Men! Someone is Following You
Micah 6:8
Let me ask you a question, who is following you? Who is following you? Because someone is. Someone is following you today. Today is Father’s Day, and so, for all fathers, this is especially for you, but not only for you. I want to speak to all the men today, all the men, please hear me. Someone is following you. God has made you a leader and someone is following you. Whether you’re an old man, grandpa like me, or whether you’re a young man not even married yet, the message is for you. Because, men, someone is following you. That’s the way God made us and that’s what’s happening.
In the Marine Corps when a squad goes out on patrol especially in heavy enemy territory, each man walks in a single file. They call it a Ranger file or single file, and they all follow a person who is given the title of “point man.” And the point man walks at the point. And everyone follows the point man, single file, stepping where he steps. In Afghanistan where I.E.D.’s are the norm, the point man swings a minesweeper. He has a rifleman right behind him to protect him, but his focus is on the path. He knows every step he takes every man in his squad is going to take that step. Every turn that he takes, every man in his squad is going to take that turn.
The path he chooses for the squad is the path the squad will take. And he doesn’t take a step until he knows (to the best of his ability) that step is clear. There is huge pressure and huge responsibility on the point man to make his path “straight” and his way “clear.” He knows the lives of those that are following him, could be lost because of his choices. His job is to clear the way for those that he knows are following him.
Men, whether you know it or not, whether you admit it or not, whether you like it or not, someone is following you. Every step you take they are going to step where you step. Every turn you take, they’re going to take that turn. The path that you take is the path that they are going to walk. Someone is following you. And if you casually set your path through the minefield of this world, then your children are going to set their path casually through the minefield of this world. Your family is going to casually meander through the minefield of this world. The path you chose will be followed by those who are following you.
And right now, if you say, “No not me. No one’s following me.” You can deny it all you want, but God made you a man, and he made men to lead. And you are leading somebody through enemy territory in a combat zone that we call the world. And in the combat zone, there is no such thing as “Do what I say, not what I do.”
My son, David, was sharing a very tense story of this concept with me yesterday. I can’t imagine his point man saying, “I’m going this way, but you guys all go that way.” Not only would he not say it, but his men would never do it. They know their only choice is to follow the point man no matter what path he chooses. The point man takes the responsibility at the risk of his own life to say, “Follow me as I choose the path, and I will make the way clear for you.”
Paul says,
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV)
1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Not do what I say, instead – watch me! Watch me. And what I do, you do. And where I step, you step. And the path I choose, you choose. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
What Paul is saying here is Jesus is the point man. Jesus is in front of me and he has the ultimate minesweeper. He knows where every I.E.D. is hidden in this minefield of a world. He knows what’s around every corner; he knows where the ambushes are already laid. And Paul is saying, “I am in step with the ultimate point man.” I am in step with Jesus Christ. I’m stepping where he steps. And so those who follow me will be following Christ as we walk single file behind our point man, Jesus. Paul says, I’m watching his steps; you keep your eyes on me and you’ll be safe.
I’m going to say a number of things a number of times today. Because in the Bible, God always tells men things twice. I’m going to say a number of things a number of times, today. Because in the Bible, God always tells men things twice.
Men, whether you like it or not, whether you admit it or not, someone is following you. Someone is following you. And they are following you through an enemy minefield that we call the world. First and foremost, if you’re a husband and a father, those following you are your wife and your children. They are going to go the way you go. Their lives are going to end up looking like your life. They’re going to follow your steps, for better or for worse.
One of Satan’s most effective strategies to try to destroy future generations (remember his only purpose is to steal, kill and destroy) is to remove fathers from leading their families. He loves generational destruction as well. He loves to set a ball rolling in multiple generations that will bring destruction without him. Why? Because he can only be in one place at one time. His little demons can only be in one place at one time. They love generational destruction.
One of his best ways is to try to remove fathers from the home environment. In our culture, he has increasingly been successful. Removing them physically is his best-case scenario, but he is fine with them being emotionally or spiritually removed as well. Because if Satan can remove the point man from their family, physically, emotionally, or spiritually, then you won’t have any impact on the next generation for what he calls the enemy, Jesus Christ. Men, you are the point man. That’s how God made you. And if you are A.W.O.L. it doesn’t change the fact that you are the point man. And when you are A.W.O.L. your family will wander around aimlessly in the minefield of this world, without direction and often to their destruction.
Men, God made us to lead. It’s how he created you. And one of the natural consequences of God making you to lead is that someone is following you. We have got to accept that and we have got to be ready to give our lives fully and completely for those who are following us.
