Fearlessness means because my heart has been captured by the glory of the Lord - by His presence and power and promises - my heart is firm. The things of life do not make my heart wobble. That's the first thing. Fearlessness is a firm heart. Second thing, he is not afraid of bad news. Fearlessness is strength in the face of bad news. Now check this out, men, you live in a dramatically broken world that will not function the way God intended. Paul says in Romans 8 that the whole world is groaning, waiting for redemption. And so, we live in a bad news world. We live in a world where bad things happen. Men, if you're not experiencing bad news now, you will someday, and if you're not experiencing bad news now, you're near someone who is. Your relationship with Jesus doesn't give you a ticket out of the bad news that lives in the world around you. In the last several years, I have been through some very, very difficult things. I stand before you with a body that's been broken by disease. Where, in the moment of my greatest influence, I've been rendered weaker than I've ever been in my life. There's a way in which I'll never be healthy the rest of my life. It's been very hard. I would ask you, men, be honest right now in this holy moment we have together, what happens to your heart when bad news enters your door? Is your heart firm or does your heart wobble? Listen, when your heart wobbles, then you make choices you shouldn't make, you say things that you shouldn't say, you do things that you shouldn't do. You actually trouble your own trouble. “His heart is firm, he is not afraid of bad news.” You see that, that is an entirely different definition than the muscle-bound macho bravado that is a definition of a strong man in our culture. That was not David, that was not Abraham, that is not what strength is about. True, sturdy, lasting, resilient strength is only ever found vertically. And that strength releases you from all of that fear and panic and worry and anxiety that will make you do things that you shouldn't do and say things that you shouldn't say. Now, I just adore where this passage goes next. It describes the harvest of a fearless man. This is so beautiful; I don't think I have words to capture the beauty. This fearless man, he is gracious, merciful, righteous, generous, and just (vv. 4-5). You see, when my heart is firm, when I am resting in the powerful presence of my Savior King, I am released from the self-focus of worry and I can begin to live in servant love for the people around me. Listen, strong men are not bullies. Strong men are not so dominant that they crush the insights and gifts of the people around them. Strong men don't always have to be right and don't always have to be in control. That's not strength, that is weakness wearing the mask of strength. A strong man is gracious, a strong man is merciful, a strong man is righteous, a strong man is generous, a strong man is just, a strong man gives himself not to take care of himself, but to do everything he can to take care of others. That's strength. It's not having your own way, it's not always you have to be right, it's not always having control, it's resting in the Lord in such a way that your heart is now open to look around at all the needs that are in your life. Listen, every marriage needs this kind of man. Think of your wives, men. Who would not want to be married to a gracious, merciful, righteous, generous, just man? Who would not want to have this guy as your dad? Gracious, merciful, righteous, generous, just. Who would not want to have this guy as your boss? Gracious, merciful, righteous, generous, just. Who would not want to have this man as your neighbor? Who would not want to have this man in your church? These are beautiful character qualities. They only ever come as my heart has been captured by the fear of the Lord and I've been released from my fear of other things so I don't have to worry about me anymore because God will take care of me and I'm free to love and to serve. It's a beautiful thing. Strong men aren't mean. Strong men aren't bullies. Strong men don't spend all their time telling you how strong they are. Strong men, captured by the glory of the Lord, give themselves to do the work of the Lord. Let me say that again. Strong men, captured by the glory of the Lord, give themselves to do the work of the Lord.
Transcript: Session 1
MEN OF FAITH
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