Listened to a striking sermon a few seconds ago by Pastor Mark Driscoll on Biblical manhood. It was actually a sermon on the life of John the Baptist, but within it he speaks alot about the state of the men in our nation today… and the things he’s said are not only scary cause they’re true… but, very convicting as well cause alot of the stuff he says I see present in myself. (He touched on quite a bit, so I’ll try my best to reiterate what he said)
Driscoll on the State of Men in this Nation
Driscoll points our gaze towards the guys of this nation (and he deliberately does not call them men) pointing out that alot of guys, although physically growing in age, are very childish in their conduct and thought. He addresses a key element as to why men are this way, and I quote,
” We’ve created this thing called adolescence. It’s a new 3rd life stage in the middle, between boy and man. We dont know what to call it, so we just call em guys. Boys who can shave. That’s the clinical definition of adolescence. Adolescence starts somewhere in your teen years and it continues indefinitely… there is no potential end! What kills young men is this worldly thinking that this indefinite period of adolescence in acceptable, natural, and unavoidable“
He then points out that John did not go through adolescence. He was a boy who then grew in the Holy Spirit and conviction into the greatest man that ever lived (besides Jesus of course). He then asserts that adolescence is a secular idea that results in guys who are physically grown men but who act like immature irresponsible boys, yet it be perfectly culturally acceptable. It develops men who seek to avoid responsibility, but instead seek to live like “Peter Pan” for the rest of their lives… playing all day and not aspiring to do or become anything.
We see it everywhere. Guys dont know what it means to be a man or when one becomes a man. Is it 16? Is it 18? 21? So as a result, they do a variety of things. On of which is following the marketing companies guidance of “Drink this beer and you’ll be a man!” “Drive this truck and you’ll be a man!”… alot of our men have become consumers, rather than producers, takers rather than givers, with the ridiculous idea that your more of a man because of what toys you have… or what X-box games you play, or what level you are in some game. There’s also the existence of guys try to be men by seeking to proove themselves as men to their friends. Some examples of this are men who wish to join fraternitys, or gangs, or just guys in general who do some insane initiation rite to proove to others that “they are men”. So… many men of this nation are being “killed” (figuratively speaking) by consumerism and by relying on the opinions of other dumb guys, and as a result, we hav many children running around calling themselves men.
Heh, but its not only prevelant in the secular world! Now lets turn to the church. Sad to say it… but even Driscoll points out the fact that alot of men in the church have their own issues. Many of them are either complainers, or cowards. We’re too busy complaining about people doing stuff, but arent actually DOING ANYTHING ourselves. And why? Cause we’re either too lazy or too cowardly to act. We seek to live the most easiest, non-conflicting life and are too afraid to speak up about something or do something (too much work, or cost I suppose). Us men within the church, although I realize that we are growing in grace… we need to wake up and grow up.
Driscoll on the Spirit-Filled Man
After pointing all this stuff out, and more (Driscoll cracked down hardcore on men! I couldnt even put it all up), Driscoll then refers back to what a “Spirit-filled” man is… he points us back to, who Christ called, the greatest man who ever lived. John the Baptist. A Spirit filled man… a man who is, simply put, like Christ and who is being humbly led by the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist did not remain childish but, as I mentioned, grew in the Spirit and conviction… and so did Jesus Christ. Paul states in an epistle that when he became a man he put away childish things. We need to consider doing the same.
Jesus did not judge His success as a man according to the things He possessed, His status in society, or the opinion of other men. He lived the life of a man before God and by judged His actions by God’s standards of success… not the world’s. Jesus and John were also not lazy cowards, who sat around doing nothing but complaining. They were men who acted, speaking out against the hypocrisy of the age, calling people to repentance and even GOING TO THEIR DEATHS in service to the Lord, and for His glory. These are not cowards who went the easiest route nor mere complainers, but are real men who sacrificed themselves and stood up for their Lord! These men are what we should strive to be more like…
Thoughts on Myself
Although I seek to be more of a man like Christ and even John… I see my many shortcomings. I will, however, not sit down and conform to the culture’s idea of what an acceptable guy my age should be like. By God’s grace… I will strive to be further transformed by God into the likeness of His Son, being a light to the nation, and will be humble as His Spirit leads me.
It can be hard because of many things… influence from culture, from people… but is that not the Christian struggle? To be more like Christ… in spite of the world’s influences around you? Christ states that we are Sons of God… I have not lost hope in His power. He can further transform the lives of myself and of my other brothers… growing us into the men He wants us to be. Cause remember, we Christian men… no matter what kinda messed up state we’re in… we are the glory of God, we are His children, and He will never abandon us. We have sin to repent of… so lets humbly repent, trust in God’s Spirit, and let Jesus’ word transform our hearts.
In Conclusion…
I love my Christian brothers, and the men of this nation… I pray that God moves to raise up men who, like John, grow in the Spirit and in conviction, as I seek to do so myself. Be in prayer! There’s a battle to be won… peoples very lives and God’s glory is at stake. Until next time…
~Grace and Peace!
(I, by no means did any justice to Driscoll’s sermon… I’ll prolly post up a link er something of the sermon, if I can find one heh)
(Catch anything weird? Comment up a correction, if you wish! =P )
Just watched James Cameron’s newly released film, Avatar, in 3D yesterday.