In 2 Corinthians the Apostle Paul said to those who were following him:
2 Corinthians 4:11–12 (NLT)
11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.
12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
Listen, there’s a number of huge problems with the watered-down, felt needs, seeker-sensitive, “namby-pamby” church. Here’s one problem. They don’t like to say “Following Christ will cost you your life.” And if you’re going to help someone else follow Christ it’s going to cost you your life. And the sacrifice is complete. You cannot find a Biblical example where Jesus says, “Listen, just give me a little intellectual nod and you can go back to your life. All I’m lookin’ for is a little acknowledgment.” That’s what he told the demons. James says the demons believe, and they tremble. Jesus said what? He said, “Follow me.” And then he turned around and walked away. Every time. You want to follow me? Come on. Let’s go. And his disciples will say, “Where are we going?” And he’ll say, “You’ll see. If I wanted you to know, I’d tell you.” And every one of them laid their lives down, physically, and long before that – every other way.
That is wartime mentality because we live in a spiritual war. Men, we have got to stop seeing church as something we put up with, something that we act through so we can get back to our lives. Something along the lines of you saying, “I don’t want to hear her gripe, so I’ll just go. But I’ll be thinking about something else the whole time.” Come on, guys. People are living and dying in eternity. They’re living for eternity and they’re dying for eternity. And men have been given the responsibility to lead them into eternal life. That’s the truth.
Someone is following you. They’re going to go the way you go, they’re going to live the way you live. The question today is, are you willing to lay your life down for their sake? And believe me, far too many macho men (including in the church) will say “Yeah, I’ll give my life for my family, someone comes in with a gun, I’ll take that shot, I’ll give my life…” But I won’t read my kids a Bible story at bedtime. I won’t do the dishes for my wife and I won’t stop living as a P.O.W. in the shackles of my sin. That’s going too far.
Guys, when I say, are you willing to give your life, I don’t mean are you willing to die? That’s simple. I mean are you willing to lay down my self-centered, self-serving, self-focused life as a sacrifice for those whom God has called you to lead? As Christ loved the Church. You are to love your wife. And by that, your children. And anyone else that God puts behind you to follow you.
Paul says in Philippians 3 to those who are following him (I don’t want you thinking I’m coming up with this stuff myself),
Philippians 3:17 (NLT)
17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine . . .
I’m just wondering, just to give you a chance to think, can those who are following you say that about you? If you have children, whether they’re adults or not, can they say that about you? I have three adult children, and I don’t worry about them any less. I don’t try to love them, or lead them or care for them any less than when they were in my arms. Now their kids are in my arms. Can they say that about you? Can you say that to them? “Hey, watch my life. Both in public and in secret. And pattern your life after mine. When you grow up, do exactly what I’m doing now.” Pattern your lives after mine, Paul says. Step exactly where I step, walk exactly where I walk.
Listen, men, please, whether you like it or not they are going to follow you. They’re going to follow you. It takes breaking the chain of what some call generational curses. You heard me pray it today. I can’t talk much about my own childhood, but let’s just say the father area was dysfunctional. Absent, dysfunctional. You know… and I love both my dad and my step-dad. But God somehow… I didn’t watch a DVD series, I don’t know how, but God somehow taught me how to be a father. I screwed up so many times; if I dared to write it down, I don’t know what I would do. I made a lot of mistakes. But one thing I know, in the end, my kids are following my actions.
It’s not always the case. A lot of Pastors are really following the Lord, and a lot of men are really following the Lord and their kids choose not to. And I’m not saying it’s a hundred percent of the time, I’m saying you have to live as if it is. And then if they choose to turn away from the Lord, that’s their choice. And I know some of you are godly men with children who have turned away from the Lord. I understand that, I do. I’m not trying to put a guilt trip on you. I am trying to help you understand, you lead. They choose, but you lead. And you lead correctly as you are following Christ.
The other thing I need to say, maybe lift the hammer on you and take a deep breath. I’m not saying that women can’t lead. I am saying that the men, God has called you to lead. But women can lead; some are gifted greatly at leading. We have some greatly gifted women leaders in this church. Greatly gifted. And I am grateful, that women are gifted to lead when they are forced to lead. And that’s what I see most often. It’s when a man, in a home situation, cops out, or checks out, or chooses to leave. So often a mother is gifted to lead the family. When a man checks out spiritually, cops out, when he chooses sin – usually secret sin – and it removes him from being able to lead his family, so often God gifts the mother, the wife, to lead. I am grateful for that. I am forever grateful for my own mother and God’s equipping her to lead. I’m thankful for that.
