“A Father’s Day Discourse on the Roles of the Genesis Man”
Sermon Notes:
I was blessed and fortunate to be at the birth of all four of my children. After the birth of my first child, after the rush of emotions and excitement, I remember that I had to leave the hospital and go back to our apartment to get a few things. On the way back, before leaving the underground parking garage, I stopped because I suddenly felt this huge weight pressing down on me…
I remember thinking, if I went out and bought a VCR (it was 2001), it would come with a thick manual in English and French! Yet, at the hospital they give you a child and say, “Congratulations, here you go, take him home!”
Being a father is an honour, privilege and a huge responsibility.
I would like to take the opportunity to share with you some details and points of this message that I shared with the congregation of TNCC. To experience the full message, it will be posted here and it can also be accessed on TNCC’s YouTube page.
National Men’s Ministry
It is a great honour and a privilege to be appointed as the National Men’s Director of Eastern Canada, and I am so grateful to Pastor Sean Fraser (who was the previous director) for all his hard work in this role. I’ve taken directions and ques from him.
I’m also grateful to Harvey Palmer, who was the previous director for just over 12 years. Under his direction, we find the glory days of men’s retreat. I was privileged to serve on that team as well as the current team.
The National Men’s Ministry Team members include:
Albert Dawkins, Percival Plummer, Rodney Pringle, and our youngest and newest member Asher Goombs. (A podcast introduction to all of these members will be uploaded soon.)
The National Men’s Ministry has been renamed to confirm our vision and we have three guiding foci:
The Men and Young Men Alliance (of Eastern Canada)
Three Guiding Foci
1. We are dedicated to ally with and support young men and boys through Mentorship, Ceremonies, Rites of Passages and Boys’ Trips.
2. We we are dedicated to ally and support pastors to promote service, and male leadership and in the local churches of Eastern Canada.
3. We are dedicated to ally with men and young men to provide and create a platform for the dialogue and exploration of the Reason, Roles, and Relationship of masculine identity -The Genesis Man.
Masculine Roles
The title of this message is called “When Adam Saw Eve”, subtitled: “A Father’s Day Discourse on the Roles of the Genesis Man”
As a father, what can we learn about masculinity as we look at Adam’s context about our masculine roles? There are two major points: Speaking words of Love and Inspiring Identity
The Situation
Genesis 2:18
18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
(NKJV)
The Solution
21 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 then closed up the place with flesh.
22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
Genesis 2:21-22 (NKJV)
The Statement
23 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.”
Genesis 2:23 (NKJV)
Words of love and care…
Let’s not take lightly what this means and what Adam is saying. He is speaking words of love. He is speaking words that translate into care. He is saying to Eve, you are of me, you are like me. I love you. I can’t love you as I love my own self. You are of me; you are from me. You are an intimate part of me. I love you. We are close.
Adam was speaking words of love.
As a father, as a man, in our world we focus on building things… infrastructures… empires… technologies… Sometimes we forget that the most important thing we are to build is our relationships.
Our words can make or break. Our words can lift up and pull down. Our words can foster love or hate. Our words can heal or scar…
Maybe even just as bad is the lack of words. The “Strong Silent Type” is not a good model. We can starve those in our sphere of influence from emotional nurturing through silence.
Inspiring Identity…
23 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.”
Genesis 2:23 (NKJV)
The second part of this scripture highlights Adam’s action of offering inspiration, insight into the identity of Eve, the most important individual in his sphere of influence.
What does this mean? Is this just an example of the Bible being chauvinistic, portraying the dominating and controlling qualities of men? “No.”
Adam helped to bring identity into the life of Eve, and I’m not talking about dictatorship, I’m not saying that we are to regress back into the 1950’s of what I say goes, and I’m going to tell you this and I’m going to tell you that and what I say goes… Absolutely not.
How do you navigate this idea? It happens through prayer, through wisdom, through the scriptures, and through the Holy Spirit. That’s how it’s done.
When I pray, I ask God, who is my wife, what is she supposed to be? Who is my son? Who are my daughters? What kind of persons are they? How are they bent? How do they move? God, how have you shaped them? What are their inclinations? Where is their future? What are they supposed to do? I pray to this end, and when God shares with me, I speak to them!
Be the Angel of God…
Fathers, we need to take a Master Class from the Angel of God, who sat down and watched Gideon threshing wheat in a wine press because he was terrified of the Amalekites and emotionally beaten down by the negative thoughts and perceptions that he had about himself and his family lineage…
But the Angel of God looked past all of that into his true identity and proclaimed, “O mighty man of valour…”
Gideon, knees knocking, must have seemed bewildered… “I think you got me mixed up with someone else…” In actuality, Gideon had himself confused with someone that he actually wasn’t…
Can I Actually do is?
You know, I get it. You may be wondering, “Can I really do all that I need to do?” You may have messed up (haven’t we all?)… you may be struggling with a history of indifference or apathy (we are all attacked by that from time to time), but allow me leave you with this…
One of my “life soundtrack songs” is called Lead Me by Sanctus Real. Throughout the message of the song, we hear and feel the responsibility this man has to lead his family and children with “strong hands”…
I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames, I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling, but on the inside
Oh, I can hear her sayingLead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams but what about us
Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel aloneI see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They’re just children from the outside
I’m working hard, I tell myself
They’ll be fine, they’re independent
But on the inside
Oh, I can hear them saying
In a heartfelt and vulnerable moment, during the bridge he realizes this need…
So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I am called to be
Lead Me by Sanctus Real
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won’t you lead me?
We can indeed lead as God leads us. On behalf of myself and family I would like to wish you fathers a happy Father’s Day. I would like to wish all Uncles, Grandpas, Mentors and every man that has a positive influence on a young man, woman, boy or girl, a wonderful and happy day.
What Is A Father
A father is a person who loves and respects you.
— Sally B. Williams
He is honest, and he never neglects you.
He is the greatest that your eyes will ever see.
No other man like him will there ever be.
When you are in your bedroom and scared at night;
A father comes in to let you know that everything is alright.
Education is important, so stay in school hanging out on the streets is not so cool.
Listen to me, son, so the day you become a man.
Like me, you will do everything you can.
A father is like no other man around
Another man like him can never be found.
The Genesis Man Project 