STUDY GUIDE FOR PRISON MINISTRY Written by Project Nehemiah
ABOUT PAUL DAVID TRIPP Paul David Tripp is a pastor, author, and speaker. He wrote the bestselling daily devotional, New Morning Mercies , along with many other titles such as Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn't Make Sense . In 2006, he launched a not-for-profit organization, Paul Tripp Ministries, to produce and distribute free Bible teaching around the world that connects the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life. Paul and his wife, Luella, have been married since 1971 and have four adult children.
PaulTripp.com /PDTripp @PaulTrippQuotes @PaulTripp /PaulDavidTripp
ABOUT PROJECT NEHEMIAH Project Nehemiah is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive, gospel-centered reentry services for individuals transitioning from incarceration back into society. Our mission is to combat the interconnected cycles of recidivism and economic disparity by addressing the root spiritual needs of returning citizens while providing tangible pathways to stability, employment, and entrepreneurship. Project-Nehemiah.com EIN Number: 33-3402412 4224 Fort DuPont St SE, Washington, D.C. 20020
© 2025 Paul Tripp Ministries All rights reserved. Teaching@PaulTripp.com 21 N. Main St., Suite 8, Coopersburg, PA 18036 (215) 338-4000 Permissions
You are permitted to print and/or electronically distribute this Study Guide provided that you do not charge for the material or alter the content in any way. The Study Guide was written by Project Nehemiah, so if you require exceptions or additional permissions to alter the Study Guide, please contact their organization. You may download the video lessons for offline use, but please do not upload the videos elsewhere and instead share the video links for streaming provided by Paul Tripp Ministries. If you require exceptions or additional permissions for the video teaching, please email Teaching@PaulTripp.com. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
Contents
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Project Nehemiah's Men of Faith Curriculum
WEEK 1 MEN OF FAITH ARE FEARLESS WEEK 2 MEN OF FAITH ARE TENDER WEEK 3 MEN OF FAITH ARE THANKFUL
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Paul Tripp's Teaching Outline
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Transcript
Project Nehemiah's Men of Faith Curriculum A 3-Week Course on Building a Life of True Strength Course Description Project Nehemiah’s Men of Faith Curriculum is a 3-week course designed to build a life on the rock of God's truth. With materials curated from the ministry resources of Paul Tripp Ministries, this course is designed specifically for men in the re-entry program. It moves beyond cultural stereotypes to challenge participants to redefine strength, embrace humility, and live with a gratitude that can withstand the storms of reentry and beyond. The goal is to equip men to become who God truly calls them to be: Fearless, Tender, and Thankful. Overarching Goals (Learning Objectives for the Full Curriculum) • To replace worldly definitions of masculinity with a biblical model of strength rooted in humility and awe of God. • To help participants find their true identity and worth in belonging to God, not in their performance or past. • To provide practical tools for developing a character that can build healthy relationships and navigate the challenges of reentry with integrity. Why Transcripts? You will notice that full transcripts of Paul's video lessons have been included at the end of this Study Guide. This is to allow for a quick keyword search or a full reading of the sessions for those who desire it.
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WEEK 1 MEN OF FAITH ARE FEARLESS FINDING FIRMNESS FOR THE REENTRY JOURNEY
Topic This session redefines strength. It teaches that true fearlessness isn't about worldly toughness or control, but about having a deep "awe of God." This "vertical fear" of God is what gives a man a "firm heart" to overcome the "horizontal fears" of life, especially those related to reentry. Key Texts • Psalm 112:1 • Psalm 27:1 Learning Objectives By the end of this session, each man will be able to: • Define the difference between worldly strength and biblical fearlessness. • Explain how a "vertical fear" (awe) of God helps overcome "horizontal fears" (like failure or disrespect). • Identify a personal "Goliath" (a major fear about reentry) and a biblical promise to counter it. Memory Verse The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 Core Message and Key Teachings • True strength isn't about being the toughest man in the room; it’s about having a heart made firm by a deep awe of God. • When you fear God properly (vertical fear), you no longer have to be controlled by the horizontal fears of this world (fear of failure, disrespect, uncertainty). • David confidently faced Goliath because he knew his God; the Israelite army was paralyzed by fear because they forgot Him. • A man with a "firm heart" doesn't "wobble" when bad news hits; he can navigate challenges without falling back into old habits. • The "harvest" of a fearless man includes being gracious, merciful, righteous, generous, and just— qualities essential for successful reentry.