So, I’m not saying women can’t lead, I’m saying men are created to lead. We’ve got to accept that. We’ve got to accept that because someone is following our lead, right now, today. And we have to accept that as a wartime commission and a responsibility in the greatest eternal battle, that the people who are following us, we have to accept that they will go the way we go. That’s not always the case. And I’ve talked to some of you who are breaking those generational chains and you’re not going the way of your father. And I thank God for that because someone has to break the cycle. And someone has to say follow me as I follow Christ.
So, Godly leadership is not easy, it’s not for the fainthearted. It’s not for the “namby-pamby” feel-good, horse teeth smiling churches. Godly leadership requires the greatest sacrifice. It’s the most difficult challenge there is in this life and it carries the greatest responsibility. So, as they say, “Man up.” “Man up.” (If you’re wondering why I never do Mother’s Day messages it’s because I would just stand here and thank all the mothers. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. The men, I got something to say to you.) If you are a husband and a father today, then you have the single greatest leadership responsibility that God has created. Take it! Take it.
Steve Farrar, who is a great author and teacher, read anything he has written. He’s a great author on men’s leadership. He was speaking about the potential impact of a strong Christian in the White House. He said,
“If millions of Christian men in this country seriously began leading their own homes, the impact on America would be far greater than one Christian man leading in the White House.”
Men, I know you’ve heard it. We were made to lead. And because of that, someone is following you. Have I done enough so that we can go to the HOW? Let’s see how God says we are supposed to lead. Turn to the book of contents. Find the page number for the book of Micah. And turn there. Micah is right in the middle of the Minor Prophets.
Micah was a prophet not long before the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon (which was judgment for Israel’s sin and their refusal to repent against God and their desire to live their own life in their own way) and the beginning of the Babylonian captivity. A prophet, named Micah, was used by God to call the people of God, again and again to repentance and to true worship and following him before the judgment of God (Babylonian captivity) occurred.
Much of the book of Micah focuses on the leaders of Israel, on the leaders of God’s people. Micah is focused heavily on the leaders of God’s people who were involved in everything that we are. Everything that the leaders of God’s people today are. Idolatry, failures, moral, civil, religious, spiritual failures, just a wreck. And so Micah chapter 6 is where we are going to begin today.
Micah 6 begins the Lord’s indictment, his case (like in a court) against Israel, and specifically against Israel’s leaders. In Micah 6:3, God says in essence, (I’m paraphrasing so we can get to the key scripture) what have I done to you to make you turn away from me and follow the gods of this world and the gods of your “self” sin?
And in verse 4 God lists a few of the great things he has done for Israel and kind of tongue in cheek asks – Is it because I brought you out of Egypt? Is it because I redeemed you from slavery? Is it because I sent rescuers to save you? Is it because I protected you and have always been faithful to you? And the implication is which one of these things has caused you to follow the gods of this world and your own sin nature and turned the people of God from me?
Then in verse 6, the leaders respond to God, and their response almost seems sarcastic at first glance. But I hope it’s actually them understanding that there is no way for them to make up to God for their past failures. That is critically important for the leaders of Israel in Micah, and it’s critically important for the men listening to this message. You cannot pay God in self-effort or religious exercise to make up for the sins of your past. Here are how the leaders of Israel respond to God confronting them on their sin.
Micah 6:6–7 (NLT)
6 What can we bring to the Lord? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves?
7 (now it gets a little crazy) Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins?
This is what is called hyperbole – which is a statement of impossible excess – in order to make a point. It seems to me these leaders knew there was nothing they could do to make up to God for their sins of the past.
I believe these leaders understand that without God’s grace and without God’s mercy there is nothing they can do to make the sins of their past “right.” Isn’t that like so many of us? We realize we can’t go back. We can’t make the sins of our past “right” on our own. Just like the Israelites, our only hope is in God’s mercy and his grace towards us. And I promise you, if you have repented and received Christ as your Savior and if you are following him as your Lord, then you have received God’s mercy and his grace to cover the sins and mistakes of the past.
But that leaves us with one question, doesn’t it? What does the Lord require of us – today? What do we do now? We have repented of our sinful past. We desire for God to transform our lives and we recognize that there is someone following us, today. So what do we do now? Well, fortunately, God is going to summarize all that he requires of us in just three commands.
God had charged the people for their rebellion. The leaders had said (in essence) there is nothing we can do to make this up to you, God. And then God responds in Micah 6:8 this way:
Micah 6:8 (NLT)
8 No, O people (Literally, O MAN), the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
God says “O MAN” - “I’ve already TOLD YOU what to Do It’s already written in my Word”
But, let me summarize it for you.
