Links for Parents of Young Men (February 20)

Top 10 Books For Dads

"Conviction to Lead, The: 25 Principles for Leadership That Matters" by Al Mohler is one of my favorites.

The rules

One father and his take on rules for social media for his children.

Turning Boys Into Men

Evan Lenow from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary reminds us that we need to "set an example", "be there" and "teach them".

Links For Young Men (February 19)

What Joseph Can Teach Us About Biblical Manhood

"Joseph is a hero in Scripture who points us to the Hero of Scripture. May God give us the grace to follow in his steps."

How can I become a better man?

"...we want to make use of the "means of grace" God has provided to help His people grow spiritually - and much of it involves other believers."

Alex and Brett Harris Are Doing Hard Things

"Do more than what’s required. Find a cause. Be faithful. Go against the crowd. Be better than your culture expects."

Preparation for the Lord's Day of February 22, 2015

SBF

Review last weeks lesson. 

Read - Nahum 1:1-8

What does the word "refuge" mean?

What do these verses say about God's character? 

How has God provided a way for us to take refuge in Him? 

Worship

Read - Genesis 1-3

What is fellowship?

Sermon Notes – When the Church Doesn’t Work

When the Church Doesn't Work, Acts 2:42-47, Rickey Primrose, 2/15/15

The church only works when the people of Christ continue the work of Christ by the power of Christ. As you look at this passage you see that it becomes an unstoppable force when it works properly. External forces begin to come against the church here but the church grows even more. The only thing that can stop the church is the church itself. There are three internal diseases that harm the church.

The church will not work when hypocrisy replaces humility – Acts 5:1-6

We see at the end of Acts 4 that no one is commanding them to support the church. No one is forcing them to sell their property. Their sin was pretending to be someone they were not. They were frightened that others would think they were less spiritual so they told the church they were giving more. The response was dramatic to show that the church wouldn’t grow with hypocrisy in its midst. This is often manifested when we refuse to share our struggles and put on a mask so that we won’t feel shame. We are all broken yet we act as if we are unbroken. The solution is humility and confession.

The church will not work when self-centeredness replaces Christ-centeredness – Acts 6:1

“…the disciples were increasing in number…” Change is a natural result of growth. Selfishness often follows change because many times our expectations and preferences may not change with the growth. “We were here first and our widows needs should be met first.” Two options in regards to the complaints here: they could be seeing controversy where there is none or, it could be, that there is actual favoritism taking place. Either way the disease is the same – self-centeredness. There is only one cure – Christ-centeredness. The answer is not horizontal, focusing on others needs, but vertical, focusing on Christ. The key to unity is focusing on Jesus. We don’t come as consumers of church but “consumers” of God.

The church will not work when apathy replaces passion – Acts 2:42

This may be the most dangerous of all. Everything in these verses, and throughout, talks of their passion. You could call them a lot of things but never apathetic. They “devoted themselves” – they weren't complacent. To them, church was not a “category” of life that occurred on Sundays. It was the organizing piece of their lives. They didn't make it fit with their lives. They made their life fit with the ministry of the church. They waged war on the disease of apathy.

Is there any attitude in my heart that can potentially keep this church from working? 

SBF Notes - Live It Out

NEHEMIAH 10:28-33

Review

Last week the people confessed their sins, repented and prayed for God to remain faithful. He is faithful to forgive us and restore us to Himself.

Context

After this national confession of sin the leaders and priests signed an agreement vowing faithfulness. A contract of commitment to obey God’s law detailing specific acts to demonstrate devotion which is what we are going to look at today. We see in later chapters that Nehemiah returns to the palace of Artaxerxes. He visits again to find this commitment broken with some rooms of the temple re-tasked for a pagan god.

Intro

Is it easy for you to look at other people’s lives and see what they are committed to? What does your life reflect your commitment to? It is not because of our actions that we receive grace but it is because we have received grace that our actions should be different. It is a response to that grace, not attempt to get the grace. There is a moral responsibility when we do follow Christ.

Verse 28

What two things in verse 28 identified those taking the oath? It is for those who were able to understand and had separated themselves from the surrounding peoples (the pagans that lived around Jerusalem). To make a sworn oath was serious (Gen. 14:22). To not keep it leaves one guilty before God.

Verse 29

What are they including in the oath? What kind of commitment does this show? They were going to commit themselves to the commandments (God’s directives for life and worship), ordinances (God’s judicial injunctions) and statutes (laws of the legitimate ruler).

