Teaching Sons True Manhood and Jesus Used the Loser Team

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no delight in them"; Eccl. 12:1

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Teaching Sons True Manhood or We Need to Teach Our Parents Well

For Jewish men, the responsibility of teaching and mentoring sons of the Torah fell on the fathers. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Duet 6:7

For Christians:  Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

There was a song up by Crosby Stills Nash and Young called “Teach Your Children.”  I remember listening to this song (posted at the end of the blog) my brother owned the album and singing that song.  At the time, I was going through anti-Vietnam War sentiment and hoping that Senator Eugene McCarthy would be elected.  My life and my sister’s life were a prophesy of this song in that we were the ones who became Christians first at a young age (my sister at 24 years old and 17 years old for me).  God used us to pray our parents into God’s kingdom (or teach our parents well).  My parents went to church every Sunday, but did not read their Bible.  My father emphasized obtaining a college degree and seeking material things in my life not serving God.  My dad never prayed for forgiveness or to accept Jesus into his heart until he was dying in a nursing home with pancreatic cancer at the age of 77 years old.  My mother became a Christian when she was around 59 years old.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

I prayed about my father recently and I believe my dad was a “hard nut to crack.”  Like those nuts you eat during the holidays that take extra effort to crack with your nut crackers – that was my dad.  When I was a teenager, I prayed that God would “Save my dad no matter what."  Soon after that prayer, my dad was in excruciating pain as he was lying on the floor in the Family Room.  He was admitted to the hospital when I was around 18 years old and needed surgery for a kink in his colon.  I asked the Lord to have mercy on him and heal him.  My dad did not need surgery.  The kink in his colon went away on its own.  My father attributed that the hospital attending dropped him on the x-ray table.  Whether the Lord used my prayer for his healing or God used the attending dropping him, I gave God the glory that my father did not have to have surgery.  

There are excellent videos for children such as the Veggie Tales, but when children become teenagers, we can lose them to this world’s thinking, i.e. the video game and television world.  Now we have the Simpsons and the Family Guy to raise our children.  My parents were raised by the radio. 

I was raised by television.  I attribute my family values to reruns of Ma and Pa Kettle, Green Acres, Beverly Hillbillies, I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, Gilligan’s Island, and then the Flying Nun, Gidget, Patridge Family, Peyton Place and myriad of cartoons such as Woody the Woodpecker, Mr. Magoo, Popeye fighting Bluto over Olive Oyl, Yogi Bear and the Coyote constantly trying to catch the Roadrunner.   I also watched several soap operas with my parents.  I did obtain some better guidance through the television show Lassie, the Walton’s, and Disney World (i.e. Davey Crockett), except Disney seemed to be fascinated with witches.  My brother was five years older than I, and I remember his favorite television shows were: Three Stooges, Little Rascals, Rin Tin Tin, Leave it to Beaver (Eddie Haskell was his role model…LOL), Father Knows Best, Lone Ranger, Family Ties, Superman, Star Trek, Buck Rogers, Battlestar Galatica and Space Family Robinson.

Fathers teaching their sons to be a gentlemen:

·         Hold the door

·         Stand up when a woman leaves or joins the table

·         Walk on the “splash” side of the sidewalk.

·         Attempt (gently) to pick up the tab.

·         Go get the car when it’s raining.

·         Offer your hand…

Besides teaching sons common courtesy how many father’s treasure God’s word above all else?  A father told me he were teasing his son about giving him a Bible on CD for his birthday rather than a worldly movie he wanted (wrapped up the CD of the Bible) and gave it to him as a joke.

I don’t find many godly fathers through the Internet dating sites as far as attending church regularly or seeking spiritual virtues.  In fact, not many I would term a “David” like he was as a youth in spending time with the Lord.  I find more single men like David looking at Bathsheba as far as looking at pornography.  Same experience I had back when I was divorced at 35 years old and put in a single’s ad in a magazine to meet a Christian man.   I hardly find many single men that go to church regularly let alone teach their sons and daughters the importance of studying God’s word.  We have to set an example of the importance of God’s word and one way is being an example yourself of a person who exalts God’s word above everything else.  We humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God which is God’s word.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:10

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:6

Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

I’m very thankful for the Jesus movement that was popular when I was growing up.  I joined a traveling missionary group at the age of 19 years old.  We need a revival for teenagers and college age students that they get a hold of God’s word.  This should be an emphasis with all churches for teens/college age people to serve God on the mission field. 