This is what the Lord requires of you.
1). Do what is RIGHT.
2). LOVE MERCY
3). WALK HUMBLY with your God
Men, someone is following you. And if you would say with the leaders of Israel in Micah 6 - “What can we DO – from this day forward – for those who are following us?
God has summarized what he has required of you, starting today.
1). Do what is RIGHT.
2). LOVE MERCY
3). WALK HUMBLY with your God
But guys, we need to understand our enemy. The enemy always works in direct opposition to God. Both God and Satan know that someone is following you.
So God says Do what is right.
The enemy says Do what you want.
God says Love mercy.
The enemy says Love your self-will.
God says Walk humbly with your God.
The enemy says Hide behind your pride.
And if we take the enemy’s bait, we will become a spiritual P.O.W. Held captive to doing what we want, loving our self-will and hiding behind our pride and the enemy keeps us in a dark little box and feeds us our sin nature to keep us alive while those we are supposed to be leading are IN the enemy’s minefield being led into destruction, because we won’t break the chains of our sin and get back out on the battlefield and lead those God has called us to lead.
But all that can change. We can be freed from our prison of sin and be returned to our rightful place in the battle. On your own? No! In your own strength? No! But you can be transformed by God. You can put away your old life and be born again into a new life, by God’s grace.
Instead of the bondage of your old life, doing what you want, you can be born again into a new life of doing what is right.
Instead of the bondage of your old life loving your self-will, you can be born again into a new life of loving mercy.
Instead of the bondage of your old life hiding behind your pride, you can be born again into a new life of walking humbly with your God.
Not by your effort but by Jesus Christ living in you. Not by trying harder, but by having the new life of Christ inside you. When Jesus Christ truly comes into your life, he comes with the full power of the Godhead.
Ephesians 1:19–20 (NLT)
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead . . .
The power of God that raised Christ from the dead is enough power to raise you into a new life. It’s enough power to raise you to a new life where you can “do what is right” (which is the first thing Micah 6:8 says.) Meaning do what is right according to God, not according to our own prideful opinion. Especially in the face of hardship and difficulty, the life of Christ in you can do what is right, and those who are following you will walk in your steps.
With the full life of Christ in you, you can love mercy (the second thing Micah 6:8 says to do.) The word mercy here is one of my favorite Hebrew words HESED. Its meaning is not just what we know of mercy which is not getting what you deserve, but this word for God’s mercy also means “steadfast love” no matter what. It means “faithfulness” no matter what. It means “Immoveable devotion” no matter what. That is the depth of God’s mercy and that is the depth of mercy we can walk in toward our children and our wife. And those who are following you will walk in your steps.
And the last thing God requires is for you to walk humbly with him. Humility is the opposite of pride and pride is what got Satan thrown out of Heaven. Pride is the root of the original sin, and for men, pride is the king of sin. Pride is thinking too highly of yourself; it’s placing your thoughts and opinions over others. Humility is not thinking of yourself but instead thinking of those God has entrusted to you. By the power of God in us, we can walk humbly with our God, and those that are following you will walk in your steps.
Men, there is someone following you. If you will take this commission of God to lead them, then Micah 6:8 tells you how.
Micah 6:8
8 this is what [The Lord] requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
If you will walk that way, those who are following you will safely navigate the minefield that the enemy has set up for them, in this world.
In 2008 I taught a message for fathers called “Teach Your Children” which you can get on the phone app and website. And at the end, I played this incredible video. It was at a Promise Keeper’s event and Dennis Rainey set up 12 huge bear traps on the stage, including the biggest bear rap made. And they were all set, ready to take off a limb of anyone who wasn’t careful enough. And he talked about how dangerous this world is for teenagers to navigate on their own, and in the process, he sprung some of these huge traps to show the very real danger.
Then he brought a dad and a 13-year-old son on the stage. He put the dad at one end of the traps and the son at the other end. And he explained that he was going to have the son walk through the traps to reach his father, representing him making it to maturity. And his dad was a little nervous at first, but then he got a lot nervous when they asked the teenage boy to take off his shoes. Then they blindfolded him and asked him to carefully navigate the traps feeling ahead with his bare feet.
His dad let him take a few steps then yelled at him to stop in his tracks, “Don’t move!” And then the dad walked across the stage, told his son to put both hands on his shoulders and closely follow him every step of the way through the bear traps. And all across the stage, the son stepped only where his Dad stepped, easily and successfully making it through all the traps.