WEEK 1
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DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. How does the world define a "strong" man? How has chasing that definition led to trouble in your life? 2. What are your biggest "horizontal fears" about getting out and starting over? 3. How can developing a "vertical fear"—a deep awe of God's power—give you real courage to face those reentry fears? 4. What truths about God do you need to hold on to so you can face the "Goliaths" in your future (like addiction, a criminal record, or broken relationships)? 5. Which of the five qualities of a fearless man (gracious, merciful, righteous, generous, just) is the biggest challenge for you to develop right now?
APPLICATION: TAKING IT WITH YOU
This Week's Focus: Identify Your Goliath What is your single biggest fear about getting out? Write it down. Now, find one promise in the Bible that speaks directly to that fear and write it next to it. Carry that promise with you this week. Closing Prayer "Lord, forgive us for seeking worldly strength that is just a cover for fear. We ask you to give us a deep and life-shaping awe of You. Make our hearts firm so we can face our future without wobbling. Help us to be men who are gracious, merciful, and just, because we trust in your power. Amen."
WEEK 1
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WEEK 2 MEN OF FAITH ARE TENDER THE UNSEEN STRENGTH OF A HUMBLE HEART
Topic This session challenges the cultural mandate for men to be hard. It explains that true, God-defined masculinity includes tenderness, which grows from humility. This lesson emphasizes that recognizing our own inability to save ourselves is the first step toward developing a tender heart that can show mercy and build healthy relationships. Key Texts • Micah 6:8 • Ephesians 4:32 Learning Objectives By the end of this session, each man will be able to: • Explain how pride is the primary obstacle to showing mercy and building trust. • Define what "doing justice" and "loving mercy" look like in their personal lives. • Identify one relationship where they need to apply humility and tenderness. Memory Verse He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 (NIV) Core Message and Key Teachings • Pride crushes tenderness. We cannot have a tender heart if we are full of pride and ego. • Micah 6:8 shows there is nothing we can do to earn God's approval on our own. Admitting our inability and helplessness is the first step toward real strength. • God requires us to reflect His character by doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly. • Doing justice as a returning citizen means working an honest job, taking responsibility, and being a man of your word. • Loving mercy means forgiving those who have wronged you and being patient as you rebuild relationships.
week 2
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DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. In your past, how did pride or ego cause you to hurt people you love or make destructive choices? 2. Why is it so hard to accept that our own efforts aren't enough? Why is it difficult to say "I was wrong" or "I need help"? 3. Who is one person in your life (a child, a parent, a brother in this room) who needs your tender words right now? 4. What does "doing justice" look like for you in a practical way as you prepare to reenter society? 5. Where do you need to show mercy on your reentry journey? Who do you need to forgive?
APPLICATION: TAKING IT WITH YOU
This Week's Focus: Practice Tender Action What is one relationship that has been most damaged by your pride or harshness? What is one humble, tender action you can take this week to begin rebuilding that bridge (e.g., writing a letter, making a phone call, offering a specific apology in prayer)? Closing Prayer "Lord, break our pride. Rip out our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh. Make us tender. Help us to be men who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, so we can be the fathers, sons, and leaders you call us to be. Amen."
week 2
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WEEK 3 MEN OF FAITH ARE THANKFUL LIVING RICH WHEN YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN EVERYTHING Topic This final session addresses the mindset of complaining or feeling like you lack what you need. It teaches that a thankful heart is key to a fruitful life. The core idea is that in Christ, believers have already been given "all things that pertain to life and godliness," and therefore can live out of spiritual richness instead of a "poverty mindset."
Key Texts • 2 Peter 1:3 • Romans 6:17–18 Learning Objectives By the end of this session, each man will be able to: • Define the difference between a "poverty mindset" and a "thankful heart."
• Explain that in Christ, they already have everything they need for life and godliness. • Practice gratitude as a practical weapon against the frustrations of their current situation. Memory Verse His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3 Core Message and Key Teachings • "Identity amnesia"—forgetting who we are in Christ—leads to an "unfruitful" life. • A "poverty mindset" focuses on what we lack. A "thankful heart" focuses on what God has already given us. • 2 Peter 1:3 says God's power has already granted to us "all things" we need for life and godliness. We have a spiritual inheritance we can access now. • Gratitude can be a weapon against temptation and despair when you face the frustrations of reentry. • Even when we fail, we can have hope because Jesus is a "friend to failed men."
week 3
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DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. What does an "unfruitful" life look like for a man on reentry? What would a "fruitful" life look like? 2. What things do you tend to complain about or feel you are lacking? How does this "poverty mindset" affect your hope? 3. Read 2 Peter 1:3 out loud. What does it mean that God has already given you everything you need? 4. How can gratitude be a weapon against temptation when you face the frustrations of reentry?
