["Pomp and Circumstance"]
Amazing Grace, I think you all know it.
["Amazing Grace"]
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.
As safe a bed like this.
I once was lost, but now I'm found.
Most like a fantasy.
The space that's on my heart to hear.
And this time with me there.
How precious did that grace appear.
We are like birds we hear.
The many gale, just fours and stairs.
I have already come.
Tis grace that brought, he saved us one.
And grace will lead me home.
And deep within ten thousand years,
I'm shining as the sun.
We know that saints will sing in God's grace.
And when we first meet God.
Amen.
That's the time we'll go to the announcements.
And if we follow, we'll be singing song number 27.
All right.
Adam will bring you one.
As always the service times are listed there in the upper left hand side.
Every Sunday at 10 30 a.m. again at 5 30 p.m.
At 7 we'll be in 2 Kings chapter number 6.
This week we've got the salvations, the baptisms, the offering totals.
As well as the attendance for both the month and year.
Over on the right we're wrapping up the Bible Memory Project.
We're in week 7 of 7.
So these last six books there of the kids to memorize with their corresponding chapters.
So once you get that.
I know we're running a little low on chocolate bars.
In fact I think we're out.
So if the chocolate bars are gone just consider an IOU for next week.
All right kids.
And then don't forget to retain this.
Now that you put all this hard work into memorizing all of this information.
Keep memorizing it.
Keep you know working on it until you got it down.
Because there will be a pop quiz at some point.
I don't even know when.
I haven't decided yet.
And then there'll be an additional special prize to those that can just on the spot.
Recite all of the Old Testament books and their corresponding chapters.
This is of course for the children and young people.
Don't forget also there is the wedding of Thomas 14 and Charlotte Hesse this Friday October 14th at 2.30 p.m.
This of course is up the church building in Tempe.
But everyone down here is more than welcome to attend.
And help them celebrate.
And don't feel like if you don't know them you're not welcome.
It's our church members as well.
So you guys are more than welcome to go up there.
Go up there and get to know them.
Go ahead and shake their hand.
And at the very least get some cake and some light refreshments.
So that will be served after of course.
And I still do have a couple seats in the van.
If anybody wants to go please just let me know.
Me and my family will be attending.
We've got the yearbook portraits coming up Sunday October 23rd.
So this is coming up on us quick.
Please plan to participate.
Get your photo taken.
Not only will you be included in the yearbook this year.
But you'll also receive a high quality digital file of that photo.
Which is something that's you know that in and of itself has got a lot of value to it.
I mean I don't know what they charge for that kind of thing.
Because we've always just gotten it for free.
But there's definitely a premium on that.
And that's something you can do a lot of different things with.
And you can you know also just be a part of the yearbook.
You know be immortalized in the yearbook.
We'll be having EG subs for those that are getting their photo taken.
While they wait.
Obviously we got to do all of this in one shot.
Pun intended.
On the back.
Our annual chili cook-off will be hosted on Monday October 31st.
From 4.30 to 7.30.
So this is our annual thing.
We do it every Halloween.
You say wait that's Halloween.
It's like yep.
Exactly.
That's by design you know.
So if you're not here we'll just assume you're out there dressed as you know.
Whatever they dress as these days.
Running around.
Worshipping the devil.
I mean trick or treating.
But again if you're going to enter a chili.
Make sure they're made from scratch.
So don't go buy some pre-made kit.
Don't just go down to Wendy's and get a gallon of their chili.
Make sure it's made from scratch.
Obviously you know you don't have to grow the beans.
You know you don't have to harvest the spices.
But you can just you know.
If you want to harvest beans and spices.
By all means.
That's you can.
I'm just saying you don't have to.
But you know you get your growth.
Grow your own peppers.
You know I'm sure it'll be great.
But you just can't use those pre-made kits.
You know like the chili seasoning packets and things like that.
Because that kind of takes the competition out of it.
And again.
Don't get super excited.
You know I know I kind of set a high bar that first year with the gift cards from Amazon.
There will be prizes.
In fact I just got you know the first you know part of the first second third place prize.
It's probably not anything.
To get too excited about.
But it's something I'm really excited about.
To get too excited about.
But it's something you can commemorate the event with.
You know you can win the wooden spoon.
You know with the engraving on it.
The chili spoon.
Which would be cool to hang.
It's decorative.
Maybe that's not appealing to some of you.
But there will be probably some small gift cards too.
For those who place first second and third.
And also the church will be providing the spice cider.
And a we'll have the bean dip.
The Mrs. Anderson's recipe.
Which is always good.
I typically just fill up on that.
But I will definitely be taste testing all of the chilis as well.
And I'm going to do it a little different this year.
As far as the testing goes.
We're not going to have a panel of judges.
And we're not going to turn into connoisseurs down here.
We're not going to rate on all these different you know aspects of the chili.
Just whatever chili you like best for whatever reason is the best chili.
And you know that's the one you vote for.
Everyone will get to vote.
