OPM2: Machonurin

The third installment of OPM2, the current preaching series in Victory is entitled 'Machonurin' or the men who have abdicated their roles as the head of the family.  The series explored the Biblical concept of manhood.

Ephesians 5:21-25
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...

Genesis 2:15:23
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. 
But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
   The man said, 
       "This is now bone of my bones 
       and flesh of my flesh; 
       she shall be called 'woman,' 
       for she was taken out of man."

In the family, the husband's role is the head, the wife is the helper.  This is not because men are more important, or that they have a higher priority, or that they have more rights and privileges, but it is simply the assigned role in the relationship.  This role was assigned by God and God will be the one to enable/equip the men to fulfill this role.

Being the head comes with responsibilities:
  • To CULTIVATE - The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.  The father is expected to nurture the family in all aspects.  While it is common to entrust the religious upbringing of children to the mothers, this is not God's design.  The fathers should disciple the children and the wife.  In the old testament, Eli was blamed by God for his son's transgressions...
  • To TEACH - And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."  God gave this commandment to Adam.  He was with Eve when she ate the fruit of the forbidden tree.  It was Adam's responsibility to teach Eve and because it wasn't carried out, sin was committed.
  • To SPEAK DESTINY/SET DIRECTION - Adam named all the animals, even gave the name 'woman.'  In the Old Testament, names signify destiny.  Today, a father can either hinder or encourage his family to fulfill their destiny by speaking words of affirmation.  It seems very simple but 'the tongue hold the power of life and death' (Prov 18:21) and we know of many instances where relationships were ruined or healed by words. 
All of these responsibilities need to be done in LOVE.  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...

Originally preached by Pastor Janssen at VCF Alabang, October 16, 2010.

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