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The Original Manual on Manhood, Part 2

Wisdom for the Heart / Dr. Stephen Davey
The Cross Radio
September 6, 2022 12:00 am

The Original Manual on Manhood, Part 2

Wisdom for the Heart / Dr. Stephen Davey

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September 6, 2022 12:00 am

Godly male leadership is becoming a lost art. Gender confusion, love of power, and desire for autonomy have stripped the term manhood of its original, God-designed beauty and meaning. Peter's unchanging message to men in 1 Peter 3:7 is a welcome anchor in this sea of ever-shifting voices.

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No question what it means to occupy the role we know intuitively that everything Peter has said that I've explained and illustrated why is bridging this something you already.

This is really frankly a call to love our wives as Christ loves his bride, the church, there's your model faithful committed strong self-denying humble ideas that the culture presents as manly don't always line up with God's ideal for men, of course, God's way is always right. So real manhood is defined God. That means that we need to conform our thinking to God's think it also means that we need to know what God thinks.

One of the ways biblical manhood is lived out is how men treat women and that Stephen's topic today in this message. Called the original manual on manhood Peter writes you husbands in the same way live with your wives in an understanding way as with someone weaker since she is a woman. You got to talk about politically incorrect now look it's first Peter three verse seven Peter is defying his culture and ours. By the way gender never changes you might make several observations from this text that sort of jumped out at you. Peter violates the shrine of gender neutrality hereby making a statement of gender distinction when husbands he clearly says here that women are weaker than men. He also tells men are supposed to treat women differently because they are women. This strikes your ears as sexist, bigoted, patriarchal, and all that stuff right. Peter is also stating the female sex is essentially genetically and anatomically and inherently different from a man. Peter would never be invited to speak at the local PTA at first glance, it might sound like Peter is demeaning women back to our ears, trained by our culture sounds like it, but he isn't doing nothing more than telling men to act like men and women to be treated. Expect to be treated like women and dogs manual on manhood by the way has a lot to do with how a man treats a woman a man can claim a man look at how he treats his wife Mary or women in general. Peter if we go back to the beginning of this verse for just to get a running start.

He begins with the command. This is the suggestion you live with your wife in an understanding way that is with insight that is with consideration different. Why Peter adds here because she is weaker. What does this mean she is someone weaker. Your translation might reach. She is a weaker vessel which I prefer. What is it mean that a woman is a weaker vessel or weaker than a man. Was not that hard. Really to figure out if someone said is not rocket surgery, I thought that was funny to this is having weaker in the original text asked release of the fact that it generally speaking in general terms, the average woman is physically weaker than the average man. He's speaking in general terms about the female sex is contrasted with the male set. He says in general terms of you like about her 25-year-old women over here not 25-year-old mentally or to put a rope in between them and said okay now: the men would drag the women into that muddy. If you don't like this interpretation your left and wondering if Peter is telling us here that women are intellectually weaker or morally weaker or mentally weaker or spiritually weaker or theologically weaker and weaker.

In their resolve or weaker in their say something you say something very obvious that you tell me recently that this verse clearly teaches that a woman is inferior to a man somewhat. Peter says it all. Inferiority and physical weakness are not the same thing that the Bible never suggests inferiority. Peter Zuniga very clearly around the verse will get to that later that the woman is equally deserving of being rewarded in the coming kingdom just as believing men. She is a fellow error in the grace of life. Peter is delivering a general statement of the physical makeup of the average woman contrasted with the physical makeup of the average man in general terms, then she can't throw the ball as hard or run as fast or lift as was interesting to me. Also, is that the word Peter uses for vessel in the Greek text secure loss is a word that Paul used when he wrote to Timothy, referring to household utensils to come back to.

He also use the word versus loading its Florida refer to the physical body. The body is a vessel so Peter is stating in general terms, the husbands and the men in general.

We need to be careful and kind and considerate in the way that we treat our wives specifically and women in general you want to prove you're a man show it in the way you treat women don't blur the distinctives by the way Peter doesn't the Bible doesn't between men and women God intended for us to highlight that this is his creative acts male and female he wants us to acknowledge he wants us to enjoy them.

In some ways we share. He wants us to not remove them but respect he want us to to erase that he wants us to exalted referring to women as the weaker sex. By the way, which is a term coined by Peter is interrogatory it is demeaning is diminishing the value of women fact Peter is essentially commanding men to treat women with distinction as women in blunt terms than he could paraphrase it to say, man, don't treat women like about you guys are not guys like women on don't exploit. Don't misuse treated with Curtis, why well, for starters. Again he says they happened to be women since she is a woman. So, as strange as it sounds.

Peter is commanding specifically husbands to treat their wives like women that interested. He's telling the husband to treat his wife like a woman. You can't do that unless you understand a fixed state and those characteristics that identify general terms, manhood and womanhood so that look like to treat your wife like a woman. I'm sure the ladies you could give us about hundred different ways.