But here's the thing.
I'm also going to have just like some small cups and wooden disposable spoons.
So you don't have to you know you can taste each chili individually.
Before deciding which one you're going to fill up on.
Okay if any of them.
So I'm sure there's going to be plenty of good chilis.
There's always very good chilis at this thing.
I get super excited.
I look forward to this.
I've literally planned like a whole diet around this date.
So I'm not kidding about that either.
Like it's like well I know the chili cook-offs on this day.
And I'm going to want to eat.
So I don't know I'm excited about it.
Hopefully you are too.
But come on out.
You don't have to bring a chili.
You can just come and eat.
But who's thinking they're going to go ahead and make a chili and enter it into the contest.
We've got a couple hands.
All right well we'll just have to we'll have to stock up on the bean dip I guess.
But anyway come on out either way.
Below that I've got an exciting announcement about a home school field trip.
Now this is for scheduled around and for the Tucson members.
So of course the Phoenix members are more than welcome to come to this.
But they're going to work around our schedule on this one.
And we're going to do some a few just local activities here.
We're going to go to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum.
Has anybody here ever been to that?
A couple people.
All right well we're going to you know you can enjoy it again.
Did you get to enjoy the live animal theater last time you went?
Did you get that?
Oh you got that?
All right so this is old news to you.
You know you could take it or leave it right.
But we're going to go there.
I haven't been there.
I've heard great things about it that it's really cool.
A lot of wildlife and things like that.
So we'll have a self-guided tour.
And then at the end at 11 o'clock we're actually going to have a live animal theater.
Where they'll bring like an I don't know what it is.
I think they bring if they have them they'll bring out a snake that the kids can touch.
I think they set a diamondback rattler.
I'm just I'm kidding.
Some kind of snake that's non-venomous obviously.
But they usually have like an owl I think or you know something.
They have like so you're going to be right there with the animal.
It's going to I'm I remember doing stuff like that as a kid and I really always enjoyed that stuff.
I'll try not to get too excited when I'm there and getting started hip checking kids to try to touch the hawk or whatever.
But anyway if you want to go to this this is open to all families with home school age children.
So your kids don't have to be home schooled.
But they obviously it's open to families with you know children that are in school be at home school or public school or whatever.
OK. So but plan to arrive no later than eight at the no later.
That's who edited this no later than not at is what it should say no later than 845 a.m.
The event is from 9 to 12 but we need you there earlier than 9 so that we can you know at 845 is when we want to go pay at the window pay for everybody that's there.
And then go in. OK. So if you're not there at 845 then you know and if we've already gone in and you're late you're going to have to pay for yourself or skip out on the activity.
Of course you'll still be welcome to the live animal theater and all that but they might just end up charging you.
So just be there on time be there early and get in there.
And then of course this is for again all families of school age children are welcome to attend one parent is permitted for families with five children.
OK. And this is important because we try to keep the cost downs on these events so that we can do more of them and make it affordable for the church as well.
And again we're getting a good rate on this. This is like a 20 to 30 dollar value per person depending on the age.
So we're getting a good rate but we do try to keep it down to one family or one parent per family of five children two parents if you have more than five of your children.
OK. And if you do plan on coming please sign up back there. Just a last name and how many people to expect.
And I don't need to know a bunch of ages or anything just name and the number if you could.
So I'm excited about that. That'll be good. That's coming up on November 11th so you got time to plan.
But also below that we have the song scheduled for the upcoming services. Take note of that. Learn them if you would like.
OK. Let's go ahead and sing one more song before we get into preaching this morning.
Oh.
As the plate goes around you can follow along with me as I read from Genesis chapter number two this morning.
Genesis chapter number two.
Genesis chapter number two the Bible reads.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them and on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made and he rested on the seventh day from all his works which he had made.
And God bless the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
These are the generations the heavens and of the earth when they were created.
And the day that the Lord God made the heaven excuse me made the earth and the heavens.
And every plant of the field before it was in the earth and every herb of the field before it grew for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth and there was not a man to till the ground.
But there went up a mist from the face of the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.
And the Lord God formed man to the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul.
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden and there put he the man whom he had formed.
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.
The tree of life also in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
And a river went out of Eden to water the garden and from thence it was parted and became into four heads.
The name of the first is Pisan. That is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah where there is gold.
And the gold of that land is good. There is Bedelium and the onyx stone.
And the name of the second river is Gihon, the same as that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.
And the name of the third is, the third river is Hittikel and that is which goes toward the east of Assyria and the fourth river is Euphrates.
And the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
And the Lord commanded the man saying of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
And the Lord God said it is not good that the man should be alone I will make for him and help meet for him.
And out of the ground the Lord formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air and brought them unto Adam to see what he had called them.
And whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the name thereof.
And God gave names to all cattle and Adam gave names to all cattle and the fowl of the air to every beast of the field.
But for Adam there was not found and help meet for him.
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept.
And he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof.
And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man made he a woman and brought her unto the man.
