Kurian, Alexander: Rise Up O Men of God Part 1

This is a men's conference. Rise up, O men. You know, we are trying to discover the demands of authentic Christian manhood as we serve the Lord. We have some unique privileges as men. We know that in our ecclesiology, in our understanding of the doctrine of the church, our sisters remain silent in the public gathering of the corporate body of Christ. But we have, we men have great privilege to participate audibly in the worship, in giving thanks to the Lord, in leading, in singing, and in prayer, in teaching, and, uh, in preaching and proclaiming the word of God. You know, once in another country, I was ministering the word, and on a Sunday morning, one sister told me that if you men give us sisters the privilege of open worship, we will really show you how to do it. And, uh, we can really present a vibrant worship for the Lord. You know, she was kind of little bit critical of the lack of zeal and enthusiasm among the men to actively participate in audible worship. So she made that remark, you know, and she's a very fine sister, but she was making a point. So, dear brothers, we have a great privilege. We have a lot of responsibility, and we are accountable to the added upgraded privileges we have. In the assembly of God, as a man, I have an upgraded privilege, practically speaking. Many things which my wife cannot do, my sisters cannot do, I can do. I'm authorized to do. I'm sanctioned to do. I am assigned to do. I am called to do. I am called to lead. I am called to preach. I am, I am called in various leadership responsibilities and ministries among the people of God. That's a great privilege. So it is very, very important that we reflect upon the God-given privileges we have as men. That is a great wake-up call. That's a call to encouragement, to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord, to be more zealous, to be more committed, and to be more serious in our walk, uh, with the Lord. Men of God, rise up, O men of God. You know, the oldest book in the Bible, the book of Job, probably the first recorded revelation given to us in propositional verbal statements as the word of God. You know how that book begins? The very first word of God, recorded written word of God to man in the biblical canon, the book of Job. You know how that book begins? There was a man. It is the story of a man who loved the Lord, who feared the Lord, who served the Lord. And there are ongoing conversations in the early part of the book with, you know, s- uh, Satan and God communicating, conversing. And what is the topic? What is the theme of that conversation? It's very interesting that it is about this man. It is not about theology. It is not about, you know, any deeper things of God's eternal counsel, plan, decree, or purpose. It is about this man. There was a man. That is how the biblical revelation begins. And to me, that was quite surprising, quite attractive, and quite encouraging. Elijah, the man of God. Elisha, the man of God. Moses, the man of God. David, the man of God. Timothy, the man of God. We have a unique assignment, a great privilege, an upgraded privilege. You know, even this morning, I use a Sprint phone. Even this morning, they send me a text message and also an email that I'm eligible for an upgrade, you know? And, uh, everywhere today, you know, if you want to sell a house, you have to upgrade it. I'm a frequent traveler with American Airlines, so I always request an upgrade. Most of the time I don't get it, you know, but sometimes I get it. And we enjoy that upgrade, that luxury, that comfortable seat, that good food, you know, traveling in style, that upgrade. Don't you like that? So, rise up of men is a call to upgrade at manhood in the plan and purpose of God. And these are, I'm just, uh, I hope you would allow me to share my heart with you. You know, so when Brother Colchin wrote to me little bit about the history of this conference and the burden and the passion to revive such a conference, I know the significance of that ministry, what it can do for me and for you, and for the vitality and for the revival of our assemblies. We know that world over, our assemblies are in a crisis, to be, to be factual, you know, and uh, how we can overcome this crisis, how we can be overcomeers, how we can save the next generation, that we men be men and take the leadership lovingly, truthfully, courageously, authentically, and gracefully under the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit, you know, anchored in the eternal truth of God's word and having a passion to love the Lord and to serve the Lord. Again, so many things come to my mind, you know, I have been rereading Roy Cotes, the great scholar, Roy Cotes' History of the Brethren Movement, and also, you know, rereading William Blair Needby's History of the Brethren Movement and comparing. Both of them were serious critics of J. N. Darby. Both of them have vehemently criticized J. N. Darby. But both of them have an elegant encomium about Darby's passion for the Lord Jesus Christ. That the