Being Examples, Men of God

 

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved; you and your household. [Acts 16.31]

In this passage we hear Paul’s response to the Philippian jailer. To fill in the story, Paul and Silas went to Philippi, preached the gospel, caused a riot, were whipped, and thrown into jail. Around midnight praising God, an earthquake happened and the doors to the jail cells opened. The jailer thought everyone left. He started to kill himself when Paul stopped him. The jailer takes Paul and Silas home, tends to their wounds, and then has church.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved; you and your family.” Some have taken this verse to imply that if one of the family is saved the whole family is saved. The rest of the Bible does not support that doctrine. What the Bible does support is a life changed by Jesus will cause others to seek out that same change for their lives. They will see something is now different, and they will want that for themselves.

The Roman jailer was in a tough spot. There were consequences for not fulfilling your charge. A Roman jailer was a hard person, usually a soldier. They were acquainted with dealing with hard people and giving out Roman justice. Roman justice for failure was swift and exacting. Romans were famous for making a show of their judgments and punishments of people. Many times the punishment would extend to the family as well. So this jailer was a hardcore man who knew the price for failure. Rather than face the consequences for losing his prisoners, killing himself was, in his mind, the only option.

God had a different plan.

The change in the man after receiving Jesus would show the family of this hardcore Roman jailer that Jesus was real and changed lives. The family would receive Jesus, because they saw what God did.

We, as men, are the examples to our families on how to live life. We are the authorities, the standards, that our families watch to see how life is to be lived. If we are hardcore, they will eventually accept that and emulate that. If we are truly Christian, truly like Christ, our families will see that and will live that as well. They will seek out a relationship and life with Christ, because we have a relationship and life with Jesus.

In Luke 7, Jesus had an encounter with a Roman centurion. The Roman loved his people, loved God, and asked Jesus to only say the word and his servant would be well. This centurion understood authority and understood command. First he sent his servants, then he came to Jesus. He said Jesus did not have to come all of the way. Jesus need only say the word. He exampled authority, caring, and command for those around him to follow. And, he showed his people you can serve God, Rome, and your people.

In Acts 10, another Roman centurion exampled being the leader of his house. He adopted serving God, took care of his people, gave alms, and prayed continually. Cornelius, the centurion, had an angelic visitation, sent for the man of God [Peter], had church in his house, and had an upper room experience in his house.

If we, as men of our houses, live our lives in pursuit of a relationship with God, in righteousness, our families will see this and praise God and receive Jesus and the Holy Spirit, because we did.

Paul pointed out we are living epistles, read of all men. My addition: what are we giving people to read? Whatever we do as leaders is being seen by those around us. Those who look up to us will try to imitate us – especially our children, especially our boys. The kind of man we are is the kind of man our sons will be and our daughters will marry. Therefore, be wise as you can and serve God. Not out of your own labors or efforts but out of pursuing a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. God will honor that. Your wife will desire you all the more, and your children will admire you all the more.

Amen?