And Adam said this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.
She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh.
And they were both naked the man and his wife and were not ashamed.
Let's go ahead and have a word of prayer.
Dear Lord again thank you for the time that we have to come together for the preaching of the word of God.
I pray that you would meet with us.
Lord that you would help me Lord to preach this morning and fill me with your spirit.
And Lord that you would help me to edify the body tonight or this morning in Christ's name we pray. Amen.
So I'm going to put the previous series that I had started last week on seeking to excel.
I'm going to kind of put that in hold.
In fact I think that's probably just going to be a series that I kind of.
I'm saying this because probably a lot of people were anticipating another sermon in that series this morning.
But I'll probably just kind of sprinkle that in throughout the rest of not just this year.
But you know the coming year to our next anniversary.
Just to kind of keep that in front of us because I think again I don't want to repreach all that.
That is a good thing to keep in front of us throughout the year.
But you know if I just get up here and just preach all those sermons and never talk about that again.
That's probably going to be a concept that kind of slips the mind.
That's something we want to keep in front of us seeking to excel.
So in the meantime I'm going to preach you know a couple sermons.
I don't know I might start and stop as I go but I want to preach a series of sermons on lessons from leaders.
Lessons from leaders and just going through the Bible and just looking at different leaders in the Bible.
And seeing what things we can learn from them.
Because leadership is a very important thing.
You know leadership is something that you know we all are going to have to deal with to some degree or another.
Either as leaders or as those that are led.
You know this will be hopefully a beneficial sermon series to us.
And you know there's a lot that's written out there on leadership.
You know I had something this is something obviously I've been thinking about a lot lately.
You know leadership being a leader not only in the home but in the church and elsewhere.
You know thinking about what it means to be a leader how to be a leader.
And what I've discovered is that there's a lot that's written on leadership.
You go on Amazon and you know go to the book department and write leadership.
You know there's going to be all kinds of authors all kinds of books.
And probably there's a lot of things you could glean from those books.
You know I've read a few here and there and there's definitely things that you could take from them.
But really you know the greatest book on leadership is the Bible in my opinion.
Especially when it's coming to the context of you know fulfilling our biblical roles as leaders.
We should go first to the Bible.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with these other books these other speakers and things like that.
Obviously there's a lot of things we can learn from.
But a lot of time they talk about leadership in the context of some corporate setting.
Or how do we excel as an entrepreneur and things like that.
And that's all fine and good for people that are going down that avenue in life.
But really you know we here in the church you know we are either going to be leaders ourselves.
Or those that are led in a biblical way.
We need to look at leadership from a biblical perspective.
That's why I kind of want to go through this series on lessons from leaders.
And the first person we're going to look at is the first man Adam.
You know and Adam was somebody that was appointed as a leader.
We see him you know being a leader as a husband and also as a servant of God.
Even prior to that.
And there's a few things I think that we can learn from Adam this morning.
The first thing I want to point out as I've already said is that leadership is something that is necessary.
Leadership is necessary.
You know we need to have leadership in our life.
We need to have people leading us.
We ourselves need to be leaders.
God has ordained that certain people lead in certain functions and within certain you know relationships.
That there is a leader and that there is a follower.
You know in any organization that gets anything done has a leader.
There's somebody at the head.
There's somebody that's leading the charge.
There's someone that's giving directives.
There's somebody that's saying this is what we're going to do.
This is not what we're going to do.
And leading the charge and directing people.
Leadership is something that is very necessary.
And I've said this before and I'll say it again.
Is that leadership is something that is so necessary that you know it's not just going to exist in a vacuum.
Something will always step into the role of leadership whether it's God ordained or not.
Somebody will step into leadership because leadership is necessary.
Things have a forward momentum.
Things have to be carried forward.
Things have to get done.
That requires leadership whether it's you know biblical or not.
People are going to lead.
You know somebody is going to lead you in life.
You know this is proof that leadership is necessary.
Is that you know you think oh no I'm going to be my own person.
I'm going to do my own thing.
Well you're following somebody.
You're following some influence in your life.
Everybody is following some kind of an influence in our life.
You know everybody is following you know some influence that they get you know out there in the world.
Or you know in their own home.
Or you know from the church, from God, from the Bible.
You know we're all going to follow somebody.
And people you know they want to rebel.
They want to go against that.
They want to you know strike out and be independent and make their own decisions.
And obviously I get that.
We make our own decisions.
But we often make those decisions if we're being honest you know under the influence of other people.
We look at what other people have done and in a sense they are leading us.
Whether or not we're going to say that's my leader.
We allow other influences to come into our lives and direct us and guide us.
And we base our decisions upon influences that come into our life.
Because leadership is necessary.
We will follow somebody or something.
So it's important that you know we make sure we're following the right leadership.
And we understand what leadership is.
What it isn't.
The pitfalls and things like that.
These are the type of things I want to cover when it comes to this you know this idea of learning from leaders.
What we see from Adam first of all is that leadership is necessary.