If you are a father today, make sure you are building a relationship with your children that will enable them to follow you closely, walking the way you walk, stepping where you step. Only in this way can you lead them through the minefield the enemy has set up for them. And if it is not your children following you, see who it is and take your God-given responsibility to lead them safely through the enemy’s traps and I.E.D.’s in this world.
In the Marine Corps when a squad goes out on patrol especially in heavy enemy territory, each man walks in a single file. They call it a Ranger file or single file, and they all follow a person who is given the title of “point man.” And the point man walks at the point. And everyone follows the point man, single file, stepping where he steps. In Afghanistan where I.E.D.’s are the norm, the point man swings a minesweeper. He has a rifleman right behind him to protect him, but his focus is on the path. He knows every step he takes every man in his squad is going to take that step. Every turn that he takes, every man in his squad is going to take that turn.
The path he chooses for the squad is the path the squad will take. And he doesn’t take a step until he knows (to the best of his ability) that step is clear. There is huge pressure and huge responsibility on the point man to make his path “straight” and his way “clear.” He knows the lives of those that are following him, could be lost because of his choices. His job is to clear the way for those that he knows are following him.
Men, whether you know it or not, whether you admit it or not, whether you like it or not, someone is following you. Every step you take they are going to step where you step. Every turn you take, they’re going to take that turn. The path that you take is the path that they are going to walk. Someone is following you. And if you casually set your path through the minefield of this world, then your children are going to set their path casually through the minefield of this world. Your family is going to casually meander through the minefield of this world. The path you chose will be followed by those who are following you.
And right now, if you say, “No not me. No one’s following me.” You can deny it all you want, but God made you a man, and he made men to lead. And you are leading somebody through enemy territory in a combat zone that we call the world. And in the combat zone, there is no such thing as “Do what I say, not what I do.”
My son, David, was sharing a very tense story of this concept with me yesterday. I can’t imagine his point man saying, “I’m going this way, but you guys all go that way.” Not only would he not say it, but his men would never do it. They know their only choice is to follow the point man no matter what path he chooses. The point man takes the responsibility at the risk of his own life to say, “Follow me as I choose the path, and I will make the way clear for you.”
Paul says,
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV)
1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Not do what I say, instead – watch me! Watch me. And what I do, you do. And where I step, you step. And the path I choose, you choose. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
What Paul is saying here is Jesus is the point man. Jesus is in front of me and he has the ultimate minesweeper. He knows where every I.E.D. is hidden in this minefield of a world. He knows what’s around every corner; he knows where the ambushes are already laid. And Paul is saying, “I am in step with the ultimate point man.” I am in step with Jesus Christ. I’m stepping where he steps. And so those who follow me will be following Christ as we walk single file behind our point man, Jesus. Paul says, I’m watching his steps; you keep your eyes on me and you’ll be safe.
I’m going to say a number of things a number of times today. Because in the Bible, God always tells men things twice. I’m going to say a number of things a number of times, today. Because in the Bible, God always tells men things twice.
Men, whether you like it or not, whether you admit it or not, someone is following you. Someone is following you. And they are following you through an enemy minefield that we call the world. First and foremost, if you’re a husband and a father, those following you are your wife and your children. They are going to go the way you go. Their lives are going to end up looking like your life. They’re going to follow your steps, for better or for worse.
One of Satan’s most effective strategies to try to destroy future generations (remember his only purpose is to steal, kill and destroy) is to remove fathers from leading their families. He loves generational destruction as well. He loves to set a ball rolling in multiple generations that will bring destruction without him. Why? Because he can only be in one place at one time. His little demons can only be in one place at one time. They love generational destruction.
One of his best ways is to try to remove fathers from the home environment. In our culture, he has increasingly been successful. Removing them physically is his best-case scenario, but he is fine with them being emotionally or spiritually removed as well. Because if Satan can remove the point man from their family, physically, emotionally, or spiritually, then you won’t have any impact on the next generation for what he calls the enemy, Jesus Christ. Men, you are the point man. That’s how God made you. And if you are A.W.O.L. it doesn’t change the fact that you are the point man. And when you are A.W.O.L. your family will wander around aimlessly in the minefield of this world, without direction and often to their destruction.
Men, God made us to lead. It’s how he created you. And one of the natural consequences of God making you to lead is that someone is following you. We have got to accept that and we have got to be ready to give our lives fully and completely for those who are following us.
In 2 Corinthians the Apostle Paul said to those who were following him:
2 Corinthians 4:11–12 (NLT)
11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.
