Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the Lord sees into the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 CEB
It seems only fair. Two weeks ago I preached to our children and youth about God's call upon their lives. On Father's Day I will preach to the men of our church, not because I know anything but because God does. In this text for Sunday, the prophet Samuel, the king Saul and the father Jesse all think they know what makes for a man and a leader. God confounds them all.
Historically we construct images and archetypes of "real men" around our own preferences and ideals. Over the centuries, they have ranged from Martin Luther to Martin Luther King, Jr., from Pope Pius to Pope Francis, from Teddy Roosevelt to Franklin D. Roosevelt, from George Washington to Denzel Washington, from John Wayne to Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, from Oscar Romero to Anthony Romero.
What is your idea of the ideal man? How does it compare to historical ideas? To others' ideas? To celebrity? To your core values?
This Sunday I will explore what turns out to be a pretty consistent biblical idea of a best man.
See you in the manly place Sunday,
Matt Gaston
Lead Pastor
P.S. What's ahead on Sundays:
July 8-August 12: God at the Movies
August 19-September 23: Healthy Church Initiative Moving Ahead