If you look there in Genesis chapter 2.
Keep a bookmark in Genesis.
We're going to be there all morning.
But look at verse 7 it says,
So notice that God makes man and then makes the garden and then puts the man in it.
You know man has been made outside of the garden.
And God is putting man into the garden which he has made for a very explicit purpose.
You know there's things that he wants him to do.
Right?
He's giving him work.
And it says in verse 9,
Now jump down to verse 15.
He put him in there what?
To dress and to keep it.
He's saying look I'm going to put you in this garden.
This paradise that I've created.
And you're going to be there for a purpose.
I want to put you in charge of this garden.
Dressing it and keeping it.
Okay?
So he's there to maintain this garden.
What's going on here?
God is ordaining Adam to be a leader.
Right?
He's saying that you are over the garden that I've created.
And God has put him in there for a very explicit purpose to dress and to keep it.
And there's a couple things we can learn from this idea of dressing and keeping the garden.
You know when a leadership is necessary because of the fact that
you know leaners are there to in a sense dress the garden.
Right?
They're there to make sure that things and that people live up to their full potential.
God didn't want just the garden to go wild.
God didn't want it to just be uncurated.
God wanted Adam to make it probably through his own influence.
Gave him a lot of free will obviously to do what he wanted.
But to make sure that this part of the garden looked this way.
And this part of the garden looked that way.
And he helped this plant out and made sure he staked this tomato.
And he weeded this cucumber patch or whatever.
I'm not much of a gardener myself.
But I know enough.
That's where vegetables come from.
Right?
So he's putting him in there to dress this garden.
What's the application we can take there?
Is that leadership is necessary to make sure that things live up to their full potential.
Say why is it so important to have a leader?
Why is it that God has ordained leadership?
What is one of the things that a leader is responsible for?
Well it's to dress the garden.
It's to make sure that things look the way that they should look.
That they can live up to their full potential.
And really when it comes to leaders, we probably end up just talking a lot about husbands and fathers.
Because those are probably the two most prominent areas of leadership that we're familiar with.
Those are probably two very familiar offices of leadership that are going to apply to the broadest group of people.
Is in the area of being a husband and being a father.
So when it comes to this idea of dressing or making sure that things live up to their full potential as a leader.
It's a father's job as a leader to make sure that their children succeed.
That they lead them to success.
And I'm not just talking about making sure that they earn a six figure income.
I'm not just talking about making sure that they excel in academics or athletics or any other worldly pursuit.
Look there's nothing wrong with those things.
I'm not saying those things should be discounted.
Of course we want our children to be successful as responsible adults, as citizens.
Going out and being able to provide for themselves, provide for a family, to be intelligent, to be smart, to be in good health.
Of course lead in that area and make sure that we dress them in a sense.
Make sure that they live up to their potential in those areas.
But more importantly is that they leave up to their potential spiritually.
That our children become what they can be, all that they become in a spiritual sense.
And that is something that falls squarely upon the parents and specifically the father.
To make sure our children live up to their potential.
That they succeed.
We ought to as fathers, as leaders be dressing up the garden of our children's lives.
Making sure things are where they're supposed to be.
That we're weeding and that we're pruning and that we're helping them to grow.
That we're nurturing.
If you would go over to Ephesians chapter number six.
Ephesians chapter number six. Keep something in Genesis two.
Go to Ephesians six.
We're going to be in Ephesians six a few times.
You want to keep another bookmark there.
But go to Ephesians chapter number six.
So when it comes to this idea of being a leader.
We have to understand that leadership is necessary.
Because it's important that people be led.
Why do we need leaders?
Because people need to be led.
Because children need fathers to be leaders.
So that they can live up to their full potential.
Look at Ephesians chapter six.
This is why the Bible commands it.
I know you're expounding the Old Testament there in Genesis chapter two.
But it's kind of a general explanation.
Can you give me some specific scriptures on this idea of fathers leading their children?
Well yes I can.
In Ephesians chapter six it says in verse one.
Children obey your parents in the Lord.
For this is right.
We as parents love this verse.
Especially because it's addressed to children.
Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.
It's right for children to obey their parents.
It goes on and says honor thy father and thy mother.
Which is the first commandment with promise.
That it may be well with thee and that thou mayest liveth long upon the earth.
This is something that gets preached at the kids often.
And this is something that needs to be preached at the kids often.
Children need to focus on obeying their parents.
Obeying their parents.
You say why do you harp on that so much?
Because this is something that children struggle with.
To some degree or another.
Again I'll get on the kids some other time.
I'm talking about the fathers right now.
But he says in verse four.
And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath.
But bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
So we can see here that it's a father's job to bring up his children.
And not just so that there's some kind of success out in the world.
I'm not against that.
Obviously that's something that takes place and is good.
But he's saying here to nurture them and raise them up in the nurture and admonition of what?
Of the Lord.
Of making sure first and foremost that their spiritual success is what we're pursuing.