12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
Listen, there’s a number of huge problems with the watered-down, felt needs, seeker-sensitive, “namby-pamby” church. Here’s one problem. They don’t like to say “Following Christ will cost you your life.” And if you’re going to help someone else follow Christ it’s going to cost you your life. And the sacrifice is complete. You cannot find a Biblical example where Jesus says, “Listen, just give me a little intellectual nod and you can go back to your life. All I’m lookin’ for is a little acknowledgment.” That’s what he told the demons. James says the demons believe, and they tremble. Jesus said what? He said, “Follow me.” And then he turned around and walked away. Every time. You want to follow me? Come on. Let’s go. And his disciples will say, “Where are we going?” And he’ll say, “You’ll see. If I wanted you to know, I’d tell you.” And every one of them laid their lives down, physically, and long before that – every other way.
That is wartime mentality because we live in a spiritual war. Men, we have got to stop seeing church as something we put up with, something that we act through so we can get back to our lives. Something along the lines of you saying, “I don’t want to hear her gripe, so I’ll just go. But I’ll be thinking about something else the whole time.” Come on, guys. People are living and dying in eternity. They’re living for eternity and they’re dying for eternity. And men have been given the responsibility to lead them into eternal life. That’s the truth.
Someone is following you. They’re going to go the way you go, they’re going to live the way you live. The question today is, are you willing to lay your life down for their sake? And believe me, far too many macho men (including in the church) will say “Yeah, I’ll give my life for my family, someone comes in with a gun, I’ll take that shot, I’ll give my life…” But I won’t read my kids a Bible story at bedtime. I won’t do the dishes for my wife and I won’t stop living as a P.O.W. in the shackles of my sin. That’s going too far.
Guys, when I say, are you willing to give your life, I don’t mean are you willing to die? That’s simple. I mean are you willing to lay down my self-centered, self-serving, self-focused life as a sacrifice for those whom God has called you to lead? As Christ loved the Church. You are to love your wife. And by that, your children. And anyone else that God puts behind you to follow you.
Paul says in Philippians 3 to those who are following him (I don’t want you thinking I’m coming up with this stuff myself),
Philippians 3:17 (NLT)
17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine . . .
I’m just wondering, just to give you a chance to think, can those who are following you say that about you? If you have children, whether they’re adults or not, can they say that about you? I have three adult children, and I don’t worry about them any less. I don’t try to love them, or lead them or care for them any less than when they were in my arms. Now their kids are in my arms. Can they say that about you? Can you say that to them? “Hey, watch my life. Both in public and in secret. And pattern your life after mine. When you grow up, do exactly what I’m doing now.” Pattern your lives after mine, Paul says. Step exactly where I step, walk exactly where I walk.
Listen, men, please, whether you like it or not they are going to follow you. They’re going to follow you. It takes breaking the chain of what some call generational curses. You heard me pray it today. I can’t talk much about my own childhood, but let’s just say the father area was dysfunctional. Absent, dysfunctional. You know… and I love both my dad and my step-dad. But God somehow… I didn’t watch a DVD series, I don’t know how, but God somehow taught me how to be a father. I screwed up so many times; if I dared to write it down, I don’t know what I would do. I made a lot of mistakes. But one thing I know, in the end, my kids are following my actions.
It’s not always the case. A lot of Pastors are really following the Lord, and a lot of men are really following the Lord and their kids choose not to. And I’m not saying it’s a hundred percent of the time, I’m saying you have to live as if it is. And then if they choose to turn away from the Lord, that’s their choice. And I know some of you are godly men with children who have turned away from the Lord. I understand that, I do. I’m not trying to put a guilt trip on you. I am trying to help you understand, you lead. They choose, but you lead. And you lead correctly as you are following Christ.
The other thing I need to say, maybe lift the hammer on you and take a deep breath. I’m not saying that women can’t lead. I am saying that the men, God has called you to lead. But women can lead; some are gifted greatly at leading. We have some greatly gifted women leaders in this church. Greatly gifted. And I am grateful, that women are gifted to lead when they are forced to lead. And that’s what I see most often. It’s when a man, in a home situation, cops out, or checks out, or chooses to leave. So often a mother is gifted to lead the family. When a man checks out spiritually, cops out, when he chooses sin – usually secret sin – and it removes him from being able to lead his family, so often God gifts the mother, the wife, to lead. I am grateful for that. I am forever grateful for my own mother and God’s equipping her to lead. I’m thankful for that.
So, I’m not saying women can’t lead, I’m saying men are created to lead. We’ve got to accept that. We’ve got to accept that because someone is following our lead, right now, today. And we have to accept that as a wartime commission and a responsibility in the greatest eternal battle, that the people who are following us, we have to accept that they will go the way we go. That’s not always the case. And I’ve talked to some of you who are breaking those generational chains and you’re not going the way of your father. And I thank God for that because someone has to break the cycle. And someone has to say follow me as I follow Christ.