APPLICATION: TAKING IT WITH YOU
This Week's Focus: Practice a Thankful Heart What is one area where you have a "poverty mindset" (feeling you lack the strength, patience, or resources you need)? Write down how 2 Peter 1:3 proves you are spiritually rich in that exact area, and thank God for His provision every day this week. Closing Prayer "Lord, forgive us for our complaining and for focusing on what we don’t have. Help us to see the riches we have in you. We thank you that you have already given us everything we need for life and godliness. Make us men with thankful hearts, ready to live fruitful lives for your glory. Amen."
week 3
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Paul Tripp's Teaching Outline
SESSION 1 I. Introduction A. I am deeply convinced that we have it wrong, that self-oriented dominance and control is actually not strength, it's weakness masquerading as strength. II. Psalm 112:1 A. Fearlessness defeats fear. B. It's vertical fear of God that then defeats horizontal fear of man in my life. III. Biblical Models of Fearlessness A. Abraham B. David 1. A good biblical theology of the majesty of God doesn't just define who God is, it redefines who we are as His child because He has poured out His glory on us for our salvation. IV. Psalm 112:7 A. Fearlessness is firmness of heart. B. Fearlessness is strength in the face of bad news. C. True, sturdy, lasting, resilient strength is only ever found vertically. V. Psalm 112:4–5 A. Men of faith are gracious, merciful, righteous, generous, and just. B. Strong men, captured by the glory of the Lord, give themselves to do the work of the Lord. VI.The Ultimate Fulfillment of Psalm 112 A. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of what this Psalm is about. B. Psalm 112, as it talks about fearlessness, cries out for a Savior because we need to be saved from our fear; we need to be rescued. SESSION 2 I. Introduction: Story II. Micah 6:6–8 A. Micah is God’s complaint against Israel for hypocrisy and injustice. B. It's humility that is the soul in which tenderness grows. Pride crushes tenderness. C. It's the devastation of humiliation that is the soil in which tenderness grows. III. God's requirements A. Justice, mercy, humility. Why these three? B. What you have in justice, mercy, and humility are three words that capture the entire
Outline
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redemptive narrative from Genesis to Revelation. C. God calls you to represent his tender heart, and he calls you to be his ambassadors. SESSION 3 I. Review II. 2 Peter 1:3–9 A. Verse 8: There are people who know the Lord, but their lives are ineffective and unproductive. B. Verses 5–7: If your heart is ruled by faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love, if those character qualities are in possession of your heart, the result will be that your life will be effective, fruitful, and productive. C. Verse 9: The issue is identity amnesia. If you forget who you are in Christ, you will quit pursuing what belongs to you in Christ. D. Verse 3: This is the identity. God has unleashed his power so we would be granted everything we need for life and godliness. You have been given everything you need. E. This should result in deep and abiding gratitude, deep abiding thankfulness, and that thankfulness should change the way that you live. III. Example of a rich uncle A. If your heart is filled with thankfulness, if your heart is filled with gratitude, you will say, "I'm going to make every effort to get everything that belongs to me in Christ." IV.Thankfulness changes your focus. A. Instead of focusing on all the things you don't have, your focus has changed to the
phenomenal hopeful provision that has been made for you in Jesus. B. Thankfulness then changes your agenda which changes your harvest.