That we make sure that they have a good example of what it means to be a Christian.
And what it means to be a godly father.
What it means to be a godly mother.
What it means to be a Christian.
These are the things that we ought to be teaching our children.
This is how we're going to in a sense dress up again that garden of their lives.
And notice he says in verse four.
Provoke not your children to wrath.
Children might be tempted to latch onto that and say.
See the Bible says you should never make me upset dad.
The Bible says you should never do anything that's going to make me mad.
That's not what it's saying.
You got to kind of get this context and understand that what he's talking about.
When he's saying not provoking them to wrath.
What I believe he's saying is not to have unreasonable expectations for your children.
Not to set a bar that's unattainable.
So now they can never attain that.
You know I believe it's good for us to have bars for our children.
To have standards for them to attain to.
We have to make sure that they can actually attain it.
I mean just think about it in the sports world.
If you had a pole vaulter.
Those people that jump over those.
They run and they launch themselves over those bars.
What if they set the bar at ten stories.
And said there you go.
They wouldn't even bother.
You know they'd say this is a joke.
You know they'd throw the pole down and walk away and go do something else.
And then we'd be sitting there going whoa what you can't do it?
What's the matter?
Weak?
You scared?
You know it's provoking them to wrath because it's an unreasonable expectation.
You know we should set a bar that's higher than maybe what our children think they can attain.
But that we know they can't attain.
Through effort.
Through diligence.
Through hard work.
Through you know discipline.
But don't provoke them to wrath by having unreasonable expectations.
But rather what?
Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
You know David said thy gentleness hath made me great.
You know we should be gentle.
We should nurture.
And these nurturing is not necessarily something you think about when it comes to fatherhood.
But this is what the Bible is saying.
That we as fathers should nurture our children.
It gives me the idea of Adam in the garden.
You know nurturing a plant.
Maybe starting out with that sapling.
That stripling.
That he's taking care of it.
He's nurturing and making sure that the roots go down deep.
So that I can grow and become a great tree.
You know this is how we should lead our children.
You know make sure that we have standards that are going to challenge them.
But not provoke them to wrath.
Go to Colossians chapter number three.
Colossians chapter number three.
This is something that's reiterated.
And God addresses fathers because again.
It's important to have leadership.
Leadership is necessary.
It's necessary in the home.
It's necessary in any organization.
It's necessary out there in the world.
As I said in the beginning.
That's why there's just a plethora of books that are written on this subject.
Because people understand even out there in the world.
That the need and importance for leadership.
It's important to have it.
So we have to take a minute here.
It's so important.
It's a subject that we should examine.
And ask ourselves are we living up to it.
In these different areas.
Father Stassen says are we living up to our roles as leaders within our home.
I'll read to you from Hebrews chapter 12.
The Bible says furthermore we have had fathers out of our flesh.
Which corrected us and we gave them reverence.
So again this idea that oh don't provoke your children to wrath.
That means never do anything that's going to upset your children.
No.
It says there that Paul's saying as an example of God chasing his children.
He's saying look we've had fathers of our flesh.
You know earthly fathers.
Which corrected us.
And boy were they way out of line.
Who do they think they were to correct us.
No.
He's saying and we gave them reverence.
You know we respected them.
We feared them because that was their God given role to correct us.
You know that's part you say well you know nurture.
And it's you know bring your children up in the nurture of the Lord.
You know nurturing him.
You know nurturing that child.
But also you know the admonition of the Lord.
You know and admonishment can come in a lot of different forms.
And admonishment can be a word of encouragement.
Admonishment can be some advice.
Admonishment can be setting an example.
But you know admonishment can also be you know some chastening.
Admonishment can also be you know the the correcting that comes in the flesh.
And so we should give that reverence.
That's part of a father's job.
Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the father of spirits and live.
You say why does dad have to be so stern.
Why does dad have to draw such a hard line.
Why does dad have to have these standards.
Because that's what he's expecting you to live up to.
Because he knows you can.
And that is an example of God unto you.
Oh my parents standards are so unreasonable.
Have you read the Bible.
Have you ever read that you know we've all come short of the glory of God.
That there's no one good.
Did you realize that God is a God with standards.
That God has expectations for his children here on earth.
So why should it surprise us.
When our earthly fathers are doing the same thing.
That have similar expectations.
You know that's right.
That's what it means to nurture and admonish your children and admonish your children.
And that is a form of leadership.
And that leadership is important.
You need to have that in your life.
I mean look at the world that kids are growing up in without fathers.
I didn't get a bunch of statistics that usually bores people to death.
But do I really have to get up here and make the case.
That our nation and our world is suffering because of the death.
But do I really have to get up here and make the case.
That our nation and our world is suffering because of a lack of fathers.
It's a huge problem in our society today.
When children are growing up in broken and fatherless homes.
That's proof right there that leadership is important.
And if you have that leadership in your life.
You should be grateful for it.
He goes on and says in Hebrews 10.
I know you're in Colossians 3.