So, Godly leadership is not easy, it’s not for the fainthearted. It’s not for the “namby-pamby” feel-good, horse teeth smiling churches. Godly leadership requires the greatest sacrifice. It’s the most difficult challenge there is in this life and it carries the greatest responsibility. So, as they say, “Man up.” “Man up.” (If you’re wondering why I never do Mother’s Day messages it’s because I would just stand here and thank all the mothers. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. The men, I got something to say to you.) If you are a husband and a father today, then you have the single greatest leadership responsibility that God has created. Take it! Take it.
Steve Farrar, who is a great author and teacher, read anything he has written. He’s a great author on men’s leadership. He was speaking about the potential impact of a strong Christian in the White House. He said,
“If millions of Christian men in this country seriously began leading their own homes, the impact on America would be far greater than one Christian man leading in the White House.”
Men, I know you’ve heard it. We were made to lead. And because of that, someone is following you. Have I done enough so that we can go to the HOW? Let’s see how God says we are supposed to lead. Turn to the book of contents. Find the page number for the book of Micah. And turn there. Micah is right in the middle of the Minor Prophets.
Micah was a prophet not long before the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon (which was judgment for Israel’s sin and their refusal to repent against God and their desire to live their own life in their own way) and the beginning of the Babylonian captivity. A prophet, named Micah, was used by God to call the people of God, again and again to repentance and to true worship and following him before the judgment of God (Babylonian captivity) occurred.
Much of the book of Micah focuses on the leaders of Israel, on the leaders of God’s people. Micah is focused heavily on the leaders of God’s people who were involved in everything that we are. Everything that the leaders of God’s people today are. Idolatry, failures, moral, civil, religious, spiritual failures, just a wreck. And so Micah chapter 6 is where we are going to begin today.
Micah 6 begins the Lord’s indictment, his case (like in a court) against Israel, and specifically against Israel’s leaders. In Micah 6:3, God says in essence, (I’m paraphrasing so we can get to the key scripture) what have I done to you to make you turn away from me and follow the gods of this world and the gods of your “self” sin?
And in verse 4 God lists a few of the great things he has done for Israel and kind of tongue in cheek asks – Is it because I brought you out of Egypt? Is it because I redeemed you from slavery? Is it because I sent rescuers to save you? Is it because I protected you and have always been faithful to you? And the implication is which one of these things has caused you to follow the gods of this world and your own sin nature and turned the people of God from me?
Then in verse 6, the leaders respond to God, and their response almost seems sarcastic at first glance. But I hope it’s actually them understanding that there is no way for them to make up to God for their past failures. That is critically important for the leaders of Israel in Micah, and it’s critically important for the men listening to this message. You cannot pay God in self-effort or religious exercise to make up for the sins of your past. Here are how the leaders of Israel respond to God confronting them on their sin.
Micah 6:6–7 (NLT)
6 What can we bring to the Lord? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves?
7 (now it gets a little crazy) Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins?
This is what is called hyperbole – which is a statement of impossible excess – in order to make a point. It seems to me these leaders knew there was nothing they could do to make up to God for their sins of the past.
I believe these leaders understand that without God’s grace and without God’s mercy there is nothing they can do to make the sins of their past “right.” Isn’t that like so many of us? We realize we can’t go back. We can’t make the sins of our past “right” on our own. Just like the Israelites, our only hope is in God’s mercy and his grace towards us. And I promise you, if you have repented and received Christ as your Savior and if you are following him as your Lord, then you have received God’s mercy and his grace to cover the sins and mistakes of the past.
But that leaves us with one question, doesn’t it? What does the Lord require of us – today? What do we do now? We have repented of our sinful past. We desire for God to transform our lives and we recognize that there is someone following us, today. So what do we do now? Well, fortunately, God is going to summarize all that he requires of us in just three commands.
God had charged the people for their rebellion. The leaders had said (in essence) there is nothing we can do to make this up to you, God. And then God responds in Micah 6:8 this way:
Micah 6:8 (NLT)
8 No, O people (Literally, O MAN), the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
God says “O MAN” - “I’ve already TOLD YOU what to Do It’s already written in my Word”
But, let me summarize it for you.
This is what the Lord requires of you.
1). Do what is RIGHT.
2). LOVE MERCY
3). WALK HUMBLY with your God
Men, someone is following you. And if you would say with the leaders of Israel in Micah 6 - “What can we DO – from this day forward – for those who are following us?