Outline
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Transcript
WEEK 1 I have a great sense of privilege right now that I get to be the one who gets to talk about what in the world it looks like to be a man of faith. He was one of the most controlling men I have ever met, he had to have constant control in his marriage, constant control over his children, constant control in all of his relationships, constant control at work, he was dominant and strong. But the more I unpacked his story, the more I realized that that dominance and control had left behind it all kinds of damage, that's why he wanted to talk with me. And the more I listened to this man, the more I realized this controlling man was one of the most fearful men I'd ever met. His control was a way of dealing with his fear, the way he dealt with his fear is having to be in charge of everything. As I am deeply convinced that we have it wrong, that that self-oriented dominance and control is actually not strength, it's weakness masquerading as strength. And what does it look like for a man to be truly fearless? Well, I want to take you to a wonderful fearlessness passage in the Psalms, it's Psalm 112. And although I'm going to spend most of my time looking at verses five through eight, I want to look with you at the very first verse of this Psalm. "Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments!" “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord.” Now this will sound unusual to you, but I'm deeply persuaded that fearlessness begins with fear, that it's only ever fear that defeats fear. It's only ever fear that has the power to create a fearless life. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord. What are we talking about that? We're talking there about that mind-numbing, heart-engaging, life-shaping awe of God. His incalculable power overwhelms my heart and has captured me. Where God becomes the lens at which I look at everything in my life. I look at everything in life through the lens of the stunning, mind-numbing glory of God. And my life is shaped by acknowledgement if God is this glorious, then His commands have to always be right. It's a life that's ordered by God at the center - God’s glory, God's wisdom, it's God, God, God, God, God. You asked me why I do what I do with my children, I say, because God is. Why do I treat my wife the way I do, because God is. Why do I handle my finances the way I do, because God is. It's an awe of God that shapes everything in my life. You see, it's only that awe of the glory and the presence and the promises and the power of God that then releases me from horizontal fear. It's fear, vertical fear, that then defeats horizontal fear in my life. There's a lot of men out there who portray a macho bravado who are actually fearful men. When I think of this vertical fear of God, this awe of God, I always think of two biblical characters. The first is Abraham. Abraham had staked his entire life on one single promise of God, that is that he would have a son and out of that son, all the nations of earth would be blessed. Now that's something worth living for. And Abraham tagged his life, hooked his life to that one single promise, but there's a problem, the son never came. Decade after decade after decade, they waited till Sarah, Abraham's wife, was way beyond childbearing years. Finally, in a miracle of God's providence, Sarah gave birth to a son. What a joyous moment, the promise had come true, and this son would live and he would become that one who would bless the nations of earth. And then, shockingly, God comes to Abraham and says, I want you to sacrifice your son. It seems like a cruel trick, it's a moment where life doesn't make any sense whatsoever. What would you have been thinking, men? What would you have said? What would you have done if God would have asked that of you? You staked your whole life on one promise and now He's going to rob the son from you. Doesn't make any sense. And Abraham as a faithful man takes Isaac out and they start walking toward that place of sacrifice. Isaac's smart, he's used to the culture, he's seen sacrifices before and he says to his father, “Dad, where's the animal for sacrifice?” Abraham doesn't say, “Shut up and keep walking.” He says these beautiful words - it tells you
Transcript: WEEK 1
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what has captured his heart - he says, “The Lord will provide.” There's a fearless man. And I love this moment in Scripture where Abraham is now building the altar, and the Hebrew word that's used for what he's doing is, it's a word used for stacking something neatly in order. Now that tells you about his heart. He wasn't saying, “I can't believe you asked me to build this altar to take this son away from me, who I waited so long for. Where are you? What kind of God are you?” No, this man's heart is at rest and he carefully builds that altar. He raises the knife and God provides an animal for sacrifice. That's a fearless man. Able to look at what seems to be unthinkable and not be moved, believing that the God he knows, the God who has captured his heart will provide. That’s fearlessness. I think of that moment when Israel is in the Valley of Elah facing the Philistine army. This is the army of the Most High God, this is the army that God said, “I will deliver those nations into your hands, I am the Lord.” And that first day, that giant warrior Goliath comes out and the army of the Lord goes back to the tents in fear and they commiserate, “What are we going to do? What are we going to do? What are we going to do?” They do that for 40 days. It's shocking. The reason they're in their tents afraid is because they're, at that moment, a whole bunch of identity amnesiacs. They've forgotten who God is and they've forgotten who they are as His children. Hear this, a good biblical theology of the majesty of God doesn't just define who God is, it redefines who we are as His children because He has poured out His glory on us for our salvation. It's a scandal what this army is doing. These sadly fearful men who've forgotten the Lord and forgotten who they are as His army. David shows up, he's there to deliver a lunch to his brothers, bread and cheese, and they sort of make fun of him and tell him to go back to his sheep. And David says, “Why aren't we fighting? I'll go.” Now, David doesn't do that because he's trusting his own strength. Because he says, “God delivered the lion and he delivered the bear, and he will deliver this Philistine