Paul talked about as Christians we are not under legalism as far as it is not about what you do or don’t do, but the problem is many of us are starving our spiritual man.

Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. 1 Cor. 10:23

Our inner man has become very shriveled up and we are constantly feeding him with garbage.  Jesus said we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God and that is a daily feeding of our spiritual man the word of God.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, Roman 8:6-7

pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, Ephesians 3:16

For in my inner being I delight in God's law; Romans 7:22

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Cor. 4:16

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4

Jesus Used the Loser Team

When my grandson was about two years old, we had a little basketball goal near the kitchen on the back of the door to the laundry room and he would spend at least one hour over and over shooting baskets.  He enjoyed making baskets.  I could not help but get excited thinking about him playing sports in the future.  As parents, we are focused on our children becoming star athletes.  My brother’s oldest son made All-American athlete in his high school in Montana and obtained a scholarship for college.

For the Hebrews, the mother’s focus was their son becoming a star Rabbi.  When children would sit down to work on their studies they would put honey on the writing tablets when they were studying because they did not have hard candy in those days.  This was for the child to associate studying the Torah with the sweetness of God’s word is like the honeycomb.

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. Psalm 19:10

My grandson had six cavities last year and I believe it was from his teacher giving him candy mints to sit still and study in first grade.  We did not know the teacher was doing this, but I believe it was similar to the Hebrew children that tasted honey and associated it with studying God’s word – the Torah (Skinner’s Operant Conditioning theory).

If a person was not chosen to be a Rabbi than they went to work with their fathers.  The A team was being a Rabbi, the loser team was go in business with your dad.

There is a new movie coming out based from the 1970’s TV show: The A Team – There is no Plan B.

"In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no… More one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire: THE A-TEAM."

If you want a job done right you want the A Team.  I have worked on several teams in life at school, college and work.  Some people are team players and some are not.  One thing I’ve noticed in college is I’ve been in group projects with students that plan to make an A every class and then those who just want to get by.  I personally, when I’m in a group or the leader on the group, want to be on the A team.  Those students in college who are making A’s and want to make A’s every class.

Jesus was on the B team (worked with his dad as a carpenter) and chose a B team, i.e. his disciples did not “make the cut” for being Rabbi.  Than to top it off, they left Jesus and failed the B team.  Peter was going to go back to the fishing business until Jesus asked him to feed his sheep.  I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. John 21:3;

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”   Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed my sheep".

Over and over Jesus was referred to as Rabbi by his followers:

He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." John 3:2

Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" John 1:38

Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." John 1:49

They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan--the one you testified about--well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him." John 3:26

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" John 6:25

What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." John 10:51

The chief priests wanted to know what made Jesus qualified to teach and do the works he did:

They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you authority to do this?" Mark 11:27-28

Jesus knew how to make his disciples the A team:

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Act 4:13
They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?" Acts 4:7

Credit – I heard the sermon “Jesus is for Losers” by Rick Clendenen, http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/10858061 after I wrote a blog on Being on God’s A Team 6/14/2010.  This blog is adding some of my message to Rick’s along with new insight.

Teach Your Children by Crosby Stills Nash and Young

You who are on the road
Must have a code that you can live by
And so become yourself
Because the past is just a good bye.

Teach your children well,
Their father's hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picked, the one you'll know by.

Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

And you, of tender years,
Can't know the fears that your elders grew by,
And so please help them with your youth,
They seek the truth before they can die.

Can you hear and do you care and
Cant you see we must be free to
Teach your children what you believe in.
Make a world that we can live in.

Teach your parents well,
Their children's hell will slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picked, the one you'll know by.

Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.