In His Image pt 4 Manhood Genesis 2:7-15 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
God planted the garden of Eden and made it ordered and productive. He provided for man, and then told Adam, "keep it" continue to cultivate it. The Hebrew word is used in sense of keeping garden, or to watch over livestock. It means to keep, watch over, guard or protect.
Eden was paradise on earth, yet man was called to work. We think of paradise as resting, but, work is necessary for man.
"Some occupation is necessary to happiness. Lazy people would not enjoy even Eden itself. A perfect man is a working man." - Charles Spurgeon
Aspects of Biblical Manhood Working - keeping, watching, protecting, ordering, producing, cultivating, providing
The second aspect we see in Eden, God gives his instructions about which fruit could be eaten to Adam. Adam is to take the lead in following God's direction.
Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Aspects of Biblical Manhood Working Spiritual direction - giving direction from God's Word, leading by example a life of loving and obeying God
Speak God's truth - talk about what you are grateful for at dinner. Turn off the TV and the games and talk to your kids about what God says is good and bad, right and wrong. Loving enemies, showing kindness to those in need...
Demonstrate courage to follow God Let your family see your attempts to follow God - even when you don't do well. Pray for things that you need the Lord's help with. Let them hear some of your struggles at work to do the right thing.
Display humility - admitting when you're wrong, asking for forgiveness The cross allows me to own up to my own failures. I can admit to my wife when I have a bad day and come unhinged on her. I can confess, "that was my fault, I was in a bad mood, I need to ask for your forgiveness, I'm supposed to treat you with gentleness, not be careless."
I can confess to my kids - "I was too hard on you. I'm not supposed to exasperate you. I'm not supposed to make you feel like you can never do anything right. The truth is you're learning - and I'm still learning too. Please forgive me."
Ephesians 5:25-31
The Bible tells us what a man looks like at home: he loves sacrificially. He sacrifices his own comfort, his own wants, he puts the needs of his wife ahead of his own.
Aspects of Biblical Manhood Working Spiritual direction Sacrificial love
Corruption of Biblical Manhood by Sin Work turns into the greatest source of identity and worth Or to laziness and irresponsibility Leadership turns selfish, lording over others Love turns weak into passivity, no standards
Eli and his sons Hophni and Phineas (1 Samuel 3:12-14) David and his son Amnon (2 Samuel 13:21)