this day.” David knows who his God is, he knows what his power is, and he is not entering that valley in his strength. He knows he has no human ability whatsoever to defeat that giant, none. The giant mocks him and says, “Am I a dog that you'll throw me a stick?” And I love that scene where David starts walking toward that giant. I hear the timpani begin to roll as the drama builds. And David goes closer as the giant is taunting him and he starts doing this with his sling. And when I see that sling, I hear the symbols begin to crash at this drama of this moment, and he lets go of that stone. It hits the giant in the temple, knocks him out, and David runs out and cuts off his head. That's fearlessness. That's facing an enemy you have no hope of defeating and not running away but moving forward because you're so convinced of the power of your Lord. Men, when do you run away instead of moving forward? Because you've forgotten who your God is. Listen, the only thing that will ever release you from that myriad of horizontal fears that can capture your heart is when your heart is now ruled by vertical fear. For Abraham, for David and for us, it's only ever fear of God that will release me from fear of everything else. Look at verse seven. "He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord." I love this, his heart is firm. It means that fearlessness is firmness of heart, it's strength of heart, it's an immovability of heart. I'm afraid that many supposedly strong men - hear what I'm about to say - have wobbly hearts. I mean, it just takes a little bit of traffic for your heart to wobble. For some of us, a flat tire brings us 75% of the way to atheism. We have wobbly hearts. An argument with your wife makes your heart wobble. A little bit of financial difficulty makes your heart wobble. The rebellion of one of your children makes your heart wobble. You wobble, you begin to doubt God's presence, you begin to doubt His goodness, you begin to do things you shouldn't do. You have a wobbly heart.
Transcript: WEEK 1
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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: WEEK 1
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I love this Psalm. I love for its practicality. I think the Psalms are in the Bible to keep us honest about what the life of faith actually looks like. Psalms aren't pristine. This psalm is honest. It talks about bad news. Listen, biblical faith will never ask you to deny reality. If you have to deny the harsh realities of life in a fallen world, to have peace of heart, you may get temporary peace of heart but you're not exercising biblical faith. The Psalms are honest. And I love the honesty of this Psalm, but I love this Psalm for another reason. I love Psalm 112 because Psalm 112 is actually a finger pointing down the generations to a particular man. There was a man who walked on earth who was utterly fearless, whose heart was always firm, who did not quake and wobble in the face of bad news. He was perfectly gracious, He was perfectly merciful, He was perfectly righteous, He was always generous in every way, He was the epitome of justice. You probably know who I'm talking about. That man was Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of what this Psalm is about. Men, you don't have to look far for your model of fearlessness. Sorry, it's not Paul Tripp. I have to confess there are moments where my heart still wobbles, but Jesus's heart was always firm. And because of that, His life was known by its grace, by its mercy, by its righteousness, by its generosity, and by its justice. And that, men, is the hope of this passage because Psalm 112, as it talks about fearlessness, cries out for a Savior. Because we need to be saved from our fear, we need to be rescued. You see the thing that you and I need to be rescued from the most is not the bad news outside of us, it's the bad news inside of us. The thing that we need to be rescued from most is us. And so, Jesus came to live the righteous life that we wouldn't be able to live, to die an acceptable death, to rise again conquering sin and death so that in our fear, we can run to Him for help and He will not turn us away. I've said this many, many times, that the most dramatic heart-wrenching moment, the greatest moment of pain for Christ in the cross was not physical, it was relational. It was that moment when the Father turned His back on the son. And Jesus cries out, "Eli eli lama sabachthani. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Listen, Jesus took every ounce of our rejection so in our weakness and in our failure, in our forgetfulness, in our fear, we would never see the back of God's head. I know I'm talking to domineering and controlling men who have damaged their marriages and damaged their children as a result. I know I'm talking to men who won't admit it, but run away in the face of difficulty. I know I'm talking to men who in the face of obstacles, do and say things they shouldn't do because your heart isn't firm; filled and captured by a fear of God so it stands firm even in the face of bad news. I know there is need represented in you. And the good news is you don't have to act like you're something that you're not. You don't have to fake strength. You don't have to give yourself to some kind of cultural, macho bravado. You can run in your weakness to your Savior and He will meet you and He will strengthen you by His grace. It really is true; it's only ever fear that defeats fear. It is only ever that mind-numbing, heart-engaging, life- shaping awe of God and His incalculable glory that finally releases me from the myriad of fears, small and great, that can grip me and capture me and control me and divert me. And it's only ever that firm-hearted fearlessness that takes me from the wrong kind of model of strength to servant strength. To gracious, merciful, righteous, generous, just living. I believe the church is crying for this kind of man. I believe the family is longing for this kind of man. Our culture is in want of this kind of man. May there be a harvest of firm-hearted, fearless men who move out in graciousness and mercy and righteousness and generosity and justice who are powerful tools of change in the hands of the Lord of glory. Let's pray. Thank you, Lord, for this beautiful passage of your word. May we run to you and may you make our hearts firm and may that result in a harvest of good fruit. We pray these things in the sweet and strong name of the fearless one, Jesus, amen.
