Don’t Be a Son of the Devil

Who you follow will determine your future as a man, husband, father & friend. The question is, are you acting like a son of God or a son of the Devil?

Don’t Be a Son of the Devil

-Father/Son = 220+ names end “son” Mason, Jackson, Grayson, Carson, Bryson, Jason

John 8:32, 39–45 …you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”…They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me….You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth..

2 Kinds of Men

  1. Sons of the Devil “father of lies”
  2. Fathers Sons starting w/Jesus Son of God – “I tell the truth”; “truth sets free”

The Lie to All Men: Don’t be emotional or relational

Emotional NOT masculine/feminine emotions but expressions

Jesus’ Emotions in Mark (Jesus 60 emotions gospels = not Spock)

1:41—“pity” (esv), “compassion” (hcsb, nasb, nkjv, nlt), “indignant” (niv)

3:5—“anger, grieved” (esv, nasb, nkjv), “anger and sorrow” (hcsb), “anger and, deeply distressed” (niv) or “angrily . . . deeply saddened” (nlt)

6:6—“marveled” (esv, nkjv), “amazed” (hcsb, niv, nlt), “wondered” (nasb)

6:34, 8:2, 9:22—“compassion”

7:34—“He sighed” (esv, nlt, nkjv); “He sighed deeply” (hcsb); “deep sigh” (nasb, niv).

8:12—“sighed deeply in his spirit”

10:21—“loved” (esv), “felt a love” (nasb), “with love” (niv), “genuine love” (nlt)

14:33–34—“greatly distressed and troubled . . . ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death.’”

15:34—“Jesus cried with a loud voice . . . ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”

Relational

  • 1st thing God said not good =alone
  • Bible = “brother” 800+ times = physical/spiritual brothers
  • Bible = “friend” 100+ times
  • Jesus & His disciples were a brotherhood

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 18:24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

The Truth – Please screenshot “Friendship Decline More Pronounced Among Men” fromhttps://www.americansurveycenter.org/why-mens-social-circles-are-shrinking/

The other lie to all men: Passive men are good men

1 Thessalonians 5:14 “brothers, admonish the idle”

Deuteronomy 24:1 “a man takes a wife”

Matthew 22:30 A woman is “given in marriage”

=Wedding ceremony – man stands alone, woman given by her father

55% of men have felt “a profound and enduring state of unhappiness, uneasiness, and discontent” about their singlehood.

45% of men ages 18-25 have never approached a woman in person, mainly out of fear of rejection

https://ifstudies.org/blog/who-asked-whom-does-it-matter-who-makes-the-first-move-in-a-relationship
  1. Marital satisfaction highest when couple meets at church
  2. Grab Husbands/Wives happiest when husband asks for the first date

The Lie to Single Men: Cohabitation is practice for marriage

Hebrews 13:4 (NKJV) Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

The Truth = Marriage is 1. Covenant (spiritually) 2. Consummation (physically)

https://ifstudies.org/ifs-admin/resources/reports/cohabitationreportapr2023-final.pdf

Please grab the study screenshot & chart “Timing of Cohabitation and Marital Dissolution”

  1. Scott Stanley and Galena Rhoades – 2 leading researchers world cohabitation
  2. 50-65% Americans believe improves odds marital success (younger = higher)
  3. 70% couples cohabitate

The other lie to single men: Marriage will ruin your life

Genesis 2:18,21-25 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him…Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:7 woman is the glory of man.

The Truth

Married Men vs Single Men 

Live nearly 10 years longer

Are about 50% less likely to die at any age

Less likely to suffer from long-term chronic illnesses or disabilities

Roughly 30% more likely to rate their health as “excellent or very good”

Drink about half as much

Less likely to smoke, drink and drive, drive too fast, get into fights, or take risks that increase the chance of accidents and injuries.

The lie to fatherless men: Kids will ruin your life

Psalm 127:1-5 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain… Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

  • Barrenness in the Bible comes w/mourning not rejoicing
  • 27 times in Proverbs the father disciples saying, “my son…”

Proverbs 17:6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

The Truthhttps://ifstudies.org/blog/marriage-makes-men-better?sfcid=0034W00003LyOsvQAF&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=855206&refcd=855206&utm_source=RelevantResources“A very large body of research demonstrates that when men are engaged in helping rear their biological children, they are more likely to behave in prosocial ways. They are less likely to commit crimes, less likely to be violent, less likely to drink alcohol or consume drugs. Fatherhood seems to channel male energy and aggression toward constructive and prosocial ends. Indeed, across cultures, becoming a father has been observed to lead men to become less selfish and more socially responsible.”

Please grab chart Married Fathers are Happiest https://dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/married-mothers-and-fathers-are-happiest-according/?sfcid=0034W00003LyOsvQAF&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=855206&refcd=855206&utm_source=RelevantResources

Photo of author

Mark Driscoll

It's all about Jesus! Read More