[1 Corinthians 11:3 ³ But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. ]

[Ephesians 5:23 ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. ]

[Men you have a God given responsibility for your home and family.  But if you are a man of the resurrection, then you can have a home and family of the resurrection and it is never to late to foster an eternal and desirable transformation in your home.  How is this transformation worked out?  It is workout through you, as God’s man for your home, becoming a man of the resurrection in your home and marriage.  What is a Resurrection man?] 

A Resurrection Man is a, 

A.     Man of Godly Character (vs 8-9, 12-15; Eph 4.21-5.6  ) [– Godly character?  What is godly character?  It seems obvious that our culture is confused about what constitutes godly character.  Ask ten different people in the mall and you might get ten similar answers, yet the intent behind the answers, when probed, will be vastly different.  Many would likely answer that godliness is doing good and right things.  But what each person views as good and right would be very different.  For instance,] 

·        [Some would view sexual relations outside of marriage as wrong, others would view this as right in some circumstances.]

·        [Some would view drugs and alcohol as wrong, others would view them as good and right in some circumstances.]

·        [Some would view lying and deception as wrong, others would view subtle deceptions as right in some circumstances.]

·        [Some would view abortion and euthanasia as wrong, others would view them as right in some circumstances.]

[The sad truth is that if you were to ask ten different regular church attendees from different denominations about these same issues we would discover ten very different answers in many cases.  Yet God’s Word is not vague nor confusing about Godly Character.  I am speaking to day directly to men, but godly character is a Christian manifestation, not just a gender manifestation.  Hence, godly Character applies to every born again Christian.  ] 

[Our text gives us clear direction about godly character.  Consider,] 

[Colossians 3:8-9 ⁸ But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. ⁹ Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; ]

[Colossians 3:12-15 ¹² Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. ¹⁴ And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. ¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. ]

[Others passages are equally clear.  Such as,] 

[Ephesians 4:21-5:6 ²¹ If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; ²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; ²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. ²⁵ Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. ²⁶ Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: ²⁷ Neither give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. ²⁹ Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. ³⁰ And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour [gossip], and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: ³² And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. ¹ Be ye therefore followers of God [imitators], as dear children; ² And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. ³ But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; ⁴ Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. ⁵ For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶ Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. ]

[What an incredibly clear and lofty list of godly characteristics.] 

[Let me give you five words that I believe will help us remember what godly character ought to be.  Now, remember this list is biblical and therefore these characteristics ought to be achieve in a way that will be honored by our Heavenly Father rather than our fellow man.] 

A Christian of the Resurrection should demonstrate, 

1.      Godly Purity (Eph 5.25-27) 

[Ephesians 5:25-27 ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; ²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. ]

2.      Godly Honesty (Prov 12.19-22) 

[Proverbs 12:19-22 ¹⁹ The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. ²⁰ Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy. ²¹ There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief. ²² Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight. ]

3.      Godly Courage (Deut 31.6; 1 Cor 16.13) 

[Deuteronomy 31:6 ⁶ Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.]

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 ¹³ Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. ¹⁴ Let all your things be done with charity. ]

4.      Godly Commitment (Eph 6.11-14) 

[Ephesians 6:11-14 ¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, . . . ]

5.      Godly Honor (2 Tim 2.21) 

[2 Timothy 2:21 ²¹ If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. ]

[Honor – τιμήν (Gk) - to pay honor, respect.  (I) Honor, respect, reverence, esteem. (A) Generally as rendered or exhibited towards a person or thing (John 4:44; Rom. 12:10; 1 Cor. 12:23, 24; Col. 2:23; 1 Thess. 4:4, meaning reputably; Heb. 3:3; 1 Pet. 3:7). Vessel unto honor (Rom. 9:21; 2 Tim. 2:20, 21); as rendered to masters (1 Tim. 6:1); to magistrates (Rom. 13:7); to Christ (2 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 5:12, 13); to God (1 Tim. 1:17; 6:16; Rev. 4:9, 11; 7:12; 19:1 [TR]; Sept. Ps. 29:1; 96:7; Is. 14:18; Dan. 4:27). (B) Of a state or condition of honor, rank, dignity, joined with dóxa (1391), glory (Heb. 2:7 quoted from Ps. 8:6); as conferred in reward (Rom. 2:7, 10; Heb. 2:9; 1 Pet. 1:7; 2:7). An office of honor (Heb. 5:4); glory and honor (Rev. 21:24, 26). (C) Metonymously for honor as a mark or token of favor, reward (Acts 28:10; Sept.: Dan. 2:6).^[1] ]

[This kind of honor is worthy of our Heavenly Fathers favor and glory.] 

