Looking for a Good Man
Genesis 3:8-15
June 10, 2018 – Redeemer
(Sermon idea from Pr. Jeff Hemmer’s Issues, Etc. interview)
The church calendar doesn’t correspond to the world’s calendar. Next Sunday is Father’s Day, but today’s Old Testament reading provides me the opportunity to preach to you about Biblical manhood.
If you’re not a man or boy the sermon is still for you. God’s Word calls on all of us to live godly lives in our own vocations and to help each other stay in the vocations God has given us. Wives should help their husbands live holy lives, as husbands should help their wives. Single men should protect and guard not only themselves from temptation, but the women they date from sin and ungodliness. Young women should look for men who would treat them according to God’s Word and they should dress modestly so as not to encourage lust. This sermon is for all of you even though it will be about men.
There is one more observation I want to make before I get to the text. The gifts of God for life in this world are under a devastating and devious attack by the Devil, perhaps like never before. God made them male and female and it is a great and unique gift to be male or female. There are also great differences, biologically and biblically for men and women. God ordained that one man and one woman join in marriage. Once again, biologically it is the only way a child can be created and outside of that marital union any sexual activity of thought, word or deed is sinful. You will hear the exact opposite in the world, sadly even in many churches. In case you think I’m exaggerating to give my sermon credence, here are the titles of the last four books I purchased – which will soon be in resource center – When Harry Became Sally, Love Thy Body, Man Up – Biblical Manhood, and LadyLike – Living Biblically. The most recent edition of the Lutheran Witness was also about men.
So on to the text. Men and boys, do you want to be a good man? Then don’t be an Adam. Did you hear what Adam did when God came into the garden? Adam knew he had sinned. He tried to cover his sin with fig leaves – but man’s work can never cover sin. Then he tried to hide behind creation. That won’t work either, although people try. “God made me this way.” But the worst thing Adam did was sacrifice Eve, “The woman you gave me – she gave me the fruit.” Satan had tempted Adam and Eve to doubt God’s Word about the fruit. Now, perhaps Adam doubted that they would die for eating it. So he threw Eve out there as a test. If we’re going to die better Eve than me.
In the beginning Adam was good, the perfect man, the selfless preacher in his home. He told Eve God’s Word, “Stay away from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Don’t even touch it, honey. It will kill you.” But one of the angels rebelled and was cast out of heaven. Satan came into the garden in the form of a serpent with a poisonous sermon. He tempted Adam’s bride to doubt God’s Word.
What would a good man do if someone was tempting his wife? What should you do if a woman you love is being led away from what is good and godly toward death? Where was Adam? Was he checking his crops? Starting a new project? Had Satan waited until he was on the other side of the garden to attack? Nope. Moses tells us that Adam was right there beside Eve. What would a good man do? Adam should have said to Satan, “Listen buddy, if you’ve got something to say to my bride, you’ll have to go through me and I’ll check it against God’s own Word.” But no, Adam stood by silently while his wife was tempted and ate the deadly fruit and then he took some and ate it.
Are you a good man? Or are you a son of Adam? Have you protected the women whom God put in your life, guarded them from evil, been selfless and giving for them, have you taught the Word of God to them, and defended them from the evil one – as God calls men to do? Or have you used women, stood by silently, or even encouraged them to sin? Have you sacrificed yourself for your wife? Or sacrificed women for yourself like your father Adam?
Do you want to see a good man? After Adam there was only one real, good and godly man. His name is Jesus of Nazareth and He never did what Adam did. He never threw his wife under the bus, but He laid down His life for her. When the Devil went on the attack, Jesus said, “Buddy, you’ll have to go through me to get to her” and in every battle, and finally at the cross, Jesus knocked the strength out of Satan. He beat him silly until he was silent. Jesus did exactly what was promised in Genesis 3:15, this male offspring of a woman, Jesus born of Mary, crushed the head of the serpent to save His bride.
Who is the bride whom Christ loves? The church – that invisible company of all who believe in Jesus. She is you – all of you – male and female, young and old, married, single. Jesus did this for you. He stood between you and your enemies. He let Satan’s attack fall upon Him. He took the sin and guilt for His bride. He hung naked in shame on the cross to cover your shame with His righteous life and death. He let death take Him instead you. Through faith in Christ you are a good man (or a good woman or a good son or daughter), as righteous and holy as Adam before his fall into sin. All because of Christ. This is His gift to you – a wedding gift from The Good Man, purchased when the Son of God united Himself to you by becoming man and given when you were united to Him in Holy Baptism.
What makes a real man? How does a young boy answer that question? How does a middle age man answer it? If you’re a single woman what would you look for in a real man? A man that you would date or marry? Our definitions are often written far from God’s Word.
You want to know what a real man is – look to Jesus on the cross. A real man serves and loves and gives – not to gain anything, but to sacrifice all that he is. That is what Jesus did for you. He took your sins and covered you with His righteousness. He made you beautiful by His life, death, and resurrection. He died so you could live. He let His body be whipped, nailed, and pierced, so your body could rise whole and undefiled on the last day. That’s His gift to all of you and each of you.
This morning you confessed that you believe Jesus was the perfect man for you. You believe that He stood (or rather hung) in your place so that by faith you are in His place – a son of God. If that is what you believe then I would encourage you boys and men to be the man God has already made you to be – that you live, love, serve and give as those who have been loved, and served. Wives, pray for and support your husbands. Girls, look for a real man when you get married – a man who believes in Jesus, one who will not sacrifice you for himself, but will protect and guard you from sin. It is not easy to be a good man (or a good woman for that matter), for as the Scriptures teach us the old Adam clings to our flesh until we die. Or as we Lutherans say, “In baptism the Old Adam is drowned, but he’s a really good swimmer.”
Men, look to Jesus for forgiveness when you aren’t a good man. Forgiven by Him, declared a good man by His death, live like Jesus, standing selflessly in defense of women. If you’re a husband, this especially means your wife and / or children. And remember we are Lutherans – you do not do this to become a good man, rather you do this because you are a good man – forgiven and declared good in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Pr. Bruce Timm
June 9, 2018 anno Domini