Killing the Beast: Why We Need 7th and 8th Graders with Us
“I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind
and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.”
Romans 7:23
“Killing sin is not optional. This is mortal combat: Sin dies or we die.
We refuse to settle in with sin.”
John Piper
and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.”
Romans 7:23
“Killing sin is not optional. This is mortal combat: Sin dies or we die.
We refuse to settle in with sin.”
John Piper
Our ancestors were good at working together to take down a beast of the field. Their lives and the lives of their families were always at stake. The men honed their craft, wielding sharpened sticks, harnessing fire, and working in perfect concert to bring down the beast. The true artistry was in the coordinated effort of each hunter to play their part in the hunt, knowing just the right time to act.
If we picked 7 or 8 men from Timber Creek and tried to just walk out into the woods today and do this, we would fail. Learning how to track, stalk prey, hold a weapon, and map the patterns of the beast’s daily life takes time. The hunter-gatherers understood that, to make new hunters, they would need to bring their sons to the hunt and teach them while they did their work. Each father would tell stories of the hunt until it was time to bring their growing sons into the fold of hunters and become part of the tribe.
We have grocery stores now, but we Christian men are still hunters. We still have beasts to slay. The Apostle Paul explains the type of killing we do, “So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”
Christian men are to become hunters who can work with the Spirit to kill sin in our lives. The famous theologian John Owen once said, “Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.” The Man Up groups formed over the last two years are now ready to begin teaching our sons and spiritual sons how to join the hunt. Our plan to bring the 7th and 8th graders into Man Up will help them learn to kill sin in three important ways:
1. They learn to hunt in packs. We need others to pray for us, ask about our progress, and teach us different ways to kill the sin that tries to kill us. By joining groups that have different ages and maturity levels represented, the young men of our church will get the well-rounded mentorship support they need.
2. They see how to kill sin. It’s one thing to listen to a sermon about killing sin. You can even read all the right verses about “putting to death the deeds of the body.” It’s a whole new education to live life with older men who are doing it in front of you. The young men need to see the struggle and the victory. Their faith in the power of the Spirit to kill sin needs to grow so that when they experience long seasons of suffering, they know how to wait on the Lord. They need to see how to use the Word as “spiritual bread” as Jesus says, so that they can fight the temptations and schemes of the Evil One.
3. They find their place in the tribe. Can you imagine a 7th grader spending SIX YEARS with experienced sin hunters before leaving for college, trade school, or starting their own business? Do you think a scary philosophy professor stands a chance against the tribe from Timber? No. I want our young men to know they have a place in their home church—they ARE their home church. Discovering their place best happens when the experienced hunters recognize them as men and mark that day with celebration, honor, and a new set of manly duties. This isn’t happening in the ole’ youth group model. It can happen in Man Up.
This is a big task and a holy task, to make boys into godly men. It’s important to know that this is not just the work of pastors; but the work of all men called to be disciples of Christ. By bringing our sons and spiritual sons with us on our own journey with Christ, we help them live into manhood before our very eyes. What a glorious and rich blessing God gives us when we do this well.
If we picked 7 or 8 men from Timber Creek and tried to just walk out into the woods today and do this, we would fail. Learning how to track, stalk prey, hold a weapon, and map the patterns of the beast’s daily life takes time. The hunter-gatherers understood that, to make new hunters, they would need to bring their sons to the hunt and teach them while they did their work. Each father would tell stories of the hunt until it was time to bring their growing sons into the fold of hunters and become part of the tribe.
We have grocery stores now, but we Christian men are still hunters. We still have beasts to slay. The Apostle Paul explains the type of killing we do, “So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”
Christian men are to become hunters who can work with the Spirit to kill sin in our lives. The famous theologian John Owen once said, “Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.” The Man Up groups formed over the last two years are now ready to begin teaching our sons and spiritual sons how to join the hunt. Our plan to bring the 7th and 8th graders into Man Up will help them learn to kill sin in three important ways:
1. They learn to hunt in packs. We need others to pray for us, ask about our progress, and teach us different ways to kill the sin that tries to kill us. By joining groups that have different ages and maturity levels represented, the young men of our church will get the well-rounded mentorship support they need.
2. They see how to kill sin. It’s one thing to listen to a sermon about killing sin. You can even read all the right verses about “putting to death the deeds of the body.” It’s a whole new education to live life with older men who are doing it in front of you. The young men need to see the struggle and the victory. Their faith in the power of the Spirit to kill sin needs to grow so that when they experience long seasons of suffering, they know how to wait on the Lord. They need to see how to use the Word as “spiritual bread” as Jesus says, so that they can fight the temptations and schemes of the Evil One.
3. They find their place in the tribe. Can you imagine a 7th grader spending SIX YEARS with experienced sin hunters before leaving for college, trade school, or starting their own business? Do you think a scary philosophy professor stands a chance against the tribe from Timber? No. I want our young men to know they have a place in their home church—they ARE their home church. Discovering their place best happens when the experienced hunters recognize them as men and mark that day with celebration, honor, and a new set of manly duties. This isn’t happening in the ole’ youth group model. It can happen in Man Up.
This is a big task and a holy task, to make boys into godly men. It’s important to know that this is not just the work of pastors; but the work of all men called to be disciples of Christ. By bringing our sons and spiritual sons with us on our own journey with Christ, we help them live into manhood before our very eyes. What a glorious and rich blessing God gives us when we do this well.
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