Jentezen Franklin - Act Like a Man
1 Corinthians 16 is where I wanna go this morning. Powerful instructions, "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith," This next part is really something. "Act like men, be strong". And then He ends it with one more commandment. He says, next verse "and let all that you do be done in love". What God needs more than ever before is men to act like men. He wants you every day to step up every day and do what men are supposed to do. There's a narrow view of masculinity in many people's minds. And they think that the Bible gives a narrow view, but the Bible is very, very diverse in its view of masculinity. For example: Jacob who's one of the greatest heroes of faith in the Bible, he was the father of 12 sons - ten sons and two that were taken in, Joseph's boys, I don't have time to explain it. He gave birth to the 12 tribes of Israel that became the nation of Israel. All came from a guy named Jacob.
But the definition of his masculinity is pretty amazing in scripture. He was not a hunter, he was not a sportsman, he was not a major warrior, he was not killing and fighting and swinging swords and throwing rocks, the Bible said he was a mama's boy. He stayed home, he liked cooking, he liked, fashion, probably, GQ magazine. And he was a man, and he was a man of God. and his twin brother, Esau, the Bible draws a clear difference. He was a hunter, he was on probably the front cover of Outdoor Magazine, he brought home stuff he killed every day out in the woods, probably the quarterback of the high school football team. They both were men, they both were men that God used in powerful ways. And even though men are different, not everybody is athletic, that doesn't mean you're a man. Not everybody is, you know, flamboyant or strong or not, God has a big, big view of what a man is and He says, "Be what I created you and act like a man". What does it mean?
There are three definitions that I'm gonna give you of what it means to act like a man. Number one: to act like a man means don't act like a woman. Men are called... to lead not follow. Men were given by God, according to the word of God an anointing and a responsibility and an accountability to lead their family, not follow. Act like a man. It's on you more than anybody else to act like a man. Are you leading your family? Are you realizing that the family is in desperate need of men of God to lead their family spiritually, lead their family emotionally, lead their family physically? Lead your family to church, lead your family in prayer, lead your family in the word of God. "I can't do it". Yes you can, God made you that - when He wired you He wired you to be a leader.
When I say to follow and to obey this text... And act like a man means, don't act like a woman it's important that this generation hears that teaching. Because we're living in a time when major corporations like Disney are now trying to do away with gender and say there's no difference between male and female. On March the 31st the Biden administration recognized Transgender Day of Visibility. They have put in a transgender official, sworn in as a four star Admiral in the US Public Health Service Commission. On passports they now have demanded that they now allow an X - instead of checking male or female on passports you can check X, which says, "I'm neither".
The Biden administration announced this week that they endorse sex change surgery and hormone therapy for children, not for adults, for children. For children! What is happening to parental rights? What is happening to us deciding what our children hear about sexuality? We must realize that there's a war going on! Disney announced that 50% of the characters in their movies and cartoons will - I wanna read it just like they said. They will be representing the LGBTQ community, account for at least 50% of its regular characters by the end of the story. In other words, indoctrinating little innocent minds of little children. And I'm not mad at anybody, I'm not angry at anybody, I'm simply going to tell you what God's word says. I'm simply tell you that what the Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, did was not an evil act of bigotry.
When he said, and I quote, "We will make sure that the parents can send their kids to school to get an education not indoctrination". Thank God for a man standing up and saying, "This is right and this is wrong". Our kindergarten to third graders don't need to be taught that there are multiple genders! There's male and there's female! That's the word of God! That's the truth of the scripture. You can be seated. Don't leave, don't get mad. Just listen. Listen to what Romans 1 says. It's like reading the New York times.
Verse 26: "For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge," ‘We don't wanna hear that stuff. Get rid of that stuff, ban that stuff, stop that stuff.' "Even though they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate, debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; and knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but are proud," or, "approve of those who practice".
I can't say it any better than God's Holy word. Act like men. I was born this way. I was born in sin. I was born to commit adultery. If I go the natural way I'd be a drunk, I'd be a cocaine addict, I'd be an adulterer, I'd be a fornicator but when you get... that's why you need to be born again. If you were born that way, get born again, get the nature of Christ and be an overcomer. And just like I have to resist sin - temptation and sin you learn how to resist temptation and sin! Get your mind renewed! "Be not conformed to this world, be transformed by the renewing of your mind". And suddenly you'll get the strength to live a life that's pleasing to God!
It's the same salvation for the straight as for the gay! Who so ever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved! And it's time for men to act like men and women to act like women! Act like men means you don't act like a woman. What are we doing? What are we accepting? And why are we so worried and quiet? Let's speak the truth in love. All that you do, do in... if I love you I'm gonna tell you the truth. If I see a truck coming at you about to run over you I'm gonna scream at you to get out of the way. I'm preaching the truth to you! "There's a way that seems right under man but the end thereof is destruction". This word is right. This word will heal your life. I'm not mad at anybody. "What do you mean act like a man". It means don't be the weaker vessel.
In 1 Peter 3 he said, "Men deal with your wives in understanding giving honor to her, as the weaker vessel, and being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered". Notice what he said, "Give honor to her as the weaker vessel". When God made you, He made you physically stronger, emotionally stronger, spiritually stronger. The Bible is right, the woman is the weaker vessel. Not she's less, I believe in equality, I believe in equality in pay and in opportunity. All of that but let's just go back to what the Bible says. And the Bible says that if - The man ought to be the person who's leading that family! As the weaker vessel. "You don't know my wife". Well, you don't know my wife and I'm telling you, if you don't know her you wouldn't think she's the weaker vessel. But physically, spiritually, emotionally, I'm supposed to be the strong one. She can fall to pieces but... and I can have a day like that but then I gotta get up and gotta get my act together and I gotta act like a man! I can't have a pity party the rest of my life I gotta act like a man!