God has summarized what he has required of you, starting today.
1). Do what is RIGHT.
2). LOVE MERCY
3). WALK HUMBLY with your God
But guys, we need to understand our enemy. The enemy always works in direct opposition to God. Both God and Satan know that someone is following you.
So God says Do what is right.
The enemy says Do what you want.
God says Love mercy.
The enemy says Love your self-will.
God says Walk humbly with your God.
The enemy says Hide behind your pride.
And if we take the enemy’s bait, we will become a spiritual P.O.W. Held captive to doing what we want, loving our self-will and hiding behind our pride and the enemy keeps us in a dark little box and feeds us our sin nature to keep us alive while those we are supposed to be leading are IN the enemy’s minefield being led into destruction, because we won’t break the chains of our sin and get back out on the battlefield and lead those God has called us to lead.
But all that can change. We can be freed from our prison of sin and be returned to our rightful place in the battle. On your own? No! In your own strength? No! But you can be transformed by God. You can put away your old life and be born again into a new life, by God’s grace.
Instead of the bondage of your old life, doing what you want, you can be born again into a new life of doing what is right.
Instead of the bondage of your old life loving your self-will, you can be born again into a new life of loving mercy.
Instead of the bondage of your old life hiding behind your pride, you can be born again into a new life of walking humbly with your God.
Not by your effort but by Jesus Christ living in you. Not by trying harder, but by having the new life of Christ inside you. When Jesus Christ truly comes into your life, he comes with the full power of the Godhead.
Ephesians 1:19–20 (NLT)
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead . . .
The power of God that raised Christ from the dead is enough power to raise you into a new life. It’s enough power to raise you to a new life where you can “do what is right” (which is the first thing Micah 6:8 says.) Meaning do what is right according to God, not according to our own prideful opinion. Especially in the face of hardship and difficulty, the life of Christ in you can do what is right, and those who are following you will walk in your steps.
With the full life of Christ in you, you can love mercy (the second thing Micah 6:8 says to do.) The word mercy here is one of my favorite Hebrew words HESED. Its meaning is not just what we know of mercy which is not getting what you deserve, but this word for God’s mercy also means “steadfast love” no matter what. It means “faithfulness” no matter what. It means “Immoveable devotion” no matter what. That is the depth of God’s mercy and that is the depth of mercy we can walk in toward our children and our wife. And those who are following you will walk in your steps.
And the last thing God requires is for you to walk humbly with him. Humility is the opposite of pride and pride is what got Satan thrown out of Heaven. Pride is the root of the original sin, and for men, pride is the king of sin. Pride is thinking too highly of yourself; it’s placing your thoughts and opinions over others. Humility is not thinking of yourself but instead thinking of those God has entrusted to you. By the power of God in us, we can walk humbly with our God, and those that are following you will walk in your steps.
Men, there is someone following you. If you will take this commission of God to lead them, then Micah 6:8 tells you how.
Micah 6:8
8 this is what [The Lord] requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
If you will walk that way, those who are following you will safely navigate the minefield that the enemy has set up for them, in this world.
In 2008 I taught a message for fathers called “Teach Your Children” which you can get on the phone app and website. And at the end, I played this incredible video. It was at a Promise Keeper’s event and Dennis Rainey set up 12 huge bear traps on the stage, including the biggest bear rap made. And they were all set, ready to take off a limb of anyone who wasn’t careful enough. And he talked about how dangerous this world is for teenagers to navigate on their own, and in the process, he sprung some of these huge traps to show the very real danger.
Then he brought a dad and a 13-year-old son on the stage. He put the dad at one end of the traps and the son at the other end. And he explained that he was going to have the son walk through the traps to reach his father, representing him making it to maturity. And his dad was a little nervous at first, but then he got a lot nervous when they asked the teenage boy to take off his shoes. Then they blindfolded him and asked him to carefully navigate the traps feeling ahead with his bare feet.
His dad let him take a few steps then yelled at him to stop in his tracks, “Don’t move!” And then the dad walked across the stage, told his son to put both hands on his shoulders and closely follow him every step of the way through the bear traps. And all across the stage, the son stepped only where his Dad stepped, easily and successfully making it through all the traps.
If you are a father today, make sure you are building a relationship with your children that will enable them to follow you closely, walking the way you walk, stepping where you step. Only in this way can you lead them through the minefield the enemy has set up for them. And if it is not your children following you, see who it is and take your God-given responsibility to lead them safely through the enemy’s traps and I.E.D.’s in this world.