Verse 30

Why was it necessary for them to marry only those people within their nation? It begins with relationships. This is not an issue of race or culture. The point was to remain spiritually pure. This is not about ethnic differences but spiritual loyalty. It increased pagan influence and diluted the pure faith of families.

Do you know of leaders in the Old Testament who intermarried? What were the consequences? Solomon. Many of these people had already married outside their faith (Nehemiah 13:28).

What does this say to us today? We are not of the Jewish nation? We are not to date or marry those who are not Christians. Marry only those with the same beliefs.

Verse 31

What were they committing themselves to regarding the Sabbath? They committed not to purchase merchandise, or grain, or other commerce on any holy day. Without customers the pagan merchants would be forced to withdraw. They also committed to leaving the land uncultivated in the seventh year (Ex. 23:10-11) and cancelling every debt in that year (Deut. 15:1-2). They were showing faith that God would provide their needs reflecting their commitment to God.

Verses 32-33

What does it mean when it says they were going to impose commandments on themselves? What were they going to do? They were going above and beyond to show it wasn’t about them but God. When our view is that we owe Him everything then our lives and commitment will reflect that. When our view is that He owes us something then our lives reflect that also.  They gave an eighth of an ounce of silver.

Apply (What now?)

Our lives will reflect the truth we are committed to. Live it out.

If someone were to follow you for one week, what would they say you are committed to? What needs to change in your life for people to know that you are a follower of Christ? Remember, it isn’t performance that makes us right with God but what we do shows what we value. If we don’t value Him have our lives really been changed?  

What does a committed life look like?

First, acknowledge the fact that you are a wretch – a desperate sinner through and through.

Second, embrace the fact that we are justified before God solely on the merit of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross in our place for our sins and was raised from the dead three days later for our redeemed life (1 Cor. 15:1–3).

Third, ask God to convict you in the areas of your life where grace still needs to do its work.

Fourth, realize that growth in holiness is impossible in our own strength. The grace that justifies us is more than mere legal cleansing; it sanctifies us as well, teaching us “to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:12). Ask Him to change your heart desires. A good test is your reactions, not just your actions. “Spontaneous emotional responses are not morally neutral; they reveal the conditions of our hearts. When we spontaneously respond in rage to the rude driver, in condemnation to the fallen saint, or in lust to the attractive woman, we reveal that the agendas of our hearts are not as aligned with God as they should be.” (Gerald Hiestand)

“We are not our own. We bear the image of another, and the ownership of that image belongs to him. We must not act in ways that are inconsistent with the character of the one we portray. We must remember that every part of us, including our sexuality, has a higher purpose than merely our own pleasure, for every part of us was created primarily to image forth the glory of God. Life has a higher purpose than our autonomous satisfaction.” (Gerald Hiestand)

Pray

Show us the things that need to change in our lives. Give us the strength to walk away from relationships that are not spiritually healthy for us. We can’t do this in our own strength but only yours. 

Preparation for the Lord's Day

SBF

Review last weeks lesson.

Read - Nehemiah 10

What kind of commitments are they making with their oath?

Why was it necessary for them to marry only those people within their nation?

If someone were to follow you for one week, what would they say you are committed to?

Worship

Read - Acts 2:42-47

What attitudes within the church might keep it from working properly?

Links For Young Men (February 12)

Football and the Warrior Instinct

Jesus is the standard of warrior instinct — of undivided, straightforward, sacrificial focus for good.

Some Advice to Young Christian Men

Thoughts from a student minister for the young men under his care.

Challenging a Young Man's Ten Assumptions

What are you assuming about yourself and the world?

Book Brief: Thoughts For Young Men

Thoughts For Young Men

J.C. Ryle

Charles Nolan Publishers (2002)

Timely advice, even after 100 years, from an older godly man to younger men. The language has changed a bit but the content hasn’t. Young men still experience the same temptations and need the same exhortation as they did back then. Coming in at only around sixty pages it is perfect in size and theme for anyone under the age of thirty – or whatever arbitrary age you want to assign to “young men”. Ryle divides the writing up into short sections including reasons, dangers, counsels and rules for young men. His aim is to plead for young men to step up and heed the call to follow Christ. A beneficial read for all men – young or old. 

Sermon Notes – The Power of Christ

The Power of Christ, Acts 1:4-14, J. Josh Smith, 2/8/15

There is no hope for the world outside of Christ and His church. Therefore we need to be not just a church that does work but a church that works. We can only do that though through the power of Christ.

Even an equipped disciple cannot work without the power of the Spirit. Christ’s last command is in Acts 1:4 and He has the disciples who have walked with Him for years to wait. They could do a lot of things but just not the things that mattered – that God wanted them to do.