It says for they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure.
But he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous.
But grievous you know when that correction is coming.
When the talking to is being given.
When correction is coming.
When the talking to is being given.
When the spanking is happening.
You know no kid is smiling.
They're not looking forward to that.
You know usually they're coming to the room.
Or you know coming to dad with the spoon.
Fathers do not live up to our roles as leaders.
You know things are not going to live up to their potential.
If Adam got put into that garden and just said.
Well I really don't care what it looks like.
It's not going to look good.
It's just how is this any different from what's outside the garden.
You have to take time to curate that garden.
You have to take time to you know manicure it.
Make sure it's different.
What's the point of the garden?
So does it look like the wild earth that's outside of it.
But it took a man.
It took a leader to make sure that happened.
Look if we as God's people as fathers in Christian homes.
And husbands don't live up to our role as fathers.
You know don't be surprised when your children turn out just as wild and overgrown as the world.
Because someone has to exercise them in these ways.
Someone has to do the nurturing.
Someone has to do the admonishing.
And the Bible is showing us in Ephesians and Colossians chapter 3 verse 21.
That that falls squarely on the shoulders of the father.
Look at chapter Colossians 3 verse 21.
Fathers, provoke not your children to anger lest they be discouraged.
He's not saying never upset your kids.
Hands and knees and pull the weeds out and do the pruning.
To make that happen.
And that's why he was there.
To be a leader.
He's there to dress it and to keep it.
He's there to keep it.
Dress it so that it will live up to its potential.
That it could be everything that it could be.
But also to keep it.
And without leaders, you know it tells me is that without leaders things get out of hand.
If no one's there to prune that garden, to weed it, things are going to get out of hand.
You know I have a backyard that's living proof of this.
You know I haven't been back there.
I haven't you know the proverbial preacher's yard.
Okay it's you know that's I get maybe I'm leaning on that too much as an excuse.
But you know the grass is getting tall.
There's a goat head that's springing up.
You know the tree that I trimmed now you know flourished yet again.
The thorn bush at the top of the little hill up near the neighbor's fence is reaching out.
It's the biggest it's ever been.
Say why is that?
Because I haven't bothered to go back there and keep it.
You know I've got I'm just I'm saying well I'll wait till it cools off.
And we're getting there.
All right.
This isn't a sermon about my poor you know housekeeping skills.
All right.
We could talk about that privately.
But it serves as a great example.
This is really why I've let it happen just so I could have this illustration.
Is that you know if we don't keep things they grow.
They get out of hand.
And it's the same way it's the same way when it comes to a father when it comes to a husband.
If we just let things get out of hand if we don't keep things pruned and trimmed.
They're just going to grow wild.
And we talked about fatherhood but you know I should have had kept something there in Colossians 3.
If you got something there you can go back if you want.
But you know we talked about when it comes to fatherhood as a man.
But what about you know as a husband.
You know marriages get out of hand don't they.
When things aren't kept in order.
When there isn't you know a real clear distinction made about who's in charge and who isn't.
Okay.
And this isn't popular.
But I don't care.
You know ask me if I care.
Actually you don't have to ask me.
I'll just tell you right now.
I don't care.
I don't care what the world's philosophy is on this.
We've seen what that's led to.
Nothing fits to her husband.
Why?
So that there can be a leader.
You know to have a leader you have to have a follower.
You have to have somebody who is submitted to that leadership.
Go to Ephesians chapter 5.
You should have already still have something in Ephesians 5.
Ephesians chapter 5.
This is another thing that's commanded over and over in scripture.
You know we can get after the wives and say oh they need to submit.
But you know what that means is that the fathers or the husbands rather need to lead.
They need to be that leadership.
You know leadership is important.
Why?
So that we can help things to flourish and to grow and to become what they can become.
Also leadership is important.
Adam was put in that garden not just to dress it but to keep it.
To subdue it.
God told them to have dominion over all the earth.
Right?
He was there to subdue it to bring things into its submission.
Okay.
And wives are explicitly told to submit to their husbands.
It says again Ephesians chapter 5 verse 22.
Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord.
And this is real important because you know.
Look at where our world has gotten today.
Look at the divorce rates.
And people say oh it's the same in the church.
Yeah because this isn't being preached in the church either.
News flash.
Say oh this doesn't work.
It works if it's put into practice.
It works if it's being preached and people know what to do what God expects.
But we live in a society today that has liberated women from being women.
And I didn't know that was something they needed to be freed from.
You know and being a woman today means to be as much like a man as you can apparently.
You know being completely opposite of what God has created you to be.
How far should I go with my submission to my husband?
As unto the Lord.
You know and I'll say this.
You know how much a wife submits to her husband.
You know it shows how submitted she is to God.
Not because her husband is some kind of God but because that's what God is telling her to do.
Does that make sense?
You're not just oh I'm disobeying my husband when I don't submit.
You're actually disobeying God.
Not because your husband is some kind of you know emissary of God or something.