I would look down for the sake of time will start with a K to help us men remember the opposite will answer that way. What was the opposite of treating your wife like a woman when the opposite is going to look for summerlike apathy, apathy, you can call it indifference you can call it unconcern for their needs and their well-being. You could call it irritation. You know, rather than interest criticism instead of commendation.

You could think of it as failure of a man to step up to the plate. Take his responsibility to provide and protect. There is no Hebrew proverb that I came across in my study.

One of the authors refer to the town that gives this really interesting practical advice.

It reads every husband should eat and drink beneath his means close himself within his means and honor his wife above his means that all the women said treating your wife like a woman is the opposite of apathy. Secondly, treating your wife like a woman is the opposite of apps apps you could call this a self-centered pursuit where her activities never matter and yours are never missed. This is just failing to step up to the plate. This is acting as if there's no plate at all.

No ballgame to enter, you know, don't bother me with your life. I got my eye hello one judge did in a recent KC handed down an unusual service will husband was a domestic dispute was an argument that time spilled out of the front yard. He eventually was found to be the perpetrator.

It was her birthday.

I don't know what happened. I didn't tell but evidently forgot it with the judge did, but the judge ended up telling the husband as he stood before the court room that he needed to figure out a plan for marriage counseling but in the meantime he said this to him on your way home from this courthouse. You are pick up some flowers for your wife along with a birthday card go deliver them to your wife both of you are to get dressed in your take your wife out to dinner at the red lobster.

He actually identified as Casey think it's Taco Bell. No red lobster. This and after taking her out to red lobster for dinner take her bowling's attorney jokingly asked does he have to let her wear judge didn't smile back. He said that if his client failed to complain any of this, he would be back in court trying to do this man stopping absent treating your wife like a woman is the opposite of apathy and absence further abuse: verbal intimidation or physical threats or outright harm. It is using your strength to your advantage to bully and dominate your wife in order to get way evidently what we learned early on as little boys out of the playground.

We didn't get our way with our classmates.

We learn to push we never grew out of listen to the words of the apostle Paul that have fresh meaning in relation to this study is writing to the men in the church at Corinth and he makes this statement, act like that. Stand firm like he's assuming we understand that the fixed state are distinctives to being a man so act like a man.

There's no paragraph to say that is what it means just act like a man.

Act like what a concept not act like women or act like boys grow up, act like men. He's not asking manhood he might show me he's asking them to be mature.

Evidently Paul appears challenging every man of the church to this day to grow in maturity and that relates to how we treat women acting like a man is not throwing your weight around doesn't resort to selfish anger yelling, slamming, throwing, name-calling, cursing, maybe even hitting acting like a man in relation to your wife is using your strength to make sure she is cared for. Treated with respect.I find it interesting. One Greek author pointed out a great scholar pointed out of the text of Peter's use of the word for woman. Here's unusual. It's since she is a woman were translated woman is an adjective that serves as an abstraction principle relates to the female nests of her you get understand them to say since she is very fit husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way as with the weaker vessel, since she is feminine. By the way, that doesn't mean that women aren't as tough as nails never been in a delivery room. How many of you in here are second born children, raise your hand around your proof that she is as tough as nails to do it again. Peter says, by the way, she's weaker. He doesn't say she's weak fact I came across this mother's resolve, encourage evidence and her determination and I thought you would enjoy reading is a bit of a nailbiter but has good ending.

Okay just tell you how to target people fading in the locker here we go.

Since reading assembly will forget it. A couple built a home on the banks of a small pond at the headwaters of the Creek in Florida not far from the golf Mexico for 12-year-old son Michael love to snorkel the 2 acre pond on the property and one evening he into this cousins went for swim just after dinner, oblivious to any danger they were unaware that an alligator was bearing down neighbors were out back spot at the alligator in and try to distract clapping and shouting and waving her arms. It alerted the cousins and they made sure not Michael. He was snorkeling his head under the water as he floated peacefully along with the alligator reached him. It opened its mouth and lunged for Michael's head. It missed, but still gashed his goal ripping the snorkel mask from his face. Michael began swimming for shore as fast as he could bring flippers of the swing fairly quickly momentarily diverted by the mask. The alligator them spotted it was after him again. By this time his mother had run to the waters where her son was in a race for his life swimming as fast as he could.

The alligator gaining on him every second. The mother reached out to grasp her sons hand just as the beast open this huge jaws clamped down on Michael's left leg.

What followed was a tug of war between 11 foot alligator in a 5 1/2 foot young mother clutching her boys hand. She pulled with every ounce of strength she had until unexpectedly. Suddenly the alligator let go.

Press the rubber flipper on her sons, footed, agitated his throat.

They didn't know, but for whatever reason she pulled about safety. Six months later his wounds completely healed. Michael was overheard showing his scars to his friend.

