of the hill. Well Gideon's hiding in the hill. Gideon's doing the wheat stuff in the wine press. And it tells us why. Because he was afraid of Midian.

To hide from the Midianites. And this is one of the greatest lines, sarcastic lines, of God in the Bible. The Lord appears. This is what we call one of the pre-incarnate appearances of Christ.

So this angel of the Lord, I believe he's a pre-incarnate Christ here, appears to Gideon and says to him, The Lord is with you, almighty man of valor. Right? He's completely the opposite of that. But he's kind of mighty.

Mocking him at the same time, yet encouraging him at the same time, isn't he? We can make a very long list of passive men in the Bible. But the point I want us all to understand here today is simply this.

This passive tendency in men has been around since the beginning of the human race. Passivity can cause great harm due to the inaction of a man. It can keep us from confessing sins. It can keep us from initiating reconciliation in a relationship.

It can keep us from picking up the phone and making the phone call we need to make. Or from attempting family devotions. From making a difficult decision or taking that next hard step.

Sometimes a man who does nothing is as harmful as the man who does the wrong thing. So passivity is one of the ways we see men not living up to the call of God in their life.

But we also see another problem, but this one's on the other extreme. And it's the ancient problem of overly aggressive men. Like passivity, this is not a new problem. It's been around since the beginning of the human race also.

Men who build a life on the other side of the continuum from passivity. This overly aggressiveness, this machoism, machismo, and bravado. In our culture we see the example of this in lots of ways.

But like Vin Diesel and the characters he portrays in movies would be one. And then social media influencers like Andrew Tate and others. They just focus on this side of manhood, this overly aggressive side.

And I won't take time to look at the various passages in Scripture that show us these kinds of men. But here's just a quick list of them. You have Cain and you have Esau, Samson, Nabal, Absalom, and then Caesar and Herod obviously.

Men who are overly aggressive, inflicting pain and harm on others. Living for themselves in the pursuit of their own pleasures and their thirst for power or prestige. An overly aggressive man can cause great harm because he has no limits and no checks on his actions.

He is a ready, fire-aim kind of guy. He is reactive and hot-tempered, often gets results but at a great cost. Their success is often obvious but their success often causes more problems as they leave in their wake a trail of pain and misery.

There are two examples of the problem here we see in men. You have the passivity side and then you have the overly aggressive side of men. Both of these miss the mark of God's design for men.

What does a godly man look like? What should us men aspire to? I want to give you four things this morning, four traits that God has designed for us men to fulfill and to be as men.

The first one is this, the biblical man is self-aware. Self-aware. The starting point for becoming the man God has created you to be is to know who you are. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses.

I want us to consider King David as we think a little bit on this point. David had many admirable traits, right? He was a man's man, a warrior, a leader. The ladies liked his appearance, right?

But he understood his sin. And he made great mistakes also but he understood his sin. He was very self-aware of his failings in that sense but he didn't allow those to just define him. He did what he should do with those things.

He brought them to the Lord. Psalm 51. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love, he writes. According to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

David was aware of his sin, aware of his need for God's mercy and forgiveness. That's the point we can't forget, right? Just being self-aware is one thing but what do you do with that?

Well, he knew to bring it to the Lord. Along with being self-aware, humility should follow. It requires humility to realize that you need mercy. Humility is needed to seek the forgiveness we need from God and His grace.

And it also takes humility to be able to go and apologize to another person when you've done something wrong against them. And to ask them for their forgiveness. That requires a great deal of humility.

So this self-awareness which has humility with it is the first thing. The second thing is the biblical man loves others. Then let me ask you, do you love others well?

Do you love others well? Or are you more concerned about image and persona? That you want to present some tough or rough image or some other image you want to portray? Do you think kindness is a weakness?

One of the primary traits for all followers of Christ is love. That should be the defining trait for all followers of Christ. Jesus tells His followers in John 13, He says, A new commandment I give you, that you love one another.

Then He describes what that means, right? Just as I have loved you, He says, you also are to love one another. And by this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

Our love for one another will be an undeniable proof or evidence to the unbelieving world that we belong to Christ and the reality of Christ in us. Men, masculinity and love are not contrary or contradicting things.

We protect because we love. We provide because we love. We obey God because we love. We discipline our kids because we love. We lead our family in faith because we love.

We're concerned about society because we love. All of those things should be motivated and driven by the love we have for others.

Third thing, the biblical man loves God more than the world. I'm going to spend a little more time on the third thing. Third and fourth thing here a little bit.

But like all things in life, our manhood or our masculinity at its root is really a spiritual issue. And these are ultimately to be seen through the lens of Scripture and God's Word.

