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Create and Cultivate

Feb 15, 2015

Passage:Genesis 1:27-28

Detail:

Create and Cultivate

Genesis 1:27-28 ESV

(27)  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

(28)  And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Genesis 3:6-7 ESV

(6)  So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

(7)  Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

I. Introduction 1

1. The manhood realities we discussed last week should be a startling wake-up call for all of us.

2. We want to bring clarity to our confusion about manhood.

II. The Original Manhood Design: Create and Cultivate

1.In chapter one of Genesis, we see God model leadership through two specific actions:

 God creates

  •  God cultivates

2. Genesis 1:27 “ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him.” (ESV

  •  God intended man to be like Him.

3. Genesis 1:28 “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (ESV)

  •  God has given us a mandate to create and cultivate.

4. God created men to be social and spiritual leaders.

5. When men don’t lead, chaos follows.

  • Consider the disorder and confusion that occurs in a home when a father abandons his responsibility to raise his children.
  • Statistically, children growing up in father absent homes are far more likely to die in infancy, live in poverty, end up in prison, use drugs, be abused, or drop out of school. 2

6. Masculinity is not about just being a natural-born leader. It’s about having the courage to just do it.

III. Misunderstanding God’s Design

1. Adam failed in these areas. He did not show the courage to lead.

  • Genesis 3:6 “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes … she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and ate.” (ESV)

2. There are two typical “misses” when it comes to experiencing God’s best for our life.2

  1. The way of the fruit. (Genesis 3:6)

Adam and Eve chose their own way over God’s will.

  1. The way of the fig leaves. (Genesis 3:7)

Genesis 3:7 ESV

(7)  Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

Those who try to cover themselves with good behavior and try to perform their way into God’s favor.

IV. God’s Solution

1. God cared for Adam and Eve despite their sin.

Genesis 3:21 ESV

(21)  And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

2. God has made provision through his son, Jesus.

3. Jesus not only models an inspiring masculinity, He enables us to live it out ourselves.

4. Just like Adam and Eve, we are all sinners.

Romans 3:23 ESV

(23)  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

5. Our sin is an offense to a perfect and holy God.

Romans 6:23 ESV

(23)  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

6. Here is the good news, God offers us grace and forgiveness through Jesus:

Romans 6:23 ESV

(23)  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 3:22 ESV

(22)  the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

1Timothy 2:5 ESV

(5)  For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

7.  Only by placing our trust in Jesus can we have salvation as well as the power that fuels the authentic manhood we’re talking about.

     To further explore trusting Jesus with your life, check out the online video at authenticmanhood.com.

V. Misunderstanding Manhood

The same misses of Adam and Eve, the fruit and the fig leaves, can show up in the “misses” of today’s conventional manhood. 4

1. Men who choose the way of the fruit become childish consumers.

  • They become totally obsessed with cheap thrills.
  •  1 Corinthians 15:45 tells us that our model, Jesus, is a life-giving

1 Corinthians 15:45 ESV

(45)  Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

2.  Men who choose the way of the fig leaves become cowards and critics.

  • They take pride in what they don’t do.
  •  They would rather criticize than create.

3.  Without a clear understanding of Authentic Manhood, we will all be tempted to be childish consumers or cowards and critics.

VI. Conclusion

1. How should we respond to God’s mandate to Create and cultivate?

  • Trust Jesus for our salvation and look to Him as our model for Authentic Manhood.
  •  Embrace the mandate today:
  •  Have courage to live it out at work according to how God has wired you          
  • Be creative with your wife, cultivating that relationship by giving her something to anticipate.
  • Be a model for your kids by leading them as you passionately follow God.

2. This session was about the big picture of our manhood mandate. In the next session, we will explore a clear and compelling biblical definition of  what it means to be a man.

This message has been adapted directly from Series 33, Volume One, Session 2: Create and Cultivate

Endnotes

1The material in this session was influenced by Timothy Keller, “The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith” (Dutton, 2008); Andy Crouch, ”Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling” (Downers Grove: InterVarsity  Press, 2008); Mark Driscoll, “The Birth of John the Baptizer,” Online: http//www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke/the-birth-of-john-the-baptize

 2 The National Fatherhood Initiative, “Data on the Consequences of Father Absence.” Online: http//www.fatherhood.org/Page.aspx?pid=403

3For more information on the typical “misses” to experiencing God’s best see Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith (Dutton, 2008)

4For more information on the idea of men acting like “childish consumers” or “cowards and critics” see Mark Driscoll, “The Birth of John the Baptizer,” Online: http//www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke/the-birth-of-john-the-baptizer.