| What is a man? Psalms 8:3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? By way of introduction to my message I’d like to share another verse with you, “ It is not good that man should be alone “ I will make him an helpmate ” not to be sacrilegious but let me share a bit of humor with you, as I paraphrase or try and help you envision this verse or thought; The story goes Adam was walking around his garden feeling lonely, so God asked him, what’s wrong with you my son? Adam replied its lonely and I don’t have anyone to talk to down here? God replied Adam I will take care of that by making you a companion and helpmate. One you will enjoy and forever keep and cherish. God added , This person will gather food for you, care for you, cook for you, and when you discover clothing she will wash them for you even iron for you, She will always agree with you, she will bare your children and never ask you to get up in the middle of the night to take care of them. She will massage you when your tired, comfort you when your down, listen to you when no one else will, she will cherish you, honor you, love you. There's only one catch it will cost you an arm and a leg? Adam then said Oh. I see, As he thought for a moment, Hum... and after thinking about it for awhile.. Adam replied what can I get for a rib? ..Eventually God put Adam too sleep and took one of his ribs and made woman. and when Adam awakened he rubbed his dusty eyes and looked upon her and exclaimed......WO-MANNNNNNNNN! What a deal! I am sure that all the men and women here today, know what is a woman! But I ask what is a man to you? What really constitutes a man? Is it his physical make up, his wealth, his molecular structure, his virility, Is it because he is Mr. Mean Macho man? Is it because he’s tall, handsome and muscular? So what really makes a man? And what is man that God is even mindful of him? 1. Maybe it would help if we first define what is a real man, before we understand what is man that God would be mindful of him. For one a real man does cry, does pray, does care, a real man can shout the praises of God without embarrassment! A real man is not defined by his pocket book nor his private, a real man can carry his bible proudly, a real man supports his family he leads them, guides them, and encourages them to the house of the Lord. A real man is a responsible man. A real man has fidelity, and character. A real man doesn’t need to feed his ego by being a player or playboy. 2. Maybe it would help if we realize that in reality man is nothing but dirt anyway. And what’s amazing bout that is that God still cares! for us! Dirt that we are, mess ups that we are, failures that we are, he still loves us. So much that he died for us, so much that he laid down his life for us.. Think about it, when you see the sun, moon and stars, it was all created for you and me. Now isn’t that amazing? All for you, He don’t even care where you came from, as long as you come to him, Beverly hills or Conway homes, the pent house or the poor house, He don’t care if you live under the bridge or in Riviera cliffs. As long as your willing to change ..to repent, to accept him.. 3. Another very important point to consider: Mans worth lies not so much in what he does as what he is! God’s creation, Gods chosen, problem is some of us don’t think to highly of ourselves we go around demeaning ourselves. But God said “ ye are a chosen generation ..a royal priesthood, an holy nation..” For God so loved ..“ you that he gave his only begotten son for.. “ you.” Hey your the Church triumphant! ‘ Victorious! glorious! You are not a defeated people. You are the Church “ “ mighty thru God ! to the pulling down of strongholds..” Hey you have value! you have significance! remember he died for you, he went to the cross for you. Hey this Church or you for that matter is not going down in defeat but up in victory! and with a shout! “ For the trumpet shall sound .. and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air..” But that doesn’t mean we have any room to gloat or glorify man. there is no Apostolic Pentecostal pedigree, no place to fluff your religious feathers or prance like a Pentecostal peacock. Some of us need to take another look in the mirror. A. Maybe if we were to stop condemning others we could then start loving and caring for others, praying for others, saving others. B. Maybe if we started accepting others rather than rejecting them, they would get saved. You can still hold to the truth and love them. Just remember when you look down on another there goes you but for the grace of God. We need to start loving folks into the kingdom of God, even the kind that we don’t want in our Church’s. And most times we let them know we don’t want them by our behavior. yeah the kind that smell of alcohol and urine, the dirty, the unkempt, the perverted and the prostitute. Hey did somebody forget the bible saids; “ and such were some of you, but ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified..” How soon we forget, God died for us and for them! the bible saids “ while we were yet sinners Christ died for us..” In other words while we were yet in our mess, in our sins, our pigs stye, at our worst, he loved us.. Should we not demonstrate that same love to others. A real man or woman for that matter is not afraid to love openly. To love unconditionally, to love the unlovable, the unreachable, the untouchable. We should example the same love, the same purpose, as Christ did, “ by this shall ye know that ye are my diciples that ye have love one for another..” for the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts” greater love hath no man than that he would lay down his life for a friend” Maybe we need to start seeing sinners in a new light. See them through the light of the world. Start seeing them by faith as friends and not foes. See them through Gods love.... I don’t know bout you but I’m tired of being unconcerned and unmoved by the condition of the lost? Prayerless and burdenless am I the only one? So caught up in my own world of hurts and trials, that’s not to say that my problems are any less real or painful. But maybe the answer to my troubles lies in my ability to serve and help others despite my problems. To worship and give God adoration despite them. To many of us do not know the blessing of giving and ministering to others while we ourselves are hurting and discouraged, and oh what a blessing it is! Remember it could be worse! the bible saids “ mourn with them that mourn, rejoice with them that rejoice” “ it is of the Lords compassions that we are not consumed ” great is thy faithfulness and thy mercy endureth forever” but in any case “ what is man that thou art mindful of him” What is it about God that he is so faithful to us, so concerned about us, so merciful to us. In one word it is called GRACE! Divine Love. Not because we deserve it but because he is worth it! That should remind and provoke us to follow his pattern. Oh yeah some of us don’t like or want those sinners in our Church’s you know those perverts and lesbians, winos and dope fends, gangbangers and low life‘s, after all they don’t deserve his grace and mercy do they? After all Jesus didn’t die for them did he? Did he shed his precious blood for them or just us? That’s just it is that blood precious to you? Closing: I know there are some real men and woman here today~ Men and woman that know the worth and value of man is not in what man does or is? but in what God did and is, Died to become our Savior! Who knows that but a real man of God , or real woman of God for that matter? cares about the lost, weeps for the lost, pray ‘s for the lost, interceeds for the lost. Hey anybody wanna lay something down at this altar? Anybody wanna confess something at this altar, anybody just wanna thank the Lord for something you forgot to thank him for. Anybody wanna give at this altar, Anybody wanna pick something up at this alter. There’s plenty here for you, lot of mercy, lot of love, some responsibility, some courage, some strength, some help, some humility, some acceptance. Hurry hurry what are you waiting on? You won’t find rejection at this altar, this Church, or by this God. Come on friend God didn’t die for nought. He died for you. So why are you just sitting there sinner friend? It’s time to make something right today with God. You know your tired of your sin, your misery, your hurts, your loneliness, your emptiness, tired of your life style, tired of being unsatisfied. No matter what you have friend it seems it never fulfills you. You ever wondered why? You need Jesus! Prepared by: George R. Nava 2170 e. Market st. Stockton, Ca. phone -46-59731 |