And we see what the Apostle John writes in his first letter, not his gospel, but his first letter, 1 John. When he addresses men, he addresses the older men as fathers, the younger men as young men, right?

So his wisdom and instruction in these couple of verses we're going to look at is truly multigenerational. It applies to men of all generations, both young and older men.

He says this in 1 John 2, verse 14 is where he starts. He says, I write to you fathers because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you young men because you are strong and the Word of God abides in you and you have overcome the evil one.

So the first trait we see here is your faith in Christ is essential, right? Faith in Christ is essential to every man. If you want to be a biblical man, faith in Christ is kind of the starting point.

He says, you know him who is from the beginning. This takes me right back to the very first chapter of John's gospel in what we call the prologue, right? When he's speaking of Jesus as the Word, right?

In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God. The Word was God. He was with God in the beginning, in the beginning with God.

So when he starts out here and says this, right? When he says this, you know him who is from the beginning. We'll go right back. He's talking about Christ, right?

He goes on. He says, I write to you young men because you are strong and the Word of God abides in you and you have overcome the evil one. These are all statements I believe are just very clear statements of faith.

He's talking to these older men and younger men in regard to their faith in Christ. He's acknowledging their faith to them. Then he says, men, you must not love the world is the next thing.

He says, do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. This doesn't mean we can't enjoy the blessings that God does give us.

It doesn't mean you can't enjoy those things. It means do not replace God with the blessings of this world, with the things of this world, the things that appeal to our appetites.

It's very easy for us as men especially to let our appetites get in the very front or become the priority of our life. He's warning the men here. Don't let those things replace God in your life.

Third thing, men must have self-control. This is what that requires. The apostle John then defines what loving the world looks like. In verse 16, for all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride and possessions is not from the Father but from the world.

He helps us understand what this means. Loving the world, he focuses on these three struggles. The desires of the flesh. The desires of the eyes. Pride and possessions.

Now, isn't that true? I mean, those three things. I mean, it's true in my life. Those are three things that can be very powerful pulls in a man's life. And John just nails it very to the point.

What are these things? Well, desires of the flesh covers a lot of territory, right? Power, position, admiration from others. It can mean all kinds of things.

Desires of the eyes probably refers to sexual attraction. But it could refer to simply coveting what you see others have. You just see things and you want those things. And it becomes a drive in you.

Pride and possessions, materialism, wealth or status, these kinds of things. Any one of those things can intoxicate a man. A life in pursuit of just one of these areas can ruin your life.

Especially if you attain what you're desiring. Fourth thing, men must value eternity more than today. Must value eternity more than today.

He says in verse 17, The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. So men, we must have a greater desire for eternal things, eternal blessings and the eternal pleasures than the pleasures and blessings in this life, right?

As Jesus said, lay out for yourselves treasures in heaven. And we need to keep that in the forefront. And as the priority is also always going to be eternal, not just in this life.

Number four, the biblical man uses his power to bless. Use your power to bless. Men, did you know you have great power? I'm not talking about physical strength here. You have great power.

Manhood inherently has power. I believe God has created it that way. You have great influence, greater than you probably know. You have the power to make your marriage great.

You have the power to make your kids strong. You have the power to impact generations to come by how you are as a husband and as a father and as a grandfather.

Let's talk about marriage just briefly. I want to encourage you men. If you're not married yet, marriage is maybe in the future, I want to encourage you to step fully into the idea and the concept, if you will, the truth of marriage.

If you're already married, I want to encourage you to engage fully. Fully with your wife. Don't be fooled by the world's philosophy that says, sow your wild oats and then maybe you can get married after that.

Go have a bunch of fun and then you can get married. As if marriage is not fun, right? I mean, who says you can't, quote unquote, sow your wild oats with your wife?

I'm sorry. Where else do you sow those oats? It should be with your wife, right? Who says that marriage is boring and it's not fun, that there's no passion, no excitement, so you better have that fun in your early 20s or through your 20s because when you get married, you know, it's just done.

Who says that kids take the fun and joy out of life? Who told you these lies? And let me ask you, why are you believing them? Or why are you giving them a little bit of credence?

You have the power to make your marriage great. But it won't be great all by itself and you cannot just let your wife take care of that. That's the passive side.

You will determine the greatness of your marriage by how much you work and invest and put into it. I'm not denying the impact and the factor that your wife brings into the equation here.

But men, the marriage really, if it's going to be an amazing marriage, it's really up to you. It really is. Proverbs 18, He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.

It's up to you as the husband, as the father, the leader of the family God has blessed you with to cultivate it, to cherish your wife, to enjoy her, to encourage her as a person, but also in her faith, to grow in her faith.