[All of these characteristics should mark a man of the resurrection.] 

B.     Man of Godly Compassion (vs 19; 1 Pet 3.7; Eph 5.25,28,33) [- Husbands, love your wives, . . . -  It is interesting to note that men and husbands are commanded time and time again to love others and to especially show and express their love to their wife.  While women are commanded to love and honor or show respect and reverence to their husbands.] 

[In a great book entitled Love and Respect Dr. Eggrichs explains that one of a woman’s greatest needs is love, while a man’s great need is respect.  Most husband’s love their wife and feel that they express their love, but what a man thinks is an expression of love and what a woman thinks is an expression of love are two very different things.  This is a great biblical truth.] 

[Men God says,] 

[1 Peter 3:7 ⁷ Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. ]

[Men we must show our wives that we love them as we ought by showing them our love in ways that they recognize as love.  Our demonstration of love for our wife must be a priority in our marriage.] 

[Ephesians 5:25 ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; ]

[Ephesians 5:28 ²⁸ So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. ]

[Ephesians 5:33 ³³ Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. ]

C.     Man of Godly Companionship (vs 19; Prov 21.9,19) [- Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.  –  There is nothing worse for your home and your happiness than that mama is unhappy and bitter.  Most of us have heard it said, “If mama ain’t happy, then nobodies happy.”  Men this passage carries with it deep and eternal truth.  The Bible warns us,] 

[Proverbs 21:9 ⁹ It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.]

[Proverbs 21:19 ¹⁹ It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. ]

[Consider what Paul is really saying in our text.] 

[Be not bitter – πικραίνεσθε (Gk) - bitter. To make bitter, embitter. Trans.: (I) Of water, in the pass. (Rev. 8:11). Metonymically of the pain caused by bitter and poisonous food or drink, to make painful, to cause bitter pain, with the acc. (Rev. 10:9, 10; Sept.: Job 27:2).(II) Figuratively of emotions: to embitter; pass., to be or become bitter, i.e., to be harsh, angry (Col. 3:19; Sept.: Ex. 16:20; Jer. 2:19).^[1][2] ] 

[This bitterness is a bitterness caused by a man who is not caring for his wife the way he ought.  It is a bitterness poured into the heart of a wife whose husband is not dwelling with his wife according to knowledge (1 Pet 3.7).  Men if you neglect your wife she will become bitter and your marriage will be anything but a resurrection marriage.] 

[Now, some men here today might say, “Preacher, I have tried to understand my wife!  But after 10, 20, even 30 years of marriage I think I would have a better chance of understanding quantum physics than I have of understanding my wife!”  Men, if you are men of the resurrection, born again Christians, then you can understand enough about your wife to remove the kind of bitterness Paul is warning us about.] 

Godly Men Express Their Companionship To Their Wife, 

1.      Through Purposeful Time [- This is undistracted time and companionship 

2.      Through Persistent Faithfulness [- Your fidelity and faithfulness in your marriage will give your wife and family security and security is almost as important to your family as love is.] 

3.      Through Persuasive Tenderness [- Be kind, forgiving and merciful toward your wife and family.] 

[Men you can have a resurrection home and family.  You can nurture a little bit of heaven right here on earth by helping to nurture your wife and family in godly way.  But will you?] 

CrossRoads Baptist Church, May 09, 2010

^[1]Zodhiates, S. (2000, c1992, c1993). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.) (G5092). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.

^[2]Ibid.

Home Page  -  Accept Jesus Now! -  Email