Transcript: WEEK 1
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WEEK 2 I was a bruised and beaten down pastor. I was dealing with levels of criticism and rejection that I'd never thought I would get in ministry. And all I wanted to do was run. I couldn't preach another sermon. I couldn't face another meeting. I couldn't face ministry. I was done. I was broken. And I had found a Christian school in Southern California who needed a principal, and I had an education background and I thought, “Well, that's great - Jesus and the beach - doesn't get better than that!” I was ready to go. I went to my elders and I said, “I'm done. I can't do this anymore. I want to resign.” And they said, “Paul, we don't want you to resign.” I said, “I can't do this. I can't face anymore. I'm done, I'm beaten, I'm broken. I can't do this.” They saw my discouragement and they said, “Okay Paul. We're sad that we're here, but next Sunday we will stand with you as you announce your resignation.” It was a very emotional service. For many people in the congregation, I was the only pastor that they had ever had. People were shocked and tearful, and I stood at the front and I had conversation after conversation until I was completely emotionally spent. As is often the case of the pastor in a young church, I was the pastor and the custodian and ten other things. I was the last person out of the building that Sunday and I locked the door and was standing there on the porch and there in front of me was the oldest man in our congregation. He said, “Paul, can I talk with you?” What I wanted to say was, “Bob, I don't want to talk to anybody right now.” But I thought I should respect this man and I said, “Okay Bob, you can talk.” And he said to me, “Look Paul, we know you're immature.” I thought, “Well, that's a good start.” And then he said these incredible words to me. He said, “Paul, where's the church going to get mature pastors if immature pastors run? We love you. We haven't asked you to leave. Don't go.” I immediately began to weep. And I walked home - our house was close - and Luella was already home with our children. And I came in the door weeping. She said, “Paul, what's the matter?” And I blurted out, “I can't leave. God just nailed my shoes to the porch of that church. I can't go.” I told her what Bob had said to me. I called my elders that afternoon and I said, “Okay, I'm an idiot. I panicked. I want to un-resign.” The person on the phone said, “Well, this isn't typical, but we would love for you to do that.” And the next Sunday, I got up and confessed my fear and I said, “I want to stay.” I thought about that conversation many times. Because if there hadn't been that conversation with one tender-hearted man, no one would have ever heard of Paul Tripp. No books would have ever been written. This wonderful life of ministry that God has given me would not have happened. It took the words of a tender- hearted man to rescue me - to stop me. Listen, I am concerned that you can go to men's conference after men's conference after men's conference after men's conference and never hear anyone talk about the transformative power of a tender-hearted man. The normal definition of a man, the normal definition of masculinity, the normal definition of what makes change happen doesn't typically include tenderness. But its tenderness that God used to radically alter the course of my life. My life was transformed by two or three sentences, propelled by God, of a tender-hearted man. A man
Transcript: Week 2
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of faith is tender-hearted and I want to tell you why. If you have a Bible there with you, turn with me to Micah 6. “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
He has told you O man what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
It's really hard to understand the power of this passage unless you understand what Micah is about. Micah is essentially a series of God's complaints against the people of Israel. God is upset with Israel. Upset with the way they were living. Upset with the duplicity of their lives. Upset with the state of the culture where there was massive oppression and massive injustice. And so, God's complaining against Israel. Now imagine with me, if someone in your life kept complaining to you about you, eventually you would say, “Okay, what do you want from me? What could I do that would finally silence your complaint? What could I do to please you?” That's Micah 6. It's the ultimate question of Christianity. It's the ultimate question of biblical faith. This is not a little question: what would it take to please God? What would I ever do to finally satisfy Him? To finally satisfy the just complaints that He would have against me? What if I gave 1000 rams? That seems like a huge sacrifice, but would that be enough? The resounding answer is no, it wouldn't be. What if I would even go so far as to sacrifice my only son, my firstborn, would that be enough? The answer is no, it wouldn't be. This is a deeply humbling passage. This is a passage that levels the human playing field. It doesn't matter how rich you are. It doesn't matter your race or ethnicity. It doesn't matter how powerful you are. It doesn't matter