The Talk of Men: 13 Jan 2011

13 Jan 2011

Reading: 1 Corinthians 16:5-18

Again, I direct you back to the audio sermon files at http://fm.thevillagechurch.net/sermons starting 12 Aug 2007, in the 3-week sermon series "The Role of Men".

Based on this challenge that we have before, this fact that sometimes no matter how much we work at something it may still produce thorns and thistles, how do we proceed?

Paul says here in Corinthians verses 13 and 14 that we need to act like Men.
In the NIV it says:
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.

In the ESV it says:
13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

I have heard people say to "act like a man in the past", but here Paul is using it to "Act like a man" as some of his final advice to the people of Corinth. Maybe this seems like a simple thing, but imagine if the situation were different. Imagine that you were visiting your spiritual role model or mentor, and as the last thing he said to you before he had to leave (where you would not see him again for quite some time). As his last words, we tells you to act like a man. I would be kept awake at night trying to make sure that I knew what "acting like a man" really was. Wouldn't you?

I you are a clear version-to-version comparator (is that a word?) like me, you would probably compare the words in these two versions and say that, according to the greek translation, to "act like a man" means to "be courageous". The word courageous makes me think of scenes from Braveheart, Gladiator, or Saving Private Ryan, and rightfully so. However, then Paul intrigues us more by following up the comment about being a man with "Let all that you do be in love."

I guess Paul is trying to convey a new kind of manliness: Courageous Love. If you are following along with the sermon series, Matt Chandler talks about loving your wife, regardless of their response. This kind of love would take courage.

Paul later talks about the household of Stephanas, and that such men who have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord's people.


My thoughts and questions:

Some people are not easy to love. Some take quite a bit of courage. Can you think of some people (specifically) that would require such courage?

Some would say that God teaches us the Gospel through our marriage, through our family, through our kids, and through our friends. By loving, regardless of their response, we learn a sliver of what it is like in how God loves us, regardless of our response.

What does loving others, regardless of their response, look like? What form would that love take? Obviously, this would look different with different people. By loving others, regardless of their response, we become initiators of God's love.

Regarding the house of Stephanas, who are the Lord's people?


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Rob