most important contribution of J. N. Darby, I believe, is not simply in his theology, as brilliant as he was and very skillful in his writing and exposition, but I occasionally read the hymns and the poems which he has written, you know, brimmed with the passion for the Lord Jesus Christ, brimmed with love and great reverence for the Father and the Son, a man in love with the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is why God mightily used him. Are you in love with the Lord? Are you in passionately, are you passionately in love with the Lord? That was also one of the characteristics of the early brethren gathering, gathered unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in sweet commitment and devotion to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The incarnate Word and the inscripturated Word, the written Word, those are the two most important things in our faith. And the Lord is calling our attention to those passionate, that passionate love for our Savior, uh, this morning. Before I read a couple of passages, you know, this morning, few more thoughts just came to my mind about the men's conference thing. Like, we all know the story of Cain and Abel, and why the Lord rejected Cain's offering and accepted Abel's offering. And we have our nice theology worked out, you know, framed out around that theme. That's well and good. But I believe that there is something which we sometimes miss in the story, in the event of Cain and Abel and their offerings. The New Testament throws abundant light upon both of them. In the New Testament, in First John chapter three, Cain is called the wicked one, the evil one. So why did the Lord reject his sacrifice offering? There are other reasons, I know, but the man was evil. That is the primary reason. The man was bad. No authentic manhood in him. Why did the Lord, why the Lord was pleased with Abel and his sacrifice? The Lord Jesus gives the answer, righteous Abel. The man was righteous. Cain was religious, Abel was declared righteous by the Lord. The manhood, even in the very early pages of the book of Genesis in human history, when the Holy Spirit introduces two young men, their manhood made a decisive difference in pleasing God. It is the man that was the problem, the wicked one from the evil one, Cain. What about Abel, the righteous one? Of course, the blood offering that he responded rightly to the revelation of God, all those things are true. But after all that is said and done, look at the man. He had love for God and a passion for God. Rise up, oh men. Rise up, oh men. Shall we turn to Deuteronomy chapter sixteen? I'll be share- sharing with you two, three passages, at least two, and the first one comes from Deuteronomy chapter sixteen and reading verse sixteen. You will be surprised to know that God himself convened three men's conference every year in the Old Testament. So we are very scriptural, you know? There are some assemblies that they won't do a meeting unless and until they find scriptural evidence for it. So here is a good scriptural backing, evidence for men's conference. Three times a year, the Lord wanted all the men of Israel to come, uh, before him at the time of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread and Pentecost weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. I just want to make an application here in verse sixteen. Three times a year, all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which he chooses. It is the male, it is the men who should come at the feast of unleavened bread, at the feast of weeks, and at the feast of tabernacles, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. They should not come, they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. So we men, when we approach God, God's house, God's church, God's ministry, divinely assigned responsibilities, a great truth of application, very simple application, because that is the primary focus of this conference, not just theories, but we need to see, we need to learn how we can apply these truths in our day-to-day life. That three times in a year, like the children of Israel, we don't have a congregation before the Lord, the males. But what is the most important truth we can learn from this simple verse? The Lord has a demand, a stipulation that none of you shall appear before me empty-handed. I have every day of my life around the world, I have privileges to travel, to preach, to teach, to counsel, to train, to equip others in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, I try to do it the best way I can, but what does this verse teach me in my life? You know, I should not be empty-handed. I should come with preparation. Look at verse seventeen. it gives a description of that. