Are You Man Enough To Be God’s Man?
Acts 6:3, 5, 8
[Show Successories samples while introducing topic]
You’ve probably seen the very poplar motivational posters from a company called “Successories” over the years. They are found in offices, stores, board rooms, even restrooms just about anywhere you go.
What you may not have seen are some of these:
Here’s one. It says, FLATERY – If you want to get to the top, Prepare to kiss a lot of the bottom!
Or another. Individuality. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.
Or this one. Limitations. Until you’ve spread your wings, you’ve no idea how far you can walk.
Here’s one I think you’ll all appreciate. Meetings. None of us is as dumb as all of us.
This one’s great for church. Strife. As long as we have each other, we’ll never run out of problems.
But here’s my personal favorite.
Leaders. Leaders are like eagles. We don’t have either of them here.
Today, we are concluding our discussion that we have been doing together for much of the spring and summer entitled, “Have You Got What It Takes To Be God’s Man?” When we began this study, back on Easter Sunday, we stated that we were issuing a call to the men of this church, and of this community to step up and be the man that God has called them and created them to be. Men who bear the marks of godly manhood:
Integrity
Perseverance
Hard work
Solid marriages
Godly children
Who control our tongues
Our minds
And our wallets
I said at that time that this a call that would be full of words that we may not like to hear, like:
struggle,
resistance,
discipline,
accountability,
challenge
and work.
It is not easy, but it is worth the effort.
Today, as we wrap up this talk, we touch on perhaps the greatest challenge of all – Leadership. Many of us are perfectly willing to allow the world to tell us that the image of a man leading his home is a Neanderthal concept that is politically incorrect. We’d just as soon allow our wives to run the home than have to be bothered with it – but there’s a problem with that. Male leadership may be politically incorrect – but it’s biblically correct! Men, like it or not – you are given the responsibility to lead – in your home, in your community and in your church.
But sadly, this last De-Motivator is all too true. “Leaders are like Eagles. We don’t have either around here.” There’s more talk, more books and more motivational tapes these days on leadership than perhaps any other topic. One source I saw this week said that secular analysis has produced more then 350 definitions of Leadership. But, that source continued,[i] “Leadership is like the Abominable Snowman, whose footprints are everywhere, but he is nowhere to be seen.”
In the church, men make up only 40% of the church going attendance, and few of those men are interested in their responsibility to lead. Some churches, ours included, have sometimes had trouble finding even one man willing to serve as an Elder. Men – this cannot continue! The church must have strong men if it is going to complete its mission. This in NO WAY diminishes the necessary role for Women who lead – Ladies, your leadership and your faithful work in the church has kept us afloat for years. It is clearly evident that women had a great role in the history of Israel and in Jesus’ and Paul’s ministries – you are vital to our church health!
Today, however, I am specifically addressing the leadership vacuum that exists when it comes to Men! We will never be the church God has called us to be while the men of the church refuse to be actively involved in leading the way!
And it’s not just the church – our families will never be what God desires them to be if the men in those families are not leading the way! Men – your wife needs you to be a godly leader in the home. She needs you to fill the role that God has outlined for you in Scripture. Your children need you to be an example of what it means to be a man who loves the Lord.
We need those examples, too, don’t we? How would we ever know what a godly man looks like if God didn’t give us some real life individuals to show us? The Bible has many examples – men like Joseph, Joshua, David, Paul and of course Jesus. Today, I would like us to look at one man who may not be at the top of anyone’s list, but he was the real deal.
Turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 6. Let me read for you a real life story from the early church.
[Read Acts 6]
1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists,* because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. 7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Stephen was a leader of the early church. I want us to notice some of the characteristics of this young man. On your tables you will find some discussion questions. Take 5 minutes to discuss them with the people around you:
Discussion Questions:
With growth came conflict. This happens at all churches! I just read in one book last week this statement:
Over time and through hundreds of conversations we came to recognize that change does not happen without conflict. As we reviewed the biblical patterns, every time – without exception – the people of God began to make adjustments to join God in His activity, conflict emerged. [ii]
Division had crept into the church – jealousy, racial strife, bickering. And the apostles needed to address it. They did so by finding good leaders.