You have the power to make your marriage amazing in a way that your wife does not. You also have the power to make your kids strong and to impact generations to follow.

According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, and this is where you can find the stuff, if you look at my notes this week online, you can get all the links here and everything else.

When a father is present and involved, that's the key, present and involved, kids are at a lower risk of infant mortality, low birth weight, which is amazing by the way, that your presence and involvement with your wife will affect the health of the baby before it's even born.

Emotional and behavior problems, neglect and abuse, less likely to suffer injury, obesity, poor school performance, or teen pregnancy, or incarceration as juveniles, or alcohol and substance abuse, criminal activity and suicide.

That's because of you, dad, and your involvement, not just being there, but being involved with your wife and your kids. That's the good news. That's the power you have to make your kids strong, to give them a great future.

It rests with you. You really are the key in this. But in our country, we have some very bad news about fathers. We have a crisis of fatherless homes in our country.

According to the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau, in the United States, we currently have 17.8 million kids. That is about one in four kids, 25% of kids, live without any father figure in their home.

No biological dad, no stepdad, no stepfather, no adoptive father, none. I mean, look how important you are, dad, how important it is for you to be devoted to your wife and involved with your kids.

The research shows that when a child is raised in a father-absent home, they're affected in the following ways. They have a greater risk of poverty, they're more likely to have behavioral problems, greater risk of infant mortality, more likely to go to prison, more likely to commit crime, more likely to become pregnant as a teen, more likely to face neglect and abuse, more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, more likely to suffer obesity, more likely to drop out of school.

If you're not there and engaged, it's devastating for kids. You as a man, as a father, as a grandfather, you hold so much power and influence and blessing for your family, for the future of your kids.

Don't you dare listen to the culture that wants to shame and discredit you for being a man. Don't you dare listen to those voices.

God has created you as a man. He has blessed your manhood. He has blessed masculinity. And he's given you and me as men, as fathers, as grandfathers, a very specific purpose and calling on our life that only applies to us.

Let me give you three things to apply quickly here. Number one, know your power and influence. Segments of our societies I just mentioned are working to discredit men, to neuter men and their ability and their influence to the family and kids and society as a whole.

Understand the reality of what's out there, but reject it. Do not listen to those voices. Be self-aware of the potential that God has placed in you and that God has called you to be.

So men, lean fully into how God has made you and the purposes for which he's called you and made you. Secondly, embrace your faith in Christ.

Don't pursue what the world offers with all of your might. Value eternal blessings more than this life. That doesn't mean you don't enjoy this life. It just means keep the priorities where they need to be.

Work hard. Play hard. Love hard. And give the Lord thanks and enjoy the blessings that God gives you. But realize they're from him.

Never take credit for that by yourself. Understand God is the giver of all good things. And give him the credit for that. Give him thanks and bless him for what he's given you and provided in your life.

But also recognize the calling he's given you for those things. When he blesses us abundantly, it's not just for us. He blesses us so we could use those things for his kingdom and his purposes, not just our own.

Third thing, treasure the gift of your wife. Make sure you're painting a picture. If you have kids at home, or maybe they're out of the house, what about the people in your life, neighbors, coworkers, you know, the circle of influence we talk about, family, friends, neighbors, coworkers?

Paint a picture of marriage with your wife that is in full vibrant color. Make sure that your marriage, and this is up to you really, is full of joy. It's full of blessing that you cherish her and cherish marriage.

And work at it. Make it a focus of your life. It will be evident to other people because that's not normal today, unfortunately.

So treasure the gift of your wife. What example are you modeling for your kids and your circle of influence? Make sure it's a model that is a glorious model of masculinity and of manhood, but of marriage also.

And how you cherish your wife as Paul talks about in Ephesians 5, right? We're to serve our wife and love her as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

That's the role we're called to. And let me tell you, that takes a man to fulfill. To serve and sacrifice for her.

Men, you are vital to your family, vital to your wife, you're vital to our church, and you're vital for society as a whole. Do not listen to the voices that degrade men.

Hear the voice of God. And hear it clearly. And how vital and important you are. And you need to be totally dialed in with your marriage.

Because you have the power to make it amazing. You have the power to make your kids amazing and secure and stable and strong for the future.

And you have the power to make a great impact in society. Let's pray.

Father, thank you that you've given us clarity in your word for how we as men are to live. Father, I want to pray for the women here right now.

That, you know, this is a time focused a lot on the men. But I want to pray for them as they encourage their men. I know some women right now, as they're here or maybe watching online, they're in a marriage that's not healthy.

And their man is not someone walking in truth, not walking in alignment with God and his word and the calling God has on his life. So I pray for her, for women dealing with that difficulty right now.