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God, which he has given you. Your stewardship, when you appear before the Lord, when you worship, when you communicate, when you teach, when you give a message, when you teach Sunday school, when you give a counsel to someone as a man of God, with your unique privilege as an elder, as an evangelist, as a leader, you have a unique privilege. People look up to you. How do we come to the Lord's presence to minister? We should never come empty-handed. We should come with great preparation, according to the ability, according to the blessing of the Lord your God, which he has given you. So the Lord accepts our ministry, the Lord blesses our ministry on the basis of our faithfulness to that stewardship. Are you more educated? Do you have a better communication skill, good writing skill, good language skills? Do you have more wealth, more influence? You have more experience, a better spiritual heritage, according to the blessing with which the Lord has blessed you. And it is according to that blessing, to the measure of his blessing in your life, you are accountable to offer something before him. Not that we come and offer something, but we offer it according on the basis of the stewardship that is committed to us. The stewardship of time, the stewardship of talents, the stewardship of treasures, wealth, and the stewardship of truth, which he has committed to us. When people talk about stewardship, they always talk about stewardship of money and time. But what about stewardship of truth? Stewardship of enlightenment in the Word of God. Not that we are superior to others, but the Lord has enlightened our minds in the assemblies about deeper things in the Word of God. And are we committed to that truth to minister it lovingly and gracefully to others? Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. If I only have truth and no grace, nobody wants my truth. Even my children don't want it. And that is something, you know, we in the assemblies have to be very careful too. How we should minister truth? Truth should be ministered in the plate of grace. Grace and truth were realized through the Lord Jesus Christ. Every day of my life, I'm a husband, a father, and a grandfather, and a servant of God, a leader among God's people in different capacities. And my prayer, probably for the last couple of years, you know, the Lord brought this to my attention. Alex, be more gracious. Your truth is good, truth is wonderful, but look at your Lord Jesus Christ. We beheld his glory. How did John describe that? We beheld his glory, and that glory was brimming with truth and grace. If our assemblies need revival, our assemblies not only need truth, we also need grace. Especially the men in the assemblies, those who are in the forefront of ministries, those who are shepherds and leaders. As people struggle, as people go through various struggles and crisis of life, which they never expected would haunt them in their life. How would we minister to them in authentic manhood? How would we comfort them, counsel them, lead them, and guide them? Of course, in the truth of God's word, we don't have any other truth. We cannot compromise on it. It is non-negotiable. But that same non-negotiable truth must be ministered in grace. When you men, the Lord said, when you come before me three times, you shall not appear empty-handed, and you shall offer to me your offerings and sacrifices as you are able, as I have made you able, on the basis of your stewardship. And some of us have been given more, more maturity, more knowledge, more experience, more wonderful things in life. I'm a frequent traveler to Africa, the continent of Africa, to help in the assembly ministries in Africa. Different places, you know, uh, in uh, different countries in Africa. It's a very humbling experience because the Lord tells me how privileged you are. How privileged you are. Think about all the blessings I have lavished upon your life. And you look at this simple believers and their sacrifice, their way of life, and the struggles of their life, their poverty, the sickness, and all the troubles through which they go through every day in their life. So when I go to such a place, what am I expected to? To minister on the basis of the stewardship that is committed to me. So that is the meaning of not empty-handed. It is not simply to offer something. It is, verse seventeen explains that every man shall give as he is able. Now this verse is usually taken, you know, uh, even A. P. Gibbs in his book on the Lord's Supper and on worship has mentioned, have referred to this verse a couple of times for the right. And, uh, even in our assembly recently, you know, I have been encouraging our young people to take more part in audible worship. And I have shown this, them this verse, but there is more to it, that not only it is the remembrance or the worship, any ministry, every ministry, every opportunity, we men, we should take the lead and offer our best to the Lord on the basis of the stewardship which he has committed. And stewardship means you must be faithful, you are responsible, and you are accountable. Come with me to the next passage in Deuteronomy, sorry, in Exodus chapter thirty four. In Exodus 34 and verse 23. Three times in the year, all your men shall appear before the Lord, the Lord God of Israel. You know the beauty of this verse, it is the