THE REDEEMED MAN AND HIS RELATIONSHIPS: Honoring His Parents
If you are a man whose emotional health is damaged from repressed memories of you parents being too hard on you – go back to chapter 1 of the book and the application of the Gospel calls for forgiveness and my being frank about it…get over it and live on. Otherwise, for those who have taken responsibility for their life and are working to obey the 5th Commandment given by God – this lesson is for you.
Things to discuss:
- The 5th Commandment given by God to His people is “Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long upon the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12.
- A. What does it mean to “honor”?
- B. How does it apply to your own relationship with your parents?
- C. How does the promise apply to us today?
- The author (Terry Johnson) provides positive actions and attitudes along with what is forbidden. Define each and apply the meaning to the commandment:
- Reverence
- Respect
- Gratitude
- Honor as an adult
- Support
- Why is it so important that you learn and apply yourself to this commandment?
THE REDEEMED MAN: Growing in Grace, Chapter 4
This chapter is by Sinclair Ferguson, one of my favorite theologians.
1. Why do examples from horticulture describe so vividly what growing in grace looks like?
2. What is the definition of grace? How does it apply to our faith?
3. Explain what the author means by “the gospel has its own ‘grammar’”
4. What does faith require in order to grow in grace?
5. What is the role of perseverance to growing in grace?
6. Reading 2 Peter 1:3-11; what are the words of logic and motivation for the believer? How do they apply?
The Redeemed Man is Committed to God’s Word: Chapter 3
Paul Smalley uses the example of Joshua as the model of strong and godly manhood.
Questions for discussion:
- When you consider the life of Joshua in the scriptures; what stands out to you?
- Why is courage so important to the redeemed man? What are some things that hinder you from being courageous?
- “Godly men have the strength to remain faithful and to lead others.” How are they able to do this? What is preventing you?
- On page 37, Paul Smalley asks, “Are you a man who loves God’s law and is careful to keep His commandments?” Do you pray with your whole heart that God would give you the grace to keep His precepts diligently? How do you see the law of God at work in your life?
- What does it mean to meditate on God’s Word? How can you use the tool of meditation personally and if you lead a family, mediate as a family?
- What is the essence of courage? How has courage been tested in your life?
- What do you need to be considered a “man committed to God’s Word?
Do You Know Your God? The Redeemed Man Does: Chpt 2
Discussion questions for chapter 2; The Redeemed Man Knowing His God by Conrad Mbewe
- What is the relationship and the difference between knowledge of God and saving knowledge?
- Why is the importance of the creation in regards to ongoing knowledge?
- What are some of the outcomes of growing in knowledge of the attributes of God?
- How does the knowledge of God impact the following areas of your life?
- Your personal life
- Your family life
- Your professional life (or school if you are a student)
- Your church life
- What is the ultimate goal of the redeemed man?
READING THROUGH “THE REDEEMED MAN” Chapter 1
Part 1 of the book is “A Godly Man’s Relationship With God.” The first chapter’s title is “The Redeemed Man Repenting and Believing” by Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley.
The book starts off with an honest assessment of where we are spiritually in accordance with the calling of the Gospel. Here are some questions to reflect upon and hopefully be sharing with another man or group of men.
- Redemption is defined by the writers as “the act of buying back and restoring something lost or ruined.” What are ways God has revealed his acts of redemption? How is this connected to the gospel message?
- What is meant by the authors the term “genuine conversion?” Why is this necessary? What are the obstacles to genuine conversion?
- What is repentance and what role does it play in redemption?
- Review the 7 factors of Psalm 51 and assess these for yourself to what the authors state are “the marks of the repentance of a redeemed man.”
- What is meant by “saving faith?” What are the 3 qualities that are essential to saving faith?
- What are the 3 ways we experience genuine saving faith?
- In light of the elements of repentance and faith, what does Jesus mean when he says in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
READING THROUGH “THE REDEEMED MAN”
I mentioned a few articles ago about reading the book “The Redeemed Man.” At my church, we are working towards creating a culture where men sharpen each other through discipleship relationships and are recommending this book as a starting point. There are twenty-two articles that challenge us men to set our lives apart from what has happened to manhood in our culture and impacting the church. So to encourage men to use this book; I will post some discussion questions over the next 22 weeks to prime the pump for talking with each other. This week is a kick-off with a few questions from the introduction of the book which is authored by Richard Phillips who is the senior minister at Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina and an adjunct professor at Westminster Theological Seminary.
Introduction:
- When you hear the term “redeemed man,” what comes to mind? How does Richard Phillips describe it?
- What does he mean by stating, “A book like this is made necessary by the prevailing confusion of our times?”
- What are some resources that you have used before that helped fill the “menosphere?” Were they helpful or not?
- What is meant by the statement, “A Christian must become in order to do?
- Looking at the overlay of the book; what initially stands out to you?
- What might be some goals you hope to accomplish by this study?
My New Hero
A man that I have admired for quite awhile is Ben Sasse. He is a real Renaissance Man from the get-go. I became familiar with him as a Nebraskan as he was involved with education as the president of Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska for about 4 years and then went on to be a United States Senator from our state for 8 years and then President of the University of Florida. I particularly followed him because his sister is a dear friend and worked with me at Lincoln Christian High School. Another point of admiration on my part is that Ben was a wrestler which are always bonus points.