whether you're poor or rich, or knowledgeable or ignorant or whatever you are, the playing field is level. There is nothing I can do to satisfy God's righteous requirements. Nothing. I will never be righteous enough. I will never make sacrifices enough. There's nothing I can do. If it's up to me to please God, I'm done. I'm cooked. I have no hope. It's deeply humbling. And like Psalm 112, this passage points us to the Messiah because that gap between what God wants of me and who I am is so huge, I will never be able to bridge it. It's only Jesus who would ever be able to bridge that gap. It's only Jesus who would be righteous enough whose sacrifice would be acceptable enough to satisfy the holy requirements of righteous Almighty God. Listen, men, you will never be tender of heart unless you are first humble of heart. It's humility that is the soil in which tenderness grows. Listen, pride crushes compassion. Pride crushes tenderness. Pride crushes mercy. Because when you're proud, you tell yourself that you're righteous. When you're proud, you take credit for what you could have never earned or produced on your own. And when you're proud, you look down on people who are less and who have less than you. Pride is the enemy of tenderness of heart. And that's why the expansive language in this passage - that not even 1000 rams are enough - is meant to bring us to the end of ourselves. The words are meant to help us to understand the point that there is nothing we can do. Listen, I have to say this, it's important to say hopelessness is the doorway to hope. Because you have to give up on you. You have to give up on your ability. You have to give up on your righteousness. You have to give up on your wisdom. You have to give up on your strength. If you want to be a man of God, if you want to be a man of faith, you have to quit trusting in you. And you have to say that the only measure that truly matters in life - not the measure of my friends, not the measure of my culture, not the measure of my job - is the measure of Holy
Transcript: Week 2
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God. In the only measure that truly matters, I fall woefully dramatically short. Listen, it's the devastation of humiliation that is the soil in which tenderness grows. God, in grace, works to rob us of our confidence in us, rob us of our pride in us, rob us of the glory that we think we deserve so that we would cry out, “I can't, I can't, I can't. I can't measure up, help me. Won't you help me?” That first part of this passage is so important to the second part of this passage. The “no” in the first part of the passage is what ignites the “go” in the second part of the passage. God says “No, there is nothing you can do to please me, your only hope is my grace. But there is something I require of you.” Look at verse eight.
"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?"
Men, I would ask you to reflect with me for a moment on this question. Why, of all the character qualities that are held before us in the Word of God, why would God say, these are the three things that I require of you? Why justice? Why kindness or mercy? Why humility? Why these three character qualities? I think it's one of the most important questions to ask of the Word of God. When you come to a passage, you ought to always ask, “Why this? Why is this the thing that's emphasized here? How does the rest of the Bible help me to understand why, out of all of the character qualities that you would recommend to the heart of a man, these three rise to the top of your list of requirements for me? Why is that?” Well, I want to say something about those three words that you may not have thought about before. And I want you to pay very careful attention to the things I'm about to say because I think they are dramatically important. What you have in justice, mercy, and humility are three words that capture the entire redemptive narrative - the entire redemptive story that is captured from Genesis to Revelation. This is the redeeming plan of God captured in three words. God looked down on His sin-broken world. Not just people who are alienated from Him, but because of their alienation from Him, do horrible things to one another. He sees all kinds of misuse of other human beings, all kinds of oppression and injustice and so God decided He would act. He would act to right the wrong. Listen, the ultimate zeal of justice is to right wrongs. So God decides to move in justice. But here's the second word. He would not right the wrong through the vehicle of condemnation, through the vehicle of judgment, but He would right the wrong through the vehicle of mercy. He would find a way to satisfy the requirements of His justice through the vehicle of mercy. Listen, it's God's anger with sin that drove Jesus to the cross, it's God's mercy that drove Jesus to the cross. On the cross of Jesus Christ, justice and mercy kiss. He would move in mercy. Well, if mercy was not going to contradict justice, if mercy was not going to weaken justice, if mercy and justice could work together, then there had to be a righteous one who would satisfy God's righteous requirement by a holy life and who would be the vehicle for pouring out His mercy for