And I pray, Lord, that you would work in that life and comfort and guide her. But also, Lord, that you draw her husband to you.

That you would have other Christian men who know him come to him and help pull him back from danger and destruction and harm of others. And, Lord, that they would show him you.

And help those of us, Lord, who are striving and trying to live according to your word, empower us to do so. Help us to lean on one another and to look solely at you.

And may we keep you as the priority in our life. And, Lord, we ask that you make an impact through us according to your plan and purpose.

In your name we pray, amen.

You are. Amen. Trust you were encouraged today with VBS kids in here and everything else.

And that's probably the best part of the service. But, you know, we have a closing verse to read. But I want to remind you all, men, it's Slim Jim Day.

It's our annual nutritious food stick day. So I just want to encourage you on your way out. Make sure you grab one of these and enjoy the delicacies today.

And now we have a closing verse. Let's read this together.

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

We're so blessed because he loves us so much. Let's be a blessing this week. Amen. Happy Father's Day.

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Men, masculinity and love are not contrary or contradicting things. We protect because we love. We provide because we love. We obey God because we love. We discipline our kids because we love. We lead our family in faith because we love. We're concerned about society because we love. All of those things should be motivated and driven by the love we have for others." [51:43](32 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




2. "Men, you must not love the world is the next thing. He says, do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. This doesn't mean we can't enjoy the blessings that God does give us. It doesn't mean you can't enjoy those things. It means do not replace God with the blessings of this world, with the things of this world, the things that appeal to our appetites." [54:42](27 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




3. "Men, we must have a greater desire for eternal things, eternal blessings and the eternal pleasures than the pleasures and blessings in this life, right? As Jesus said, lay out for yourselves treasures in heaven. And we need to keep that in the forefront. And as the priority is also always going to be eternal, not just in this life." [56:30](21 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




4. "You have the power to make your marriage great. But it won't be great all by itself and you cannot just let your wife take care of that. That's the passive side. You will determine the greatness of your marriage by how much you work and invest and put into it. I'm not denying the impact and the factor that your wife brings into the equation here. But men, the marriage really, if it's going to be an amazing marriage, it's really up to you. It really is." [59:03](38 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




5. "You have the power to make your kids strong. You have the power to impact generations to come by how you are as a husband and as a father and as a grandfather. Let's talk about marriage just briefly. I want to encourage you men. If you're not married yet, marriage is maybe in the future, I want to encourage you to step fully into the idea and the concept, if you will, the truth of marriage. If you're already married, I want to encourage you to engage fully." [57:20](33 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




### Quotes for Members

1. "Let's begin by talking about passivity. What kind of man are you? Ladies, what kind of man is your husband? Or what kind of men are your sons? In our current day, it seems like we have a big increase in what can be called the passive man. A quick internet search pulls up all kinds of articles, even from secular sources like psychologytoday.com and other sites that discuss this increase of passive men in our culture." [43:13](30 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




2. "Passivity can cause great harm due to the inaction of a man. It can keep us from confessing sins. It can keep us from initiating reconciliation in a relationship. It can keep us from picking up the phone and making the phone call we need to make. Or from attempting family devotions. From making a difficult decision or taking that next hard step. Sometimes a man who does nothing is as harmful as the man who does the wrong thing." [46:39](29 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




3. "The starting point for becoming the man God has created you to be is to know who you are. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses. I want us to consider King David as we think a little bit on this point. David had many admirable traits, right? He was a man's man, a warrior, a leader. The ladies liked his appearance, right? But he understood his sin. And he made great mistakes also but he understood his sin. He was very self-aware of his failings in that sense but he didn't allow those to just define him. He did what he should do with those things." [49:53](38 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




4. "When a father is present and involved, that's the key, present and involved, kids at a lower risk of infant mortality, low birth weight, which is amazing by the way, that your presence and involvement with your wife will affect the health of the baby before it's even born. Emotional and behavior problems, neglect and abuse, less likely to suffer injury, obesity, poor school performance, or teen pregnancy, or incarceration as juveniles, or alcohol and substance abuse, criminal activity and suicide. That's because of you, dad, and your involvement, not just being there, but being involved with your wife and your kids." [01:00:32](49 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




5. "You as a man, as a father, as a grandfather, you hold so much power and influence and blessing for your family, for the future of your kids. Don't you dare listen to the culture that wants to shame and discredit you for being a man. Don't you dare listen to those voices. God has created you as a man. He has blessed your manhood. He has blessed masculinity. And he's given you and me as men, as fathers, as grandfathers, a very specific purpose and calling on our life that only applies to us." [01:02:39](48 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)