But because that's what God told you to do.
He said submit.
Okay.
I mean that's what my Bible says in Ephesians chapter 5.
Verse 23.
For the husband is the head of the wife.
How much?
How much is he a head of the wife?
How much is he the leader in that relationship?
Even as Christ is the head of the church.
You know and again I'm kind of picking on the ladies a little bit.
But this should you know speak to the husbands as well.
This should tell us that you know leadership is important inside of the home.
Not just with children but also in our marriages.
You know and you say why are so many marriages just out of control?
Why are they just why are they wild and overgrown?
Why is it that they haven't been kept?
It's because people don't want to fulfill their roles.
And part of it again is the fault of the man.
Because many of these are going to stand alongside you know their liberal girlfriends.
You know and you know hold the sign next to them and say abortion on demand.
You weakling.
You know why don't you act like a man?
You know what the greatest irony is?
This is what women are looking for in men.
Leadership.
They want men to actually be men.
It's ironic you would think that that's not the case.
That they want you know women today want men to be more like women.
And so that women can be more like men.
You know but we're designed in such a way I mean it's ingrained in us from creation.
That women want to admit it or not.
They want to be submissive.
They want to have somebody to follow.
They want someone to be that.
They want to be that provider, that nurturer, that protector.
It's built into us.
So why fight it?
Why not just go along?
Why not just do what the Bible says?
Husbands you know love your wives.
Wives submit unto your husbands.
Children obey your parents.
Fathers bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
And everybody's happy.
The garden looks good after that.
When everyone's doing what they're supposed to.
When leadership is in its proper place.
Look at verse 24.
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ.
So let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Well I let him make all the decisions when it comes to you know where we're going to eat.
You know but when it comes to everything else.
You know that's then it's up to me.
You know we have a 50-50 marriage.
Go to 1st Peter chapter 3.
It says there at the end of verse 24 in everything.
1st Peter chapter number 3.
Well you know that's why you got a wild marriage.
That's why you got a marriage that's getting out of hand.
That's why you got a marriage where there is no peace.
That's why it's a marriage where you know you can't tell if you have a godly Christian marriage.
Or if you've got some you know worldly marriage.
You can't tell if you're in the garden or if you're out.
They can be what they need to be.
He's saying likewise you eyes be in subjection to your own husbands.
That if any obey not the word they may also without the word be won by the conversation of the wives.
Why they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
Who's adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair of wearing of gold and of putting on apparel.
But let it be the hidden man in the heart of the heart which in that in that which is not corruptible.
You know you want your husband to be the leader that he wants to be.
Give him an opportunity to be it.
You want him to go ahead and and to you know step into that role.
You know then why don't you adorn yourself as it says here even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.
You know I'd go ahead and be the leader but she just keeps she keeps hogging up all the decision making.
She doesn't leave anything left over.
Notice verse five for this after this in manner in old time the holy women also who trusted in God.
Adorn themselves being in subjection to their own husbands.
Saying look holy women of old those that trusted in God.
They were what in subjection to their own husbands even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord.
Lord. What is she saying? Not God.
She's saying boss that's all Lord means just boss you're in charge.
You know that's what that's how much a wife should be in subjection to her husband and that shows us how important leadership is.
When you have another human being is to say I'm just gonna trust you for everything.
I'm gonna trust you to take care of me to provide for me to protect me to fulfill your role as leader.
You know that that puts a lot of you know importance on that leader doesn't it.
You know a lot of people they want to get into positions of leadership appointed to be followers.
You know and good marriages are made by leaders and followers.
Same thing for any organization you know the same thing with the church.
A good church it's gonna thrive and do well it's gonna have a leader and it's gonna have followers.
Leadership is appointed going back to Genesis chapter one Genesis chapter one again.
Where you wear a tube to go back to one.
Notice before God ever put Adam in that garden he had already appointed him as a leader over every living thing.
And God said let us make man in our image after our likeness and let them have dominion with the fish in the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle and over every living thing that creepeth.
Excuse me over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image and the image of God created he him male and female created he them.
And God blessed them and sent them to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
What can we learn from Adam as a leader is that leadership is not only necessary in order for things to be what they can be and to keep things in order.
But also that leadership is something that is appointed by God.
Say well I just don't think that any one person has to puff yourself up. Oh I'm the leader.
But again this goes back to my point that you know because leadership is necessary it means that there's a lot of accountability for those that are in that position.
You know wouldn't you say that that's a pretty important position of leadership as a father and as a husband?
I'd say it's pretty important.
Maybe you wouldn't I don't know because it's pretty quiet out there but I think it's important.
Okay there we go all right.
So I'm not alone on this okay it's pretty important for you know to be a leader as a husband and as a father isn't it?
But you know that leader and we could sit there and think oh it must be nice to be the leader.
You know it comes with a lot of responsibility.
Leadership and that's why the last thing I want to look at this morning is that leadership is accountable.
That's what we learn from Adam.
Like oh it must be nice to be Adam.