The power of God flows out of the presence of God. Desiring the power of God but not desiring the presence of God is idolatry.

He created us to be in His presence – Genesis 1 and 2 shows us life as it was meant to be. Adam and Eve are walking with God in perfect communion. This is what we will see in heaven (Revelation 21:3). Everybody wants to go to heaven but many don’t desire the presence of God. It could be if you have no taste for the church then you have no taste for the presence of God either.

He has invited us into His presence – Christ was sacrificed for our sins so we have access to God. In Luke 10:28-42 Martha wanted to serve Jesus but Mary just wanted to be with Him – there is a difference. God does not need you – if He needed you, you would be God and He wouldn’t. Are you spending your whole life making Jesus a sandwich instead of being with Him? The culture values Martha’s, not Mary’s but God flips that on its head. He wants you and rejoices over you if you are a child of God.

We have external expectations of all the things we need to be doing and internal expectations that God is more pleased when you do things for Him. Unlike our love, God’s love is not conditional on expectations. Our works based need for approval is wrong. We should not hide in shame from the one who loves us.

Everything flows out of His presence – Psalm 16. Our joy, identity, confidence, courage and patience all flow from Him. Psalm 27:4 – the one thing I have asked is to dwell in His house. If He needs a sandwich He will tell you! We resist intimacy with God. We just want to work. However if we look at Acts 2 we see that they were a “God saturated” people before He sent His Spirit. We can’t have His power without Him. 

SBF Notes - Return to God

Nehemiah 9:32-37

How is God described? Our God. Great, mighty and awesome. His actions against Israel are righteous. God has dealt faithfully with Israel, in contrast to Israel who "acted wickedly".

What did the earlier leaders and forefathers do? They acted wickedly. The did not keep God's law. They did not pay attention to God's commands. They did not heed God's warnings by the prophets.

Central Truth #1: Straying from God, and suffering the consequences of straying, is our own fault.

How do the people describe the situation? Lots of hardship. They are slaves in the land that should be their homeland. They are in great distress. The kings of Persia and Assyria rule over their bodies, livestock and the rich yield of the land.

What things are involved in repentance? Godly sorrow. Change of heart and change of action. Confession of sins. Asking God to forgive and restore.

Central Truth #2: Returning to God involves repentance and prayer, amongst other things.

Preparation for the Lord's Day

SBF

Review last weeks lesson.

Read - Nehemiah 9:32-37

How did the Levites describe God?

What position did the Israelites take with God regarding their afflictions?

When you find yourself in difficult circumstances where do you place the blame?

Worship

Read - Acts 1:4-14

What is Spirit-fullness and how do Christians live filled with the Holy Spirit?

Links for Parents of Young Men (February 6)

Parents Are Still the First Line of Defense

It is tempting to assign spiritual instruction to the youth ministry but parents are God's first line.

The Biblical Literacy of Teenage Believers

According to the noted study perhaps it should be "The Biblical Illiteracy of Teenage Believers".

Books I Recommend: Parenting

Tim Challies offers up a few of his favorites.

Links For Young Men (February 5)

Timely Advice for Young Men (by a young man)

Are you allowing God to prepare you for work, fatherhood and marriage?

Thoughts for Young Men

A quote on pride in young men from J.C. Ryle.

The Marks of Manhood

When does a boy become a man? Here is what Albert Mohler thinks.

Sermon Notes – The Mission of Christ

The Mission of Christ, Matthew 28:18-20, J. Josh Smith, 2/1/15

The church only works when every member is committed to the same work.

How does that happen?

Every member must have the same Lord – Matthew 28:18

His authority is the basis of the command in verse 18.

His authority shows the scope of the command – it is universal for all things, all places, and all people.

His authority gives hope to the command – we don’t just go out and “try” but we go out and “do” because we are aware of His ultimate control which gives us confidence.

His authority gives weight to the command – if we aren’t doing this then it shows that we are submitting to something or someone else, not to the One who has all authority.

Every member must have the same focus – Matthew 28:19

It is hard to make disciples if we don’t know what they are and how to make them. A disciple is anyone who chooses by faith to follow Jesus Christ. Someone who is born again becomes a disciple at conversion. If you aren’t a disciple then you aren’t a Christian. It isn’t a degree but a process you enter – to become like Christ.

“Baptizing” – the first step of obedience as a disciple. “Teaching them to observe” – disciple-making.