sinners. So here's the third word: Jesus was willing to humble Himself. The Lord of lords and King of kings was willing to leave the splendor of glory and to subject Himself to the harsh realities of life in a fallen world. Don't think that the suffering of Jesus began at the cross. The suffering of Jesus began when shards of straw pierced His infant skin in that manger. And He suffered every day of His life. He was humble and willing. So, He would be that righteous requirement and He would be that merciful sacrifice so that wrong would be dealt with in this broken world. The redemptive narrative is a justice story. The redemptive narrative is a mercy story. The redemptive narrative is a humility story. You see in His glory of His holiness, in His anger with sin, the Lord of glory, the creator, the sovereign one, looked down on His world with tenderness of heart and He said, “I'm going to turn this thing around, not by cursing people with my law, but by redeeming them with my mercy and grace.” Now men, God calls you to represent His tender heart and He calls you to be His ambassadors. I love that
Transcript: week 2
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word. The only thing an ambassador ever does is represent. To take the message, the methods, and the character of a king and represent him wherever he is. And so men, your life doesn't belong to you. If you are God's child, it belongs to your King. Your heart doesn't belong to you, He wants to form your heart to be tender. And then He says, “You go represent me. You represent me. You represent me. You represent me. You take up my cause. You carry my justice to where justice is needed. You carry my mercy to where mercy is needed. You be a humbly available tool in my hands. You make my plan visible.” Listen, God makes His invisible justice visible by sending just men to give justice where justice is needed. God makes His invisible mercy visible by sending men of mercy to give mercy where mercy is needed. God makes the humble heart of the Savior visible by sending humble men willing to put their own lives at stake so that they can represent the tender heart of their Lord. Our culture is crying out for tender-hearted men who, because of their tenderness, move out in mercy, move out in righteous justice, move out in humility. Men, your wives need that, your children need that, your neighbors need that, your church needs that, your culture needs that. No, you can't gain God's favor by your obedience. Jesus did that for you. But this one thing you can do, you can take up the righteous cause of your Lord and you can say, “I'm going to represent His cause wherever I am. I'm not going to be a hard-hearted man. I'm not going to walk away from trouble. I'm not going to ignore suffering, but I'm going to move up. I'm going to care and I'm going to act.” It is the way of the Lord. May we be men of tender hearts. Let's pray. Lord, I know for me I can be hard-hearted. I can not care in places where I should care. I can close my eyes to what I should see. I pray that I would be a tender-hearted ambassador of the King. Moving out in justice, mercy, and humility to represent your righteous cause. I pray that not just for me, but for every man who is hearing me right now. Would you meet us and would you make us tender for your glory, and for the sake of your children we pray in Jesus name. Amen. WEEK 3 I want to end our three times together by considering that a man of faith is thankful. We've talked about that a man of faith is fearless. No, it's not because he trusts his own strength and he's got control. It's because his heart has been overwhelmed by the glory of God, by the incalculable wonder of His presence and His power and His promises, and that vertical fear releases you from horizontal fear. You are firm of heart. And because you're firm of heart, your heart doesn't wobble in the face of bad news. And then we've considered how a man of faith is tender-hearted. That tenderness starts with a devastating message of the gospel, that there's nothing that we can do that will please the Lord. The bar is too high. The measure is too great. The only measure that matters we fall woefully short of, and it is that humility that is the soil in which tenderness grows. What does it mean to be tender? It means to pick up God's holy righteous cause. To care about what's around you, to be His ambassadors, to make His invisible justice visible, to make His invisible mercy visible, to live a humble, caring, loving, merciful life. Well, a man of faith is also thankful. And I want to look with you at a diagnostic passage. When you hear the word diagnosis, you know that that word means something is wrong. And you know that effective cure is always attached to accuracy of diagnosis. Bad diagnosis, no cure. Effective diagnosis, lasting effective cure. I'd like you to turn your Bibles to 2 Peter 1. I want to read verses three through nine. This won't look like a thankfulness passage to you, but it is. "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He granted to us His precious and very great promises so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with
Transcript: week 3
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