You know proud of his scar on his scalp pink healing is left leg broken down mended, but scars still visible on his ankle, but the scars he was most proud of which he showed his friend were the scars in his hand, which is been made by his mother's fingernail permanent reminders that she had done with everything she had to keep him from being dragged away as one tough lady being weaker doesn't mean we it doesn't refer to resolve the termination effect Peter's use of the phrase here. A weaker vessel can be understood in the sense of refinement and others. We understand the word skill set out use of other places Scripture she's weaker in the sense that she has been created a more refined utensil you can think of it as one author didn't paraphrase that treat your wife like fine China what he said you know the difference between a cheap and fine China that the truth is you drink coffee differently from the cheap and you do find time to why men prefer cheekbones like fine China is handled carefully because of its value. What author wrote it this way you can understand this analogy to mean that your to treat your wife like you would treat and expensive files spend a little money at Walmart by a face spent a lot of money and it supplies they treat her like an expensive files. Peter is essentially challenging. Husbands that the opposite of the kind of behaviors to be pushy and abusive and domineering, hurtful, all your wife with your words or your hands.

That kind of treatment. By the way isn't something to gloss over or quickly get over men and meatballs in China shops right and then if the pieces are littered on the floor in your home life.

Get help talk to another brother come to one of the pastors or elders. It is something to ignore it is something to excuse on a bad day or even your wife's behavior. No excuse. By the way the car right. His mouth is stained with forbidden fruit.this is not she made me a little boy we had this to women, young and old. If you are being physically, verbally, sexually abused, what you are experiencing is not your fault. Don't ever believe it. Furthermore, it is not acceptable and is not a secret for you to keep it's not only sinful is not only wrong, it's dangerous and destructive and it will only escalate and crush and hurt the church let leaders of the church, let other sisters in Christ systems brothers.

There should be no question what it means to occupy the role of a man is a relates to treating a woman we know intuitively that everything Peter has said that I've explained and illustrated in applied is preaching this something in us.

We already even our culture knows it's true. This is really frankly a call to love our wives as Christ loves his bride, the church, there's your model faithful committed strong persevering self-denying humble love. That's our goal that mirrors the creator's love for us, doesn't it. Peter's basically telling husband. Specifically, love your wives like Christ loves you when they Charles Spurgeon, the famous pastor in 19th century London was walking through the English countryside is with a friend as a stroll along Spurgeon noticed the barn with a little barn small bar with a weathervane on its roof, and as I got closer, they could make out words. It'd been engraved by the farmer on that weathervane was twisting and turning the wind. The words were God is love. God's love Spurgeon remarked to his friend that he thought that was an inappropriate place for such a message. He said weathervane's arc changeable are always turning with the wind, his friend responded. Charles, I believe you misunderstand the meaning weathervane is indicating the truth regardless of which way the wind blows God's will. So Peter would say Paul what I thought, love your wives like that, no matter which way the wind blows live with them, kind consideration on either weaker and more refined value vessels created by God to be treated by us like fine China tell a real man treats his wife to tell you treats women to stray cats this morning's created man brothers. There's never been a better time then of God just then man got that was a message called the original manual on manhood. It comes from Stephen series on marriage called for better or for worse. This is wisdom for the heart and we have a gift for you today. Do you find the Bible intimidating. Maybe you've read parts of it but struggled to understand what it means. Maybe you've never attempted to read it because well, it's just too confusing. If so, you're not alone, but it is possible to understand the Bible.

We just need to know where to look. Stevens written a quick and easy guide to understanding the Bible you get answers to the biggest questions people have about the Bible and get a framework for reading it with confidence when we send you this resource. You're going to discover what the Bible is about who wrote the Bible how the Bible is organized and its many genres. The grand story of the Bible and the major plot points. Whether you've been a Christian for years or are just starting your journey with the Bible. This guide will make it less intimidating so that you can enjoy the treasures it holds for you, go to wisdom online.org/guide we don't have this resource imprints but will send you a digital copy of this resource and you can read it on your phone, your computer or print off a copy for yourself.

Again, go to wisdom online.org/guide. In addition to equipping you with these daily Bible lessons. We also have a magazine that we publish. Stephen deals with a different topic each month and helps you better understand what the Bible says and how it applies directly to your life. For example, some past topics have included such things as how to forge friendships. What can we know about angels demons in the spirit world and much more. The magazine also has a daily devotional guide that you can use to remain rooted in God's word every day a new addition to the magazine is a journal. The journal gives you the opportunity to take some notes as you listen to the wisdom journey or wisdom for the heart we call the magazine heart to heart. This is a resource that we developed for two reasons we use it to show our appreciation to all of our wisdom partners.

We also sent three issues of heart-to-heart magazine as a gift to everyone who asks, we'd like to send it to you if you haven't seen it yet go to wisdom online.org/magazine wisdom online.org/magazine on her next broadcast, Stephen will bring you the final lesson in this series.

So join us. Wisdom