This isn’t just leading people to trust Christ and letting God do the rest (external focus only). It also isn’t thinking that it is only the churches job to teach them to follow Christ (internal focus only). It has to be both. The ministry of the church happens inside and outside the church – leading people to trust and follow Christ.

The focus is on people. Programs don’t reach people. People reach people.

Every member must have the same confidence – Matthew 28:20

We have absolute assurance He is there while we do this – “I am with you always”.

The task is overwhelming but the promise is equal to the task.

Who are you investing in? Who are you leading to trust and follow Christ?

SBF Notes - Treasure the Word

NEHEMIAH 8:1-8

Review

It’s been 14 years since Ezra’s return to Jerusalem so there are now children born that have never known exile. It is probably hard for them to imagine the ruins they see were once a glorious temple. Ezra had pleaded with their parents to keep their focus on the Lord. It was hard to maintain distinctions between the people of God and other gods. Nehemiah came to help. As cupbearer of the king of Persia he was distressed so the king allowed him to come back, with his blessings and protection. He began to rebuild the wall. He didn’t do it because he wanted things to look good or for protection exclusively but as a visible dividing wall so there was no blending with other cultures. Remember they were a “set apart” nation. They were losing their distinctiveness before the wall was built. There were struggles externally as there will always be. The visible distinctiveness began to work internally – they began to look after the poor and populate from the “line” of their nation.

Context

We are also to be distinct. We are citizens of another kingdom (Phil. 3:20). We experience resentment and opposition also. He reveals truth to non-believers through our distinctiveness. We are to be “distinctively” Christian (John 17:14-15). If others only see more of the same then what is the good news? What makes you distinct (entertainment choices, etc.)? Do others even see a wall? Do they want to come inside?

Intro

One thing that makes us distinct is the Word of God. Nehemiah did the physical work, now he needed to work on the spiritual.

How much time each week do you spend in the Word? How high a priority would someone say the Word is to you?

Verse 1-3

Who initiated the request for the reading of the Word? The people asked Ezra. They were hungry for God.

What were three things the writer says about the listening?  Six hours, from daybreak to noon. All were listening attentively, not just the priests. It was read to those who understood.

Verses 4-6

What was the significance of the platform? It showed the importance, reverence and that they all wanted to hear. Indicates this wasn’t spontaneous but planned. The Torah was on scrolls then. Not everyone had a copy. 

What did the people do when the law was opened? They stood out of reverence.  

What was their response when it was read? They raised their hands in praise showing their need for God. They affirmed the truth of the reading and their submission by shouting “Amen” (so be it). They bowed to show humility. Worship comes when we recognize who He is and our need.  

What was Ezra’s response? He praised the Lord.  

Verses 7-8

What principles can we get for studying/reading our Bible from verse 8?  Read the word. Understand the text. Know how to apply. They stood the entire time, showing their commitment. Nothing else matters when you are hungry.  

For God speaking and acting are the same thing. (Gen. 1:3 – “Let there be light, and there was light.”  He didn’t speak and then do what He said He would do. The word itself brought light. Psalm 29 – “The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars.” Isaiah 55:10-11 – “My word that goes out of my mouth will not return empty.”) So if God’s Word goes out to do something it is the same as if God himself has gone out to do something. To break a command is to break one’s relationship with him. How do we get God’s words? We get it through scripture. God put his words in the mouths of the prophets. (Deut. 18:15-20, Jer. 1:9-10) The Bible then is God’s Word written. We aren’t just getting information through the scripture; the Bible is the way to actually hear God speaking and to meet God himself.

Psalm 119 – longest chapter in the Bible. It is an acrostic. 8 verses in each stanza and within each stanza the 8 verses begin with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In 169 out of 176 verses, the Psalmist makes some reference to the word of God. It is a love poem to the Word. It is about the Bible itself. Vs. 129-136 is emotional: panting, longing, and weeping. It is passionate. This is where we want to get. This should be our heart for the Bible. The Psalmist delights in the Word (vs. 14, 24), desires it (vs. 18, 19, 27), and depends on it (vs. 31, 50). This is how we should feel about the Word, which, by the way, Jesus is the word made flesh. All the attributes of God’s verbal revelation are found in Christ. He is the Word of God incarnate. When we fully grasp what the word is teaching about itself this Psalm should be our reaction.

Apply (What now?)

God’s Word should hold a high priority in my life.

How important is it to you on a scale of 1-10? How much time should you spend in the Word daily? Nehemiah planned, write down your plan.

Pray

Forgive us for neglecting your Word and time with You. Give us a desire like the Israelites. Give us the knowledge to understand and the wisdom to apply.