Ben is also a man who has embraced the Christian faith; in particular a reformed view of Scripture and doctrine. It oozes out of him particularly now as he is facing certain death in a short period of time due to cancer. As my post a few weeks ago about embracing a theology of suffering had to be developed when I received news of cancer; I knew that dying from it was a possibility but not in a short period of time. Ben has only months. And how is he facing it? Listen to him on the podcast titled Ben Sasse on Life, Cancer and the Gospel.with Michael Horton, professor of theology and apologetics at Westminster Seminary, California and Dan Bryant of Sola Media.
Today You Have Become a Man: Part 2
This morning at the fellowship meal at my church, I mentioned for the men attending that we would be making available the book “The Redeemed Man” from Reformation Heritage Books. It is 22 short essays by various authors about how a redeemed man honors God and blesses everyone around him when every area of life is shaped by grace. I have found it to be an outstanding book to spur the core marks of a godly man that not only old men like me can learn from, but to spark in young men what it means. I bought copies for all 8 of my grandsons and their fathers. I plan on writing tools for discussion of the book so men can disciple each other in the categories given. I also mentioned this morning that the tradition that my son-in-law did with his boys as they grew up just a few miles down our gravel road, when they turned 13, we had a celebration taken from the Jewish tradition of declaring them now a man. The following is from an earlier post years ago I did when grandson number 3 turned 13 years old.
“Yesterday we continued our family tradition taken from the biblical tradition of a boy or girl being considered a young adult at that age. The Jewish people celebrate it with a Bar-Mitzvah
We just have a birthday party but take a period of time to speak of now some new expectations and the way he will be treated. In a culture right now that men in their late 20’s and even 30’s are acting like adolescents, the biblical mandate for men and women is to act like one. The Scriptures have no designation for teenager or adolescent but goes from child to young men or women to men and women then to older men and women. There are expectations at all phases and none look like what we have embraced in our culture.
What we did with my grandson Nathanael yesterday was this: His grandma and I gave him a journal so he can begin or continue the discipline of journaling his spiritual walk. In the front of the journal I wrote the following from Howard Guinness called “Sacrifice.”
“Where are all the young men … who will hold their lives cheap and be fruitful unto death? Where are those who will lose their lives for Christ’s sake – flinging them away for love of him? Where are those who will live dangerously and be reckless in his service? Where are his lovers – those who love him and the souls of men more than their own reputations or comfort or very life? Where are the men who will say ‘no’ to self, who take up Christ’s cross to bear it after him … willing, if need be, to bleed, to suffer and to die on it? … Where are the adventurers, the explorers, the buccaneers for God who count one human soul of far greater value than the rise or fall of an empire? … Where are God’s men in this day of God’s power?”
After a short exhortation by his dad and grandfather, I close the time with a prayer of blessing taken from Psalm 112 exhorting him to look to be this kind of man:
Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor. (Psalm 112:1-9, ESV)
Are you inhibiting your teen from a biblical view of manhood or womanhood? Nathanael will continue to step into a world where this is not the norm but will understand when his parents address things with him and talk about manhood, he knows that expectations have changed starting yesterday.”
God Gives More Surprises
It has been about 3 weeks since my radiation treatments were completed, and my body has been recovering and feeling much better. This last week news broke out in our area that the girls wrestling coach at the local high school where I live was arrested. I care about kids and that is why I spent many years as a teacher, coach, and administrator and I was grieved for the girls on this team as well as the whole school being shocked. A long story short is that through a series of events, the superintendent of the school district contacted me about helping out the team and I agreed to it. So, I started Monday and approached it asking myself, “what were you thinking.” I am halfway through the first week and though it is quite different than what I am accustomed to; I am enjoying it and praying that God’s purposes for me to be in this position are being accomplished. I had figured my coaching days were done after last wrestling season and never was the idea of coaching high school girls ever considered to be a possibility. So here I am, a girl’s wrestling coach and the angels are probably laughing.
Learning the Theology of Suffering the Hard Way
The news of cancer was a little numbing, and I was not sure what to make of it. The doctors assured me that because of my age and the treatment I would receive, I would likely die of something else. Not sure how to take that news? However, in God’s good timing, I would meet up with Mike Abendroth who is a pastor at Bethlehem Bible Church in Massachusetts. I was acquainted with Mike who grew up in Nebraska and we had met several times at his brother Pat’s church in Omaha at annual conferences. Mike battled cancer two times, one very close to death. He then wrote a book titled, “Cancer is Not Your Shepherd, A 31 Day Guide to Suffering.” I had a brief conversation with Mike and bought the book. Day 3 was titled “Invisible Realities” and starts off with James 1:2-5, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” And following James 1 is what Paul wrote in Romans 5:1-5, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
This all hit me like a brick and the lights of my heart and mind lit up as I came to the conclusion that first, my cancer was a gift from God to produce something in me that needed to be ignited. I was energized by it, and the Word of God became sweeter to read and to contemplate. I would then do what I could to mitigate the effects of the cancer on my body through self-discipline in my devotional life, church life, and physical exercise. My life was changed and Romans 8:28-30 became a reality. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
And now God has put before me another surprise that I would never have thought could happen. Stand by in a day or two for me to try and explain the unexplainable.
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