I've had dark times in my family just like you're going through dark times in your family. But one thing that I would never let go of, I would never let go of the Biblical promise of household salvation. I like what Joshua said and he said, "I'm deciding for my whole family, I'mma act like a man. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. And I'mma say that in love but I'll never stop moving in that direction with my family. And one of these days when I stand on the streets of gold I'mma have them all up there"! And that's what success is. Not a bigger house, not a bigger car, not a bigger this and that.
If I can get me and my family to Heaven and lead them that way I'm acting like a man. Step up and act like a man. Get on your knees for the salvation of your son or your daughter. Act like a man and carry the weight and bear the burden of your family! Don't follow, lead. Don't be the weaker vessel. Don't be a drama queen... if you're a man. People, your family always worried you gon' off, you gon' go crazy, you gon' go nuts and tell somebody off, cuss somebody out, tone it down. Don't be a drama queen, act like a man. Man handles his situation and his stuff like a man. There may come a time when you have to fight somebody or something but make sure you not acting like a fool and act like a man. Wow.
Secondly: to act like a woman is not to act like a man. Act like a man. It also means, don't act like an animal. Two hundred and seventy five times the word of God uses the word Beast. In Scriptures like Titus 1:2 it says that, "men who are liars have become like evil beasts". Psalm 73 said, "I was like a beast before you". I'm like an animal, I'm outta control. An animal is only out for his own desires and his own selfness. And men the Bible said in the last days would become like beasts burning in lust and uncleanness and defilement and acting like animals. Absolute animals. We need some men, we need to act like men. Not the dog.
You see these dog they just go jumping on female dogs in heat every day and we're not animals, men. We're not animals. We've been called to live holy and to live right and to be faithful to our homes and our marriages and our families, we're not animals. We're not beasts. Act like a man. I don‘t care what the Hollywood is saying, I don't care what the world is saying, I don't care what your buddies at work are doing, act like a man. A man's faithful. A man's... he's in control. To act like a man is not to act like a woman. To act like a man is to lead, to not follow, to act like a man is to not be the weaker vessel. To act like a man is to not act like an animal. Rude and crude and immoral. Lastly: to act like a man means, don't act like a boy. Boys run to their mommy. Boys... You're not a boy anymore you're a man. Boys have to be taken care of, their clothes have to be folded and ironed, everything put up for them.
But Paul puts it like this in 1 Corinthians 13, he said, "When I was a child I thought like a child, I acted like a child and I reasoned like a child". "Me, me, me. My, my, my. I, I, I. Me, me, me. My, my, my. I, I, I". You are not a child! You'll only be young once but you can be immature forever. Grow up! Your wife is not your momma. Grow up! A lot of men are just, they're still like little children. And it's time to act like men. So He gives us the little outline that I close with. What does it mean then? I've told you what you don't do, but here's what you do if you're gonna act like a man. He said, number one: be watchful, be alert, be on your guard. It's a military term. Your family needs you on the wall. Your family needs you at the door, watchful. You're paying attention to what's going on with your family more than yourself.
Be watchful. What are they looking at? What are they listening to? Who are their friends? Who are they running with? How's their spirit? How's their attitude? What's going on with them? They just go in and go back there and shout the door? What's that funny smell on them? That's what acting like a man is, you get involved, you engage, you're watchful. The men and the people in the families never rested until they knew watchmen were on the walls looking, keeping watch. And somebody's gotta start looking and watching over the marriage, and it's your marriage. And watch over that marriage and watch over your children, over your sons, over your daughters. Watch over them.
Be watchful. Be alert. Be prayerful. Be on fire for God and watch yourself. Watch your character, watch your integrity, watch your intentions. Then he said, "Not only be watchful. Don't be passive be watchful. Are you watching"? Then He said, "Stand firm in your faith. Hold tight to your convictions". What we believe about the word of God, hold tight, stand firm on it! Stand firm on the word of God. Stand firm on sin, repentance and judgement to come. Stand firm on tithing. Stand firm on church attendance. Stand firm on prayer and leading your family. Stand firm. Act like men. Paul could say at the end of his life, "I have kept the faith". Whew.
Don't let your theology gravitate to your behavior. In other words, you start changing your behavior and then your theology has to come over here and get behind your new stuff because you've lost your convictions. But let the word of God bring you continually back in line with your theology again and again out of a life of compromise in alignment with the scriptures. That's why coming to church is like this! You can be so off in your spirit and off in your thinking and then you walk in and a preacher can get up and just say one verse and it can - Whoop. Instead of your behavior causing your faith to gravitate and compromise your faith begins to pull you in line with God's word and gravitate toward your theology. And then he ends with a last powerful thought, "Act like men and let all you do be done in love". Every reaction I'm to respond, maybe strongly, but in love.
Every stand that I take for my family that's Biblically based I can do it but I'm to do it in love. Every conversation that I have with my family or people I can stand for what I believe and I can be watchful and I can act like a man but I have to do it in love. The Message Bible says, "Love without stopping". Love without stopping. Love without stopping. So if a child gets off, you stand firm in what you know and you stay watchful and you do all that you can do to lead them right and act like a man. But love without stopping. Love without stopping. Love that person who's in a lifestyle of sin. Love, love. Do the best you can. It won't be easy and it won't be normal and it won't be natural but just keep loving.