same truth repeated from, as we have seen in Deuteronomy sixteen sixteen, But here, the name of the Lord is emphasized. Three times in the year, all your men shall appear before God. And here the stipulation is that you must appear before the Lord, Adonai. The Lord, uppercase Yahweh, Jehovah, God, Elohim. You must know that I am the boss of your life when you appear before me. So the three primary names of God in the Old Testament are coined together to remind the men in Israel that you must know that you are coming not only before Jehovah God, but Elohim God and Adonai God. What is the importance of it? You must know when you come, I am your dictator, I am your lord, I am your boss. You must be submissive to me. The corresponding doctrine of the lordship of Christ in the New Testament. The epistle to the Colossians, Hebrews, the lordship, the supremacy in everything he might have the preeminence. When you come, when I come, as a brother, as a husband, as a father. You know, a couple of days ago during spring break, my granddaughter, only seven year old, she came and spent the night with us, you know, had a lot of fun during the day. Then before she retired to bed, the Lord prompted me, you know, your granddaughter is going to bed. You had a lot of fun during this day. You want to tell her something? Something more deeply, something about me? Of course, you know, I and my wife and her parents, father and dad, my son and his wife, they bring her in the, in the nurture of the Lord very wonderfully, no doubt about it. But as she was in my company, the Lord said, you would like to sing a song to her and explain its meaning? Suddenly, you know, the Lord made me more responsible. Alex, I'm the boss of this family. I'm your boss. I'm your dictator. I'm the sovereign God. So make use of this opportunity to minister something to her, and I humbly, lovingly did it along with my wife. What a beautiful way to retire to bed, because the Lord reminded me of the lordship of Jesus Christ in my responsibility as a grandfather. The men of Israel, when you come, you must know it's not a routine coming, it's not a traditional coming, it is not an annual conference. You are coming with a great knowledge, with a great realization that I am your boss, I am your sovereign, I am your lord. I am the master of your life. Then I am God Jehovah, the name of covenant faithfulness. I'm the God of the covenants. I'm the centerpiece of your relationships. You are related to me, I'm related to you, and it is on that basis that all other relationship in your covenant community exists. I am the God of relationship. I am the covenant-making, covenant-keeping God. We are a covenanted community, and I am the centerpiece of that relationship. So, you think about your relationship to your wife, to your fellow believers, to your children, in the area of your ministry, all the wonderful relationships the Lord has given you. I'm the centerpiece, and it is on the basis of our relationship that you should relate to others and minister in my name. Then I am God Elohim, the majestic, omnipotent creator God. I am your powerhouse. I am there to strengthen you. I am there to give you energy, enduement of power from on high in your ministry, in your life, in your vocation. Why these men had to come before the Lord? To rejoice in his redemption, to celebrate his salvation, to remember his wonderful redemptive acts in their life. That is why they had to come, men, three times in a year. It was a requirement. The Lord wanted them to come so that they may be able to offer their offerings and sacrifices according to the stewardship given to them, each one of them, and also to acknowledge who their God is, and they can return with upgraded manhood back to their community and back to their home. What a wonderful truth. Why has the Lord asked us to come? Why there is a passion to revive this ministry? Because the Lord wants to re-energize his men, his people, those of us who have given special privileges and blessings in the assembly of God to lead the people of God, to minister to the people of God more, uh, effectively. I hope and pray that this short introduction this morning may motivate you, may encourage you, may open that sacred pathway of sanctification and growth, discipleship and commitment in authentic manhood and upgraded manhood for the glory and reputation of our Savior may be a reality in your life, that we may taste it again and make a decision to move on purposefully from this day forward. Shall we pray? Loving Father, we thank you for this very solemn and sacred moments to reflect upon our life and our commitment and our discipleship, thy glorious demands in our life and what you expect of us. We pray that we, each one of us, may hear this word as it has come to us from thee, that we may obey it, we may enjoy it, we may appreciate it, and we may dedicate ourselves to follow you wholeheartedly in the days to come. Make us men of God in your will, plan, and purpose, and for your glory, as we pray this in our Savior's holy and precious name. Amen.