“Known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom” How do we know? – He demonstrated that fullness and wisdom by the fruit of his life!
“Full of faith and the Holy Spirit”
The word of God spread.
The numbers of disciples increased rapidly.
A large number of priests in Jerusalem believed.
Consider those results of good leadership! Is that not what the church is all about? IS that not exactly what we are looking for these days for Gateway? That the word of God would be spread, that the numbers of disciples would increase rapidly, and that even the leaders of our communities would believe? Sure it is!
At first glance, it doesn’t appear as though choosing men to help serve meals to widows would make that much difference to the overall success and health of the church, but the Bible says that when these deacons went to their work, the preachers were able to return to their work, and a great number of people began to be saved as the result of the spreading influence of the Word of God, so much so that even the most devout of the priests were turning away from the dead religion of Law keeping and were placing personal trusting faith in Jesus Christ.
Stephen was a leader not because he was a good Sunday school teacher, or a great preacher, or a talented singer. He was a leader because he served! He served tables! He served food to little old widowed women! He was a leader not because of what he did – but because of his willing heart.
The same thing will happen today if we will recognize that what we’re doing here is a team effort. God never intended for one or two or even a handful of people to run the church. Our success depends on the active involvement of every member as a minister of God, and on the strong spiritual leadership of the men in the church.
“So the Word of God spread.” Why? Why did the Word of God spread? Because the preaching was better? NO! Because they finally sang the songs the people liked? NO! Because they had great baked goods and cappuccino at the service? NO!
Why did the word of God spread? Because people stepped up and did what they were wired up to do. Gods plan was executed because “spectators” became “players.” Because men got up of their seats, got out of the stands, as it were, and got in the game.
They took the abilities God gave them, and used them for eternal purposes. ‘the number of disciples increased rapidly.’ Lost people came to faith because believers stepped up and got in the game. Souls went to heaven, because some men served food! God is amazing.
Think of how we’d miss out if people didn’t use their gifts here. What would happen if we all assumed our abilities couldn’t help the kingdom?
What if Larry said, “All I know is sound. How can that possibly help the kingdom?
What if John or Jim said, “I just play an instrument – how can that help the kingdom?
What if greeter crew just said, ‘I just like being friendly. How can that ever help the church?
What if our sound volunteers said, ‘All I do is sit here and push a few buttons, how can that possibly help the kingdom.?’
What if the children’s church workers said, “I just like kids – how can that possibly help the church?
What if you assumed that your presence couldn’t possibly make a difference? Is it possible that the outreach of the church might suffer – and the number of people we reach for the Lord might be reduced? Yeah, I think it’s more than possible!
Men, as we close this series, I’m calling you out. For far too long our wives have been leading the way in the church. Their dedication, sacrifice and hard work have shamed us for too long! It’s time to get out of the seats and into the game!
You need to be leading the way to church in your home each week – not tagging along because the wife badgered you into going. You need to be the driving force for family Bible reading and study – not sitting in front of the TV while your wife reads to the kids. You need to be volunteering for AWANA, and setting an example of the young boys of this church, rather than sitting at home catching reruns of West Wing.
In the movie Braveheart, William Wallace is leading a group of rag-tag Scottish men against the Royal Army of England. The Scots are ready to turn and run. Wallace says to them, “You can fight, and maybe die, or you can run, and live. But lying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to give all the days, from that day to this, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they can’t take our freedom?”
The point is this, when life is over, you’ll take no joy from the number of Packer games you watched, or evenings you spent sleeping on the couch. Your joy will come from the lives you’ve influenced – the example of godliness you’ve set – the souls brought to Jesus because of your faithful service. The poet has put it succinctly –
“Only one life, ‘twill soon be passed. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Rise up, O Men of God, the church for you doth wait. Her strength unequaled to her task, rise up and make her great!
Prayer.