It must be nice to go in the garden and have a say so how things are going to be.
It must be nice to just tell your wife how it's going to be in the home.
It must be nice to just you know straighten the kids out of the boss.
You know what to whom much is given shall also much be required.
Leadership is held accountable.
That's what we learn from Adam.
That's the last lesson we're going to look at here.
Genesis 3 verse 9.
This is of course after the fall that thou shouldest not eat.
So yeah Adam was put into a very special place of leadership.
He had a lot of authority but he also had some directives that he had to obey.
He was commanded not to eat of that tree and when he ate of it what happened?
He got held accountable.
Leadership gets held accountable.
And it's important to understand that because you know as leaders because you know we can't just think that leadership is unimportant.
Or just think well I know I'm a leader but it doesn't really matter if I do a good job at it or not.
I know I'm a father and a husband but you know if I do an okay job at it then nothing bad is going to happen.
No bad things are going to happen.
People are going to get cursed.
People are going to be ruined.
People are going to struggle.
People are going to go through hardships when leadership doesn't step up to the plate and behave itself as it ought to.
And to take accountability for the responsibility that it's been given.
You know and the last thing I'll point out kind of as a sub point to the fact that leadership is accountable.
You say well why does leadership have to be held accountable?
Because leadership will fail.
Leadership will fail.
Let me just go ahead and break it to you.
Leaders fail all the time.
Sometimes it's a really big hold them accountable.
Look God for one.
And he'll have to suffer the consequences for his mistakes just like anybody else.
And from that day forward you know Adam had to you know toil in the sweat of his brow.
And it was hard work from that day forward.
You know but leadership will fail.
What's important when it comes to this idea of leadership failing is that they learn from their failures.
Learn from their failures.
You know Adam definitely learned from his mistakes.
And this was definitely a failure in leadership because it says that and I won't take the time to read it in Genesis 3.
But when Eve ate of that fruit she gave to her husband with her.
You don't think Adam knew what was going on?
Adam knew what was going on.
He's like oh I know what this is.
This is from that one tree.
You know and he went along with it.
That's why the Bible says in 1 Timothy that Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
You know and let me just close on this idea.
Well I won't close here but I'm getting close.
I promise.
Is that you know I think sometimes I heard a wife say a woman say it's failure.
It has consequences and leaders need to take responsibility for their actions.
For their failures.
Look at Genesis chapter 3 verse 11.
And he said who told thee that thou wast naked?
Hast thou eaten the tree where I have commanded thou that thou shouldest not eat?
And the man said the woman whom thou gavest me.
She gave me the tree I did eat.
That's not an excuse.
God didn't go oh.
Oh Eve tricked you.
Oh it was her fault.
And notice he's kind of blaming God in this too.
The woman that thou gavest me.
This is your fault God.
You know leaders need to learn to take responsibility for their failures.
You failed at marriage.
Own it.
You failed raising your children.
Own it.
You failed you know in your capacity as a leader on the job.
Own it.
Take responsibility.
Don't be one of these people who just keeps shifting blame.
Oh it was God's fault.
You gave me that woman.
If you hadn't given her to me.
If I hadn't given myself and all the animals.
You know I'd still have this rib.
And I wouldn't be in this predicament that I'm in.
He's blaming God.
Oh it's the woman's fault.
You know if my wife would just straighten up and be what she's supposed to be.
Yeah but does that excuse you for not being what you're supposed to be?
They need to own their mistakes.
That's what leaders need to do.
And we could learn these you know important lessons about the importance of leadership.
And you know understanding most of all that if we fail to lead.
We fail those that we lead.
Look if we don't lead the way we ought to.
We're failing those and we're not it's not just going to be on us.
We're going to be held accountable.
And it's not going to be just us that suffers if we fail to lead we're feeling those that are supposed to be led.
Let's go ahead and pray.
Lord again thank you for Lord the opportunity to serve you in our lives.
To fulfill the roles that you've given us as husbands, as wives, as fathers, as children, as mothers.
Lord as leaders, as followers.
Thank you that you've given us our respective roles.
Lord I pray to help us to all understand those roles, the importance of fulfilling those roles.
And Lord especially as leaders.
Those of us that do lead that we would understand the importance of leadership.
That we wouldn't just tune this out Lord but that we would understand how important it truly is.
Help us to learn many valuable lessons as we look at the men that you have appointed as leaders throughout the word of God.
We ask these things in Christ's name. Amen.
Alright we'll go ahead and close with one more song.
Turn our head most to Psalm 413.
Psalm 413, stand up, stand up for Jesus.
We must not suffer loss.
From victory on to victory.
This army shall we lead.
We'll never go with what you've had.
We'll never stand against the number call.
We'll never be first with you.
Let strength, strength, strength come forth.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus.
Let him be strength, O Lord.
We are the flesh within.
We cannot trust your Lord.
Let love make us no other.
Let God's shame not to fail.
Let duty cause no danger.
He never wants to fail.